Newspaper Page Text
Crawford To Go?
Coach Moore Resigns
By: Tony Maddox
Forsyth County High School
is seeking a new head football
coach, and other major per
sonnel changes are expected.
Coach Gordon Moore handed
his resignation to Superinten
dent Clarence Lambert last
week. Moore bagan his duties
with the Forsyth County School
system in 1970, replacing Billy
Moore.
Principal Leonard Crawford
attended a Monday night hearing
which lasted over two hours.
His position in the school sys
tem was discussed at that
session with the Board.
Crawford stated Tuesday that
he has not resigned from the
school system.
A Board of Education source
said that a problem of "dis
cord” in the high school has
Shopping Center Planned
By: Tony Maddox ’ \
A 31 acre site near the Cu
mming city limits will be devel
oped into a shopping center, acc
ording to the Schaumann-Hlll
Company of Atlanta.
Robert Schaumann, head of
the firm, said two parcels of
land are being purchased for
an undisclosed sum for the de
velopment. The site is on high
way 19 at the intersection Of
Buford Road, Route 20. The
location will be near an
expressway ramp on 1-400, soon
to be under construction to
Highway 20.
Qualifying Fees Set
The 1972 Primary Election
to be held August 8, 1972 re
quires the following fees for
candidates who wish to qualify
for the offices given below. The
fees for qualification are based
on five-percent of the prevail
ing salaries for the respective
offices, and are to be paid to
the Secretary - Treasurer of
their Party. In the case of
The Democratic Party in For
syth County, the qualifying fees
are to be made to J. Lanier
Bannister, local Secretary-Tr
easurer, and within the period
between May 31 and noon on Ju
ne 14, 1972.
Qualifying fee for Sheriff is
stated to be $450.00; Tax Co
mmissioner, $375.00; Clerk of
Court, $450.00; County School
Superintendent, $654.93; Ordin
ary, $300.00; Coroner, $20.00;
Surveyor, $15.00; and Justice
of the Peace, SIO.OO.
Under the present system,
The County Commission Chair
man will pay a fee of $450.00
and the two remaining Comm
issioners a fee of SIBO.OO.
Patrol Station Sought
BY: John Reynolds
A Forsyth County delegation
led by Mayor Ford Gravltt, has
approached area representa
tives in efforts to secure a State
Patrol station in the county.
Mayor Gravut saia tne dele
gation talked with Reps. Joe
T. Wood, Bill Williams and
Doug Whitmire Wednesday and
later talked with Col Ray Pope,
director of the Department of
Public Safety.
"Things look good for us
Legislative News
The Georgia House of Re
presentatives approved one of
major sections of Carter’s pro
posed reorganization plan and
passed and then reconsidered a
no-fault divorce bill among ac
tion on a number of measures
this week.
Action on the governor’s pro
posal to establish a State De
partment of Human Resources
and, in effect, abolish the ex
isting State Board of Health
came Tuesday.
The House voted 130-155 in
favor of the measure, which
represented a compromise to
the initial bill by giving more
representation to doctors. It
was still opposed by many mem
bers of the medical profession,
however.
been of recent concern to the
Superintendent and Board mem
bers. The alleged discord app
arently stems from a conflict
between the athletic department
of the high school and the ad
ministration there.
Principals in the school
system will be elected on March
14, and Crawford's contract will
be considered at that time. Su
perintendent Lambert recom
mends all appointments to
schools here, and the Board of
Education usually abides by his
recommendations.
Moore, contacted at Forsyth
High School Tuesday, said he
handed In a letter of resigna
tion after "it was suggested by
the Superintendent” that he do
so.
"I feel that the football team
Schaumann said that a mini
mum of 60,000 square feet will
be included in the center, and
adequate parking will be a pr
ime consideration. He said
plans for toe center will soon
be placed before toe Forsyth
County Planning Commission.
Most of toe land Involved, how
ever, Is currently zoned for
commercial development.
Schaumann said Tuesday toe
construction is expected to
begin on first increment within
90 days. He said he expects
a total of 120,000 square feet
By: John Reynolds
Other facts are as follows:
May 15-QuaHfyTng for the Re
publican primary begins at 9
a.m.
May 17-Qualifying for the De
mocratic primary begins at
noon.
June 14-Qualifying for both
primaries ends at noon, and
lists of candidates must be
posted by 1 p.m. Noon is also
the deadline for independent
or other candidates to qualify
for the general election.
June 16-Last day voters may
register for primary election.
July 21-Last day voters may
transfer their registration from
another Georgia county.
Sept. 18-Last day voters may
register for general election.
Oct. 20-Last day voters who
have moved from other states
where they were registered to
vote for president and vice
president only. Last day voters
may transfer registration from
another Georgia county.
May 10-First day voters may
apply for absentee ballots for
primary elections.
getting additional troops in the
area and the progress on a
patrol station will depend on our
representatives," the mayor
said.
“Col. Pope assured us that we
would get more patrolmen. He
did not say we would get a
station, but he said there were
too many now as it was."
Forsyth County is now co
vered by the Cherokee County
State Patrol post, whose head-
The House, along with the
Senate, also approved on Tues
day a resolution calling for an
amendment to the U.S. Consti
tution to prohibit forced busing
to achieve school integration.
On Wednesday the House pa
ssed a bill to crack down on
repeat traffic violators, spec
ifically those who are convicted
of three serious traffic viola
tions or 15 minor moving tra
ffic offenses within a 10-year
period.
The House approved by a 99-
80 vote the "no fault” divorce
bill. Proponents said the mea
sure would allow oeules to ob
tain divorces by simply stating
that the marriage is broken,
thus avoiding the making of
harsh charges against each ot
her.
has made real progress during
the past two years, and I would
like very much to come back to
Forsyth for another year,”
Moore said.
Lambert, when asked Tues
day if he intends to recommend
Crawford, stated that he was not
at liberty to discuss the matter
until March 14.
In other Board action, a con
tract for work at Chestatee
school was awarded Hartley-
Slay Construction Company of
Gainesville. The amount of this
letting is slightly more than
$286,000.
Low bidder on work at Big
Creek Elementary School is
E.B. Collett of Cummlng. This
contract is expected to be let
Monday to the local firm for
$163,000.
40 be developed in toe shopping
center over a three year period.
The Schaumann-Hill Company
is currently developing a shop
ping center in Roswell at the
intersection of Highway 19 and
Holcombe Bridge Road.
Schaumann said “major ten
ants” will occupy toe center
along with smaller merchants
and businesses.
The land transaction was br
okered through Kiefer Tucker of
Coleman Realty in Roswell
working locally with L. Z.Gor
don and Ed Cain of Rebos Real
ty in Cumming.
Aug. 2-Last day voters may
apply for primary election ab
sentee ballots that must be
mailed more than 300 miles.
Aug. 6-Last day voters may
apply for primary election ab
sentee ballots that must be
mailed less than 300 miles.
Aug. 7- Last day voters may
vote absentee ballots in the
registrar's office.
Aug. 8-Primary Election
Day.
Aug. 9-Flrst day voters may
apply for absentee ballots for
general elections.
Aug. 29-Primary run-off el
ection day.
Nov. 1-Last day voters may
apply for general election ab
sentee ballots that must be
mailed more than 300 miles.
Oct. 17-Last day for write-in
candidates to file the required
notice of intention to be a write
in candidate in the general el
ection.
Nov. 6-Last day voters may
vote absentee ballots in the
registrar's office.
Nov. 7-General Election.
quarters are in Canton.
Mayor Gravltt said “some
times we have to wait maybe
an hour or sometimes two hours
for a patrolman to get here
when there is an automobile
accident. We want additional
patrolmen over here."
Gravltt said he and other
Forsyth Countians hoped to
meet with Gov. Jimmy Carter
at a later date “to get an op
inion from him."
Nascar
Racing
The greatest array of NAS
CAR Grand National stock car
drivers is practically assured
for the 13 th annual running of the
Atlanta 500 classic Sunday, Ma
rch 26.
The three early entries con
sists of Bobby Allison of Huey
town, Ala., Richard Petty of
Randleman, N. C., and Buddy
Baker of Charlotte. Allison,
runner up to Petty in last fall’s
Dixie 500 here, has signed to
drive the immaculately prepa
red Junior Johnson-Coca Cola
sponsored Chevrolet.
Petty and Baker will chau
ffeur a 1972 Plymouth and 1972
Dodge, respectively.
Till 1 F <fl* H HVPIifC
-NTY igjElVvS
Dedicated To The Cum m ing And Forsyth County
CUMMING, GEORGIA LXV
Cantrell—Mulkey Murder Case
FOUR MIN INDICTED
Pope Heads Council
At the meeting of the State Bar of Georgia Judge Marion
T. Pope Jr. was elected as presiding judge and chairman of
The Council of Juvenile Court Judges for The State of Georgia.
The council is composed of all judges of the courts exercising
jurisdiction over juveniles, which includes all Superior Court
Judges in Georgia.
The counci'' was created by an act of the General Assembly
at the 1971 se slon which became effective July 1,1971.
The council is to establish general policies for the conduct
of courts exercising jurisdiction over juveniles and may pro
mulgate uniform rules and forms governing procedureandprac
tices of the Courts, and publish an annual report of the work of
the courts dealing with the problems of children and families
dealt with by the courts, and any recommendations for legis
lation.
Judge Pope is presently serving as Superior Court Judge of
the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit and has handled all the juvenile
cases for the 5-counties (Forsyth, Cherokee, Pickens, Gilmer,
and Fannin) for the last 5 years.
* g/tk ,
give^
Last Sunday saw The Jaycees
out in full force at various
roadblocks in Cumming, and
from close observation toe do
nors to the current Heart Fund
Drive were very generous
in their response to toe worthy
On To Festival!
The Ninth-District Band Festival will be held this year at
Brenau College in Gainesville March 3 and 4. Forsyth County's
Flash of Crimson Band and Director Lon Turner have been in
extensive rehearsal for their performance Saturday, March 4
at 2:00 p.m.
Twenty-four high-school bands, and four junior-high bands
from 9th District will participate. Similar Festivals are being
held throughout Georgia in the various Congressional Districts,
under the auspices of the Georgia Music Educators Associa
tion.
Prominent judges from the fields of music rate the band on
their performance of three numbers, using score sheets with
over 20 areas of criticism. Ratings are awarded by each judge,
without consultation, and range from “Fair" up to the coveted
“Superior". Three judges criticize the performance and another
rates the bands in die Sight-reading category of Festival. Ninth-
District judges this year are Boyd McKeown of Marietta,
Oliver Hobbs from Tallahassee, Florida, Bill Robison of Bibb
County, and Sight-reading Judge Leon Culpepper from Waycross.
This is the first year in Forsyth County history that its Band
will enter Festival in Class A. The classes do not correspond
to the classes used in high-school athletics. They are set
up according to the difficulty of the music, with Class A de
noting the most difficult and most challenging. Mr. Turner
and members of the Flash of Crimson made the decision to
move up to Class A after earning the highest rating from the
Judges in Festival, A Superior, for the past two years in Class
B music. The first year the Flash of Crimson went to Festival
after Mr. Turner became Director, was in 1968 when they entered
in Class C. They have progressed steadily since that time.
Other high-school bands participating in this year's Festival
in 9th District, and the Classes in which they are entered are
as follows: Class D - Dawson County, Union County and North
Hall; Class C - Banks County, Gilmer County, Pickens County,
Commerce, East Hall, West Fannin County, Madison County,
N. Gwinnett Wind Ensemble, Cherokee County, South Gwinnett,
White County, and Duluth; Class B- Berkmar, Jefferson, Winder-
Barrow, Norcross, Hart County, and South Hall; Class A -
Forsyth County, Franklin County, Elbert County, and Stephens
County. East Hall, Cherokee County, Stephens County, and Hart
County will enter junior or JV bands, also.
The public is welcome and encouraged to attend Festival,
but no one is allowed to enter or leave the auditorium during
performances, and everyone is expected to maintain a respectful
silence while the bands are playing. Those who plan to attend
for the Flash of Crimson's performance Saturday should be
in the audltiorlum at Brenau before the scheduled South Hall
performance at 1:30 to insure that they will not miss the Flash
of Crimson should there be a last-minute schedule change.
There is no admission charge for Festival, and parents. Red
Flame and Sparkler Band members, friends and Flash of Crimson
Alumni are urged to go early and hear as many bands as possible.
The first performance is by White County at 9:00 a.m., and
Stephens County ends the day's lineup at 3:30 p.m.
Festival is the ultimate musical challenge for a high-school
band, and Class A music is the ultimate in Festival. The repre
sentation of the Flash of Crimson in the past four years leads
to high expectations this year.
15 CENTS PER COPY
ISSUE 6
cause. Here is seen a Jaycee
happily accepting a donation fr
om a motorist on Dahlonega St
reet. Early reports from Sun
day’s efforts were very plea
sing, and The Jaycees are gr
ateful to those who gave.
A story which includes multiple charges
of murder, conspiracy to murder, bur
glary, and ensuing threats is fast appro
aching its climax as a result of testimony
given at hearings of two men supposedly
connected with the near-midnight slaying
of Deputies William (Bill) Cantrell and
Larry Mulkey on Monday morning, Jan
uary 10.
The first of a series of events began
on Sunday, January 9, when Deputy Cantrell
stopped a red Mach Mustang on Buford
Dam Road between 3 to 4 A. M. for iden
tification of occupants seen driving out
of Canongate Country Club moments
earlier. According to Deputy Sheriff Jim
Ingram, Cantrell had told him about the
incident and said that Charles Bennett, a
Buford policeman, was driving the car.
Upon recognizing Bennett, Cantrell alled
gedly let the subject move on. Ingram
stated that Cantrell identified the car
as having a Clayton county license plate,
beginning with the digit "9”.
Approximately 20-hours later, the same
auto was reported to have gone in the
direction of Cumming about midnight. Sh
ortly thereafter the red Mustang was
again seen proceeding down Highway 19
with Cantrell's patrol car in pursuit.
The Identical automobile was spotted a
third time on the same night, driving at
a high rate of speed and turning off High
way 19 toward Buford with one occupant
inside. This was minutes before the patrol
car was discovered, and in which Cantrell
and Mulkey were apparently slain—their
bodies being encased in the locked trunk
compartment.
On night of January 9 a burglary was
committed at Canongate Golf Club and
set off an investigation Involving the red
Mustang and Charles Bennett. At time
Bennett was stopped on previous night
it was not known that a burglary had
occurred at the club. Circumstances re
volving around the Canongate incident,
and the pursuant investigation of it is
believed to have led to the tragic demise
of the deputies.
At the Canton hearing for Charles
Bennett, an officer stated that the man had
ridden with him on patrol in Cumming
when the drug store across street from
police station was burglarized. It is also
known that The Alpine Shop was entered
on same night.
Officials of the State Crime Laboratory
have concluded that the weapon responsible
for death of Deputy Cantrell was one
previously owned by James Lingerfelt,
another suspect charged in the slayings
of the officers. Herbert Dean Smith, a
further suspect, testified at last week's
hearing for Charles Bennett that he had
earlier told authorities “he saw Ratledge
Murder Indictments Drawn
The Forsyth County Grand
Jury met Monday at Cummlng
and indictments were drawn
against four men in dual mur
ders of Chief Deputy William
Cantrell and Special Deputy La
rry Mulkey. Tne Grand Jury
convened at Forsyth County Co
urt House at 10 o'clock A.M.
and concluded their services
at about 4:30 P.M.
Separate Indictments for
murder were issued against
Marcus Wayne Ratledge, James
Jarrett Manor A Shrine
TOCCOA (PRN)
Traveler’s Rest, probably
northeast Georgia’s oldest
building, is a rambling,
spacious structure with a
singular look of age.
The Georgia Historical
Commission has taken such
care to maintain the early
appearance and furnishings of
the pioneer building that it is
easy for the visitor to imagine
it in its former roles - frontier
fort, stagecoach stop, tavern,
trading post, post office,
plantation home.
Traveler’s Rest was
probably built between 1816
and 1825 on land originally
owned by Major Jesse Walton,
Revolutionary War soldier,
Indian fighter and political
leader. Devereaux Jarrett
purchased the property in
1838, expanded it, and named
THE FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS
BY: JOHN REYNOLDS
Lingerfelt, Herbert Dean Smith
and Charles Bennett. The first
Indictment concerned the mur
der charge as it related to
Deputy Cantrell. The remaining
one was made in the case of
Larry Mulkey. Each of the four
men will presumably face these
charges when Criminal Court
Session of Superior Court meets
later this month. The Civil Co
urt will convene on Monday,
March 27, and Criminal Court
is expected to follow its usual
it Jarrett Manor. It remained
in the hands of his
descendants until 1955 when
it was given to the Georgia
Historical Commission.
Measuring one hundred feet
long and thirty feet wide, the
three-story clapboard
structure is built over a
cobblestone basement where a
kitchen, storerooms, and wine
cellar were once located.
There are ten rooms on the
main floor •• five large, five
small. There are also five
chimneys, one built entirely of
stone. The inside walls are
paneled with walnut and
chestnut, rare on today's
market, and several locks bear
the imprint of a London
foundry.
Devereaux Jarrett's account
books, doubling as hotel
registers, were signed by a
buy a gun from James Lingerfelt” while
the three were at the latter’s trailer.
The golf professional and owner of
Canongate Golf Club, James Williams,
testified that shirts in possession of
State Attorneys were from the golf shop.
Positive identification was made from tags
attached to the shirts which bore prices
of the Items.
Deputy Jim Ingram testified in last
week’s hearing that he and Cantrell were
checking on Charles Bennett in the Canon
gate burglary, where about $2,500 in goods
were stolen. Prior reports have been
given to the effect that items taken from
the store were found in Ratledge’s car
after it was abandoned in southwest Atlanta
after a wild chase by Patrolman J. G.
Deal. He was on the lookout for the red
Mustang in response to an alert sent out
by Deputy Ingram after license plate No.
EOX-942 had been found scribbled on note
pad found in Cantrell’s patrol car on
night of murders. Ratledge was subse
quently captured by a retired army man,
James W. Furlow, 64, of 2435 Cascade
Road, Southwest. Ratledge shot at his
pursuer but was peppered with pellets
from gun of Furlow as the suspect fled
toward a church parking lot nearby. Rat
ledge was taken minutes later in an apart
ment house by GBI Agents who had con
verged on the scene in response to a
call from Furlow’s wife.
The gun that alledgedly fired the fatal
bullets into body of Deputy Cantrell was
previously traded to Lingerfelt by J. B.
Caldwell, according to statements attri
buted to the former owner at Lingerfelt’s
hearing held in Canton on Friday, Feb
ruary 18th. Caldwell is said to have been
threatened by Lingerfelt and told “he had
better not tell who he sold the gun to.”
Herbert Dean Smith has not had a formal
hearing because no attorney has been se
cured to defend him, although he is
reported to be considering a Canton att
orney, Andy Roach. (See more below)
Jack Johnson of Cumming gave testi
mony connecting Bennett with the red
Mach Mustang at last Monday’s hearing,
and said he saw Bennett driving the
vehicle around midnight before the bodies
of the deputies were found. He, like Cald
well, stated that he also has been threat
ened since that night and that Lingerfelt
and Smith had driven by “his place” a
half dozen times in less than an hour
after the threats were made.
Ratledge waved a formal hearing which
was tentatively set for last Friday. There
fore his case goes directly to The Grand
Jury instead. That body convened in a
special sitting Monday A. M. at 10 o’clock
on a recall Issued by Judge Sam P. Burtz.
procedure with criminal mat
ters one week later.
Page 367 of the criminal
docket shows that Lingerfelt,
Bennett, Smith and Ratledge
are also charged in separate
indictments on burglary counts.
The first was connected with
the burglary of Cumming Drug
Store on night of January sth.
The second indictment relates
to another burglary pulled off
at Canongate Golf Club Shop
on night of January Bth.
number of illustrious guests.
John C. Calhoun slept here.
And Joseph E. Brown,
Georgia’s wartime governor,
spent his honeymoon here.
In 1837 an English scientist,
G.W. Featherstonehaugh,
wrote of enjoying breakfast at
the hospitable Georgia inn.
“Coffee, ham, chicken, good
bread, butter, honey and
plenty of good new milk for a
quarter of a dollar,” he noted.
Historic Traveler’s Rest is
on U.S. 123, six miles east of
Toccoa. It is open all year.
The Department of
Industry and Trade, Tourist
Division, believes today's
traveler would like a look at
where his forebears might have
stopped on a visit to 19th.
century Georgia.
See Picture - Page 12
MARCH 2. 1972