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®A Prize-Winning Newspaper Bette» News pay r VOL. 98 NO. 27 Mte. i? ■ Kfl Officers Inspect Pot Warner Robins policeman R. L. Adams and Depu ty Sheriff Hubert Evans, two of the officers who made the raid on the marijuana site, look over several of the plants they removed from the site. (Special photos) Seven Accused of Growing Marijuana Near WR BY BOBBY BRANCH Seven persons have been ar rested by the Houston County Sheriffs Dept, in connection with the “crackdown” of a marijuana ring here. All the suspects were charged with unlawful posses sion of narcotics. The first six arrests came Tuesday of last week when of ficers closed in on the suspects as they were watering and fer tilizing the hemp plants (mari juana). County officers, led by Deputy Sheriff Hubert Evans, I Deputy Glenn Morgan and Warner Robins Police Officer R. L. O doms, have had the site under surveillance for the past three months. The marijuana fields were located in Oakie woods near Kathleen, about six miles east of Perry near Georgia High way 96. The officers lay hidden in a clump of trees only several hun dred feet from the suspects as they tended the hemp crop. After several hours of watching and taking movies and still pictures, tne otticers moved in and sur rounded the men. '/i Acre, $60,000 The original patch of mari juana, about Vi acre, has been valued by Sheriff Albert Hudson at about $60,000 when put on the narcotics market. Since the discovery of the original patch, officers have located one oth er patch in Oakie woods and two sites where marijuana was plant ed and has recently died. It was disclosed today that over three months ago Sheriff’s officers called in an undercover agent of the Federal Narcotics Bureau, who came to Oakie woods to positively identify the %crop as marijuana. It was then that officers began an intensive investigation and surveillance of the area. “We watched on several oc casions as the suspects watered, transplanted, and fertilized their crop with great care,” Deputy Hubert Evans said. “We closed in last week be cause the marijuana gets into full bloom sometime around the first part of July, and we didn’t think we could wait any longer,” Evans said. Sheriff Hudson listed those as arrested so far in connection with the case as AFC Norman Hunt, 21, Robins AFB; Sgt. James Stone,22. of Robins AFB; AFC Vernon R. Brown. 22, of pv I BiH Ww ■ BR 188 li|B ,/^j r , Senator Stanley Smith and General Francis hi. 4 ? n of R obins Air Force Base turn a spadeful ot r *o signify beginning of work on the road to connec ”* 2, Sheriff Checks Marijuana Sheriff Albert Hudson looks over one of the hemp plants (marijuana) only a short time after it was removed from the illegal site in Oakey Woods. Robins AFB; AFC Alonzo J. Cannady, 22, of Robins AFB; AFC Ronnie G. Smith, 21, of Robins AFB; AFC Stephen Ran dall, 22, of Robins AFB; and Michael Gay Winn, 21, of 733 Lakeshore Drive, Robins AFB. Winn is the son of a Robins Air Base Officer. The six airmen arrested in the case were released under $2,000 bond each and Michael Winn had waived his preliminary hearing on narcotics charges and was released under $5,000 bond. Deputy Evans said the case is still under intensive investiga tion and more arrests may be made in the next few weeks. There has been no official word on where and how the mari juana is distributed and just how much of it is being sold and used in Houston County. How ever, an unofficial source said he guessed the drugs were be ing used in areas of Houston County and that a big crackdown would come soon. This word was unofficial and did not come from a member of the Sheriff’s Dept. WHAT IS POT? Marijuana, sometimes called pot or reefers by those who use it, has been classed a dangerous drug by the U.S. Bureau of Nar cotics. Ground Broken for Connector Road at Centerville PERRY. HOUSTON COUNTY, GA. 31069, THURSDAY. JULY 4, 1968 Main Field Now Barren This is the site where about Vi acre of marijuana was planted and readied for harvesting by the sus pects. Marijuana is a potent drug which has an intoxicating effect on the body. This effect is high ly complex and unreliable, de pending on where the marijuana was grown and the personality of the person who is smoking it. Marijuana, like alcohol, acts almost entirely upon the cen tral nervous system, affecting motor control, perception and judgment and releasing inhibi tions which normally stand guard over behavior. To the marijuana smoker time md space are distorted; sights anc sounds are exaggerated. He be comes intoxicated and he may walk unsteadily, ss e fuzzily and act stupidly. He is liable to be highly suggestible; he is apt to experience a false sense of courage which may induce ir responsible and dangerous be havior. Marijuana is indeed a danger ous drug and Houston County law officers are very concerned about its possible use here. Sheriff Albert Hudson has said that he and his deputies will strive to learn more about the drug and its uses and keep a sharp eye open for any more such cases. FOR ALL YOUR PRINTING NEEDS, CALL 987-1823. Warner Robins with 1-75. The connector will come off Watson Boulevard at Centerville and cross U. S. 41 in Gunn's Bottom. (Home Journal Photo). The Houston Home Journal KEY CLUBBERS At CONVENTION AT MONTREAL Six members of the Perry Key Club, high school club sponsored by the Kiwanis Club, left Sunday for Montreal, Canada, for the Key Club International conven tion. The Perry group includes Bil ly Hulbert, state governor of Key Clubs, Powell Duggan, Thomas Mason, Larry Clark, Phil Van Asdalan and Blake Smyth. They left by train for Washing ton, D.C., and from there they will take a sight-seeing trip to Montreal. The boys will return to Perry July 12. Cattle Producers Invited to Meet Here on Saturday The Houston County Extension Office has been asked by A. E. Harris, local beef cattle pro ducer, to extend an invitation to all cattlemen in the area to at tend a meeting which we think will be of mutual interest to all those attending. This meeting will be held on Saturday, July 6, at the Houston County Agricultural Building, beginning at 10:30 a.m. William Durfrey of the Char olais Breeders Assn., Houston Texas, will be the main speaker and present some interesting facts and figures on the breeding and feeding of Charolais cattle. Pro-Am Tourney At Houston Lake The weekly Georgia pro-am tournament will come to Houston Lake Country Club Friday, when 50 teams are expected. Play i s open to pros who are members of the Georgia Profes sional Golf Association and club members invited by the pros. Local members should con tact Pro M. L. Langston at once to enter the event. Negro Plaintiffs Attack County Integration Plan Freedom of choice school desegregation plans now in ef fect in Bibb and Houston Coun ties are under fire as Negro plaintiffs have asked U. S. Dis trict Court in Macon to have them replaced by speedier and more effective plans. Motions filed late last week asked for new plans to lead to “unitary non racial’’ school sys tems this fall in line with a re cent U. S. Supreme Court ruling. Motions for both counties are almost identical. The motions contend the free dom of choice plans in the two school systems have failed and 1 j . Andrew-McLendon Team of Junior League Left to right, kneeling, Eddie Wilson, Keith Locker man, Dale Deason, Eddie Moreland, Jack Nash, David Beck, Mark Cunningham. Back row, I. to r.. Gene Lane, County Receives Paving Contracts The state has awarded a con tract to Houston County for 4.8 miles of paving on three roads in the county and for paving around the new Perry Hospital. R. H. Watson Jr., clerk of the county commissioners, said the road contracts will amount to a total of $30,500, and will in clude paving of the Langston Road, 3.05 miles, from U. S. 41 to Houston Lake Road (Ga. 127); for ,8 mile of Davidson Road from Ga. 247 one mile south of Bonaire; and for Woodland Drive, .95 mile of Holt Road at Cen terville to Houston Lake Road. The county is expected to start work on these projects in the next few weeks. The state awarded a contract for paving around the Perry Hospital at a cost of about $22,000. The project will in clude grading, paving and curb ing and guttering. BAPTISMAL SERVICE AT FIRST BAPTIST Four candidates for member ship were baptised by Rev. Dan Hodges, pastor, at the First Baptist Church Sunday night. Drought Is Costing Houston Thousands Daily Houston County farmers are losing thousands of dollars a day because of one of the se verest droughts in recent years. The corn crop , which looked like a winner two weeks ago, appeared to be almost beyond recovery as the stalks turned brown and shriveled under a mer ciless sun. The peach growers were look ing in vain for some rain to put some size on their fruit. The peaches have about quit growing in the last week due to the dry spell, and the fruit cannot be shipped unless it is one and will continue to fail to bring about nonracial schools. The U. S. Supreme Court The motion in the Bibb and ru led >n May, 1967, the freedom Houston cases asks that the of choice plans are constitution school systems be ordered to «Uy unacceptable where other file plans of desegregation based reasonably available speedier on nonracial geographic attend- ar, d more effective ways to bring ance zones or consolidation of about unitary nonracial school grades or schools, or both. systems are possible. The new plans should be filed T he motions ask that the two before July 15, the motions ask. school systems not be allowed The motion alleges that only to assign students under the 18 per cent of the 14,528 Negro choice plan until they have students in Bibb county elected demonstrated to the court that to attend previously all-white other methods would not produce schools in the recent March greater desegregation, choice period. No white students I'he plaintiffs allege in their chose to attend previously all- motions that assignment of stu- Negro schools. dents baaed on nonracial attend- Two Teams Still Tied For Jr. League Lead LEAGUE STANDINGS As of June 28, 1968 Won Lost Beavers 6 1 Andrew-McLendon 6 I Lions 4 4 Tolleson 4 4 Super Foods 2 6 Kiwanis 1 6 By MO WRIGHT June 26, 1968 R H E Tolleson 9 3 0 Super Foods 0 14 Leading hitters: Tolleson, Har ris 1 for 2; Super Foods. Hardy 1 for 2, Winning pitcher Chip Edleson. Losing pitcher Tim Bramblelt. The game was called at the end of 4 innings. R HE Andrew McLendon ...10 10 1 Lions 2 4 2 Leading hitlers; Andrew Mc- Lendon, Murphy 3 for 3, Mattox 2 for 3; Lions: Bledsoe 2 for 2, Irwin 1 for 2. Winning pitcher, David Beck. Losing pitcher Bob Bledsoe. The game was called at the end of 4 innings. seven-eighth inch in diameter. As the temperature rose to near-100 every day, the weather man said he could not predict an early break in the drought. He said less than two inches of rain fell in June, which is about half of the normal June rainfall. Grains planted for silage have “fired” or “burned up”, as farmers describe the turning of the green to brown by a shortage of rain and an oversupply of hot sun. The temperature hit 100 on Monday and Tuesday, manager; Randy Boland, Tracy Bramblett, Matt Mat tox, Matt Davis, Randy Murphy, Richard Smith, and Pap Nipper, manager. (Home Journal Photo). June 28, 1968 R H E Kiwanis 10 10 1 Tolleson 2 5 8 Leading hitters: Kiwanis, Glad felder 3 for 4, Roper 2 for 4; Tolleson, Mattox 2 for 4. Win ning pitcher Van Gladfelder. Los ing pitcher Jim Chapman. R H E Beavers Ins 11 8 2 Super Foods 10 10 1 Leading hitters: Beavers Ins., Hickson 3 for 3; Bonner 2 for 2; Super Foods, Smith 2 for 3, Har dy 2 for 4; Winning pitcher Clay Kirk. Losing pitcher Charles Hardy, Earl Brown of Beavers Ins. smashed a home run in the third inning. Mi ' w a ilirFJft i- Vs Bl»* t* asc y f V Hf\ JP E ~JL J| i Jtm'' W r’->//^ Perryan Gets Air Medal WITH U. S. COMBAT AIR FORCES, Vietnam— U. S. Air Force Sergeant Edwin J. Barthlett (right), son of Mr. and Mrs. Spencer N. Roads of Perry, re ceives the Air Medal at Pleiku AB, Vietnam. Sergeant Barthlett was decorated for his meritorious achieve ment as a combat crew member on successful and important misions in Southeast Asia. He is assigned to a unit of the Pacific Air Forces. The sergeant was graduated in 1964 from Thomas A. Edison High School. Captain Gary F. Obeck, his squadron commander, makes the presentation. (U. S. Air Force Photo). 10c PER COPY TWENTY-FOUR PAGES TWO SECTIONS ESTABLISHED 1870 ance zones or a plan for consoli dation of grades or schools, or both, would more readily bring about a balanced system. The motions also ask for a study to be filed on the feasibil ity of feeding certain all-white elementary schools into pre viously all-white secondary schools. Houston County Supt. David A. Perdue said Monday that the Board of Education has not received an official notice of the motions by the Negro plain tiffs and he could not comment on the possible reaction of the county board. Last Rites Held For Mrs. Davis Services for Mrs. Dorothy Bat son Davis, 51, of Perry, who died at her home Monday, were held in Perry Presbyterian Church at 3 p. m. Tuesday. Rev. Mark Gutzke officiated with burial in the Evergreen Cemetery. A native of Pearl River Coun ty, Miss., Mrs. Davis was a member of Perry Presbyterian Church, of the Perry Sorosis Club, and was the daughter of the late Ezra Oltis Batson. Survivros include her husband- Jerry Alva Davis Jr., of Perry; one son, Jerry Alva Davis HI of Perry; and her mother, Francis Pettibone Balson of Perry. Walson-Hunt Funeral Home of Perry was in chrage. Mrs. Bobby Branch and child ren, Robby and Lee, spent last week with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Yawn at Savannah Beach, Ga.