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Page 14 — Wednesday, August 10, 2022, The True Citizen
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Faith Christian Academy welcomed students back to school August 8.
Violence
sent a runner to intercept her
husband before he could get to
the store, and in the mean time
Willford and his two daughters
are said to have discharged
their firearms and ran every
body out of the little town, after
which they left,” according to
the article.
Later in the night, Willford
and his daughters went to the
Walden home and called for
Mr. Walden to come out. His
wife prevailed on him not to go
out, and she went on the porch.
At her appearance the Will-
fords again informed her that
they were there for the purpose
of killing her husband, and then
fired their guns. Mrs. Walden
was so badly frightened that
she suffered a severe nervous
shock, which continued until
her death.
Sheriff Thomas was sent for,
and accompanied by County
Warden Stevens, went to the
Willfords home and after some
struggle succeeded in disarm
ing them, and placed them un
der arrest. While at the home,
they discovered an illegal still.
Mind your own business
Ira Dave Foster was killed
at Sardis in 1925. T. M. More,
one of the managers at Vestal
Lumber Company’s plant,
warned Foster about solicit
ing labor from the plant and
to keep away, according to an
article published in November
of that year. An effort to arrest
him ended in failure. Days
later, Foster came back to the
shop where Moore was at work
and made a threatening remark.
“One of us is going to hell
today,” he said.
The two men grabbed their
weapons. Moore went for his
shotgun and Foster after his
pistol. Moore fired, killing
Foster.
“It seems that Moore ordered
Foster to stop and consider
himself under arrest, and Foster
after securing his pistol, did not
stop for the warning given him
advanced and Moore used his
shotgun, killing him instantly,”
the article states.
Coroner Jones held an in
quest over the body and a jury
gave a verdict of self-defense.
Leave my chickens alone
Burke County authorities
searched for W.E. Allsbrook of
St. Clair after he shot J.H. Mor
gan in January 1929. Allsbrook
shot Morgan in front of his
home following an argument.
As Morgan went down after
being hit with the charge of the
buckshot, he drew a pistol and
fired five shots at Allsbrook,
all of the bullets missing their
mark. Allsbrook fled the scene
before authorities were noti
fied.
According to witnesses,
Allsbrook had appeared at
Morgan’s home and began
shooting at chickens which
were running about in the yard.
Morgan was notified and hur
ried to the scene. After a short
conversation between the two
men, Allsbrook leveled his
shotgun in Morgan’s direction
and fired.
Mrs. Morgan, who was an
eye witness to the shooting
rushed to her husband, who fell
into her arms after he had emp
tied his revolver at Allsbrook.
Buckshot was removed from
Morgan’s chest and face and
he was in a state of profound
shock, the article states.
Postmaster fights back
There was a lot of hustle and
bustle on the sunny Saturday
morning of October 20, 1883,
in McBean. Walter McElmur-
ray arrived at his mercantile
store beside the railroad track;
where he was not only the
local merchant, but also the
Postmaster. It was his custom
to carry his store ledgers and
other important papers, as well
as his pistol home with him
each night for safekeeping.
On this particular morning he
laid his papers on the counter
and forgot to remove his pistol
from his pocket. As Gus Ward
walked in the door, McElmur-
ray greeted him. Ward became
agitated when McElmurray
didn’t jump to retrieve Ward’s
mail, but rather told him the
clerks would get it when they
returned to the front counter.
“I guess you are just mad at
me for signing that petition we
sent to the Post Office Depart
ment to get rid of you and send
us a Postmaster that knows
how to run a post office,” Ward
said.
McElmurray responded to
Continued from front
Ward that he and the others
who had signed the petition
were guilty of a low cowardly
act.
Ward had threatened
McElmurray many times in the
past, but his threats were not
taken seriously, even though
he knew that years ago Ward
had killed a man with his knife.
But this time, Ward would not
give up. He kept trying to pull
McElmurray by the arms out
of the store and when they
reached the door, McElmur
ray braced himself against the
door. Ward slapped him in the
face with an open hand.
Finally, the men stepped out
side. After a scuffle, McElmur
ray pulled out his pistol but
changed his mind and started
heading back into the store.
McElmurray cussed at him
and told him he was too much
of a coward to use his gun. As
McElmurray filmed around he
saw Ward coming at him with
a knife. McElmurray shot one
time, hitting Ward in the stom
ach. Ward’s injuries required
surgery and McElmurray of
fered to pay the medical costs.
McElmurray turned himself in
and was initially charged with
assault with intent to murder.
Ward died the next day and
McElmurray was charged with
murder instead. A jury found
McElmurray not guilty after 15
minutes of deliberation.
Burke County crime rates
According to the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation’s
2020 Summary Report, Burke
County’s population in 2020
stood at 22,244 people with
a crime density of 20.63 per
1000 people. The statistic is
higher than 129 of Georgia’s
159 counties.
The Burke County Archives
is located in the Old Burke
County Jail, built in 1939. The
Burke County Genealogical
Society manages the archives,
operated in partnership with
the Burke County government
and local volunteers. The Ar
chives are open on Fridays
from 9 a.m.-5p.m., Saturdays 9
a.m.-noon and by appointment.
More information is available
by calling 706-554-2138.
GEORGIA
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