Newspaper Page Text
3arkoOJ;| Progress-Argus
VOL. 91—NO. 36
Proposed Prison
Be Equivalent
Of New Industry
Col. R. H. Burson, Director of
the State Board of Corrections,
stated this week that the —diag-
nostic center and maximum
security prison considered for lo
cation in Butts County will be the
first new facility to be construc
ted under the program of im
provements recommended by the
Ragen Report and the Bowdoin
Commission.
Custody of prisoners alone is
not enough, Colonel Burs o n
pointed out, with the proper treat
ment, training, occupation and
physical care of the inmates need
ed to provide the foundation for
a complete program. Discipline
and a program of training are
most important phases of insti
tutional life, Colonel Burson con
tinued, with the rights, liberties,
lives and welfare of wards of the
state and their families being di
rectly involved and affected by
the program provided. The con
finement of offenders and his
ultimate restoration as a law
abiding productive citizen is the
responsibility of the State. Geor
gia is making great strides, Colo
nel Burson declared, in its efforts
to provide the facilities and pro
grams necessary in these enlight
ened times to rehabilitate its
prisoners.
The diagnostic center and
maximum security prison will be a
valuable asset to the State Board
of Corrections in carrying out its
program, Colonel Burson asserted.
The diagnostic center will classi
fy all incoming prisoners and will
be staffed with psychiatrists, psy
chologists, socialogists, medical
doctors, dentists and other pro
fessional personnel to properly
evaluate and classify incoming
inmates. According to Colonel
Burson, employees will operate
under the State Merit System and
only well qualified personnel will
be used to staff the program.
What effect will this facility
have on the community in which
it is located? It will increase the
economic welfare of the area and
will greatly assist in its long
range development. Mr. Burson
points out that approximately
eight million dollars will be spent
on the initial construction, with
more to be spent later in expand
ing the facility. Approximately
125 to 150 employees will be re
quired initially. Many commercial
and industrial supporting facil
ities will develop due to the in
creased needs and purchasing
power of the community.
A facility of this type can be
compared to a large industry. The
United States Department of
Commerce has published informa
tion on the economic impact due
to industry location. Based on
150 employees there will be 540
more people, 135 more school
children, 150 more households,
145 more passenger cars regis
tered, $1,065,000 more personal
income per year, $496,000 more
in retail sales, $344,000 more
bank deposits, five more retail
establishments and 97 more peo
ple employed in other work.
Truck Mishap
Friday Kills
Jackson Man
James Floyd Mask, 49, of Route
4, Jackson, was killed instantly
early Friday morning when he
was thrown from his 1950 model
pick up truck when it overturned
on a county road. Death appa
rently was caused by a broken
neck.
According to Deputy Sheriff
Curtis Kelley, the truck was be
lieved to have been traveling at
a high rate of speed when the
accident occurred.
Mr. Kelley said that the acci
dent occurred near the home of
Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Hamlin in the
Worthville Community. The Ham
lins heard the resulting noise and
telephoned Mr. Kelley. Mr. Mask
was dead on arrival at Sylvan
Grove Hospital.
Light Vote Is
Forecast For
State Primary
With interest at an all time
low, perhaps the fewest number
of voters-to cast ballots in a state
primary in a generation are ex
pected to go to the polls on Wed
nesday, September 9th, to ballot
in two races.
In the race for Public Service
Commissioner incumbent Allen
Chappell is seeking re-election
against Alpha A. Fowler, J. F.
(Joe) Griffin and Buck Schnall.
John J. Flynt Jr., of Griffin, in
cumbent congressman from the
6th district, is opposed by Frank
Maddox, Clayton County busi
nessman.
Solicitor General Edward E.
McGarity of McDonough will be
nominated in the Flint Circuit
without opposition.
Robert H. Smalley Jr. of Grif
fin is unopposed in his race for
State Senator from the 28th dist
rict.
Reperesentative Bailey Wood
ward was re-elected for another
term in the April county primary.
Polling places over the county
will open at 7 a. m. and will close
at 7 p. m. Tabulation of votes will
begin immediately thereafter.
Members of the Butts County
Democratic Executive Committee
will meet Thursday morning at
10 o’clock in the grand jury room
to consolidate returns and publish
the official results.
Roy Letson Is
Found Guilty
By Butts Jury
During the August term of the
Butts Superior Court last week
Roy C. Letson was sentenced to
life in prison by Judge Thomas
J. Brown, Judge of the Flint Cir
cuit.
The jury, after deliberation,
found Letson guilty of murder
with a recommendation of mercy.
He had been charged with killing
his wife, Barbara Kimbrell Let
son, at their home on Route 3,
Jackson, on January 19.
The trial began Tuesday morn
ing and ended Wednesday after
noon about five o’clock. The jury
deliberated about two hours be
fore returning the verdict.
According to David P. Ridge
way, Clerk of the Butts Superior
Court, the case of the State
versus Isaiah Roddy was contin- |
ued until the November term of
court. Roddy is charged with
murder of his wife, Mattie Jane,
on Mother’s Day, May 10, 1964.
Harvest Festival
Shapes Up As A
Gala Affair
A gigantic Harvest Festival is
being planned by the Butts Coun
ty PTA for September 12 on the
Little League Field. It will be
gin at 5 o’clock and continue
until 9.
The Festival will be held in
place of the annual Halloween
Carnival.
Among the many highlights
will be a Chicken-Que from 6 to
8 o’clock with tickets $1.25 each.
A refreshment stand featuring
hot dogs and Cokes will also be
manned.
Advanced word from PTA
members who are working on the
Festival reveal that homemade
candy, fish ponds, country stores,
bingo, cake walks, merry-go
round, hay rides, pies and cakes
will be features on the program.
A doll and model car show will
also be held in the shop building
of the school at the same time.
Games of Week
Sept. 3—Henry Cos. vi. Jone
boro in McDonough.
Sept. 4 Griffin v. R. E. Lee
in Griffin.
Sept. 4 Monticello ▼*. Putnam
Cos. in Eatonton.
Baptists Slate
Two-Day Session
Member churches of the Kim
bell Baptist Association will hold
their 68th annual session Septem
ber 8-9 at the New Providence
Baptist Church in Monroe Coun
ty^
The two-day meeting will begin
at 10 a. m. both Tuesday and
Wednesday mornings. Both ses
sions will be adjourned in mid
afternoon.
Appearing on the program
Tuesday morning will be the Rev.
Robert Thompson, Mrs. T. H.
Price, T. W. Leverette, Miss An
nette Knight. The Rev. S. H.
Odom will deliver the introduc
tory sermon. Tuesday afternoon
the members will hear reports
from James Payne, C. W. Benson,
Mrs. G. L. Morgan, Mrs. Carl
Shaw Jr., Mrs. Ed Washington,
Mrs. C. F. Singley, W A. Cook,
R. A. English, Dawson Bryant,
and Fred Morgan.
On Tuesday evening at the
First Baptist Church, Jackson, be
ginning at 8:00 a. m., Youth
Night will be held for the youth
of the Kimbell Baptist Associ
ation. The meeting will be con
ducted by the youth of the asso
ciation.
Scheduled for reports Wednes
day morning are the Rev. Argin
Floyd, the Rev. S. H. Odom,
James Stewart, J. O. Minter,
Harold Standard. The Rev. Bill
Thomas will deliver the mission
ary sermon. In the afternoon, re
ports will be made by the Rev.
Argin Floyd, P. H. Weaver, Harry
Ridgeway, L. R. Washington, M.
A. Price, the Rev. James Burle
son, Mrs. Norma Evans, Mrs. Peg
gy Knowles, Dawson Bryant, Rev.
Bill Thomas, and L. J. Washing
ton.
New providence Baptist Church
is approximately 4 miles from the
courthouse in Forsyth.
Moderator of the Kimbell As
sociation is J. Dawson Bryant.
The Clerk is Mrs. Peggy Knowles.
Fire Destroys
Storage Bara
Monday Night
A large storage barn belonging
to V. H. Ham, standing on the
lot where the Nutt and Bond of
fice is located on Second Street,
was destroyed by fire Monday
night, August 31. The fire was
discovered by Sam Coleman about
9:20. Origin of the fire has not
been established.
According to Deputy Sheriff
Curtis Kelley the barn contained
approximately 75 tons of year
old hay, cotton seed and ferti
lizer. Three horses were also
stabled in the structure but were
removed before the fire got to
them.
Deputy Kelley said that Mr.
Coleman came to the police sta
tion to report the fire and by the
time he, John Dover and Marvin
Bennett got to the scene the barn
was in good flame. He said that
the fire seemed to have started in
the left corner of the building
where the hay was stored.
The deputy estimated that
about SIO,OOO worth of damage
was done. He said that the owner
reported he had no insurance on
the structure.
Members of the Jackson Volun
teer Fire Department were on the
scene and prevented the fire from
spreading to other buildings.
COURTHOUSE TO
OBSERVE LABOR
DAY MONDAY
County offices in the court
house will be closed all day Mon
day, September 7, in observance
of Labor Day, according to an
announcement Monday by Billy
Sutton, County Treasurer.
Mr. Sutton said that the closing
affected everyone in the court
house, in his knowledge. The
sheriff’s office will be closed, too,
but law enforcement officials will
be available, he said.
JACKSON. GEORGIA, THURSDAY, SEPT. 3, 1964
Butts Fair To
Open October 5
With the prediction that this
will be one of the largest and
best fairs ever staged in the coun
ty, the Butts County Fair will
be held October 5-10, the Jackson
Exchange sponsors of the
event, announced this week.
One of the most outstanding
events of the fair, the flower
show, will be held again this year
with the first group of flowers
to be shown on Tuesday and
Wednesday and the second on
Thursday and Friday. The shows
are in charge of the garden
clubs of Jackson and Butts Coun
ty.
The wild life exhibit will be
doubled in size and has promise
of being one of the best ever
shown in this section. According
to Fair Manager R. F. Armstrong,
Georgia Game and Fish Ranger
S. L. Letson has promised to have
beaver on hand for the showing
and preliminary plans call for in
stalling a tank in which to dis-
play fish.
The usual day time format will
be generally followed, Mr. Arm
strong said, with Tuesday being
Henderson School Day and Wed
nesday Jackson School Day.
However, the manager states
that some changes have been
made in the nightly amusements.
The traditional tiny tot contest
held on Monday night has been
changed into a showing of pre
school girls in parade with their
dolls and baby carriages. Little
boys are invited to enter with
tricycles or what have you. Ac
cording to Mr. Armstrong, “boys
don’t usually have dolls, so we
are inviting them to bring their
favorite pet or toy—a frog,
lizard, tricycle, etc., will be ac
ceptable.”
Another change of interest is
the announcement that judging of
livestock will be done on Thurs
day night instead of during the
day.
On Friday night, buyers will
be given the opportunity to buy
top grade of beef following the
4-H Club and FFA Steer Show.
The steers have been raised and
cared for by the boys and girls
with the sale as the ultimate goal.
“Don’t miss this exciting auc
tion,’’ Mr. Armstrong says, “it’s
the best opportunity of obtaining
top grade beef for your freezer.’’
Arthur Freeman
Gins First Bale
On August 28th
The honor of having the first
bale of cotton ginned in Butts
County from the 1964 crop goes
to Arthur Freeman Jr. who
brought his in around 9 o’clock
Friday morning, August 28.
He brought the cotton in just
two hours before the second bale
arrived. The second bale was
grown on one of Settle and Rob
ison’s farms on the Halls Bridge
Road by Negro tenant, Gerald
Cotton.
According to Dawson Bryant,
owner of Farmer’s Service where
both bales were ginned, Mr. Free
man’s weighed out at 435 pounds
and Cotton’s at 450 pounds. He
said that both bales would prob
ably grade middling.
Mr. Bryant also predicted that
if the late cotton crop makes as
good as the early crop seems to be
making, the 1964 season will be
good.
JACKSON STUDENTS ON
WEST GA. DEAN’S LIST
Carrollton—Sixty-four students
at West Georgia College have
been named to the Dean’s List
for the Summer Quarter just
completed. Students making a
grade point ratio of 3.5 qualify
for the honor listing.
The current group includes
Joyce C. Morgan of Jackson, the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Otho
Morgan, and Brenda L. White of
Jackson, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Wilmer White.
Shooting of Negro Sunday
Held Justifiable Homicide
Jackson Team
Will Be Good,
Wyatt Asserts
Jackson Kiwanians felt en
couraged over prospects of the
1964 Red Devil football team
Tuesday night after hearing Head
Coach Rudy Wyatt and Assistant
Coach Porter Gilbert review the
personnel of the squad in glowing
terms. Coach Clyne Carson was
also a guest of the club.
Coach Gilbert spoke first and
painted a rosy picture of the
Jackson line. Expected to open
against Fort Valley on September
11th, according to Gilbert would
be Larry Mathis at center; Terry
Kitchens and Jimmy Herbert at
guards; Wayne Cawthon and Lar
ry Norsworthy at tackles; Junior
Moncrief and Butch Miller at
ends. Pushing hard for varsity
assignments are Joe Brown at
guard, Ricky Jenkins, Jerry Sel
lers, Gary Whitaker and Jimmy
Rogers at tackle, and Grant
Faulkner at end.
Enumerating the talents of the
backfield was Coach Wyatt who
said that Jackson owns one of the
“finest units in the state’’ in their
starting quartet of David Polk at
quarterback, Charlie Breedlove
and Allen Byars at halves, and
Jimmy Autry at fullback. Wyatt
saw the punting good and the pas
sing adequate with Polk in a dual
capacity. The second backfield
unit would likely be composed, he
said, of David Garr, Mike Duke,
Ricky Johnson arid Lindsey
Powell. Walter Carmichael will be
usjcd at center to snap the ball on
plants and extra points, Wyat f
pointed out.
The head Jackson coach and
athletic director said the three
best teams Jackson faces will be
Fort Valley, West Point and Mary
Persons. Wyatt scouted the Green
Wave in their opening game
against Wilkinson County and re
ports Fort Valley with a pair of
outstanding tackles. He said that
Jackson will stress a ball control
game with emphasis on the three
and four yards per play in lieu
of the breakaway run.
President James Wallace re
turned from a Connie Mack base
ball tournament in Springfield,
111. Dr. Bailey “Eagle” Crockarell,
so named because of a prodigious
golf feat, was wished happy re
turns on his birthday during the
week.
Avondale Will
Get Wage Hike
On Sept. 21st
The following statement con
cerning Avondale’s wage policy
has been received by the Jackson
Progress-Argus from J. Craig
Smith, President and Treasurer
of Avondale Mills.
“Those of us who are members
of our Retirement Trust are fa
miliar with Avondale’s wage
policy. For the benefit of any
newcomers, an essential part of
our Profit-Sharing Plan is to first
pay the “going wage.” Our profit
sharing operates only after we
have met our payrolls at the wage
rates paid by our competition.
Our profit-sharing distribution
last year amounted to $1,095,289.
It will be several weeks before we
will know the results for our year
which will end August 31. I am
confident that we will again have
some profit to share. Checks for
this cash profit sharing will be de
livered to the superintendents at
our profit improvement meeting,
to be held on October 20th.
Anew wage pattern is develop
ing in our industry. Some of our
competitors are increasing their
rates 5 percent or less. We will in
crease our rates at Avondale 5
percent effective at 6:00 a. m.
September 21.”
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Malone Sharpe
Be Industrial
Day Speaker
September 23 looms as a very
important day for Butts County.
That’s the day of Industrial Day,
1964, when the county goes all
out to honor its industries with a
parade, guest speakers, beauty
contest and dance.
The Butts County Jaycees,
sponsors of the event, are putting
final touches on plans for the In
dustrial Day which was originated
11 years ago. The day is designed
to give the industries a salute
from the people of the county.
Guest speaker this year will be
Malone Sharpe, President of the
Georgia Junior Chamber of Com
merce. A lawyer and farmer by
profession, Mr. Sharpe is widely
known as an exceptional speaker.
He is a graduate of Middle Geor
gia College and the Walter F.
George School of Law, Mercer
University.
The 31-year-old state president
is married to the former Miss
Conni Loy of Knoxville, Tenn.
and they have two children,
Maroia, age 7, and Sterling, age
9 months. He is a partner in the
firm of Sharpe, Sharpe and Hart
ley at Lyons.
In addition to Mr. Sharpe’s
speech a bevy of beautiful girls
will compete during the afternoon
festivities for the title of “Miss
Industry.” The beauty show will
be followed by the parade which
will feature floats, bands, the
contestants and other entries.
To climax the honor's day pro
gram a dance will be held at the
National Guard Armory that
night. The winner of the “Miss
Industry” title will be crowned
and the buyer of the lucky ticket
on the Remington Automatic
Shotgun and box of shells will be
annonnced. The talent show win
ners will be given prizes during
the dance. The show will be held
earlier in the week.
WIIIE Radio from Griffin will
have their mobile unit in Jackson
during the afternoon segment of
the program, with the events to
be broadcast to the listeners
throughout this section of Middle
Georgia.
Retail Sales
Show Increase
Retail sales in Georgia during
the second quarter of 1964 total
ed $1,672,374,560 as compared
to $1,525,097,721 during the same
period last year, a Georgia State
Chamber of Commerce survey
showed today.
Chamber Research Director
Morris Ward noted that all but
11 of the State’s 159 counties re
corded increases over the previous
period.
“This is a healthy sign of busi
ness growth in our state and in
dicates we should have another
banner year,” Ward said.
The business volume in Butts
County totaled $2,583,406 in the
second quarter of 1964 as com
pared to $2,355,467 in the same
period of 1963.
$4.00 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE
Butts County’s first serious in
cident with racial overtones oc
curred early Sunday morning
when a group of Negro
stopped and attacked a car and
pickup truck containing white
passengers at the intersection of
Fincherville Road and Covington
Highway, State Route 36. When
the melee ended a Negro youth,
Andrew James Miller, 19, of
Jackson, was fatally wounded and
a 44-year-old white man, John Lo
Whitaker, widely known resident
of Jenkinsburg was absolved of
blame by a coroner’s jury that
ruled justifiable homicide.
According to Butts County
Sheriff V. H. Ham and Deputy
Sheriff Curtis Kelley the shooting
occurred when the Negroes forced
an automobile occupied by Mr.
and Mrs. Howell Pritchett and
daughter to stop. The Pritchett
car was being followed by Mr.
Whitaker who was also compelled
to stop by the same roadblock.
Using rocks as principal weapons,
the windows of the Pritchett ve
hicle were smashed in the wild
brawl.
According to a statement made
by Mr. Whitaker to the Butts
Cunty Sheriff’s Department and
other investigative officers, he
fired two shots from a 45 caliber
automatic at a Negro man (Mil
ler) who was attempting to open
the door of his pickup truck. The
deceased was struck in the heart
and apparently died instantly.
Sheriff Ham said Miller had
been beaten up Friday night in
another fight between Negroes
and whites.
Mr. Whitaker backed up his
truck and raced to Covington, ac
cording to his statement, with the
Negroes in close pursuit. He
asked protection of Covington
police and requested that the
Butts County Sheriff’s office be
notified.
In their testimony both Mr.
Pritchett and Mr. Whitaker said
they had attended a party in the
Worthville community and were
on their way to their respective
homes when the incident oc
curred.
According to statements from
Negro passengers of the cars in
volved, made also before Sheriff
Ham and Deputy Kelley, a report
was received at a Negro tavern in
the Worthville area that some
white boys had allegedly blocked
the Fincherville Road. Several
cars of Negro youths pulled away
from the gathering place to check
the report.
Following the shooting, Miller
was taken to the Sylvan Grove
Hospital in Jackson where he was
pronounced dead on arrival. Word
of the youth’s death quickly
spread and soon a crowd of 125
to 150 Negroes gathered at the
hospital in Jackson. The throng
was orderly and dispersed quickly
when told by authorities that Mr.
Whitaker was in the Butts County
jail and that the matter was now
in the hands of the law and the
courts.
A coroner’s jury Sunday morn
ing called by Butts Coroner Doyal
J. Bennett, ruled justifiable homi
cide. Mr. Whitaker was released
shortly thereafter.
Jackson Mayor C. B. Brown Jr.
following the Negro gathering at
the hospital, put on “standby
alert” his 20-25 “special depu
ties.” A 10:30 p. m. curfew for
those 16 and under was placed
in effect and a midnight curfew
for adults is being enforced,
Mayor Brown said.
Mayor Brown described Jack
son’s race relations as “cordial
and good,” and said “we will do
everything possible to keep them
that way.” Mayor Brown com
mended both races for remaining
calm and cool in a situation that
was fraught with tension.
The Scoreboard
Fayette Cos. 18 —Henry Cos. 14
Ft. Valley 20 —Wilkin*on Cos. O
East Rome 6—Rockmart 0
South Habersham 6—Toccoa O