Newspaper Page Text
iErnttgomm* iMomtor.
VOL. XXX.
FRANK'S SENTENCE
IS COMMUTED
Governor Slaton Commutes
Frank And Spirits Him
Away.
On Sunday night while report
ers were watching the front of
the jail in Atlanta, Sheriff Man
gum of Fulton county, with sev
eral assistants, took Frank from
his cell and placed him on a Cen
tral train, and before day was in
Macon with him, where he se
cured an automobile and soon
reached the state prison farm at
Milledgeville.
Governor Slaton had commuted
Frank’s sentence to life impris
onment, and so complete were
his plans to spirit him away that
no one in Atlanta knew it but the
sheriff and his party.
The greatest excitement pre
vailed in Atlanta when the fact
became known, and mobs began
to form and so great was the stir
that the police had all they could
do to prevent a great riot. Gov
ernor Slaton retired to his coun
try home four miles out, and
riotous demonstrations made it
necessary for his home to be
guarded, and later he had to call
out the military to guard the
place.
The people of Marietta, the
former home of Mary Phagan,
made the wildest demonstrations
of dissatisfaction at the gover
nor’s action, and burned Gov.
Slaton and Frank in effigy.
Nothing in Georgia has ever
called out as much discussion,
pro and con, and Governor Sla
ton has made a lengthy state
ment as to his reasons for com
mutation. He reviewed the tes
timony and really tried the case
over again, and his verdict was
that Conley, and not Frank, mur
dered the girl. His strongest
reason seems to be the letter of
Judge Roan, referred to as ‘‘a
message from the dead.”
Protracted Meeting At
Presbyterian Church Here.
Protracted services will begin
at the Mt. Vernon Presbyterian
church on Monday evening next
at 8:00 o’clock. Rev. Daniel
Iverson, of Tifton, will be here
with Rev. Montgomery, the local
pastor, and the public is invited
and urged to attend. Announce
ment will be made later of the
hours of service.
Glimpses And Glances
In New York City.
Cranston Williams, son of Edi
tor Williams of the Greensboro
Herald-Journal, now in New
York, contributes some good
items to the Herald-Journal, un
der the caption of ‘‘Glimpses and
Glances of New York City.” He
says:
‘‘Well, in his own statement
the lamented William Jennings
Bryan, thrice a candidate for
president and once an imposition
on the American people in the
capacity of secretary of state,
says he is greater than the presi
dent of the United States. In
other words, as a subordinate of
ficial to the president, Bryan be
lieved his ideals and wonderful
wage of ‘‘cure all” was much
more desirable than Wilson’s ac
tion—-which has received the ap
proval of the nation. This is a
general summing up of Bryan’s
grand-stand move in quitting the
white house official family.”
Increases Tax Burdens.
The creation of a new county
also creates burdensome expenses
upon the territyry comprising the
new county and the counties
yielding the territory making the
new county. The benefit all goes
to the town becoming the county
site, and the immediate environ
ment of that town.-Perry Home
Journal.
Death of Alleene Clark.
On Monday, June 14, 1915, the
people of the entire community
were shocked to learn of the death
of Miss Alleene Clark, the eldest
child of Mr. and Mrs. W. N.
Clark. She was 13 years of age,
and had been sick about three
weeks; but God in his wisdom
saw r fit to take our little friend,
neighbor and schoolmate.
Alleene was a friend to all who
knew her, and she will be great
ly missed throughout the entire
neighborhood, especially among
the young people. Particularly
sad is the close of this bright
young life, and our hearts are
saddened at the thought of never
more seeing the familiar girlish
figure among us; and her gentle
kindness and care-free life around
the home and community will
long be in our memory. This
sad death has cast a gloom over
the entire neighborhood, but we
will not think of her as dead,
but gone back to the Heavenly
Father, who gave her to us,
where she will suffer no moi’e,
but ever be ‘‘safe in the arms of
Jesus.”
At the age of eleven years,
Alleene joined the Methodist
church at Longpond, where the
funeral took place. Rev. E. W.
Gray conducting the service in a
very impressive manner. The
burial took place at 11:00 o’clock,
and the floral offerings were ma
ny and very beautiful.
“A precious one from us is gone,
A voice we loved is stilled;
A place made vacant in our home.
That never can be filled.”
A Friend and Schoolmate.
Skeleton Is Washed Up
After Thirty-Two Years.
Texarkana, Ark.—The skeleton
of Frank Wilson, farmer, drown
ed in a flood in the Red River
thirty-two years ago, was found
on a sand bar in that stream a
few days ago, having been wash
ed up by the recent flood.
The skeleton was inclosed in
all the clothes and a pair of boots
Wilson wore at the time he met
his death. A knife and coin
found in the pockets served to
identify the victim. His family
claimed the body.
AGED CITIZEN
SHOOTS SELF
Brought Death With Small
Rifle Bullet Over His
Heart.
On Monday afternoon about
1:00 o’clock the community of
Cedar Grove above here was
shocked at the announcement
that Mr. Robert A. Berner, an
aged citizen of that section, had
killed himself. We are not in
possession of the facts, but learn
that the unfortunate man used a
22-calibre rifle and shot himself
just below the heart. Mr. Ber
ner was a veteran of the Franco-
German war, in which over forty
years ago he was wounded, and
from which he had never fully
recovered.
Object to Repeal.
Editor Monitor: —
We find in the last issue of The
Monitor notice of an Act to repeal
the Act incorporating the town
of Orland. We the undersigned,
mayor and council, object to the
repeal, and believe the move is
instigated through malice. We
citizens will fight for our town
to the bitter end.
P. J. Davis. Mayor.
E. L. Gillis, R. L. Foskey, W. H.
Smith, G. G. Gillis, L. N. Fos
key, Council. Several others
object. adv.
MT. VERNON, GEORGIA. THURSDAY. JUNE 24, 1915.
WISE COUNSEL FROM
ONE WHO KNOWS
To the Citizens and Voters of Montgomery County:
I regret that a number of the representative citizens of Mont
gomery county are working to again divide the grand old county of
Montgomery, already too much divided. Tattnall county in 1801
was formed from more than one-half of the soil of Montgomery, by
running a line from the Oconee river, beginning at the mouth of
Limestone creek, and running about east to Wolf creek on the
Canoochee river, and from thence down to the line of Liberty
county—all this territory was called Tattnall county. From that
date even to the present time, the cry has been to cut Montgomery
county: and yet the cry is, take more of Montgomery for a ‘‘new
county.” How unreasonable and unjust, is this demand!
The present effort for a cut (if successful) will be most unfor
tunate for Montgomery, and it will put that county in such a feeble
condition, it may result in the death of that once noble and prosper
ous member of the Georgia family of counties. I hope there are
very few of the older residents, or even their sons, who could show
such ingratitude for the heritage descended from noble ancestors,
which should be cherished and defended, and not allowed to be used
even for self aggradizement of those who would advocate the use
of the murderous knife of destruction and death.
What in the world can be the purpose of this move? What can
be gained of public benefit? Nothing, as compared with the loss
and destruction for those left in old Montgomery, after the cut
proposed. I have always had great respect and love for the good
people of Montgomery county, and today my love and respect is
as strong as ever I often think of the many happy days of my
youth, spent in pleasant associations with the noble Scotch descend
ants and their families; they were truthful, honorable and kind. In
reminiscence of the past I often think—
Happy are the days and happy are the weeks,
But happier are the years that memory keeps.
I am proud to lend my voice and pen in defense of the interest
and rights of those now struggling to prevent another uncalled-for
and useless division of what remains of old Montgomery county. I
suggest that all, old and young, residing in Montgomery, (as it now
stands) get to work and exert every honorable means to fight the
new county plans. I have no doubt but what the movers in the
new county proposition, after being defeated, will realize the fact
that those opposing the new county are their friends, and will for
years to come be (if possible) as good or better friends than ever.
Sheldon P. Smith.
A Strong Protest From
Every Section of Georgia
Montgomery County Has
Contributed its Share.
Montgomery county lost almost
half of its area when the new
county of Wheeler was establish
ed, all that section west of the
Oconee river being taken from
her. Now come the people of So
perton and inaugurate a move
ment to create the new county of
Treutlen, which if created will
further deprive our neighbor to
the south of us of another large
slice of territory. Naturally the
good people of Montgomery seri
ously object to being cut again,
which would leave them with
about one-third of the number of
square miles it possessed origi
nally. We certainly do not blame
the people of this county, and we
sincerely trust the legislature
will turn down the petition which
has as its object the further dis
memberment of a county which
has already been reduced enough
in area. Montgomery has con
tributed its share to the new
county movement and ought to
be let alone in the future. —Dub-
lin Courier-Herald.
A Nemesis Follows.
Montgomery County Georgia,
which was once one of the best
[counties in the state, with 763
i square miles from which to form
Toombs county in 1905 were tak
! en 95 square mil »s.
This same eyii spirit still per
sued the onece grand and honored
county until 1912, Wheeler coun
ty was takenoutof it293.ssquare
miles, which leaves to the credit
of Montgomery county only 374
square miles, and now her nemises
asks that 160 square miles be
carved from out of this small
county to create Treutlen county
thereby leaving only—(God save
the mark) 214 square miles.
This would leave the old moth
er county approximately about
$1,500,W0 tax values and only
about one thousand tax payers.
Would this not be an anomalous
condition in Georgia?
We are interested in Montgom
ery county affairs only to the ex
tent that county divisions have
run mad, having made Georgia
the State of the most counties of
any other State save Texas, which
is four times as large as ours.
This mania for creating new
counties to be practically bank
rupt as is already the case with
some of the new creations and
leaving the parent counties badly
crippled should be stopped and
the sooner the tetter for the
state’s interest.-Pike Co. Journal.
Should Be Judged
On Their Merits.
With the approach of the next
session of the Legislature a num
ber of new county projects are
getting under way. The Re
porter believes that each case of
this kind should be judged stric
ly upon its merits. We do not
think it makes so much difference
as to how many counties we have
! provided that each new sub-di
i vision that is made is based upon
meritorious conditions.
In the case of the effort to cre
!ate the new county of Treutlen,
|we strongly believe that this
should be refused by the iegisla
-Iture. It is proposed to take this
from Montgomery county, and
clearly the population and tax
values do not justify it. The di
gest shows the tax values in
Montgomery county for last year
as only $2,637,250, with only
1,956 poll tax payers. The crea
tion of Treutlen county would
| leave in Montgomery county
■ about a million and a half in tax
1 values and not over one thousand
; poll tax payers.
j Clearly this effort to divide a
| county, which already is none too
'strong in resources and popula
! tion, should be defeated. La-
Grange Reporter.
Time to Call a Halt.
Sometime ago we called atten
tion editorially to the fact that
Georgia had enough counties, and
that it was time to call a halt,
and that it would be better to
consolidate some of the Counties.
We have in mind a striking illus
tration of dissecting a county,
and that is the grand old county
of Montgomery, one of our sister
counties. In ten years she has
been carved three times, and
there is a movement now on foot
to carve a little more from her
and create the County of Treut
len from a portion of her bor
ders. We suspect that when the
European war is over that Turkey
will be carved and handed out to
certain of the Allies as their
share of the spoils, and in our
opinion another carve or two of
I Montgomery County will leave
J her in as helpless a condition
most as Turkey will be when the
war is over.—Hazlehurst Enter
prise.
Dr. James A. McAllister and
brother, Herschel A., returned
to their posts in Atlanta last
Thursday, after a pleasant vaca
tion here with homefolks.
1
Brewton-Rabun.
| A marriage of much interest to
a large circle of friends and ac
quaintances was celebrated here
I yesterday afternoon at 4.15
i o’clock, in which Mr. John P,
Rabun and Miss Margaret Brew
ton were the contracting parties.
The wedding was a quiet home
affair, and occurred at the home
of the bride’s parents, Dr. and
Mrs. J. C. Brewton on Institute
Heights. The impressive ceremo
ny was performed by Dr. J. C.
Brewton, father of the bride,
and the couple left on the east
baund Seaboard Air Line train
for Savannah, Tybee, Augusta
and other points.
Mr. Rabun is a prominent busi
ness man of Spread, Ga., and his
bride one of the best known and
most popular young ladies in this
part of the state. She has been at
the head of the music department l
of the Brewton-Parker Institute
since it was founded, and no one
ever went out of this section with
any more of the esteem and high
regard of our people.
Accompanying the party here
from Spread, were Rev. C. H.
Schwall and Mr. (J. A. Rabun
and Misses Mamie Lu and Eliza
beth, little daughters of the
groom.
Mrs. T. J. Pritchett
Enjoys Western Trip.
In a letter received from Mrs.
T. J. Pritchett, dated Portland,
Oregon, June 10, she gives glow
ing descriptions of her trip. She
and Miss Margaret were enjoy
ing the ‘‘Rose Festival,” the
great gala occasion of the year,
at Portland. Mrs. Pritchett
wrote: ‘‘The city is a blaze of
colored lights, although the smoke
had not cleared from a SIOO,OOO
fire the day before we arrived.
The flowers are the finest I ever
saw. There are miles of streets
bordered on each side by roses,
the kind we only see in hot houses
in Georgia. Everything out here
is on a big scale; just believe any
thing you hear; it can’t be exag-l
gerated. There are the dreariest
plains, the wettest rains, the
highest mountains, the deepest
gorges, the tallest men and the
biggest trees I have ever seen.”
Mrs. Pritchett further writes:
‘‘We are having a delightful trip,
but will be very glad though
when we get hack to Georgia,
the garden spot of the world.” —
Laurens Citizen.
Mt. Vernon readers will read
the above with interest, Mrs.
Pritchett being a native of this
section, and often visiting her
brothers, Angus and Everett
McLeod.
MOTOR VEHICLE
RURAL MAIL
New Mail Service From Mt.
Vernon Effective on
Agust 2.
The postoffice department is
establishing many motor vehicle
rural mail routes in Georgia, and
this section is coming in for its
share of the improvement.
On Tuesday several such routes
were authorized by the depart
ment, among them one from Mt.
Vernon. The length of this
route is to be 52 09 miles, and
the salary will be $1,500. There
are 385 families on this route, as
outlined. The mail is to leave at
7:te and return at 2:00.
Under the above plan the two
routes from Mt. Vernon will
probably be merged into one, and
the carrier will doubtless use an
automobile. The new plan will
become effective August 2, and
full details will be given later.
Makes Noise Like
Home-made Biscuits.
Farmers in this section who
have produced wheat this year
have been unable to get it made
into flour because the capacity of
the nearby mills has been over
taxed. This shows clearly that
Vienna should have a mill of her
own to take care of the product
of her farmers. —Vienna News.
SLICK PROMOTER
COMES TO GRIEF
Traveling Canning Factory
Expert Now in Jail
Here.
On Saturday last a man calling
himself J. C. Whitcome, who had
spent a week here pretending to
be organizing a canning and
creamery business, the plant to
be located here, was arrested for
forgery.
He put up during the week at
the home of Mr. G. V. Mason,
and when Mrs. Mason demanded
a week’s board, he began to at
tempt to raise money through a
draft drawn on “Land Title and
Trust C 0.,” of Philadelphia. To
pave the way for this he had
asked Mr. W. C. Ryals, father of
Mrs. Mason, to place in his safety
deposit box in The Mt. Vernon
Hank a note he carried in his
pocket for $137.80, signed by
Albert Hinson and B. J. Guest,
well known citizens of Alamo.
When he attempted to get Mr.
Mason’s endorsement on the
draft, which he made out in the
hank for $35.00, Mr. Mason re
fused to endorse for him. Whit
come assured him that the note
on deposit was amply sufficient
to secure him against loss should
the draft be returned unpaid.
Mr. H. L. Wilt, assistant crshier
in charge of the bank, became
suspicious and called up Mr.
Hinson, who assured him that
no such note had been signed,
and asked lor the arrest of the
man.
No warrant being sworn out,
the matter went over until the
evening train brought over the
marshal of Alamo, who arrested
Whitcome at the Mt. Vernon
depot. As soon as Whitcome saw
the marshal he attempted to run,
but was taken in charge and car
ried to Alamo, where other charg
es were pending, but was brought
back Monday and lodged in jail.
When arrested as he attempted
to escape from Mr. Browning’s
store, he tore up the draft and
throw it in the fireplace, but it
was recovered and pasted to
gether. It appears that the man
had been hanging around Alamo
and Glen wood for some time be
fore coming here.
No More Cotton for Him.
I have always tried to raise
some cotton, but found there was
nothing in it where the boll wee
vil is. I have decided to try some
thing else. I am going to try
hogs, corn, sorghum, peas and
peanuts this year and see how I
come out. I have about twenty
seven head of hogs to fatten,
which I want to make average
200 pounds each.
I have five acres planted to
sorghum for my hogs, and will
turn them on it as soon as it gets
large enough to graze on. By
the time they eat that out I will
have six acres of peanuts ready
for them.
I have nine acres of peas, a
part of which I will gather, for
there is a good sale for peas here.
Will make hay of the rest.
I have twenty acres in corn,
from which I am expecting about
25 bushels to the acre, and if it
stays seasonable will plant that
that to peas at laying by time
for my hogs, and then will finish
on corn to get them ready for the
market. I believe that will beat
a bale of cotton on about four or
five acres of ground, besides a
big fertilizer bill to pay.
I also have a small patch of
cane to make into syup. If we
all would raise plenty to eat at
home the war would not hurt so
badly.
We have plenty of fruit. We
will put up plenty for our own
use, sell what we can. and let
the hogs have the rest. We have
a good garden and a nice bunch
of Brown Leghorn chickens,
which all helps out in hard times.
I have been a reader of the Ru
ralist for several years and am
always anxious to get it, especial
ly the 15th issue. —J. A. Meador
in Southern Ruralist.
Should be Agreed To.
No new county in Georgia
should be created without the ex
pressed consent of a majority of
all the voters of all the counties
from which territory is proposed
to be taken to make the new
county.—Perry Home Journal.
NO. 8.
