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If its Results You
Want Advertise
in the Messenger
VOLUME XLIV.—NO- 26.
James Douglass Sentenced
To Hang Friday Aug. 5
JURY RETURNS VERDICT AFTER
it) HOURS—MOTION FOR NEW
TRIAL TO BE HEARD AT LA
FAYETTE AUGUST 20— DOU
GLASS IN JAIL HERE
As the Messenger went to press
last Thursday, W A Wardlaw was
on the stand for the state in the case
of the state vs James Douglass,
charged with the murder of Sheriff
Catron. Wardlaw’s testimony in sub
stance was as follows: “Mr. Catron
had received information that a car
loaded with whisky would come off
(he mountain at the Nick-a-Jack
gap that evening. We had other
raids to make during the evening
and it was agreed that we -should
meet at the Kentucky monument
and go to the point where the car
was expected. We met about mid
night and Mr. Catron, Mr. Harmon,
my son, Otis and James Abney and
myself then went to the point where
the car and whiskey was expected,
arriving at the point sometime after
2 o’clock in the morning. We did not
see a car and we were walking down
the road when we first saw the car.
1 was some little distance behind
Mr. Catron and the other boys. We
could not see the men ho were sit
could not see the men who were sit
ting on the running board of the car
on account, of the shadow from the
car. Win a Mr. Catron walked up to
the car one of the men on the run
v ag board jumped up and ran. Mr.
t Iron, said, “Don’t let that man get
away” and Otis and Mr. Harmon
took after this man. The other man
then jumped up and clenched with
Mr. Catron and the shooting began.
Just as I got up to Mr. Catron and
the other man, this man shoved Mr.
Catron back in my arms and ran. On
account of my having to catch Mr.
Catron there was some delay in my
shooting, but I shot at this man as
lie ran away. Mr. Catron did not have
his pistol in his hand. Catron said,
as he walked up to the car, “Boys,
what you got in the car,” an d the
shooting then commenced. If Doug
lass and Burt were the two men at
the car, Douglass is the man who
did the shooting."
Abney IdenUfles Douglass
Jim Abney testified that as he and
Mr. Catron walked up to the car one
of the men ran and he noticed the
hulk of a pistol in the other man’s
lap as he got up from the carjthat he
reached for his pistol, which was in
a holster at his side; that about that
time Douglass shot him, the bullet
going through his ear, grazing the
side of his head, and knocked him
down; that he raised up, saw Doug
lass and Catron in a struggle and
that theshootingofCatron took place
immediately. Abney positively iden
tified Douglass as the man who did
the shooting.
Dr. Coulter testified as to the na
ture of the wounds, described the
range of the wounds testified as to
powder burns on the flesh and
clothing and stated that the death
of Catron was caused from these
wounds. *Jlf!
Confesses to Shooting
. --The State then rested and the de
fendant made his statement. The de
fendant stated that he did not drink,
had never before fooled with whis
key and that he would not have
been in this scrape if it had not been
for Ivans; that through Headrick he
‘had contracted to deliver this load
of whiskey to Ivans; that when the
sheriff and the other officers walked
up he thoughtitwasa crowd who in
tended to rob him; that he jumped
tip and Mr. Catron grabbed him;
that in the scuffle his pistol was
tired; that he did not know whether
or not he pulled the trigger; that he
was so badly scared he hardly knew
what occurred; that he did not know
tli" men were officers ,or he would
not have shot at all..
In rebuttal the State introduced
’ Tom Bryan who testified that Doue
fciss had made two statements to
him; that in the first statement he
denied being at the scene of the
Emoting at all, and stated that he
did not know anything about it; that
in the second statement he admitted
being at the car. but claimed that
Palte (ftmmttj
he ran and was in a hog pen some
distance away when he heard the
the pistol shots.
The Slate also introduced Sheriff
Wilson, of Floyd county, who testi
fied as to contradictory statements
made to him by Douglass.
The State also introduced Joe Iv
ans who testified as to making the
arrangement with Douglass and
Burt for the delivery of the whiskey
to him at or near the place
of the killing; that he then ’phoned
the sheriff of the arrangement for
the delivery of the whiskey, and
stated that it was this information
upon which the sheriff acted.
From the selection of a jury to
the Judge’s charge, less than one
day was taken in the trial of this
case. At six o’clock in the afternoon,
Thursday, the jury went to the
room to make up their verdict.
After forty hours, from Thursday
afternoon at 6 o’clock until Saturday
morning at 9:20, the jury returned
a verdict of guilty. It is understood
there was never any issue' from the
moment the jury took the case as to
the crime being in their opinion,
murder in the first degree, but they
hinged on the. matter of recommen
dation. Judge Wright recharged
them on I his point Friday afternoon
and sent them back to remain until
they reached a decision.
Jury Makes Verdict
Saturday morning at 9:20 o’clock,
the jury reported that they had
reached a verdict of murder in the
first degree without recommenda
tions. By request of the defonse,
the talismen were polled, and each
of them reported that they had ar
rived at a verdict.
The defendant Douglass was not
in the courtroom when the jury re
ported, having been taken to the
Home jail immediately after he left
the stand. A representative of the
defense was present however. A
large crowd of citizens were present
when the verdict was read Satur
day morning. Judge Wright stated
that he would read the sentence in
open court after the Floyd term of
Court, which is now in session, but
later in the day decided to have
Douglass brought back to LaFayette
Saturday afternoon and deliver the
death sentence.
Sentenced to Hang August sth
At three thirty o’clock Saturday
afternoon, Douglass was brought to
LaFayette, and in the presence of a 1
large number of people received his
sentence .He appearedvery calm and
at no tipie gave way to any emo
tions. When asked if he had anything
to say before sentence was passed,
replied that he had nothing to say.
Judge Wright then read the follow
ing sentence:
Indictment for murder, Walker
Superior Court, February Termn,
1921.
State of Georgia vs James Doug
lass.
Verdict of guilty returned by a
jury in said case in Walker Super
ior Court on July 9, 1921.
Sentence
Whereupon it is ordered and ad
judged by the Court that the de
fendant be by the Sheriff of said
County taken from the Bar of this
epurt to the common jail of said
county and there safely confined
until the fifth day of August 1921, at
which time the defendant, the said
James Douglass shall between the
hours of 10 a. m. and one o’clock p.
m., on said date to be taken by the
Sheriff of said county, with a rope
about his neck, to a gallows there
tofore prepared by the proper au
thorities of said county, and, by the
Sheriff of said county, or his depu
ty, hanged by the neck until he is
dead. The execution of this sentence
shall be either in the jail of said
county, or in the jail yard; shall be
private, and witnessed only by the
executing officer, a sufficient guard,
and by such physician or physicians,
as the said Sheriff may wish to be
present to determine when death
shall supervene, and by such rela
tives of the defendant and friends
and clergymen as the defendant may
desire to be present.
In open court this the 9th day of
July 1921.
MOSES W RIGHT, J. S. C. R. C.
Douglass was then taken to his
cell in the county jail, where he
awaits the (Inal decree of the court.
LAFAYETTE, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1921.
Another Member Lower
House for Walker County
$750 SUBSCRIBED
TO CATRON MEMORIAL
SUBSCRIPTIONS CROWING RAP
IDLY FROM DAY TO DAY—DIS
TRICTS WILL MAKE REPORTS
NEXT WEEK
Below will be found the agree
ment mado with subscribers to the
Catron Memorial Home, together
with the subscribers and the am
ount subscribed. In the list appear
ing this week, quite a few from the
various districts have. subscribed
while at LaFayette. These districts
will be given credit for these sub
scriptions, and hereafter the list will
be published by districts. The total
amount subscribed below is $753.95.
The Agreement
Georgia, Walker County.
We, the undersigned, as a mark
of our appreciation for the services
of A. G. Catron, former sheriff of
said county, who met his death in
the performance of his official dut
ies, subscribe the amount opposite
our names to a fnud to be used in
the purchase of a home in LaFay
ette, Georgia, for the family of said
A. G. Catron. Said home to be con
veyed to Mrs. A. G. Catron for her
lifetime, with remainder over to the
children of A G. Catron. We agree
to pay said amount opposite our
names to C. C. Gilbert, Treasurer of
said fund, within thirty days from
date. It is understood that if it is
not convenient for me to pay cash
within said thirty days that I will
execute a note to C. C. Gilbert,
Treasurer of said fund.
This July 9, 1921.
NAMES AND AMOUNTS
V D Warrenfells, sl, W E Mc-
Kown, sl, W L Moore, $2.50, L C Ball
sl, Roy Phipps, sl, Marsh Hackney,
sl, Rev. I 8 Leonard $3, B E Wal
raven, $5, Walker County Messenger
$!0„ R. L McWhorter, $5., W. H.
Dunwoody, sl., E. L Culberson, $5.
W. L. Johnson, $5, J. P. Wood, $5, W
F Lowry, $2, A L Clarkson, $5, Rev.
J C Brown, sl, W H Williams .50,
Luke Sims, $5, F J Shattuck, $5, Q.
M Clemons, $5, J. C. Richert, $5, T
C Coulter, sl, J. M. Leath, sl, W. H.
Hixon, sl, D. H White, .25, A L Bag
well, sl, Dave Griggsby, .50, H A
Hearn, $5, T M Wallin, $2, Charley
Clark, $5, M Neil Andrews, $5, John
Massey, .50, Norman Shattuck, $lO,
W A Wardlaw, $lO, W H Hunter, $2,
L W Harmon, $lO, T A Jackson, $lO,
F O Farris, sl, Joe Roberson, sl, Joe
Hill, sl, W A Loach, $5, Max Wallis,
sl, J H Hammond, $5, R B Jones, $2,
R A Wardlaw $5, H B Forrester, .25,
R E Talley, sl, R B Clarkson, $5, Bob
Coulter, sl, R F Delay, $5, Cash, sl,
Charley Walden, sl. J C Tucker $5.
Alf Reed, .50, T LWilbanks, sl, J H
Graham, sl, F L Martin, sl, Cash, sl,
E M Marks It, LG Smallwood, $5.
W H Henderson, sl, T W Houston,
.25, G R Morgan. sl. J R McCurdy,
sl, Bill Ennis, $1 J L Andrews sl,
Jim Johnson sl, Bill Conley, .50c, W
A Abney & Sons, $lO, J T Ashworth,
$lO A E Chapman, $5, A L Ledbetter,
$5, J L Russel, $5. H Winer, $5, R
L Bomar, $lO, C L Tatum, *6, J. R
Hearing for New Trial August 20th.
Monday, Attorney W H Ennis, rep
resenting Douglass, filed a motion
for a new trial before Judge Wright
in Rome. Judge Wright set the hear
ing for August 20th. Douglass was
sentenced here Saturday to be hung
on Aug. sth., but the granting of a
hearing on the motion for a new
trial serves to stop the execution
until further proceedings are held.
Should Judge Wright refuse the
new trial, Attorney Ennis is report
ed to have said that an appeal will
at once be taken to the state Sup
reme court, which my defer the fin
al fate of Douglass for some time.
The rumor which was published
in the daily press, to the effect that
the jury gathered around the grave
of Sheriff Catron and prayed, an I
then made up then 'erdict, is posi
tively and emphatically denied by
members of the jury.
GOVENOR’S WRIT RECEIVED
SATURDAY AND ORDINARY
CALIS ELECTION FOR MONDAY
AUGUST IST WALKER NOW
RANKS THIRTY FIFTH IN
STATE AMONG COUNTIES
Owing to the increase in popula
tion iu Walker county during the
past decade, Walker is now entitled
to two Representatives in the Lower
House of the slate General Assem
bly, and the bill entitling Walker to*
another Representative having been
passed at this session has also been
; signed by the Govenor.. Ordinary
Stanscll received official notice from
the Govenor Saturday and has or
dered an election for Monday Aug.
| Ist., as the earliest possible date
within the law, requiring twenty
Jays’ notice.
Following is the Govenor’s order,
as well as that of the Ordinary call
ing the election in this county:
A WRIT
“Whereas: The Legislature, now
•n session, has passed an act which
jhas this day been aproved, provid
i ing for nine (9) additional members
of the Lower House of the General
Assembly; one each from the coun
! ties of DeKalb, Laurens, Colquitt,
Mitchell, Worth Screven, Walker,
lefferson and Dodge.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED:
That the Ordinaries of Laurens, De-
Kalb, Colquitt, Mitchell, Worth.
Screven, Walker, Jefferson and
Dodge counties, bo and are hereby
directed to call special elections for
the election of an additional mem
ber of the Lower house of the Gen
eral Assembly, by giving twenty (20)
days’ notice as required by law.
This July Bth. 1921.
THOS. W HARDWICK,
• Governor.
By the Govenor: Myrtle Whited
Secretary, Executive Department.
ELECTION IN WALKER AUG. IST
Whereupon, it is ordered by the
Potts, sl. G F Parker, $2, Arnold
Broyles, sl. J A Sartain, sl, George
'Ransom, sl, Frank Hibben $5, J F
Shaw, sl, W D Gladden. sl, T P
Norman, .50c, F M Shaw, sl, G W
Henry, sl, J B Parks, sl, J l> Martin,
sl, J P Skates, sl, W I) Ballenger,
$2. J F Walker, .65c, Moses Wright
sto„ E 8 Taylor. $25. E J Shearer,
$5, Dr. J A Shields, $lO, H E Center,
$5, A S Sparks, Jr., sl, John A Car
lock, $2, J L Fisher, 50c, Gray Welch (
,25c, Dr. Crowder, sl, E E Bnaird 50c,
C A Anderson, sl, E G Wagnon sl,
Charlie West, 25r, J C Arnold, 50c,
M. L. Crowder, 50c, H E McArthur,
sl., W A Shaw, sl, J B Hill, st, J R
Turner, sl, W M Coulter, sl, J H
Mnliicont, 25c, It R Averys, st, Troy
Scoggins. sl, N Winer, sl, Allen
Mize, sl, Arch Akins, 50c, J. 8 Bur
gess, $2.50, D B Young, 25c, W D
Dunwoody, $5„ C C Williams, sl, J
L Perry, 50c, C C McConnell, sl, G
H Wallis, sl, Nash R Broyles, st, L|
C I«awrence, sl, A 0 Jones, sl. A :
Howard, sl, T H Coulter, sl, A G |
Cremer, st, W H Marlin, $2, Jim (
Bryant, $1 W T McDaniel sl, W D
Cr owder, 50c, T J Nush, sl, P D For
tune, $25, J R Ponder, $25, T 8 Coul
ter, $5, Frank Weaver, $2, C C Bass,
sl, Moses Wright. $2.50, J R Thur
man, $5, R L Vansant, sl, Kirby-
Hemdon Hardware Co., $lO, cash or
sls material. Dr W E Bryan. $5, Dr
Underwood, $5. S L Parker 50c, A R
Fortune, $lO, J E Patton, $lO, La-
Fayette Auto Co., $5, P C Wardlaw,
$5, D M Cornett, $5, Hugh Justice,
$5. Ray Johnson. sl, WAD O’Neal,
$2, Nelson Scot! sl, D C Robinson,'
$5, Dr J H Hammond. $5. M M Whit
low $5. Otto Morgan $5, Glenn Tatum’
$lO. J A Howard. $5. Moses Wright.'
$250, O A Barfield. sl, W P Jackson, l
$5 Fred Moore. $2.50, Eli Center, sl,
Roy Gil-eath. sl, E A Puryear sls,'
Roy Morgan, $lO. A P Warrenfells,'
$10..' W Massey, $5, Clemons. Street,
am' lixe, SSO. Bartlett Hdw. Co., $lO. |
r. Little. $5. J W Holland, $5. J L
H mmond. $lO. Rhvne Bros., sts,
O P Andrews $lO C J Hammond,ss,
"J G Walraven. $lO. ! H Holloman,
sls, Thurman Bros . $lO W C Kemn.
$5. R A Broyles. sl, ft W Stiles, slO.l
Walker’s Agricultural
Census Shows Big Gains—
BOLL WEEVIL DAMAGE
GREATER THIS YEAR
THAN EVER BEFORE IN ENTIRE
COTTON BELT SAYS F C WARD
—URGES FARMERS TO PICK UP
SQUARES AND APPLY ARSE
NATE FREELY
A well attended meeting of farm
ers of this county was held at the
courthouse Tuesday morning to
hear F C Ward of the Georgia Col
lege of Agriculture tell of lighting
the boll weevil pest in the cotton
field, and Mr. Ward made an in
structive talk which was heard with
close attention. He said that if the
farmers are successful in lighting
the pest they must pick up all the
punctured squares as fast as they
fall to the ground, cultivate the cot
ton crop late and constantly, regard
less of the dry weather and poison
the weevils with calcium aresenate.
He especially stressed the import
ance of following a systematic plan
of picking up squares every week
throughout the r'onth of July, and
in some cases üb, 'I August 15. He
referred to South ''eorgia farmers
wlio had made u gov t crop of cot
ton as a result of picking up squar
es, while their neighbors, who did
not pick up squares made a failure.
Mr. Ward advised the. plan of tack
ing a heavy sack to the singletree of
the plow stock for the purpose' of
brushing the punctured squares off
the stalk to the ground, the plbw
then rolling the squares out
shade of the stalk to the middle,
where the hot sun dries them out
bo thoroughly thatsome of them will
not hatch out. He said that covering
v the squares with a few inches of
soil would not prevent hatching, but
advised keeping them as near the
top of the ground as possible.
He went into the details in regard
to poisoning the weevils, and rec
comended that this be resorted to
in addition to cultivating constant
ly and picking up squares. He advis
ed the use of the sorghum and cal
cium arsenate formula. hut says
‘that the sorghum In this mix
fines not attract the weevil as has
been thought by a large number of
men.
He said that I he moisture that this
mixture contains attracts the wee
vils more than Hie sweets. He also
stated that belter results would be
gotten from applying the mixure
while she slalks were small and the
wwathcr dry. Mr. Ward advised
dusting the cotton with calcium ar
senate where the cotton was suf
ficiently good lo justify the extra
cost, but cautioned the farmers lo
be very careful in using I his poison.
Mr. Ward has made a special
study of the damage that the wee
vils are doing over the entire cot
ton belt and says that this damage
is greater this year than it has ever
been previous to this time. He attri
butes this increased damage to the
extreme mild winter. Mr. Ward con-
Ordlnary of Walker county Georgia,
Jhat for the purpose above designat
ed by the writ of the Governor of
Georgia, on July Bth., 1921, I, W. L.
Stanscll, order and designate tho
first day of August 1921 as the date
for said election, and name and call
said election to be held for the pur
pose of electing an additional mem
ber of the Lower House of the Gen
eral Assembly to be held on said
date, and render this order in ac
cord with tho Act providing for an
additional representative of Walker
bounty, and also pursuant to their
writ issued by the Governor of
Georgia on July Bth, 1921. .
This July 11»h„ 1921.
W. I. STANKELL, Ordinary.
Walker County Georgia."
Walker’s increase in population
for the past ten year period gives
her the rank of thirty flifth in the
state, among counties and entitles
her to two representatives in the
Legislature.
1
Want Ads in
Messenger
Pay
ONE DOLLAR PER YEAS
FARM LAND VALUES MORE THAN
DOUBLE IN TEN YEAR PERIOD
—PRINCIPAL C R O P S MAKE
gain in acreage and QUAN
TITY-INCREASE IN NUMBER
OF OWNERS AS WELL AS IN
TENANTS
The Director of Census announ
ces the following figures from the
Census of Agriculture for Walker
county:
Farms and Jan. 1 Apr. 15
Farm Acreage 1020 1910
Farms 2,590 2,253
Increase, per cent 15.0
Operated by
White farmers 2,355 2,020
Increase, per cent 16.0
Colored farmers 235 233
Increase, per cent 0.9
Owners and
managers 1,531 1,253
, Increase, per cent 22.2
Tenant-s 1,059 1,000
Increase, per cent 5.9
Land in farms
Total, acres 218,537 214,793
Increase, per cent 1.7
Improved,
acres 108,840 94,282
Increase, per cent 15.4
FAHM VALUES
Value of land and buildings
January 1, 1920 $8,756,303
April 15, 1910 4,266,624
Increaso, 1910-20
Amount $4,489,679
Per cent 10522
CROP CENSUS
Principal Acres Quantity
Crops Harvested Harvested
Corn 1919 27.925 488,496 bu.
1909 22,947 335,388 bu
Wheat 1919 3,105 21,296 bu.
1909 2,429 17,851 bu.
Hay 1919 9,995 10,457 tons
1909 4,876 5,594 tons
Cotton 1919 17,106 9,119 bales
1909 10,988 4,319 bales
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
January 1, April 15
1920 1910
Farms reporting
domestic animals 2,490 2,100
Animals reported:
Horses * 1,816 2,114
Mules 3,197 2,283
Cattle v. 9,610 9,031
Sheep 1,412 2,626
Swine 10,552 9,142
Goats 1,091 614
'Vhe figures for domestic animals
in 1910 are not very closely compar
able with those for 1920, since the
present census was taken in Jan
uary, before the breeding season
had begun, while the 1910 census
was taken in April, or about the
middle of the breeding season, and
included many spring calves, colts,
etc.
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
In view of the fact that certain
county warrants, made payable to
A G Catron have been lost or de
stroyed, it is necessary lo issue du
plicate ones in lieu of the same, and
all persons holding county warrants
payable to A G Catron which were
transferred by said A G Catron dur
ing his lifetime will please report
same to the undersigned within Ui» f
next fifteen days.
This 12th flay of Jbly 1921.
CLAUDE CLEMENTS. Clerk,
Board of Commissioners of Roads
‘ and Revenue, Walker County, Ga.
7-22 2t
aiders the weevil a very peculiar
peg!, and one that is hard to fight,
but adviser! the farmers to study his
peculiarities ami learn to tight him
intelligently.
County Agent Vansant, who pre
sided at the meeting, announced he
would assist the farmers in getting
ralciuin arsenate as well as in the
general work of fighting the weevil
over the county and insisted that
the farmers do not give up but con
tinue fighting throughout the sea
son.
FOR SALE—A good fresh milk cow,
with third calf. E O Wheeler,
l*Fayette, Ga. R. I ttx