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VENIN vF
By Quimby Melton
Twenty four years ago this
Week the funeral train of Presi
dent Franklin D. Roosev ell
came through Griffin on the Sou
thern Railway tracks. The Pre
sident died on April 12, 1945 at
The Little White House in near
by Warm Springs.
There are many who will rem
ember that day, schools, busi
nesses and offices were closed so
those who wished could meet the
funeral train. The largest crowd
gathered at the Solomon street
crossing to pay homage to the
32nd President; the only Presi
dent ever elected for more than
two terms. (He died shortly af
ter taking the oath of office for
his fourth term.)
There are people living here
today, who will remember their
parents taking them, then small
boys and girls, to witness the last
ride through Griffin of this
greatly beloved man.
Good Evening remembers that
day. He was among the throng
of people gathered. There were
people of all ages; there were
people of all races, all joined in
common sorrow. There were
many who had seen President
Roosevelt, on previous trips
through here, stand on the rear
platform and wave to the crowd
as the train passed by smiling,
as he waved, that friendly smile
none will ever forget.
The President’s last ride was
In what was known In those days
as an "observation car.” The
casket was in the rear section of
the car and could be plainly seen
through the large glass windows
on both sides.
Standing at attention round the
flag-draped casket were men of
the Armed Services. Hie train
moved at a slow rate through the
city and then on to Experiment,
through the county to McDonou
gh. No one who was present that
day will ever forget the occas
ion.
On previous trips President
Roosevelt was greeted with
cheers. On one of these trips a
small Griffin girl stood near the
track with a large bunch of ros
es she held up to the President.
He had her lifted to the back
platform, where he stood, ac
cepted the flowers and kissed the
young Griffinite.
— ♦ —
The funeral train that took
Franklin D. Roosevelt through
Griffin on his last trip here
was met by what probably was
the largest crowd of people, ever
gathered here to pay homage
and respects to any man. It was
a solemn, grief stricken, crowd
of people. Many viewed the tr
ain, with the casket bearing the
mortal remains of the President
plainly in sight, with tears in
their eyes.
Many knelt and unabashed by
the crowd round them gave vent
to their deep sorrow. Others
stood solemn, With tear dimmed
eyes. The overall picture of the
crowd was one that, some open
ly, others silently .prayed "Rest
His Soul In Peace.”
There was a similarity in Dwi
ght D. Eisenhower’s "last ride
home” this past week, and
that of Franklin D. Roosevelt
twenty four years ago. For the
death of both these great Presi
dents had thrown the nation, and
the world for that Into what mo
dem psychologists call "a state
of shock.”
Both times the nation, as well
*s the world, faced great pro
blems. Many 24 years ago this
week, as well as many just last
week, asked the question "What
does the future hold, now that
we have lost him? Lost his in
fluence in efforts to build a bet
ter nation and a better world.”
"I have always loved Ameri
ca” was part of the last state
ment Dwight D. Eisenhower
made. This was also true of Fr
anklin Delano Roosevelt.
If those today who love Amer
ica will put aside selfishness,
envy, hatred, greed and seek a
common goal —a better Amer
ica for all; then neither Franklin
D. Roosevelt nor Dwight D. El
senhower will have lived and
died in vain and America will
truly become “the land of t h e
free and the brave” where "jus
tlce, freedom and democracy”
prevail.
Weather:
FORECAST FOR GRIFFIN
AREA — Partly cloudy and
warm tonight. Mostly cloudy and
warm with chance of showers
Thursday, possibly beginning
tonight.
LOCAL WEATHER — Esti
mated high today 80, low today
51, high Tuesday 76, low Tues
day 44. Sunrise Thursday 6:18,
sunset Thursday 7:06.
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(Griffin Daily News Staff Photo)
Spring Flowers
Spring has brought brightly colored tulips to bloom in Griffin. Mrs. Brenda
Gatlin, a secretary, admires some on South Hill street.
Airport Men
Consider Site
Near McDonough
A site seven miles southeast of
McDonough is one of 13 under
consideration for possible loca
tion of a second Atlanta airport.
Federal officials said the sites
are under study. They indicated
a spot six miles east of Alphar
etta has top consideration now.
A Federal Aviation Adminis
tration hearing will be set in two
to three months to take up t h e
proposal.
Most of the 13 sites are north
of Atlanta.
Airport planners are talking in
terms of needing 15,000-20,000 ac
res of land.
Airlines have indicated they
cannot finance their share of the
multi-million dollar expansion at
the present Atlanta Airport.
They turned to the second site
as an alternative.
INSIDE
Tito. Page 2.
Bruce Biossat. Page 2.
Heart Patient. Page 3.
Spring Came. Page 3.
Editorials. Page 4.
Billy Graham. Page 4.
Television. Page 4.
Hospital. Page 5.
Funerals. Page 5.
Stork Club. Page 5.
About Town. Page 5.
Woman’s Page. Pages 6,7.
Sports. Pages 8-10.
Hodge-Podge. Page 12.
Textile Suit. Page 15.
Funny Cars. Page 20.
State Briefs. Page 20.
XJ. S. Machinery. Page 20.
Want Ads. Page 22.
Comics. Page 23.
‘Snoopy.’ Page 24.
Nixon’s Brother. Page 24.
Four Killed. Page 24.
Country Parson
“I like it when folks ask me
for advice—it makes me feel
good to give it and usually
doesn’t harm them.”
Copyright 1969, by Frank A. Clark
DAILY
Daily Since 1872
City Tightens
Laws Against
Abandoned Autos
The city moved to strengthen
its hand in getting rid of aban
doned automobiles that clutter
several sections. The city com
missioners last night approved
one ordinance and talked about
another dealing with the pro
blem.
The commissioners approved
changing from 30 to 15 the
number of days required for the
city to hold an abandoned vehi-
Searchers Seek
Five Missing
In Altamaha
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (UPD —
Dragging operations were under
way in the Altamaha River to
day for the bodies of a Glynco
Naval Air Station sailor and his
four nephews believed drowned
on a fishing trip.
Police said the victims were
Jesse Waynick and his neph
ews, Alvin Craven, 17; Richard
Craven, 15; Michael Craven, 13;
and Gary Craven, 11.
The five went fishing Sunday
and when they failed to return
Monday a search was begun.
Waynick’s car was found Tues
day on the banks of the river
about 25 miles north of Bruns
wick. His overturned boat was
found in the river nearby.
U. S. Eyes Some
Troop Withdrawals
By STEWART HENSLEY
UPI Diplomatic Correspondent
WASHINGTON (UPI) —The
United States is expected to
begin unilateral withdrawal of
some of its Vietnam forces
within the next 60 days If there
is no major increase in enemy
military activity and some hint
of progress at the Paris talks.
Authoritative sources report
ing this today declined to
discuss numbers of exact
timing. There have been pub
lished speculations in the past
that President Nixon hoped to
bring about 50,000 of the 530,000
U.S. troops out of Vietnam by
the end of 1969.
However, this estimate was
predicated on the administra
tion’s belief that it had at least
six months to begin showing
some results toward American
disengagement before the public
became too restless.
GRIFFIN
Griffin, Ga., 30223, Wednesday, April 9, 1969
cle before disposing of it.
An ordinance to make it possi
ble for the city to levy against
owners for funds to remove ab
andoned cars was discussed.
However, the commissioners
held action on the proposal until
wording of the ordinance could
be worked out.
Another ordinance put on first
reading would make it illegal for
persons not playing golf or ac
companying someone who is
playing to enter the Municipal
Golf Course.
The purpose of the change is
protection of people not playing
the game, the commissioners
said.
The ordinance would not affect
spectators at a tournament, they
said. The commissioners fear
someone not playing golf might
be hit by a golf ball if he is on
the course and not directly In
volved in the game.
An ordinance setting up the
machinery for the May 2 city
bond issue was approved.
The city purchased two dump
trucks for the street department
from Piedmont Equipment Com
pany. The firm’s bld of $6,416
was the lowest of five submitt
ed.
Purchase of a half ton pick-up
truck for the Water and Sewer
age Treatment Department was
approved at a cost of $1,488. Jim
my McGee Auto Sales was the
lowest of five bidders.
The official assessment now is
said to be that mounting
criticism makes it Imperative
that some evidence of turning
down the conflict be made
apparent at a relatively early
date. This has led to a hard new
look at the military situation
and a determination to under
take some withdrawals without
any major breakthrough at
Paris.
Secretary of State William P.
Rogers and Defense Secretary
Melvin R. Laird both hinted in
recent statements that the
United States might begin
pulling out a limited number of
its forces even if there were no
reciprocal withdrawal by North
Vietnamese forces in the South.
Rogers told a news confer
ence the United States hoped
there would be some “mutual
withdrawal” of troops but
declined to rule out the
NEWS
Negroes To Hear
Progress Report
Negotiations Are
In Good Faith’
Griffin Negro citizens will
meet tonight to discuss progress
made in negotiations with city
officials for the construction of a
swimming pool.
The general mass meeting will
be held at Heck Chapel begin
ning at 8 o’clock.
“We have made substantial
progress through negotiations
since last Wednesday," Ray
mond Head, Griffin Negro busi
ness man, said today.
“I don’t foresee any m o r e de
monstrations at the present
time. The negotiations are mov
ing along quite well and it ap
pears they are in good faith.
“Some of our people may
not know why the demonstra
tions were called off. We plan
to explain this, along with what
is going on now, and where we
stand in negotiations.”
Head called the naming of an
Integrated recreation advisory
board “real progress.”
The seven man city-county ad
visory board was selected yes
terday. It includes two Negro
members.
“This is real progress,” Head
said.
City of Griffin and Spalding
County officials established a
joint city-county Recreation Ad
visory Committee yesterday and
appointed three members each.
The city named Otis Head, Grif
fin Negro who is a state emplo
ye and Raymond Head’s broth
er, to the committee. The coun
ty named Frank Touchstone, Jr.,
Griffin Negro school principal.
Other members are White. The
city and county together ap-
I - 75 North
Re - Routed
In Clayton
The State Highway Department
today began re-routing north
bound traffic on 1-75 in Clayton
and Fulton Counties from 9 a.m.
to 3:30 p.m. while 1-75 is being
resurfaced.
The traffic Is being re-routed
on 1-285 westward and then nor
th on 1-85 (the airport connector).
The department in making the
announcement said the diversion
of northbound traffic would av
oid congestion in the area where
1-75 Is being resurfaced.
When the operation Is complete
on the northbound lane, the sou
thbound lane will be re-routed
for resurfacing.
Progress bulletins will be issu
ed by the Highway Department
to keep motorists informed.
The northbound detour starts
north of the farmers market and
rejoins 1-75 north of Cleveland
avenue.
Vol. 96 No. 83
pointed Henry Walker, superin
tendent of Dundee Mills. The
county appointed Otis Weaver,
Jr., attorney and traffic man
ager, and Charlie Pitts of Dun
dee Mills. The city’s appointees
are Chester Jones who owns a
garage, and Billy Reeves, who
operates a dry cleaning estab
lishment.
Also Tuesday the city announ
ced appointment of a new Golf
Committee to advise on opera
tion of the Municipal Golf Cour
se. One of the appointees is Ro
bert Jordan, Negro golfer who
is an employe of the Coca-Cola
Bottling Co. White members
are school principal Laymon
Hattaway, laundry man and dry
cleaner Preston Bunn, and Mrs.
Katherine Arnold and Mrs. Thel
ma Newton.
It is understood also that the
county is preparing to recom
mend three Negroes from whom
the State will chnose one for ap
pointment to the Spalding Coun
ty Family and Children Service
Board. (Formerly this was kn
own as the Welfare Board.)
Peanut Butter
Was Loaded
VERNON, Conn. (UPD—A
cake with a file inside for the
eager-to-escape convict has
become a standing joke, but
Mrs. Gladys Merrill, 62, found
another way.
She sent her 22-year-old son
Frederick, serving a 10-to-20
year sentence for kidnaping and
other charges, a large jar of
peanut butter with a gun inside.
Frederick used the gun in an
escape but was later arrested.
His mother was sentenced to
from two to six years at the
State Farm for Women Tuesday
for aiding th eescape.
Cecil Elected
Moose Governor
Sam R. Cecil, a food science
researcher at the Georgia Ex
periment Station, has been elect
ed governor of Griffin Moose
Lodge. He will succeed Ben Ho
ard.
Elected to serve with Cecil
were: Mike Shackelford, junior
governor; Ed Chalkley, prelate;
James Chappell, three-y ear
trustee; R. A. Lail, treasurer.
Other officers will be appointed
by Cecil.
Installation of the new officers
will be held on April 22.
possibility that the United
States might pull out some of
its forces even if Hanoi did not.
Laird in a recent magazine
Interview (U.S. News and World
Report) spoke several times of
the urgent need to begin
•‘Vletnamization” or “de-Ameri
canization” of the conflict by
speeding up the program of
strengthening South Vietnamese
troops to take over from the
Americans.
Authoritative sources said
they now were virtually certain
there would be some American
troops coming home this
summer unless the Communists
undertake a major ground
offensive. The amount and
number of American withdra
wals, apparently, would depend
on the level of enemy action
and the strength of the
indications given at Paris
concerning possible progress
toward a peace settlement.
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(Griffin Daily News Staff Photo)
Nine Gallons
T. E. (Chick) Henderson donated the pint of blood
at the Bloodmobile here Tuesday that raised his total
to nine gallons. The pint he gave was one of 172
collected. Twenty-two would-be donors were reject*
ed because of minor physical ailments. They were
asked to return for the June visit of the Bloodmobile.
Thirty-five new donors were among those g"i vi n g
blood Tuesday.
Werner Widmann
Stricken At P. O.
Werner Widmann, well known
retired Griffin businessm an,
died apparently of a heart at
tack this morning in front of the
post office.
He was pronounced dead at
the Griffin-Spalding Hospital
where he was rushed by ambu
lance.
Ed Crawford, Spalding Coun
ty juvenile officer, had just fin
ished a conversation with Mr.
Widmann when he was stricken.
Crawford said Mr. Widmann
told him about a house he was
building, in Gainesville, Ga., and
invited him to visit him in about
six months when it was finish
ed.
Crawford turned to enter the
post office and Mr. Widmann
suffered the attack. The Juven
ile officer called an ambulance.
Crawford said Mr. Widmann
had been talking with Otis Blake
Jr., another Griffin businessman
at the post office.
Mr. Widmann’s brother, Er
win, and his wife from Miami,
Fla., arrived here last night to
visit. His brother was in front of
the post office and was present
when Mr. Widmann was strick
en.
Mr. Widmann with his w i fe,
the former Sadye Saul, operat
ed Saul’s Department Store on
South Hill street. They had re
tired a few years ago and con
tinued to make their home
here on Wesley drive.
Mr. Widmann was active in
many charity programs here.
He had headed the Griffin Jew
ish Charities and led in solicita
tion programs.
A member of the Kiwanis
Club, he took a keen interest in
boys and girls work through the
club.
He was for many years active
in the Boy Scout Council here.
Mr. Widmann was born in
Germany. He came to the Uni
ted States when he was five
years-old. Mr. Widman had
made his home in Griffin for
the past 30 years. He was 61.
He was a member of the Tem
ple of Atlanta and the Anavath
Achim Synagogue.
In addition to his wife, survi-
vors include his mother, Mrs.
Else Widmann of Brooklyn, N.
Y.; a brother, Col. Erwin Wid
mann of Miami, Fla.; two nep
hews, Dr. Donald E. Widmann
of Chapel Hill, N. C., and Dr-
Warren D. Whidmann, a major
in the U. S. Army stationed in
Frankfurt, Germany.
Funeral services will be held
at the graveside in Crestlawn
cemetery in Atlanta Friday
morning at 11 o’clock.
Rabbi Harry H. Epstein will
officiate.
The body is at Haisten Funeral
Home in Griffin.
The family requests that flo
wers not be sent. Those desiring
may make a contribution to the
Griffin Jewish Charities.
Bolton Hopes
Revamp Issue
Dead Till Census
ATLANTA (UPD—Atty. Gen.
Arthur Bolton says he does not
believe the U. S. Supreme
Court’s strict new interpretation
of the “one man, one vote” con
cept will affect Georgia before
the 1970 census.
The high court Monday threw
out apportionment plans in New
York and Missouri because they
did not follow strict population
lines.
“I certainly hope reapportion
ment is a dead issue in Geor
gia until the legislature has had
an opportunity to comply with
the 1970 census,” Bolton said.
Georgia’s reapportionment
plans were before the courts for
more than six years before an
acceptable plan was presented
last year. However, the Geor
gia plan does not come as
close to population lines as the
Missouri plan.
Also, Georgia reapportionment
plans follow county lines in all
instances. The New York plan
was thrown out because only
part of its plan was based on
county lines.