Newspaper Page Text
Largest Circulation In Clayton County
VOLUME 1
FROM BTH!S G,.,C,ORNER
Alvin Foster Unleashes A Frantic Last Minute
Attack to Discredit This Writer and My Charges
OnEve Os Election For Crystal Clear Purpose
It is now 10:20 P. M. Wednesday evening, March 28.
Three hours ago, | expected that I would be fast asleep by
now, for it took us all last night and up until 3:00 P. M.
this afternoon at the printers, to get out our ten-page issue
which was distributed for the most part, this afternoon.
During that all-night siege, Associate Editor Ed La-
Chapelle and I managed to get about two hours of sleep
apiece, stretched out on the huge folding table at the
printing plant. '
Ed is now sleeping soundly, completely unaware of
events which have transpired during the last few hours.
I have just returned from a talk with a man who
has been a fatherly advisor, and one of my attorneys.
The decision was made, just half an
hour ago that I will file suit for damages
against Reprerentative E. Alvin Foster for
statements he has made concerning me
in the March 28, 1956 issue of the Forest
Park Free Press-Clayton County News and
Farmer. That paper will be joined in the
suit, being liable since it published Fos
ter’s statements.
At this moment, two lawyers are
reading cases preparatory to beginning preparation of
that suit, which will be filed at the Clayton County court
house early next week.
It seems. certain that this suit will create as much
discussion as the political campaign, now closing, has.
It will show just who has been telling the truth about
what, and who has been telling some of the most despica
ble lies | have ever encountered.
Alvin Foster, in a frantic effort to smear this writer
and thus diminish the effects of a series of articles
I have written in past weeks, has taken a gamble in
throwing common decency aside, and sacrificing all in
an effort to be elected to the State Senate this Saturday.
In doing so, he has cast reflections upon the dignity of
the office (state representative), which he holds, and
upon our state government, i
And, going right along with him are his associates
in the newspaper publishing business, who, in two sepa
rate editorials in the March 28th issue of the newspaper
above mentioned have published lies, distortions, smears
and similar missiles, in reflection, no doubt, of Mr. Fos
ter’s wishes. (After all, since he and his brother, Walter,
own half of the paper, it seems natural that the paper
would reflect the Foster “line” to a significant extent.)
Now it happens that we have published a special
edition of the Forest Park News and that fact should be
recorded. We made plans to do just this, if it seemed
necessarv. For, we predicted, several weeks ago. that the
reason this writer wa< not under running attack hy Alvin
Foster and his newspaper, was that they planned to save
their smears for the last iscue.
By doing this, they hoped thev could discredit this
writer for a brief period of time, diminish the impact of
what | have written in past weeks, and thus increare
Alvin Foster’s chances to be elected.
They saved all the smears until the last iscue be
fore the election, feeling that I would not have an opvor
tunitv to answer them before the voters had cast their
ballots, either for or against Mr. Foster.
Then my answer, however ssund and convincing,
would be too late.
Those purvevors of lies and other filth (including
Alvin Foster, as | shall show -below), did not have the
courage to make charges in earlier issues, becauss they
knew | would refut= them, and show up the anthors of
them for the kind of persons thev really are. This, for
tunately, I shall be able to do in this =pecial edition
For. havinr known Alvin Foster nearly seven years,
and having worked with him closely for six long months,
I have come to know the type of man he is and how
he thinks.
Thus, I inctructed my printer to hold the pages of
today’s issue intact, in order that I could write a new
editorial, and new lead story, and such new ads as neces
sary. in order to counter what seemed to be the -trategy
of the Foster Machine .. . to save every smear and
lie until the last issue, so that it could not be answered
before election day. ;
The first concrete hint that Alvin Foster and his
newspaper associates were raving all their smears until
the last issue came yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon when
] learned that their paper was not being addressed for
distribution, as has been the case in the past. The reason
for thi- delay is crystal clear . . . the Foster Machine
wanted to make positive that I did not see their paper
and their smears until the Forest Park News had gone to
press. Otherwise, I would have been able to refute
their lies in Wednesday~ issue of this newspaper.
Last night (Tuesday) we ran the four-page section of
the News. But this morning I held the presses on t!le
six-page section until 11:00 A. M., while | made a series
of calls to Forest Park (from the printing plant in Car
tersville) in an effort to contact someone who had been
able to procure a copoy of the Foster paper, in order that
I could he advised of the smears and answer them in the
regular issue.
We held oven considerable space on Page Two f.or
the purpose of inserting at the last minute such material
s would be'necessary to counter the smears we were con
fident were coming, as my printer will verify. But we
could not procure a copy of the other paper, since Foster
was sitting tight on every single copy, in order to prevent
our doing this, 5
Thus. our secondaryplan . . . to getouta special
issue of the paper, -had to be brought into play, because
at 11:00 A. M. time was running out, if we were to dis
tribute the napers Wednesday af'ternoon. With regrets, |
had to let the presses on that edition roll!
Mr. Milton Fleetwood, owner of the Cartersville
printing plant, and publish_er of one of Georgia’s le'adlng
dailies, plus one of Georgia’s leading weeklies, did not
Continued on Page 2
The Forest Park News
Please Vote Saturday
Forest Park Drops
1 ° .
Practice Game 5104 ‘
‘ Coach Al Patterson reported this
week that the High School base
‘ball team is improving and . that
his weakest position still seems to
be his pitching staff.
The team played their first pra-“
ctice game Friday, 'March 23, ag
ainst. the homestanding Hapeville‘
Hornets, and were defeated 5 to 4
as they picked up their runs on
errors. and walks, FEorest Park's
Panthers- committed on errors,
but two misjudged fly balls gave
'Hapeville' two triples.
i Herman Smith, Charles Ambrose
and Billy Williams each collected
a single for Forest Park but only
one of them figured in the scoring.
The Panthers fifst run came in the
fourth inning as the result of an
error. They picked up the other
three in the sixth inning on a hit,
four walks, and two errors.
Hapeville collectéd only four hits
off three Forest Park pitchers. A
triple and a single came off start
ing pitcher Charlés Ambrose and
Donald Cook who followed Ambrose
gave up a triple and a single. The
third Panther pitcher was Danny
Hanes. t
- The schedule for this season is
as follows: March 27 Milner at FP
29 FP at N. Clayton, April 8 Jones
boro at F'P 5, FP at Fayette Co.,
12 FP at Hénty Co., 17 Jackson
at FP, 19 Plke Co, at FP,
D. M. Johnson Releases
Background Sketch For
Information of Voters
D. .M. Johnson, local attorney
and ex-officio justice of the peace
last week released a statement to‘
the Forest Park News concerning
his candidacy for the office of
Superior Court judge. ‘
Mr, Johnson seeks to fill the
seat created by an act of the Geor
gia General Assembly activating
a separate juvenile court in Clay
ton County.
Johnson, a resident of 311 Lee
Circle, has lived in Forest Park
since 1945 and has practiced law
in Forest Park since 1947 when he
was ‘admitted to the bar.
Born in Hudson, North Carolina
where he attended school, John
son, is a graduate of the Univer
sity of Georgia and John Marshall
Law School. ;
He and his Wwife, the former Miss
Hettie McKown of Forest Park,
have three ‘children: Douglas 13,
Louise 8, and Brenda, 5, 'Mrs.
Johnson is a teacher at Ash Street
School.
The Johnsons are members of
the First Baptist Church where he
is a Sunday School teacher,
Johnson is a member of Masonic
Lodge Number 399 and Royal
Arch.
Mr. Johnson said that if elected
judge of the Superior Court in the
election this coming Saturday, he
would make an effort to bring new
leadership to the courts in Clay
ton County. He said that he would
make an effort to clean up the
two year backlog of cases pending
as soon as possible, and prom
ised ‘“‘to try all cases in the court
room,”’ 5
For And About The Citizens Os Forest Park
FOREST PARK, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1956
George Answers Foster
"Last Minute” Charges
Beta Clubbers Attend f
.
Convention In Atlanta
A number of Forest Park Beta
Club members enjoyed themselves
this past week end at the Beta
Convention which was held March
23 and 24 in Atlanta. The Forest
Park delegation stayed at the Dip- |
‘kler Plaza which was convention !
headquarters. Sponsors attending
with the group were Mrs. H. E,
Guiton and Miss Ludie Simpson.
The Forest Park group left school
at 1:30 p.m. Friday and arrived
at the hotel in time to register
and get settled in their rooms and
that afternoon a “Get Acquainted
Party’” was held in the Dinkler
Room. During the party candidat
es for state office made campaign
speeches. Then later in the evening
a talent contest was held in the
Dinkler Room with different clubs
from over the state giving skits,
Saturday morning ballots were
cast by a voting delegate from
each club. The number of votes
each club could cast was determ
ined by the number of members
on their role. Forest Park was al
lowed to cast six votes having 54
members on role.
These members attending from
Forest Park were Genevieve
Green, Doris Gibbon, Sara Jane
Hale, Elaine Shelnutt, Jo Anna
Lawson, Shirley Gibboy, Eleanor
Kelley, Jo Ann Cates, Jerry Small
wood, Pat Adams, Dot Foster,
Charlene Moody, Glenna Thomp
son, Mary Terrel, Veva McCoy,
Martha Blaney, Pat Grubbs, Sand
ra O'Neal, Judy Yancey, Jane Mc-
Kown, Joe Shelnutt, Ed Gastineau,
Tommie Murphy, Donnie Murphy,
Neal Mayfield, Milton Johnson,
John Currie, David Crews, Eve-|
lyn Layton, Thereso Lyons, and
‘Dawn' Holman.
i R e L
. . -
Polio Vaccine Scarcity
Developes But Shots
o *
Still Available Here \
A scarcity of the famed Salk
polio vaccine has developed ac
cording to Clayton County health
officials, but children who are due
for their second shots may receive
them. if they are brought to the
health center in Jonesboro.
Babies ‘'may also receive their
first shots at the Center.
First shots will be administered
all day Wednesdays. Second shots
may be received anytime Wednes
day or Saturdays.
. ®
Givic Club Sponsored
Rally Drew 150 Last
®
Friday At N. Clayton
The political Rally sponsored by
the North Clayton Civic Club, held
last Friday night, was attended by
approximatly 150 voters.
Nearly all of the candidates run
ning for office in Clayton County
were present. Each candidate was
allowed five minutes to explain his
platform and qualifications for of
fice.
The rally was held in the auditor
ium of North Clayton High School.
Claiming that last minute charges
by Alvin Foster, were attempts
to mislead the people, Wm. V.,
'George, chairman of the com
mittee that defeated annexation
by Forest Park officials of a large
area of Clayton County, stated
that the tactics of waiting until
the other side was unable to reply
to last minute charges, was com
‘.‘mon when a man knew fie could
not answer the charges long be
‘fore the close of the campaign.
~ “I am not surprised that Alvin
Foster is savagely lashing out at
the last minute at all the people
that are opposing his election,
George commented, ‘‘for there
was nothing else he could do as he
has been unable up to now to re
fute what we have been saying.”
George remarked that Alvin
Foster had even tried to get me
mbers of the committee that op
posed him to cease their work
ing against his election. George
commented that insofar as he
knew only one member of the 18
man committee had even partly
been taken in by Alvin Foster's
promises of ‘“A New Leaf” if
elected this time. George went on
to state that he felt that with
Foster’'s record heretofore and
his last minute charges, his re
cord would not be much better at
the polls than it had been with
convincing members- of the com.
‘mittee.
Please Vote
Saturday
WOMEN’S CLUB CANDLELIGHT DIN- |
NER: Ladies of the Forest Park Women’s |
Club are shown at a formal dinner held at
the Youth Center Monday evening, March |
12th. Highlight of the affair was the lnstallntlonl
of new officers for the coming year. Mrs. J. |
News Editor To File Damage Suit Next
Week Against Alvin Foster And Others
Rev. Hoyt Farr
Annual Spring Revival At First
Baptist Church To Start Easter Sunday
The annual spring revival at the
Forest Park First Baptist Church |
will begin Easter Sunday, accord- |
ing to an announcement from the
church.
There will be old fashioned gos
pe! preaching by Rev. Hoyt Farr,
pastor at First Baptist. t
Julian Wilson, director of music,
TO OUR VALUED READERS AND ADVERTISERS
This special edition of the For-;
est Park News has been publishcdi
to answer last-minute statements
made by one of the candidates
in the forthcoming election. }
This issue is identical to the
first section of the Forest Pnrki
News issue of March 28 with tho[
following exceptions: '
1. The Fubiisher has written a
new column for the occasion. !
e p—— v VS . i IS N - e VAP L sv 4
| J. Thomas, (2nd from left) past President
| presents the gavel of the president to Mrs,
| George Christian, new president, Left to right:
| Mrs. Mamie K. Taylor, Ist. Vice-President,
| Georgia Federation of Women’s Clubl.l who
‘ was installing officer; Mrs. James J. Thomas,
SPECIAL EDITION
Julian Wilson
will lead the singing.
According to church leaders, a
fine program of great congregation
al singing and special music has
heen arranged.
The Deacons and other church
leaders plan a special visitation
program during the week preceed
‘ing the revival.
2. A new lead story has been
| written, :
3 3. A new story appears below
| the cartoon on Page 1.
} 4. A new advertisement ap
|pears on Page Six.
i All other material in this issue
of the Forest Park News is identi
cal with the material in the Wed
nesday, March 28 issue.
THE PUBLISHER
A legal suit for libel and damag
es is scheduled to be filed at the
County Courthouse ecarly next
week against Alvin Foster, Forest
Park businessman and candidate
for the State Senate.
The suit will be filled against
Foster by Anthony Grey, editor
and publisher of the Forest Park
News, in response to a number of
statements Foster made concern
ing Grey in a full page advertise
ment in the March 28, 1956 issue
of the Forset Park Free Pres s-
Clayton County News and Farmer,
Grey indicated that the news
paper would be made co-defendant
in the suit. Foster would be sued
for making statements which Grey
said “‘are highly damaging,” and,
Grey added, the Foster newspa
per would be made a joint de
fendent for printing the state
ments,
Grey revealed his intentions to
bring suit following a discussion
with his attorneys. He said that
Foster's statements in a full page
political advertisement represent
ed a ‘vicious, untruthful, malici
ous and despicable” attack brought
on ‘“‘because I have been writing
a series of articles exposing cer
tain aspects of Mr. Foster's poli
tical and other activities.”
According to Grey, the Foster
attack should be easily proven
‘completely unfounded sinee he
possesses considerable evidence to
establish the falseness of the
charges made,
A number of Foster's charges
arise from events during a six
month period when Grey served
as editor of the Forest Park Free
Press, which was purchased by
Foster and a brother in Novem
ber, 1954,
“Mr, Foster has, according to
my atlorneys, made a very serious
mistake in making charges which
can easily be proved false.” Grey
said. He contended that Foster
had made the charges in a “fran
tic effort to discredit me and
thus my columns exposing his bid
for political power in Clayton
County.”
According to Grey, the charges
were made in the last issue
(March 28) of the Free Press-
News before the election “‘so that
I would not be able to answer
them until after the election, and
thus be temporarily discredited,
along with the serious charges I
have lodged against Foster, which
apparently have seriously hinder
‘cd his chances of being elected
to the State Senate.”
‘ In a lengthy editorial answering
the Foster allegations, Grey listed
' statements which he said were
| totally false, and gave information
| to substantiate his position.
{ Grey predicted that the suit
would résult in the wide dissemina
tion of much information which he
‘ had never published regarding Al
| vin Foster ‘‘and will show how
brazenly Mr. Foster attempted to
distort certain facts in a last
minute move to confuse certain
very significant issues in the race
\ for the State Senate.’
Grey declined to comment on
| who would represent him in the
idamage suit figainst Foster, but
said that ‘‘at least three" Clayton
county attomeys, plus one from
Atlanta, had already been contact
ed and had agreed to associate
themselves in the case.
’. Mrs. George Christian, Mrs. E. M. Holman,
| Ist Vice-President, Mrs, H. A. Petty, 2nd,
\ Vice-President, Mrs. Grady Lindsey, Record
ing Secretary; Mrs. W. W. Morris, Corres
l pondence Secretary; Mrs. Festus Hood, Trea
surer, News photo by LaChapelle, 5
NUMBER 48
