Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 4
t H. JONES UNO o. 1 TINSLEY
ON TRIAL FOiHANDRUNI HOMICIDE
Slayers of Late Dr. W. L. Landrum, Plead
Not Guilty and Court House Packed
With Eager Listeners.
Last Wednesday morning Weston
H. Jones and J. Watt Tinsley were
put upon trial in the superior court
for the murder of the late Dr. W. L.
Landrum, which homicide took place
on July 27, 1914.
Due to the prominence of the de
fendants as citizens of Bartow coun
ty, as well as the professional prom
inence of 'the slain, the court room
was packed to the doors when the
case was called. There was present,
in the atmosphere about the court
house, evidence that an event of im
portance was to be tried and it was
apparent that both sides in the le
gal battll e which is yet being fought,
had made all preparations to meet
every possible contingency that
could be foreseen.
Relatives and friends of the de
fendants, as well as those of the
dead man, have been active for sev
eral days for the purpose of insur
ing the presence in court of every
possible witness who could throw
light by his testimony upon the facts
to be puit in issue. Perhaps more
than seventy-five or one hundred
witnesses have been subpoenaed for
the two sides and an extra panel of
forty-eight men had been subpoena
ed to serve as jurors in the event the
regular panel was not sufficient.
It was known throughout the
county that .'the case was to be call
ed Wednesday morning for trial and
upon the opening of the court at an
early hour the room w r as crowded.
After the disposition of some
minoGmatters, the case of the state
against Weston H. Jones and J. Watt
Tinsley was called. Solicitor Lang
thereupon called his witnesses and
every subpoenaed witness responded
or was accounted for. The solicitor
thereupon announced ready.
J. M. Neel, Jr., then called (the
■names of the witnesses for the de
fendants and likewise all of these re
sponded or were accounted for to be
present later in the day.
Before announcing ready, how
ever, Judge J. M. Neel arose (to state
to the court that he desired to re
serve the right to make a showing
for a continuance in the event any
absent witness, whose testimony was
material, should fail to appear. The
c ourt assured Judge Neel that should
such a contingency arise he would
be permitted to % make his showing
which would be acted upon by the
court at that time. With 'this under
standing, the defendants announced
ready.
J
Sitting ait the table for the prose
cution was Solicitor-General J. M.
Lang and Col. F. W. Copeland, of
Rome, as attorneys for the state.
With them sat also the mother and
father of the deceased physician and
Dr. J. W. Ragsdale, a personal and
professional friend of Dr. Landrum
in life, who advised with the attor
neys concerning the striking of the
jury and the bringing out of facts
pertinent to the inquiry.
At the table of the defendants
were Judge J. M. Neel, J. M. Neel, Jr\,
and I. F. Mundy, of Rockmart, as
counsel, the itwo defendants, Mr.
Jones and Mr. Tinsley, and also Mr.
T. W. Tinsley and Mr H. R. Max
well, who assisted the attorneys in
'the stricking of the jury! 1
The selection of the jury was not
as difficult as was at first to be sup
posed. While a large number dis
qualified themselves for one cause
or another, neither the Gate nor the
defendants exhausted the number of
challenges allowed them by law be
ffre a jury was selected. After some
sixty men were questioned con
cerning their compenttncy as jur
ors in this case, 'the state had ex
hausted nine challeng'-s while the
defendants had declined fourteen
who#.vere offered. Ti e jury finally
selected were as follows:
A. |\. Adcock, F. E. McElroy. Hir
am Hays, R. J. Raiden, J. A. Carson,
J. R. Worthington, R. R. McCormick.
R. Ti Haygood, J. W. Craddock, R.
B. Satterfield, T. E. Manley, J. J.
Hili. j ;
The defendants pleading not guil-
THE BARTOW TRIBUNE
ty, Col. Copeland, before introduc
ing testimony made a statement of
the case to the jury from the stand
point of the prosecution.
Gol. Copeland is known to be an
able and skillful lawyer and his
statement, which was made in a
very impressive manner, confirmed
the prevailing opinion concerning
his ability. In a clear, concise but
in solemn manner, he set forth the
high points of the state’s case.
Upon 'the conclusion of Col
land’s statement, Judge J. M. .Neel
stated that the statement of (the de
fendant’s contentions could be made
when the state closed the introduc
tion of its testimony in chief.
Thereupon Mr. Cothran, a brother
in-law of Dr. Landrum, and who was
with him at the time of his death,
was puf upon the stand and the un
raveling of the facts of this most
important criminal case fairly be
gun just before noon.
It bids fair to be hotly contested
throughout. There was no asking or
giving quarter on either side. The
attorneys seem well prepared for
a long trial and already loads of law
books surround it hem. Friends of
the families involved on both sides
are lined up but the prospects were
that, only such facts as would throw
/light on the evenits leading to the
homicide were being sought for. In
all probability no stone will be left
unturned in this respect.
COTTON STATISTICS
SHOW BIG GEORGIA CROP.
... The number o.f bales of cot/ton
ginned of this year’s crop prior to
January Ist throughout the United
States was 14,447,623 bales as against
13,347,721 bales on January ls<t, 1914,
thus showing an increase in this
year’s crop over last year’s crop up
to January Ist of bales ginned of
1.099,902 bales.
Up to January Ist, 1915, there had
been ginned in Georgia 2,547,747
bales as against January Ist, 1914 a
total of 2,293,976 bales, or, 253,771
more bales ginned this year .than at
the same day last year in Georgia.
These figures are taken from the
United States census report issued
by Hon. William J. Harris, director,
and can be accepted as authentic.
BLAKE RUTLAND
ADMITTED TO BAR.
Mr. Blake Rutland was last week
admitted to practice law in the
courts of Georgia by license granted
by the superior court.
Mr. Rutland at once entered the
practice at this term.
Mr. Rutland is a well known young
man of Bartow county and has hosts
of friends and admirers throughout
the county who wish, him every suc
cess in his chosen profession. His
ideals are high, his habits of study
are recognized as being founded up
on a steadfast purpose to achieve
success, and, possessing a mind of
unusual strength, his many friends
are sure that he will lake rank as
one among the most successful law
yers at the Cartersville bar.
QUARTERLY CONFERENCE
TO BE HELD AT STILESRORO.
The first quarterly conference of
the Stilesboro charge, Rev. W. S.
Norton preacher in charge, will be
held at Stilesboro Wednesday, Jan
uary 27. Rev. W. T. Irvine, presiding
elder of the Dalton district, wil'
preach. All members are especially
urged to be present and the public
is also cordially invited.
SERVICES AT EPISCOPAL
CHURCH NEXT SUNDAY.
Rev. Dr. Parrish, of Odartown,
will preach at the Episcopal church
Sunday morning. January 24. Dr.
Parrish is a thoughtful and eloquent
pulpit orator and the membership
end public are cordially invited to
attend the services.
CAKTEBSVILLE, GEA., JANUARY 21, 1915.
GARTERSUILLE INSORANCE RATES ON
PROPERTY TO JJREATLT REDUCED
City Placed In Second Class On Account Of
Water Supply And High Pressure And
Improved Fire Department.
The rates of insurance in Car
tersville are (to be lowered and with
in the next few weeks the owners
of homes, business houses and stocks
of merchandise, and all other forms
of property, will be required to pay ;
a less rate of insurance. .
> <
Mr. J. B. Townsend, a represen,ta- !
tive of (the Southern Underwriters
Association, which includes all in
surance companies writing business
in this section of the United States,
has been in Cartersville a week and
will perhaps remain here four or !
live weeks longer for the purpose of
rerating all risks written in Car- ,
tersville.
i
Mr. Townsend comes here at this
lime as a direct result of the asso
ciation placing Cartersville in second
class of risks instead of the third
class which it has heretofore occu
pied. Being placed in second class,
it carries with it a reduced rate of
insurance over risks of third class.
That which has caused the change
of classification of Cartersville is
the new water works plant and res
ervoir, which now insures for the
'city a sufficient supply of water at
all times, as well as an ample pres
sure due to the lofty elevation of
the reservoir. Also ithe improvements
made in the fire department and the
placing of paid firemen in charge
of the fire department has contrib
uted its pant to giving the city a
better rate.
While Cartersville has been plac
ed in the second class, this classifi
cation does not necessarily reduce
the rafe of insurance upon all class
es of property uniformly. The city
has been put in the second class
with some deficiency charges
against special risks. In other words,
those houses where the electrical
wiring has not been done properly,
where gasoline is carried without
proper precautions taken against
Important Figures.
A Calculation That Reveals Startling
Facts.
Among the many ill-thought-out, far reaching com
plaints that have and are being dumped upon one an
other as to the cause of “hard times” and the general de
pressed condition, The Tribune man overheard two men
in battle array last week.
One was asserting that the farmer was the only one
hurt, that it was a scheme to get cotton at a low price,
believing that everybody else was at fault and no one
else hurt.
The other was pointing to railroads hauling less
freight and passengers, losing thousands of dollars daily,
many idle industries with thousands of men who had
formerly received good wages out of employment, that
many of the products of other nations were finding no
market and they too, distressed, when finally he asked
this question:
“Tell me the size of your family, and how much eat
ables you have bought that you could and ought to have
raised.”
He began to think and enumerated as follows:
“Lard .... $12.50
Flour 40.00
Oats 30.00
Potatoes 5.00
Hay 30.00
Seed 2.50
and possibly some things I ought to have raised, but at
any rate one hundred dollars.”
Now, here is the vital point. There are 25,000 peo
ple in Bartow county. Divide this bv five and you will
get the average number of heads of families, namely
5,000. If on an average these families have sent away
for eatables that they ought to have produced, the sum
of one hundred dollars, what is the total sum that should
have been conserved to Bartow county? Just $500,000.00
—one half million dollars.
That’s our trouble.
The dollar kept at home is the dollar that counts.
And if our people will begin to investigate and start a
crusade of home production and home trading there
will be no more of such conditions caused by the one
idea fallacy of money and living only by cotton.
There are innumerable items purchased, particularly
corn, meat, mules, can goods that are not mentioned in
this farmers schedule, that most every home could pro
duce. We long to see the day when southern agricul
ture means living at home, producing the things the
home needs.
combustion and explosion, and
where papers and rubbish are per
mitted to accumulate, will be com
pelled to pay a somewhat greater
rate or a fixed charge as long as
this from of deficiency exists. Flues
.improperly constructed are likewise
considered.
One of the benefits arising out of
the new classification is (that where
as heretofore a residence within 75
feet of another residence or im
provement would operate to in
crease the rate of insurance upon
both, whereas now, under the new
classification, buildings- must be
within thirty feet of each other in.
order for the rate of insurance to
be effected so as Ho give insurance
companies the right to charge more.
Mr. Townsend is making a house
to house canvass of the city and
particularly among the business
houses has he made many valuable
'suggestions concerning improve
ments to be made so as to limit the
danger and hazard of fire. Many of
these suggestions by him will be
readily adopted by the property
owner and merchant which will re
sult in a less charge for insurance.
All have been benefitted by the in
formation given by the representa
tive of the insurance companes and
within a few weeks Cartersville will
be in full enjoyment of a very much
reduced rate of insurance.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH TO
HEAR REV. L. R. HOGAN.
Rev. L. R. Hogan, of Shorter Col-
L'ge, Rome, Ga„ a member of the
faculty of one of the strongest fe
male institutions of learning in. The
United States, will preach Sunday,
January 24, at the First Baptist
church. A call conference will be
held just before the morning ser
vices. Every member of the church
is urgently requested to be present.
A MARKET FOR GOAIi PRODUCTS ;
TO BE ESTABLISHEDJN CARTERSVILLE!
J. E. Field & Son Purchase Necessary Ma
chinery to Make Merchantable All Kinds
Of Grain And Will Pay Market Price.
J. E. Field & Son, the pioneer cot- j
ton dealers of Cartersville, have j
completed plans for the handling of
grain products raised by the farm
ers of this section of the country.
Realizing the need of a market for
the handling of corn, wheat, oats and
other grains in Cartersville so that
such products can be readily con
verted into cash, Messrs. Field &
Son have established a warehouse
on their private railroad track, just
south of'their cotton warehouse, and
in the same Jdoek, in which they
installed the latest and most up to
date-machinery and which will make
grain products marketable and give
them a commercial value.
Mr. Hampton Field has n and led
the matter in detail for this we 1
known firm and has purchased a
Meadow mill, one of the most mod
ern and efficient mills 'to be found,
by which dirt, chaff and weevils are
taken out of the corn.
They have likewise boughi an im
proved sheller, with fan attached,
which, in addition to shelling corn,
takes out 'the chaff as it is shelled.
The plant will also be provided
with a sacker and elevator, the uses
of which will be to either sack the
grain brought in by farmers in even
weight bags or to load in railroad
cars in bulk.
Messrs. Field & Son have also pro
vided themselves with a feed crush
er for making mixed feed, crushing
corn, oats, 'rye and wheat for chick
en or stock feed.
A 25 horse power motor will fur
nish the motor power for the plant.
Thus equipped, Messrs. Field &
Son are in position w J hen the plant
is completely installed, to handle all
grain products brought to Carbrs
viHe by the farmers of Bartow coun
ty and this territory.
This enterprise not only displays
the progressive spirit of J. E. Field
& Son, but makes Cartersville a mar
ket whereby grain products can be
converted into money as readily as
cotton. Since cotton has become a
crop, the value of which has been
seriously diminished by the war now
prevailing in Europe, and by the
tremendous amount produced in the
south, and since also there is a
Grong probability that the demand
for cotton goods will be considerably
diminished for years to due to
the impoverishing of the people of
so many nations in Europe and the
great destruction which is go : ng on
there now, thoughtful men in Geor
gia and 'throughout the south have
given it as their opinion that the
-outh should at once make effort to
grow, and provision should be made
to market, grain products and other
things that can be raised by the
farmer.
While a sentiment of this kind
prevails all through the south, Car
tersville is among the first cities
whose enterprising business men
have put the thought into execution.
The advantage now that the farm
ers of Bartow county will have will
|be to bring their corn and other
grain products to Cartersville in
bulk, in large or small quantities,
■nd each man will be given the mar
kef price for his product as quick
'y as if if were cotton, and based on
a price just as stable. It is an im
portant step in advance in the in
; t 1 rest of the general business of the
| county, and particularly for 1 the
i farmer.
Corn ran be brought here and if
the farmer desires only to have it
Gudled he can do so and Field &
Son will contain it in bags of uni
form weight and standard measure,
making a toll Charge therefor. The
farmer can thereafter hold his corn
for his own use or sell it whenever
he desires in the same manner that
he treats his cotton after it is gin
ned and baled. So it is with the oth
er grain products.
Field & Son have engaged Mr. L.
N. Gilreath, well known for his ex
perience and ability in installing
machinery, to remodel a building on
the property owned by J. E. Field &
Son so that it will be suitable for
warehouse purposes and for the con- *
duct of the business of grinding, I
shelling, sacking and elevating grain
and grain products.
No enterprise started in Carters- '■
ville in recent years deserves to be 1
heralded with more general interest '
than the creation of a market for 1
the proper handling of grain prod
ucts in Bartow county. It means 'that
farmers will not be dependent on (
the local demand for grain and that
prices will be more uniform and in f
accord with the general market con- r
dnions of the country at all times.
As it is, the farmer brings grain to t
Cartersville, and, if some user of j
grain happens 'to be in need of it, ;;
he gets a comparatively fair price, ;
hut, should the next day an ther r
farmer bring grain to Cartersville ,
and not he able to find one who has r
immediate use for if, he can only ;
secure a price much under its real
market value. ]
As it will be, farm products per- 1
taming to grain will bring in Car
tersville a price in accord with, and
just as stable as if The farmer was •
j selling his grain in Chicago, the
greatest grain market in the world. '•
JAMES T. MOUNTCASTLE
DIES HERE LAST WEEK.
James T. Mountctstle, a much re-,
speoted and universally esteemed,
citizen of Cartersville, died Friday,
January 15, at his home in his sixty
ninth year.
Mr. Mountcastle was born April
28, 1846 at Warington, N. C. During
the Civil war he attached himself
.to the Fourth Regiment Georgia Re
serves, of which the late Gov. Allen
D. Candler was colonel. Mr. Mount
castle belonged to Company H., of
'which Col. R. F. Saxon was captain.
Mr. Mountcastle was the son of
William R. Mountcastle, Sr., and is
survived by two sisters, Miss Vir
ginia Mountcastle, of Cartersville,
and Mrs. W. J. Hall, of Rome, and
three brothers, William R. Mount
castle, of Cartersville, Benjamin
Mountcastle, of Atlanta, and H. M.
Mountcastle, of Cartersville.
Mr. Mounifcastle was quiet and re
served by nature, and, while he was
generally known throughout the
county, he was not one who sought
prominence in any way, and hence
his real manhood was known to
comparatively few, but these re
spected, admired and loved him.
He was received into the Carte r,s
ville Methodist church in Sepfem--
ber, 1861, by the late Rev. Dr. DanfeP
'J. Myrick, which constitutes over 53'
years of continuous church mem
bership. In point of service, he was
the oldest male member of Sam
Jones Memorial church a't the time
of his death.
Those out of town who attended
the funeral were: Ben R. Mountcas
tle and Mrs. Thos. Johnson, of At
lanta; Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Hall, of
Rome: Hilliard Mountcastle and Mr.
and Mrs. W. R. Mountcastle, Jr., of
Atlanta.
The funeral services were held
Saturday afternoon after which he
was buried at Oak Hill cemetery.
CARD OF THANKS.
Will you please grant us space in
your columns that we may, in this
public manner, express our appre
ciation of the attention shown us by
the good people of Cartersville dur
ing the recent illness and after the
death of our brother, James Thomas
Mountcastle. and for their assiGanw>
and sympathy which have been suß
a comfort to us? a
Permit us also to add that we b I
been profoundly moved by the f 8
utes they have paid to his men I
and we shall always feel gratef 8
the people of the city fn whict I
spent the most of his life and w' I
he loved so well. I
WM. R. MOUNTCASTLE. k
BENJ. R. MOUNTCASTLE. I
HILLIARD M. MOUNTCASTL
MISS VIRGINIA MOUNTCAS r '
MRS. ANNIE MOUNTCASTLE
NO. 48