Newspaper Page Text
The Butler Herald
VOLUME 86
Political Poll Shows
Byrd Is Leading in
Race for Governor
Members of State Legislature
FaovFavor Byrd Over Griffin
67 to 51; 14 Undecided.
Lt Gov. Garland Byrd is the
leading candidate for governor in
the 1962 Democratic Primary, ac
cording to a poll of members of the
State legislature.
The poll, conducted by the Ma
con Telegraph and News, asked the
legislators who would win in their
counties in the governor’s race if
the primary were held now.
Of the 132 lawmakers answering
67 said Byrd would win, 51 said
Marvin Griffin would win, and 14
were undecided.
Analyzed by percentages, 50.6 of
the replies were in Byrd’s favor and
38.6 in Griffin’s favor.
State Sen. Mitchell, who has said
he is considering the race, was not
listed by a single lawmaker.
The poll also tends to indicate
that Byrd will enjoy strong sup
port from Georgia legislators dur
ing the upcoming session of the
General Assembly.
The Telegraph and News a n-
nounces that it will poll the law
makers again at the end of the
session.
Georgia Mishaps
Take Lives of Nine
* ’ K F. ^ rs »
nept. of Archives
^ General Libra? ^
University °
Landscaping Work
Now in Progress at
Methodist Cemetery
Citizens of this city are watching
with interest the landscaping of
the Butler Methodist cemetery un
der the direction of Cargill Nurs
eries of Columbus. This has been
made possible by the generous
gift of Miss Hortense Devant to
the Woman’s Society of Christian
Service.
Although Butler lost the citizen
ship of the Devant family a num
ber of years ago, their love and in
terest in the community is evident
by the many gifts made by the
family to the local Methodist
church. The Steinway piano and
beautification of the cemetery are
among the many things the De-
vants have made possible. Mrs.
Laura Edwards Devant served for
many years as President of the
Missionary Society of this church.
Her daughter, Miss Hortense De
vant has a life membership in the
present Woman’s Society of Chris
tian Service.
When this plan is completed it
will be an outstanding beauty spot
in the community. Shrubs have
been planted, beds prepared for
planting roses and permanent grass
will be sown in April. We are sure
the community at large joins the
local Methodists in extending ap
preciation to Miss Devant for mak
ing this possible.
News at a Glance
Of People, Things
ier lastingly at it is the secret OF SUCCESS*’
BUTLER, TAYLOR COUNTY, GEORGIA, THURSDAY. JANUARY 4, 1962.
NUMBER 14.
Revival Services at
Nazarene Church
To Begin Monday
January Term
Superior Court
Now in Session
Rev. and Mrs. Henry Mills, Jr.,
Atlanta, Will be the Guest
Evangelist During Revival.
Newly Appointed Judge, Hon.
J. Alvan Davis of Columbus,
Presiding Judge.
Rev. and Mrs. Henry Mills Jr.
from Riverside Nazarene Church, of
Atlanta will conduct a revival at
the local Nazarene church Jan. 8th
thru Jan. 14th, beginning at 7:30
p. m. on opening day.
There will be good singing and
specials by Rev. and Mrs. Mills.
Everyone is invited to come and
enjoy these services.
Bert E. Wheeler,
Pastor.
Georgia Baptists
Publish Year-End
Report of Work
(The Associated Press)
Accidents claimed nine lives in
Ga. during the long New Year’s
holiday weekend. Six persons died
in traffic accidents, two 90-year-old
persons burned to death and one
man was asphyxiated as result of a
fire.
James Phillips, 27, of Atlanta,
died Saturday night when he walk
ed into the path of oncoming traffic
at a DeKalb county intersection.
Another Atlanta man, Ernest
Brock, 44, died Friday night when
his car crashed into a fence north
of Camilla.
A 90-year-old Brooks county man
Charles Boze of Morven, died Satur
day when flames swept his three-
room house. Police thorized that
Boze’s clothing caught fire as he
slept near an open fire place.
Mary Cody, 90, was burned to
death when fire destroyed her
home at Augusta Saturday.
C. A. Pearson, 48, of Brevard, N.
C., was found dead in a parked
car near Ball Ground Saturday af
ter he apparently fell asleep and
a cigarette set fire to the car.
The out of state traffic victim
was Capt. Robert McKee, 35, of East
Point. He died Saturday in a two-
car crash near Cheraw, S. C.
The patrol had predicted earlier
that 12 persons would die on the
state’s highways during the 78-
hour period. The Associated Press
holiday weekend fatality count be
gan at 6 p. m. Friday and ended at
midnight Monday.
Boys with Firecrackers
Sought in Cairo Blaze
Cairo, Ga. — Grady county a few
days ago counted an estimated $75-
000 in losses from two holiday fires
one at the State Farmers Market.
The market fire roared up from
50 tons of dry bahia hay and gut
ted the largest of six brick build
ings with a loss of $50,000. Fire
Chief Hawthorne said that just be
fore it broke out three small boys
were seen playing with fire crack
ers in the vicinity. Investigators
still sought to determine their
identity.
A $25,000 fire destroyed the barn
of the C. O. Manny Dairy Farm
near Cairo. A $1,000 prize bull and
several dairy cows were injured.
The herd of 72 animals was moved
to the nearby Paschal Dairy until
new arrangements can be made for
them. Destroyed were the large
barn, two farm tractors, 500 bush
els of corn and all milking equip
ment.
Recruiting Officer
Here Each Thursday
Sgt. Edward C. Pearce, local air
recruiter announced he would be
in Butler Selective Service Office
each Thursday at 11 A. M; and in
Reynolds each 1st and 3rd Thursday
to nterview young men and women
who are interested in enlisting in
the air force.
Atlanta, Ga. — Gov. Vandiver has
beep named to the Industrial De
velopment Committee of the South
ern Governor’s Conference by Gov.
Ellington, of Tennessee, conference
chairman. Serving with Vandiver
on the committee will be Florida
Gov. Bryant and Kentucky Gov.
Combs.
Interference: U. S. Sen. Talmadge
has termed as “interference” Japa
nese protests against a U.S. Tar
iff Commission study on the cotton
content of textile imports.
The Ga. junior senator said the
Japanese government has lodged
an official protest with the State De
partment. He urged President Ken
nedy to ignore it. Said Talmadge:
“It is my hope that the President
will not be influenced unduly by
the receipt of protests relayed thru
the Department of State. Such pro
tests appear to me as interference
and can serve only to confuse the
public. They are particularly un
desirable on the eve of Congres
sional consideration of trade policy
legislation.”
Bids: The Ga. Ports Authority
has called for bids on construction
of additional facilities at the state
docks at Savannah and Brunswick.
The Savannah improvements will
cost an estimated $3.5-million and
the Brunswick docks’ new facili
ties will cost around $1,255,000.
The new construction wil begin
some time in February.
Vinson Proposes
Naming House Office
Bldg, for Rayburn
Washington, D. C. — Rep. Carl
Vinson said Monday he will spon
sor a resolution to name the $80
million third House Office Build
ing for the late Speaker Sam Ray
burn.
The Georgia Democrat, who suc
ceeded Rayburn as dean of the
House, said the legislation no doubt
would be approved unanimously.
Vinson served with Rayburn and
Rep. J. C. Auchincloss, R. N. J.
on the three-man commission au
thorized by the House to erect the
vast new office building.
Rayburn’s last official act, on Oct.
22, was to hand over to Vinson
authority to act in his place as
commission chairman.
$637,000 Dividend on
Way to Ga. Vets.
Atlanta, Ga. — Ga. Baptists, con
tinuing to major on evangelistic
efforts in the 2950 churches within
the state, reported a total of 34,270
additions by baptism during 1961,
Dr. S. S. Garrison, Atlanta, State
Baptist Convention executive secre
tary-treasurer, revealed today ki a
year-end report on Baptist work.
The increase in baptisms from
33,287 in 1960 brings total mem
bership in Georgia Baptist churches
cooperating thru the 94 district as
sociations, to 903,404, an all-time
high. Since Baptist churches report
as members only those who have
been baptized and are church mem
bers and does not include Sunday
School enrolment not in the
church, this figure indicates that
Baptist related individuals some
where close to the 1,500,000 mark
within the state.
Total gifts to all causes by the
churches amounted to more than
$40 million which is an increase of
almost $2 million over contribu
tions in 1960.
Value of church property climbed
to an all-time high of $203 million
which represents on increase in
property value within a year’s time
of nearly $17 million.
$146 Million
Let in Road Jobs
During Past Year
Atlanta, Ga. — Letting contracts
for more than $146 million in state
highway construction during 1961
made this the greatest single year
in the history of Georgia road
build building, Gov. Vandiver de
dared recently.
The record letting during the
year will push the total money
spent on highway work during the
Vandiver administration to almost
a half billion dollars — the great
est highway program Georgia ever
had.
“When this administration leaves
office, it will have provided Geor
gia with a balanced system of in
terstate, primary, secondary and
urban highways, and farm to rnar
ket roads in the finest condition
ever achieved” Gov. Vandiver as
serted.
I am gratified that during the
past year this administration has
been able to build and reconstruct
more roads than ever in our pre
vious history,” the Governor said.
During the past year, construction
contracts were let on a total of
$146 million in new road work
not including that done under
county contracts or by state main
tenance forces.
The January term of Taylor Su
perior Court began here Tuesday
morning with Hon. J. Alvin Davis
of Columbus as presiding judge.
This is Judge Davis’ first term
court in this county. He was
appointed to the office of Judge of
the Chattahoochee Superior Court
last month by Gov. Ernest Vandi
ver to fill the vacancy occurring by
the resignation of Judge Hubert
Calhoun who retired from public
office to re-open his private law
office in Columbus.
Judge Davis is a member of the
Columbus Bar Association and one
of the outstanding lawyers in this
section of Georgia.
There are two judges of the Chat
tahoochee Superior Court. The other
Judge is Hon. J. R. Thompson, also
of Columbus. The judges alternate
in presiding over the local court.
Other court officials here to as
sist in the court deliberations are
Solicitor General John H. Land and
Court Reporter Charlie Hughey,
both of Columbus.
Mr. Harold S. Gates was se
lected as foreman of the Grand
Jury with Mr. Bill Bazemore as
Clerk. The grand jury completed
its work late Tuesday after find
ing a number of true bills, one of
which was an indictment for mur
der. This case will probably come
up for trial today (Thursday).
Most of Tuesday was consumed
with damage suits. Court is ex
pected to continue through Thurs
day (today).
Culver Kidd
Candidate For
Lt. Governor
Atlanta, Ga. — Georgia vets of
the Korean War with “W” type
government insurance policies will
get special dividend checks total
ing $637 thousand says A. W. Tate
manager of the Atlanta regional of-
five of the VA.
The checks, now being mailed,
average about $72, depending on
the amount of the policy and the
length of time it has been in force.
Mr. Will Prince, 93,
Died at His Home
Of Heart Attack
Mr. Will Prince, 93, died Dec. 23
at his residence in this county of
heart condition.
Funeral was conducted at Beth
lehem Primitive Baptist church,
with Rev. W. J. Childree officiating.
Burial was in the family lot of the
church cemetery.
He was born in LaFayette Coun
ty and had lived in Taylor county
for almost half a century. He was
said to be the oldest man in this
county. He was a retired farmer.
Survivors include one son, Lester
Prince, Butler; one daughter, Mrs.
D. W. Roberts, Bradenton, Fla.; 28
grand children, and 12 great great
grand children.
Edwards Funeral Home in charge
of Arrangements.
R. M. Edmonson
55 Years of Age,
Died in Thomaston
Twitty and Knox
Will Carry Ball
Again for Vandiver
Both Men Will be Very
Important Members of House
and Senate This Year.
Byrd, Griffin
To Face Panel
Of Newsmen
Atlanta, Ga. — Two surefires
candidates for governor next year
—Lt.Gov. Garland Byrd and former
Gov. Marvin Griffin — will face a
panel of newsmen together Jan. 9.
The session will occur at the
January meeting of the Atlanta
professional chapter of Sigma Del
ta Chi, journalism society.
The dinner meeting will begin at
7 next Tuesday evening at the
Variety Club in the Atlanta Hotel.
Mr. Byrd and Mr. Griffin will be
interviewed by a panel of Sigma
Delta Chi members as the main
part of the program. Questions will
be entertained from any members
who want to ask them, SDX secre
tary Lee Hartley said.
Aubrey Morris of WSB-Radio, a
vice president and program chair
man of the local chapter, arranged
the program. It is believed to be
the first time the two political fig
ures have agreed to appear on a
panel together since the two be
came prominent contenders for gu
bernatorial nomination.
Neither has officially announced
for nomination in the Democratic
primary, which will be some time
between June and Sept. 15th. But
both have been meeting busy cal
endars of speaking engagements
around the state, and their official
announcements later are considered
only a formality.
Rev. William J. Erwin
To Preach at Methodist
Church Next Sunday
Funeral for Mr. Robert Mitchell
Edmonson, 55, was conducted Dec.
22nd, 11 a. m. at Pleasant Hill
Primitive Baptist Church. Eld.
Bentley Adams and Rev. Ed L.
Akins officiated. Interment was in
Bethel cemetery near Butler.
Survivors include his wife, Mrs.
Lula May Edmonson, Thomaston;
daughters, Mrs. J. J. Tucker, Thom
aston; Mrs. M. L. Ballard, Forest
Park; Mrs. U. A. Kemp, Jr., Ca
milla. sons, Mr. J. W. Edmonson,
Thomaston and Mr. A. C. Edmonson
U. S. Navy, Jacksonville, Fla.; his
mother, Mrs. R. W. Edmonson of
Thomaston; two sisters, Mrs. Hor
ace Kendrick and Mrs. Prather
Hammock, Butler; a half sister,
Mrs. Frank Lowery, Butler; two
brothers, Messrs A. L. Edmonson
and W. J. Edmonson, Thomaston;
two half brothers, Messrs Frank Ed
monson and Jim Edmonson, Butler;
fourteen grand children and three
great grand children.
Rev. E. W. Dupree
Will be Guest Speaker
At Baptist Church
Rev. E. W. Dupree of Americus,
will be guest speaker at the Butler
Baptist church Sunday. This will
be the second time Bro. Dupree has
occupied the local pulpit recently.
Local Baptists will recall that he
brought the morning and evening
messages at the Butler church on
Nov. 26th, The church considers it
self fortunate to have secured his
services for next Sunday’s wor
ship.
The church group urges everyone
to start the year right by attend
ing church Sunday.
Childre Re-elected
Mayor of Reynolds
In Tuesday’s Election
There was an election Tuesday in
the City of Reynolds for the pur
pose of electing a Mayor and two
City Councilmen.
Mayor J. J. Childre was re-elected
to serve another two year term. For
Councilmen, Mr. Wayne Hill and
Mr. Willie Gaultney were elected
to serve as City Councilmen for a
period of three years.
(From Atlanta Constitution)
When Rep. Frank Twitty of
Mitchell county walked to the mi
crophone in the Ga. House of Rep
resentatives one day last year with
a typewritten speech in hand,
there was a murmur.
Nobody there had ever seen Twit
ty make a prepared speech. He is
one of the liveliest extemporaneous
speakers around.
Twitty himself was so aware of
the departure from normal that he
felt it necessary to explain he was
using the typed speech because of
the extreme importance of the mat
ter under consideration: Open
schools.
His gift for speaking without
notes is a necessary one for any
body who is the administration
floor leader in either the House or
Senate. A floor leader may be on
his feet discussing as many as a
dozen issues a day.
Twitty and State Sen. Gordon
Knox of Hazlehurst are to the House
and Senate what foremen are in a
factory. They speak for the gov
ernor’s position, herd his legisla
tion through, conduct the cam
paigns for passage.
And they make the motions to
start a session, set an order of
business, hold a noon recess, ad
journ for the day — all the techni
cal manipulations of getting the
sessions over with.
Knox and Twitty, like virtually
all their predecessors, are lawyers.
Their job involves digesting legal
points quickly, explaining them
clearly, and speaking, speaking,
speaking, speaking! Since lawyers
get more public speaking practice
than anyone else, they have an
easier time of it in the House and
Senate.
In one of the most publicized
cases to date, Knox and Twitty
found last year that they could not
speak for the governor’s position
on the new state budget. A new
set of floor leaders was found and
presented the governor’s position
It was such a shocking depar
ture from form that the Capitol
buzzed about it for months. Now,
however, both are ready again to
speak for Gov. Vandiver on other
issues.
Their jobs apparently will be
much lighter this year than in pre
vious ones. Vandiver has few bills
to present. (“We aren’t going to
kick a football up and let them
start fighting over it,” an aide to
the governor said.)
Culver Kidd, Baldwin County
Representative in the General As
sembly and candidate for Lieuten
ant Governor, has a special room
No. 216-17, at the Georgia Hotel
for the convenience of visitors to
Atlanta during the General As
sembly.
Kidd says if you are in Atlanta
just come by for coffee and re
freshments, relax, use the phone,
make appointment, arrange for
school visits to the capitol and
make yourself at home.
It will be a pleasure for Mr. Kidd
to have you visit with him and
make these headquarters your head
quarters while visiting in Atlan
ta.
Rev. William J. Erwin, Superin
tendent of the Methodist Conference
will preach at the Butler Methodist
Churcli Sunday morning at eleven
o’clock.
The public is cordially invited to
hear Rev. Erwin, who is one of
the \ outstanding ministers in the
South Georgia Conference.
Painting the interior of the
church sanctuary will be com
pleted this week.
Butts Sheriff Charged
In Forging Soil Check
Soil Tests
Should be Made
Right Away
Macon, Ga. — Butts County Sher
iff V. H. Ham has been charged
with forging a woman’s signature
to collect a soil bank payment
according to J. P. Cowart.
Cowart said Ham was indicted
on two counts at Athens on Dec. 6
and posted $1,000 bond in Macon
on Dec. 11.
For spring plantings, soil sam
ples should be taken in October,
November, December and January.
The reason for this is that it takes
about three months after applica
tion of lime for it to become fully
efefctive in the soil.
Farmers in this county are be
coming more aware that increased
fertilization pays, but some of us
still fail to recognize the imporance
of lime in crop production. Lime
pays off in many ways: 1. It grows
more and better crops; 2. It helps
produce nitrogen for legumes; 3.
It helps tilt of your soil; 4. It gives
health to you and your livestock;
5. It makes your mixed fertilizer
more effective by making available
the essential elements, speeding up
action of soil bacteria and decreas
ing leaching.
Soil test bags, tools and informa
tion sheets may be obtained from
the County agent’s office free of
charge.
—County Farm Agents.
Rev. Z. R. Perdue
Will Preach at Mauk
Sunday Morning
Rev. Z. R. Perdue of Thomaston
will preach at Mauk Baptist church
Sunday morning at the 11 o’clock
hour.
The public is cordially invited to
attend.
Woman’s Nude
Body Is Found
On Drag Strip
Albany, Ga. — The nude body of
an unidentified young woman was
found Monday on a drag strip race
track near Albany. How she died
was not determined i mmediately.
A medical examiner said, however,
that there was no marks to indicate
the woman had been slain.
Medical Examiner Charles Stern
said an autopsy showed no wounds
of a serious nature, but the wom
an had multiple scratches and her
knees were badly bruised.
A preliminary diagnosis listed
shock and exposure as probable
cause of death.
Stern said the woman was be
lieved to be about 30 years old. She
was 5 fet 6 and weighed 132 pounds
She had brown hair and brown
eyes.
The body was found by four
young men who told police they
had entered the drag strip to turn
their car around. They found a
pair of red pedal pushers about a
half mile from the body. Police
estimated she had been dead about
12 hours when she was found.