Newspaper Page Text
“The
Enterprise
Covers Every Nook
»nd Cemer of *
Coffee County—and
Then Some."
3 NEGROES LODGED IN JAIL
CHARGED WITH WESLEY MURDER
Joe Sanders, Windsor Coffee, and
Arthur Seely, three negroes, are now
in the Coffee county jail, on a charge
of murder, being the three negroes
captured in Fitzgerald last Tuesday
afternoon by Deputy Sheriff Dor
tniny, of Ben Hill, charged with the
murder of Tom Wesley, in this coun
ty, on last Sunday morning. They
were brought to Douglas Thursday
morning by Sheriff Tanner and
lodged in jail here to await the ac
tion of the next grand jury.
The negroes were traced to Fitz
gerald by Sheriff Tanner and Deputy
Ellis, by the number of the motor on
the Ford which was captured. The
License number and vehicle number
on the car were removed after the
shooting. It was found at the Ford
agency at Fitzgerald that Sanders, a
negro living 15 miles north of Fitz
gerald, had purchased a car with this
number several weeks ago. The other
two negroes live in Fitzgerald, and
were traced by a multiplicity of inci
dents, all bearing out the reputation
of Sheriff Tanner and Deputy Ellis,
as doing real detective work when
ever the occasion demands it.
The negroes made a confession, at
least they admit being the occupants
of the car, while Seely says that he
was asleep while the work was going
on.
Sheriff Tanner has the car whicTi
contained 75 pints of whiskey. The
negroes were headed for F’itzgerald
or some point above, from Jackson
ville.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Here is the version we have got of
the horrible tragedy which occurred
8 miles east of Douglas on last Sun
day morning about 3 o’clock, in w'hich
Tom Wesley, a Douglas boy, lost his
life, and the three negroes are now
confined in jail here, on charge of his
murder.
About 2:30 o’clock last Sunday
morning, Jim Stalvey, a liveryman of
Douglas, also an invalid, and Tom
Wesley, a young man of this city, left
here in a Dodge car driven by Stalvey,
for Nieholls. It seems that Wesley
was drinking heavily. About eight
miles from here they passed a Ford
which had stopped in the ‘ road. A
fire was built and the occupants of
the car seemed to be busily engaged
blowing up one of their tires. Stal
vey and Wesley passed and hailed the
car, asking if they could be of assis
tance. Receiving a negative reply,
they passed. After they had gotten
by it was decided that the car was
likely a whiskey car, so they backed
and Wesley got out with a pistol and
told Sanders to give it up. A fight
started and Stalvey called Coffee to
his car and grabbed hold of him and
told him to go and stop the fight at
once. In the tussle, the parties were
behind the Ford, three shots were fir
ed, and in a few minutes the negroes
were gone. One of the shots passed
thru Stalvey’s shirt, in the front,
while another passed thru Wesley’s
.neck, breaking it, and another went
at random.
Stalvey came to Douglas immed
iately and secured Undertaker Sims
and Sheriff Tanner and they went af
ter Wesley’s body, finding it in a re
clining position, bending over in a
ditch, with his skull mashed in, which
was done by one of the negroes with
the jack, while they were behind the
ear.
BURIED MONDAY
Tom Wesley was an orphan boy,
about 20 years of age. He and his
brother, Gerrald, have lived here for
a number of years, coming from
Waycross, where the elder Wesley
was a printer on the old Waycross
Journal. He died several years ago.
Gerrald Wesley is in the army, lo
cated at Camp Wheeler. He came
home to the funeral.
The burial took place at the city
cemetery, Rev. T. S. Hubert making
a talk and prayer at the Douglas Un
dertaking Parlors, where the funeral
was held. The boys of the Douglas
Fire Department buried him, Tom
having been a member for several
years.
Douglas Enterprise
AND COFFEE COUNTY NEWS
VO. vyill. NUMBER 33.
Jerusalem
The captrue of Jerasulem and ex
pulsion of the Mohammedan from the
Holy City is an event too distinctly
marked in phophecy to pass over its
fulfillment without praise to God
whose Word endureth forever, and an
earnest consideration of other events
which prophecy connects with this
one. I am therefore announcing as
subject of our Sunday morning ser
mon, 16th inst., at 11 o’clock, “The
Capture of Jerusalem; It’s Meaning
and It’s Lessons.”
Come to this service at First Bap
tist church. “The Spirit and the
Bride say, Come.”
T. S. HUBERT, Pastor.
“Tax Payer” Wants
Better County Roads
Editor Enterprise:
Will you please allow me space in
your valuable columns to call the at
tention of the public and our Com
missioners of Roads and Revenues to
a matter of importance to the public
apd the entire county? I sap PUB
LIC, for the reason that much traffic
and travel is carried on over the por
tion of road hereinafter mentioned,
than any other road in the county;
and I say ENTIRE COUNTY, for
the reason that unless this road is
given immediate attention and put
into condition of safety, so that it
can be passed over safely, personal
injuries are most likely to occur, and
damages to personal property incur
red, and the county made liable to
damages, in which event, each citi
zen and tax payer would have to bear
his part of the damage.
I refer to the public road leading
from Seventeen Mile Creek to Doug
las, on the Broxton and Douglas Road.
This is the worst road in the county,
and traveled more than any other. It
is between the two largest towns in
the county. It is a disgrace, in this
time of good road agitation, to any
county, to let a road leading intd its
county seat get into the condition of
this porion of road, which is only
about three (3) miles in length. From
Seventeen Mile Creek to Broxton, a
distance of about six miles, the road
is very good. But the portion refer
red to, is as stated, the worst road
and most dangerous. We citizens in
the locality, of this road, and who live
at Broxton and all over the Broxton
district, who love to visit Douglas
and who have to come to Douglas on
business, pay our taxes, as well as,
the citizens in other' portions of the
county, (a few of which have built
and constructed at a very great ex
pense turned piked roads to their
farms).
Mr. Commissioner, have you ever
been over this road ? If the county
should be subjected to a damage suit,
could you plead that you did not know
the danger that now exists to the
travel upon this road? Get in a
“flivver" and take a “two forty” gait
over this road, and see what will hap
pen to you. Shall other portions of
the county profit over the section
through which this road runs. This
is a matter of extreme importance to
all the north half of this county, as
the public from all that section travel
over this road.
. Mr. Taqner; pease give us some re
lief. And Mr. Stubbs; you live i:
Douglas and represent that district,
don’t you want the public to visi'.
Douglas? And Mr. Merritt; don’t
you want a better road to go to Doug
las over? And to the remainder of
the Commissioners, I ask, don’t you
want to be impartial in building good
roads Then giv ues some relief, and
work this portion of road, —from Sev
enteen Mile Creek to Douglas. W’e
bear our part of the public expense,
taxes, etc., and we are eqtitled to a
road to our county seat and court
house. TAX PAT ER.
"TT/ie (Enterprise ‘Publishes the Legal Advertising of the City of Douglas, Coffee County and County Commissioners
THE DOUGLAS ENTERPRISE, DOUGLAS, GEORGIA, DEC. 15, 1917.
GDDNGIL NAMES
NEW DDARD
CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION IS
PUT ON STABLE BABIS—THE
BOARD MEETS AND ELECTS
OFFICERS—A NEW MEMBER.
At the meeting of the city council
on hte first Monday night in Decem
ber, the City Board of Education was
put on a stable basis, that is, the
council re-elected the five members
of the old foard, with one exception,
as the lav/ directs, and the five mem
bers drew numbers for terms.
It seems that several members of
the board have been holding over for
several years, and when a man was
placed on 'he board, he remained
there until he died or resigned. This
was not in compliance with the char
ter at all. It says that the regular
election of the new member or mem
bers must take place on the first
Monday night in December. Two are
elected for two terms, and three are
elected for one year terms. So every
body on the board was holding illegal
ly, and the council decided to make ar
new start, re-elect the old members,
and let them draw straws for terms.
The following were named: J. M.
Dent, Jno. M. Hall, S. M. Roberts, W.
C. Lankford, and W. R. FrierT the lat
ter being the nev/ member elected to
fill the vacancy caused by the resig
nation of E. L. Tanner.
The new board was sworn in that
night, and they retired and organized
at once by electing J. M. Der.t, chair
man; and W. R. Frier, secretary and
treasurer.
In the lottery for terms, Messrs.
Jno. M. Hall and S. M. Roberts drew
the two year terms, and Messrs. J. M.
Dent, W. C. Lankford, and W. R.
Frier, drew the one year terms.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS VACATE
THURSDAY FOR HOLIDAYS
The public schools of the city will
start their vacation on next Thursday.
Most of the teachers are going home
for the holidays, while several will
remain in Douglas. The schools will
resume work the first week in Jan
uary.
Sad Tragedy At
Nieholls Last Week
On last Friday, a few mile 3 below
Nieholls in this county, while two
boys, young Johnson, age 15, and
Johnson Carter, age 16, son of Joshua
Carter, Jr., were tusseling over a shot
gun, a load of bird shot was discharg
ed in the face and head of Joshua
Carter producing almost instant death
and Johnson is now in jail under a
warrant issued after an inquest held
by Coroner G. L. Sims, charging him
with murder.
It seems there was no eye-witnes
ses, but Johnson claims it was an ac
cident; that be was cutting wood at
his father’3 house when Carter came
by with the gun and asked Johnson
to go hunting with him, and in the
conversation both boys hold of the
gun with the result that Carter was
killed.
IN THE INTEREST OF THE RED
CROSS
Mrs. J. M. Dent, Mrs. M. D. Dicker
son, Mrs. Melvin Tanner, Mrs. A. S.
M. Coleman, Mrs. W. R. Frier, and
Prof. Gordon Floyd went over to
Willacoochee last Friday to meet with
the Woman’s Club and assist in pre
paring the ladies for an organization
of the Red Cross in their town.
All ideas and plans were enthusias
tically received, and the ladies are
planning to Uike immediate plans for
their charter.
Mrs. Dickerson, as district presi
dent, made a very fine talk to the
members >f the Woman’s Club, and
Mrs. Coleman, in the interest of the
Red Cross. Prof. Flody giving an ex
cellent address, was also at his best.
CHARITY FUND
FDD XMAS
ENTERPRISE EMPTY STOCKING
FUND IS STARTED MAKE
YOUR DONATIONS BY NEXT
WEEK WORTHY CAUSE.
For the past several years The
Enterprise has been conducting wha?
we term “The Enterprise Empty
Stocking Fund.” At least, we havt
always given publicity to a fund foi
that purpose, and we want to do the
same thing this year, although we art
a little late.
Mrs. S. J. Stubbs, of the Presbyter
ians, Mrs. E. L. Tanner, of the Bap
tists, Mrs. M. D. Dickerson, of the
Episcopalians, and Miss Eunice Lott,
of the Methodists, will be t’nt
Ladies Committee Jhis year to invest
the fund and make the distribution
Most of these ladies have helped us
before and we are calling on then,
again.
Whatever amqunt is raised, in cash
or groceries, or clothing, will be turn
ed over to them, and they will dis
pose of it in the right way. These
ladies have a list of the needy famil
ies, most all of the poor children, am
whoever contributes, will be adding
their mite to a most worthy cause.
We will publish contributions thi.
week and next. Send to us or an;
of the four ladies named, or to the
pastors of any of the churches, an<
same will be acknowledged in thes:
columns.
The W. 0. W. Lodge $2.50
The Enterprise 1.00
Dr. G. L. Touchton 1.00
Lawson Kelley 1.00
S. M. Roberts 56
J. L. Young 1.00
O. Peterron 1.0:
J. W. Qukicey I.OC
Daniel Gaskin 2'
Simon Levin I.o<
O. F. Deen 2.00
J. A. Dorminy 1.00
J. M. Dent 1.00
R. R. Harper 1.00
Bsuglas Lawyers
To Lend Assistance
In response to the appeal by the
Governor of the State of Georgia, the
members of the Douglas Bar Asso
ciation have tendered their services
in assisting registered men in prepar
ing the necessary responses to the
Questidnaire that will be mailed tc
each registered man within a short
time. The Douglas Bar Associatio
includes all of the attorneys at Doug
las, Ga., and any person desiring as
sistance in the preparation of his ans
wers to the questions contained in the
pamplet which will be mailed him
may secure such assistance without
charge being made from any attor
ney at Douglas.
Attention is called to the fact that
failure to return the Questionaire
mailed out, within seven days, prop
erly filled out, subjects the man tc
whom it was mailed to a penalty am
will ultimately result in his being call
ed to the coors earlier than he wouh
otherwise be called. For this reasoi
it is important to all registered mer
and to the public as a whole to sec
to it that all hese papers are rpompth
returned and properly filled out. A 1
exemptions heretofore granted have
been revoked by proper authority am
under the present arrangement n
discharges are granted, but all regis
tered men are classified. Men will e'
called hereafter by classes and it i
the wish of the government that m
undue hardship be inflicted by regis
tering a man in the wrong classifies
tion. In cases where registered me
claim the right to be placed in a dc
ferred classification, (similar t<
claiming exemption) it is importan
that the dependent relatives be pres
ent with the registered man so the
the necessary affidavits canbe exeem
ed at cnee.
Douglas Bar Associal . n.
$1.50 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE
GUY ELECTION TOMORROW IS
DIE OF HOTTEST II HISTORY
Our ffext Mayor
Hon. Lawson Kelley
Hon. Lawson Kelley will he the
iext Mayor cf Douglas without any
loubt, and the people are to be con
gratulated upon this fact. He is one
rf the many candidates in tomorrow’s
contest, but he has no opposition, the
first time a candidate for mayor of
Douglas has ever ran without oppo
sition, in the past few years as least.
This is indeed a compliment to Col.
Kelley, and The Enterprise feels that
it is one well bestowed.
Big Stock Company
At Tkeatre Next Week
The Margy Southwell Stock Com
pany will begin a week’s engagement
at The Enterprise Theatre on Mon
day, December 17, presenting a line of
up-to-date plays and vaudeville be
tween acts. The opening play cr.
Monday night will be the four aG
•oniedy drama of life in Sunny Southl
and, “At the Old Cross Reads,” v/itl
lever Margy Southwell as “Rost
May,” daddy’s little girl.
“At the Old Cross Roads” is th
brightest and snappiest of souther,
plays, replete with interesting an
dramatic incidents, and presents ;
truthful picture of the South jus
after hte war. One of the most
inheard of innovations in plays o'
this character is that not a shot i.
ired and the cheap blood and thun
der tactics have been eliminated. L
is logical, v/itty and dramatic, play
jd by a capable company.
There will be a change of play am
•audeville at every performance
.vith usual Wednesday and Saturda;
matinees. Pcpular prices will pre
vail —25 and 35 cents; children un
der 12 years, 15 eents.
As is the custom with all touring
;toCii companies, on Monday nighl
adies will be admitted free. That is
any lady accompanied by a perso
holding a paid 35c ticket will be ad
.nitted free and entitled to best re
erved seat. In order to secure tiii
oncession lady free tickets must b.
secured at reserved seat sale before
7,p. m. on Monday, December 17. The;
go on sale Saturday, December 15tL
at the Union Pharmacy.
CLEVE TANNER OUT ON $5,000
BOND
Cleve Tanner, son-in-law of Dai:
Hall, ot Nieholls, who is charged with
the kiling of young Cannady at Nich
oils several days ago, was grantee
bail last Monday afternoon in Way
cross by Judge Summerall, the
amount being assessed at $5,000.
K. OF P.’S ELECT OFFICRES
A. L. Ponder, C. C.; T. J. Davis, V
C.; W. T. Cottingham,, Prel.; T. M
Shaw, M. of W.; M. F. Head, M. at
A.; J. T. Relihan, K. of R. & S.; J. T.
Relihan, M. of F.; J. L. Shelton, M.
of Ex.; R. J. Cornelias, I. G.; C. L
Iclihsr. C. C W. A. H. Davis
HELP US
3 By Telephoning
NEWS ITEMS to
Numbers
23, 44 or 106.
OFFICIAL BALLOT
City of Douglas, December 15, 191?
FOR MAYOR
LAWSON KELLEY
FOR COUNCILMAN, Ist WARD
(Vote for One)
ARTHUR BROOKS
H. M. LOVE
FOR COUNCILMAN, 2nd WARD
(Vote for One;
O. F. DEEN
I. C. SAPP
FOR COUNCILMAN, 3rd WARD
(Vote for Or.e)
j. l. Young
J. B. EXUM
FOR COUNCILMAN, 4th WARD
(Vote for One)
E. L. TANNER
SIMON LEVIN
FOR COUNCILMAN, CITY AT
LARGE
(Vote for One)
J. W. QUINCEY
E. L. VICKERS
The big political event of the year
in Douglas comes off tomorrow. The
polls will open bright and early and
from the interest manifested in the
election, things will be hot thruogh
out the day, despite the ugly weather.
No new developments have taken
place since last week with the ex
ception of the withdrawal of the can
didacy of Mr. S. J. Stubbs, whose
friends announced him from the
Fourth Ward. Mr. Stubbs refuses t»
become a candidate, and says so in a
card to the public, which appears else
where in this issue. Aside from,-this,
the candidates will run as announced,
two from each ward and two from the
city at large.
The Enterprise has printed the offi
cial ballot as furnished us by Clerk
Brown, the managers have been nam
ed by Mayor Gaskin, and everything
is in readiness for the big battle of
ballots tomorrow. The following
have been named as election mana
gers: Judge J. M. Freeman, C. T,
Darley and J. Monroe Wilcox.
There appears to be a good deal of
interest in some of the contests, while
all of it is f riendly. Which ever way
it goes, Douglas will have a splendid
council and mayor. The prospect*
for next year are bright and with the
incoming of a set of excellent meij,
like the ones going out, the city can
feel safe for another year. „ /
Douglas, Ga., Dec. 10, 1917,
Editor Enterprise:
I wish to state thru you to the
citizens of Douglas that I am not &
candidate for Aiderman and will be
obliged to resign if elected. J ar»
County Commissioner from this Dis
trict and this will take up as muck
of my time as I can afford to give
from my buriness. I appreciate the
effort of my friends to have me serve
again but I cannot do it and ask that
my name be left off the ticket in the
coming election.
Yours very truly, ?
S. J. STUBBS.
JOH N SON—HO RTON
There was solemnized a home wed
ding last Sunday evening that wiß
be of much interest locally and a!s#
throughout the state, when Miss Ruby
Johnson of Hazlehurst, the eldest
daughter of Dr. S. W. Johnson wh«
has won quite a reputation as a
teacher in public schools at home and
in Winder, Barrow county, high
schools as an expert teacher, w ag.
quietly married to Mr. Loid Hortoes
of Atlanta. Mr. Horton holds a res
ponsible position with tV "*'H
States mail service and is connected
with many of the business aiTaus of
Atlanta and North Georgia. They
are at home to their friends at the