Newspaper Page Text
BUTTS COUNTY PROGRESS
VOLUME 32.
DR. M. D. LANIER ENDS
LIFE WITH CHLOROFORM
BODY WAS FOUND
MONDAY MORNING
He Had Been Dead Since
Saturday Night
PLANNED END CAREFULLY
Notes Left Explained Rea
son For Adtion—Dr. La
nier Had Lived in Jack
son For Several Months
Dr. M. D. Lanier, a dentist
who came to Jackson several
months ago in search of health,
was found dead in his room in the
Baptist pastorium Monday morn
ing, after having been dead since
Saturday night. He was found
lying'in the bed fully dressed,
face downward, grasping in one
hand a bottle of ether and in the
other a bottle of chloroform. He
was last seen alive Saturday
night about 10 o’clock and this
leads to the belief that he com
mitted suicide some time that
night.
The unfortunate man went
about his destruction in a calm,
deliberate way. Fastening a
cloth around his head and under
chin to prevent opening his
mouth, he saturated the pillow's
with the drugs and hid his face
between the pillows. Death wa Sj
apparently painless.
NOTES FOUND.
Two notes were one adj
dressed to Dr. R. A. Franklirj,
the other to the coroner. They
were not signed. A piece ijf
verse, “Not Understood.” was
also found. These notes were
found on the mantel in a conspi
cuous space, weights having been
put on them to prevent their
, blowing away. The note to Cor-
Lqner Mangham said that he used
Osier’s method, that theory being
that men over 60 years of age
were worthless and should be
chloroformed.
About 7:30 o’clock Monday
morning Mr. A. F. Whitney who
has rooms in the pastorium, went
to Dr. Lanier’s room to call him
for breakfast. When he receiv
ed no response to his knock he
entered the room and soon de-
what had taken place.
k The news of the tragedy spread
quickly and much regret wasex
* pressed at the rash act.
f Kroner’s inquest.
Coroner Mangnam was notified
and summoned a jury, whose
finding was: “We, the jury, af
ter being duly sworn, find that
Dr. M. D. Lanier came to his
death by his own hands by tak
ing ether and chloroform.”
The members of the jury includ
ed: Messrs. J. M. Leach, fore
man, J. W. Carter, S. K. Ball,
W. E. Foster, L. M. Pettigrew,
j €. L. Maddox.
TO THE CORONER.
"I presume this will be a case
for your investigation. You will
see Tby empty chloroform bottle
that I have used Osier’s method.
To a proud, senstive nature there
are things worse than the quiet
grave. My last and Masonic re
quest is to put me in the box
when my foks come just as I am
dressed. I want no more ex
pense than possible.”
NOT UNDERSTOOD.
“Not understood. How many breasts
are aching
For lack of sympathy! Oh, day by
. day,
How many cheerless, lonely hearts
are breaking,
How many noble spirits pass away
• Not understood. •
O God! that man would see a little
clearer
Or judge less harshly when they can
not see;
O God! that men would draw a litle
hearer
To one another—they’d .be nearer Thee
And understood.”
62 YEARS OLD.
Dr. Lanier was about 62 years
of age. He was a member of a
prominent family of south Geor
gia, being a native of Oliver.
His wife and children live at
Sylvania, it is understood. For
a long number of years he prac
ticed his profession in Savannah,
later going to Sylvania and from
there he came to Jackson some
months ago.
Since his residence in Jackson
he had made a number of friends.
He was a quiet, inoffensive man,
rather retiring in his nature.
Besides his wife and children he
has a sister, Mrs. Laura Kenne
dy, of Oliver; four brothers, Dr.
Tom Lanier, of Guyton, Don La
nier, of Davisboro, E. C. Lanier,
of Harlem, and J. D. Lanier, of
Macon.
The remains were shipped to
his old home at Oliver, Monday
night, where the funeral and in
terment were held Wednesday.
Hon. J. T. Moore
For The Senate
If the Hon. J. Threatt Moore,
former representative in the leg
islature, city attorney and prom
inent lawyer, yields to the solici
tations of his friends over the
county he will be in the race for
Senator froih Butts county this
year. As is well known, this is
Butts county’s tine to furnish
the senator from the 26th dis
trict, composed of the counties
of Fayette, Spalding'and Butts.
That Mr. Moore would make a
strong race for the office is the
belief of his legion of friends.
He is well and favorably known,
has had previous legislative ex
perience and would make a good
man for the place. He has the
matter under consideration, but
may be forced to yield to the
wishes of his supporters and
throw his hat into the ring.
Hon. J. H. Mills, of Jenkins
burg, present representative
from this county, is an avowed
candidate for the office. Judge
H. M. Fletcher has also been
prominently mentioned in that
connection.
The next few days will be sure
to bring about some interesting
developments in this situation.
JACKSON, GEORGIA. FRIDAY. JANUARY 2. 1914.
MANY CHANGES
IN THE TAX LAW
Receiver Must Open Books
February First
WILL CLOSEFIRST OF MAY
Books When Made up Are
* Required to Be Turned
Over to Board of County
Tax Assessors
This year the requirements of
the Georgia law respecting the
returns of property for taxation
are to be different from the rules
of former years.
Tax receiver Hodges has just
received his instructions from
the comptroller general’s office
touching the new points of the
tax law.
Some of the new things are:
“Tax payers are now required
to return all property held by
them on the first day of January
of each year, instead of the date
formerly set by the governor,
treasurer and comptroller gener
al —which was for the past two
years the first of February.
“The tax receivers are required
to open their books for receiving
tax returns on the first day of
February of each year instead of
the first of April as heretofore
prescribed.
“The tax receivers are required
to close their books on the first
day of May each year.” The
law was until last year “the first
day of July.”
Within ten days after the first
of May the tax receivers are re
quired to present the tax returns
of the county to the board of as
sessors. •
MR. CLAUDE C. SMITH
PASSEO AWAY DEC. 22
The death of Mr. Claude C.
Smith occurred at his home in
Hagan, Ga., Monday, Dec. 22,
and was due to uremic poisoning.
News of Mr. .Smith’s death caus
ed sincere regret among a wide
circle of friends. He was 38
years of age and a prominent
citizen of Hagan.
The remains were brought to
Jackson and the funeral took
place from the residence of Mr.
A. M. Watkins. The services
were conducted by Rev. Mr.
Edenfield, of Claxton, Ga. In
terment was in the Watkins cem
etery.
Mr. Smith is survived by his
wife, who was Miss Mary Kate
Watkins, of Jackson, his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Smith, five
brothers and six sisters. The
pallbearers were Messrs. Joe,
Bed, Henry and Jay Smith and
Thomas E. and D. A. Watkins.
In their sorrow the family have
the sympathy of their many
friends.
EMPIRE BUGGY CO.
GAVE BARBECUE
Employes Were Guests
Of Honor
TALKS WERE FEATURES
Company Has Had A Suc
cessful Year’s Business,
With Lots of Orders on
Hand For New Year
In celebrat’on of a successful
year’s business the Empire Bug
gy Company gave an enjoyable
barbecue on Tuesday of Christ
mis week at its plant on Second
s reet.
The affair was one of the most
delightful of the holiday season,
and a large number of guests
wre invited. The employes
ad their families, the directors
of the company and their fami
lies and several guests were pres
ent on that occasion The bar
becue was a sumptuous and en
joyable treat, large quantities of
choice meats and other delicacies
being served.
Mayor W. E. Watkins made a
short address, his subject having
been “Prosperity.” He handled
his subject in his usual happy
vein. t
Mr. J. H. Carmichiael, presi
dent of the Empire Buggy
Company, was the principal
speaker. He went into the his
tory of the concern, showing
when it was started, how it has
grown and paid a deserved trib
ute to the employes who have re
mained faithful for a long num
ber of years.
The company was organized in
the fall of 1906 and built its first
buggy in the following spring.
It has grown to be one of the
largest concerns of its kind in
the country, turning out several
thousand jobs annually. This
has been one of its best years,
Mr. Carmichael said, and he
stated that enough orders were
on hand to last well up into the
the present year.
Mr. Carmichael stated that
much of the success of the com
pany had been due to its efficient
general manager, Mr. S. P.
Nichols.
The officers include: Mr. J.
H. Carmichael, president, Mr. J.
H. McKibben. vice president,
Mr. R. J. Carmichael, secretary
and treasurer and Mr. S. P.
Nichols, general manager.
JACKSON LODGE K. OF P.
PLANNING FOR BANQUET
Jackson lodge No. 131 Knights
of Pythias, which had its instal
lation of officers last night, is
preparing to have a banquet dur
ing the next few days. The
matter was voted on at the called
meeting of the lodge held Tues
day night of Christmas week and
committees were appointed to
arrange the details. The mem
bers of the committee include:
Messrs. J. H. Turner, W. T. Pow
ers, T. B. McMichael.
It is likely the banquet will be
held on next Thursday night in
the Knights of Pythias lodge
room in the Warthen building.
CITY PRIMARY
WAS VERY QUIET
Only Forty Votes PoHed
Here Monday
TICKET WAS UNOPPOSED
Mayor Watkins And Old
Aldermen Will Remain
at Head of City Govern
ment For Another Year
One of the quietest elections
ever held in Jackson was the pri
mary Monday for the nomination
of a mayor, aldermen, members
of the board of education and
executive committee. Only 40
ballots were cast.
There was no opposition to any
of the candidates, and this fact
probably accounted for the lack
of interest and enthusiasm. The
weather, too, was so disagreea
ble that only a few ventured out
in the rain and slush when no is
sue was at stake.
Mayor Watkins and the present
members of council received the
unanimous indorsement of the
people of the city for another
term. This is a record that these
gentlemen should feel proud of.
The city election' will be held
on next Wednesday, when the
nominees will be formally elected.
Following are the nominees in
Monday’s primary:
Mayor—W. E. Watkins.
Aldermen—First ward, C. M.
Kimbell; second ward, J. R.
Thurston; third ward, J. H. Mc-
Kibben; fourth ward, J. C. Jones.
Board of Education—From the
city at large. J. H. Ham; first
ward, J. M. Currie; second ward,
C. L. Redman; third ward, J. B.
Hopkins; fourth ward. R. P. Sas
nett.
Executive Committee—City at
large, J. B. Settle; first ward, G.
E. Mallet; second ward, A. T.
Buttrill; third ward, S. P. Nich
ols; fourth ward, H. O. Ball.
MRS. ADELINE WOODS DIES
AT THE A6E OF 81 YEARS
Dr. and Mrs. J. E. Woods have
the sympathy of their friends in
the death of Dr. Woods’ mother,
Mrs. Adeline Woods, which oc
curred Sunday, Dec. 21. Death
was due to a complication of dis
eases and followed a period of
prolonged feeble health.
Mrs. Woods, who was 81 years
of age, was an estimable Chris
tian lady and had many friends
in Jackson where she had made
her home for a number of years.
While her death was not unex
pected it came as a shock to a
wide circle of friends.
Surviving Mrs. Woods are two
sons, Dr. J. E. Woods of this
city, Mr. W. C. Woods, of Henry
county and one daughter, Mrs.
A. H. S. Davis, of Stevens
Pottery.
The funeral took place Tuesday
afternoon at Woodstown, the ser
vices bein# conducted by Rev, A.
E. Sansburn of the Methodist
church of which she was a
member.
NUMBER 1.