Wheeler county eagle. (Alamo, Ga.) 1913-current, October 22, 1971, Image 1

Wheeler county eagle., October 22, 1971, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextVOLUME 57 Move Os Pierce Trial Denied In Hazlehurst A Superior Court judge denied a motion to change the location of the second murder trial for William J. Pierce Jr. Thursday, say ing he believes Pierce can get a fair trial in Hazlehurst. Pierce, 40, was convicted Sept. 25, of the slaying of Mrs. Vivian Miles, 60, a country storekeeper and was sentenced to life in prison. He faces trial next in the slaying of Mrs. Helen Wilcox, 32, who disappeared from her store near Hazlehurst about the same time Mrs. Miles was killed in neighboring Appling County. Altogether, Pierce was ac cused of murder in nine slayings in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Judge Winebert D. Flexer of Brunswick, in denying the mo tion for a change of venue, said there is no strong evi dence to show that Pierce would not get a lair trial in Jeff Davis County, and there is no evidence that proper security could not be provided. Pierce was absent at the hearing, and his defense attor ney s took note of this in their arguments. “It is noted that Pierce is being held at the Reidsville State Prison during these hear ings for his own safety,” said Alvin Leaphart, one of two court-appointed defense at torneys. ‘lt is also noted that the Wilcox’s have large family con nections in this county and that widespread publicity given the case could not help but in fluence the people. It would be unfortunate for a jury to go through the motion of a trial and give this man the electric chair. I would hate to see peo ple so emotionally wer vrought that they might attempt to disrupt the trial and the re sult would be injury or the death of some innocent person.” Randall O. Palmer, Pierce’s other defense attorney, said he plans to file a bill of ex ception with the State Court of Appeals. He said he would expect the court to put the matter at the top of its calendar and rule immediately as to whether there was an error in Flexer’s ruling. Palmer said he has six days in which to file the writ. A group of armed men tried to take Pierce from the Appling County jail at Baxley Aug. 28. Six were charged with conspir ing to commit murder in the unsuccessful attempt. They in clude the husband and other relatives of Mrs. Wilcox. Several witnesses testified at the preliminary hearing, which was attended by about 50 spectators. Sheriff J. B, “Red” Carter of Appling County testified that the six men who tried to take Pierce from the jail are free under bonds totaling $185,000. Graham Community Fall Festival The ladies of the Graham Community invite everyone to attend the Fall Festival to be held on November sth at 6:00 p.m. in the Graham Community House. Come at any time you wish and have supper with us. We will sell hot dogs, pies, cakes, sandwiches, tea and coffee. For your entertainment we will have a cake walk, country store, fish pond, etc. Please come, bring a pocket full of dimes and enjoy the evening with us. All proceeds will be spent on the building. Lamplighter’s Sweet Shop Benefit The Lamplighter Little Theatre in Alamo, will sponsor a variety of sweets this Satur day, October 23, beginning at 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in front of the Theatre Building. There are times when it is somewhat difficult to refrain from wondering whether our National Bird shouldn’t be the Cuckoo instead of the Eagle. Wheeler County Eagle > . • • 'wk I II --sr* r - ' A At a ceremony held at the Governor’s office in Atlanta, Governor Jimmy Carter declared October as “Toastmasters Month” in Georgia. Participating in the ceremonies District 14 Officers (from left): John C. Day, Org. Lt. Governor; John P. Lister, Past Dist. Governor; P. Greg McCarthy, Admin. Lt. Governor; Orville Dickinson, District Governor; W.L. “Bill” Schweitzer, Ed. Lt, Governor; Dr. Ray Young, Lt. Governor Div. 3; Ralph Wood, Lt. Governor, Div. l;and Frank Rosynek, Dist. Sec.-Treas. (PRN) Every County Care Os Retarded Is Goal Os Multi Agency Pus* The establishment of a local training center for retarded children living in every Georgia county is the goal of a massive, multi-agency campaign an nounced in Atlanta, by state health director, Dr. John Ven able. According to the health of ficial, the campaign will be jointly conducted by two state agencies, the Department of Family and Children Services and the Department of Public Health, with the assistance of state and local associations for the retarded. Funds for imple menting the centers will come primarily from U. S. Title IV- A (Social Security) grants, said Dr. Venable. Federal sources pay for up to 75 per cent of the cost, he stated. “The primary purpose of training centers,’’explainedthe health director, “is to keep children living at home with their families and not in a hospital, usually located some distance away.” He added that a child’s learn ing skills could often be en hanced by the parents ’ working regularly with experienced cen ter personnel. Said the official, “It’s much easier for the teach ers and the parents — who can back each other up — and home is certainly a more natural place for a child to grow up than in a hospital.” Dr. Tom McConnell, who is the State Health Department’s coordinator of community men tal retardation programs, says that success of the program to establish training centers will hinge on local participation and enthusiasm, “particularly from local health depart - ments.” The psychologist explained Resolution WHEREAS, it has come to the attention of the governing bodies of the cities of Alamo and Glenwood, via the civic clubs of the County of Wheeler, of the importance of the Wheeler County Hospital and; WHEREAS, both cities of Wheeler County recognize the need for such an institution within the county to care for its sick and; WHEREAS, the dedication of the doctors, nurses, adminis trator, hospital authority and all employees of said Wheeler County Hospital are qualified, efficient, faithful, and loyal to the citizens of the county and; WHEREAS, said Wheeler County Hospital has proven itself to be an asset to this area in numerous ways, because of its qualified personnel, new medical equipment, sincerity of the employees, and other ways. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the governing bodies of the City of Alamo, Georgia, and the City of Glenwood, Georgia, and it is hereby proclaimed by the mayors of both cities, that the week of October 24, through October 30, 1971, be recognized as “HOSPITAL APPRECIATION WEEK, ’’andthatSunday, October 24, 1971, be set aside as “WHEELER COUNTY HOSPITAL APPRECIATION DAY,” in order that the residents of this area may gather at the hospital on or about 3:00 P.M. on said date, to meet the personnel responsible for carrying on this operation, and to extend to them their appreciation, andtogo through the hospital and have an opportunity to see the equipment and fecilities. This resolution hereby approved and ordered published this 18th day of October, 1971. Herbert E. Webster G. M. Joiner Mayor, City of Alamo, Georgia Mayor, City of Glenwood, Georgia ALAMO, WHEELER COUNTY, GEORGIA 30411 - BOX 385 “There are more than 12,000 retarded children (in Georgia) who need this kind of day time service. Probably 200— or more — centers are needed across the state, ” he continued, “certainly a minimum of one in each county.’’Currently, said the official, there are 63 cen ters in operation in Georgia. The thrust for starting the new training centers for the re tarded “most logically” should come from local health person nel, Dr. McConnell stated. He explained that instruc tional meetings to clarify the Title IV-A program and answer specific local questions have been scheduled for each of Georgia’s health districts during October and November. Dr. McConnell saidthat detailed information on the meetings is available from local health de partments. The meeting schedule is: Gainesville Oct. 7, Marietta Oct. 12, Dalton Oct. 13, Decatur Oct. 14, Atlanta Oct. 19, Athens Oct. 21, I ^Grange Oct. 26, Macon Oct. 27, Columbus Nov. 2, Augusta Nov. 4, Dublin Nov. 5, Savannah Nov. 9, Waycross Nov. 10, Valdosta Nov. 11, and Albany Nov. 12. Friendship Baptist Church The Rev. Steve Youmans of Savannah, will be a guest speak er at Friendship Baptist Church Sunday, October 24. The morn ing service will begin at 11 a.m., evening service 8 p.m. All visitors are invited to hear this outstanding young minister. Notice To All Unemployed In Wheeler Co. The Heart of Georgia Registration of Unemployed is in the final stages. The regis tration dates are Thursday, Oct. 28, Friday, Oct. 29, and Satur day, Oct. 30. Registration booths are lo cated throughout Wheeler Co., and will be open from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. each day. The objective of this regis tration is to accumulate and analyze specific information concerning the number and the characteristics of the area’s unemployed. This information will then be used to plan better service programs aimed at re ducing the level of unemploy ment, to plan better adult edu cation programs for the un employed, and to assist the unemployed in finding suitable jobs. Registration booths will be located in the following places: AI JIM 0: Wheeler County High School; Wheeler County Junior High School, and Neigh borhood Service Center. GLENWOOD: Glenwood City Hall and Glenwood Elementary School. The Registration of Un employed is sponsored by the Heart of Georgia Community Action Council, Inc., The Office of Economic Opportunity, Geeor gia Institute of Technology, and The Georgia Department of Labor. Former Wheeler Man Dies Under Lawn Mower Edgar Harmon Ryner, 27, of Warner Robins, was killed Mo nday when he was pinned under a riding lawn-mower near Houston Lake. Deputy Sheriff Jim West said Tuesday that Ryner’s body had been found about 9:15p.m. Mon day and that the medical examiner estimated Ryner had been dead for about six hours. Funeral services were held Tuesday in Providence Primi ttive Baptist Church. Burial was in Harrelson Cemetery in Wheeler County. Mr. Ryner was a civil ser vice employee, employed at Warner Robins. He was born in Wheeler County and had lived in Warner Robins for three years. Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Linda Pruitt Ryner of Warner Robins; three daugh ters, Lisa, Teresa and Pam Ryner, all of Warner Robins; his father, Herman Ryner of Eastman; six sisters, Mrs.Sul via Thomas of Greensboro, N. C., Mrs. Idona Moore of Chaun cey, Mrs. Zandra Sapp of Macon, and Mrs. Earl Wanna Yawn, Mrs. Linda Squires and Miss Derona Ryner, all of East man. Second Hlan Convicted In Beating Os Wheeler County Sheriff Johnson A Wheeler County jury Satur day convicted Michael I. Shep hard, 20, of Mcßae, on charges of aggravated assault in the May 20 beating of Wheeler 1 Sheriff Maurice Johnson. Shephard, the second person to be convicted on charges Local Postmaster Attends Meeting In California Marcus A. Bomar, Post master in Glenwood, was a state delegate to the 6 7th Annual Convention of the National As sociation of Postmasters, held this year at Anaheim, Calif. - Home of Disneyland. The Association meets an nually in different cities of the nation to hold educational meet ings, seminars, and consul tation sessions with top U. S. Postal Service officials from headquarters in Washington. The featured speaker this year was Postmaster General Winton M. Blount. He was joined by many of his top aides in the U. S. Postal Service to discuss policy and operations matters with the managers of the postal field service — the nation’s postmasters. Panel discussions were also an important part of the program providing post masters an opportunity to dis cuss postal policy with those who make it. Nearly 4,000 postmasters from every state, and Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, trust territories and possessions which are part of the U. S. Postal Service, attended the Anaheim meetings. Often termed the “world’s largest business,” postal employees number about 750,000 of which nearly 32,000 are postmasters. Os paramount interest to post masters are the operation of the nation’s postal system under the Postal Reorganization Act, which became fully effective on July 1 of this year and the two year union contract signed on July 20. Also attending the convention were former Postmasters Gen. James A. Farley, Arthur E. .Summerfield, J. Edward Day, John A. Gronouski, Lawrence F. O’Brien and W. Marvin Wat son. Heading the Postmasters Association this year as National President is Louis ville, Kentucky' Postmaster Bremer Ehrler. Postmaster E. E. Southerland of Galena, Kan sas is the National Secretary- Treasurer of NAPUS. After the convention Mr. Bomar left for a tour of the Hawaiian Islands. Maddox Stands With People In Reorganization Lt. Gov. Lester G. Maddox says he’llsupportgovernmental reorganization programs so long as they are “in the best interest of the people.” Maddox, addressing the Scre ven County Farm Bureau in Sylvania, said he would continue to support every program pro posed by Gov. Jimmy Carter or any other official “that pro motes efficiency and economy and honesty in government, and that is designed to serve the best interests of the citizens.” But, the former governor em phasized, “when the people are lied to and misled about re organization” promoting inef ficiency, dishonesty or political cronyism, he would oppose the program. The lieutenant governor at tacked a proposed judges’ re tirement bill which he described as a “way to reward political friends.” FRIDAY, OCT. 22, 1971 SINGLE COPY 5(1 stemming from the incident, was sentenced to six years in the state penitentiary. Bobby Ray Hopkins, 18, also of Mcßae, received a five-year sentence after being found guilty in a trial that ended Friday. Trials for three other per sons cliarged with aggravated assault in connection with the beating are yet to be held. They are Donald Renew, 23, George Taylor, 19, and Ann Crompter, 22, all of Mcßae. Sheriff Johnson repeated testimony given in the Hopkins trial that he had answered a call at about 2:30 a.m. May 20 Alamo Baptist In World Mission Conference A World Missions Conference will be held at Alamo First Baptist Church beginning Sun day, October 24, at the 11 a.m. service, and continuing through Wednesday night. Five different Southern Baptist missionaries will be heard. Along with the thrilling messages of the mis sionaries there will be study groups, according toage, meet ing each evening before the missionary speaks. The mission study groups will be held on Sunday at 6:30 during the Training Union hour and Monday through Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. until 8:10. Mis sionaries will speak at mass meetings in the church audi torium at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, and at 8:15 p.m. Monday through Wednes day. The following books will be taught during the mission study periods: New Drums Over Africa (adult), by Milton E. Cunningham Jr., taught by Pastor Raymond G. Johnson; Missions Alive (youth), by Zeb V. Moss, taught by Mr. and Mrs. Norman Jarrard; Uganda .Safari (older children), by Mary Christian, taught by Mrs. R. E. Tuten Jr.; Big Enough To Help (younger children), by Mary' Forehand, taught by Mrs. Lomas Hartley. Rev. Raymond G. Johnson, pastor, states that he considers this to be a rare and wonderful opportunity and urges all mem bers and friends of the church to attend. Similar World Mis sions Conferences are being held in other churches of the Daniel Baptist Association dur ing the week of October 24-31. ? 7wi ft 4 - r I* • ; ;• • FUN WITH ART A unified program was established when all the first grades of the Wheeler County School system were combined. “Fun With Art” was the theme of one phase of this newly combined program. This theme is carried out in the form of an art show exhibited in the halls ofthe first grade building. Every child had the opportunity to work in several medias. These media included crayon, tempra, watercolor, cray-pas, colliage, weaving, fingerpaint and pringing in design. One activity the children especially enjoyed was creating pictures from fall leaves. The art program is an integral part of curriculum because it furnishes the child an opportunity for self expression, tactile stimulation, hand-eye cordination, finger dexterity, self confidence and serves as a physical and emotional outlet. This is the first of many programs planned to enrich the curriculum on the first grade level. The program is under the direction of Patti Bartlett, Sue Joiner, Clara Montford and Rebecca Solomons. Interested persons are invited to come and see the program in action. from a Helena resident who said several persons were causing a disturbance on his property. The sheriff said he found five persons at the house and placed them under arrest. Hop kins grabbed a shotgun from the sheriff’s car, pointed it at him and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not fire, according to Johnson. Hopkins then attempted to place a shell in the chamber but the gun jammed, the sheriff testified. The youths then pro ceeded to beat him and stomp him, he said. Johnson told the court that Shephard, who was wearing boots, kicked him in the face and caused facial nerve damage which is still present. Shephard denied having touched Johnson duringthe con frontation. He said he had been frightened and did not know what had happened between the sheriff and the other youths. Gordon Knox, Jr. Gets Judgeship Brunswick Circuit Gordon Knox Jr., a Hazle hurst attorney and former state senator, was named judge of the Brunswick Superior Court Cir cuit on Tuesday by Gov. Jimmy Carter. Knox fills the unexpired term of Jack W. Ballenger, who died of a heart attack Sept. 18. The term expires Jan. 1, 1973. Knox, a native of Hazlehurst, holds a law degree from the University of Georgia and is a partner in the law firm of Highsmith and Knox. He is a former president of the Bruns wick circuit bar association and is on the board of gover nors of the state bar. He served in the Georgia Senate in 1961 and 1962 and was floor leader for Gov. Ernest Vandiver. The 49-year-old Air Force veteran and his wife have four children. The circuit is composed of Appling, Camden, Glynn, Jeff Davis and Wayne counties. Several candidates had been advanced for the judgeship be fore Carter announced his de cision. They included Sen. Ronald Adams of Brunswick, whom Carter was urged to name to the bench in a resolution adopted by the Senate during the special reapportionment session. NUMBER 29 Nomination For ASC Committee Wheeler County farmers are sending in their nomination petition for candidates for ASC community committeemen says Gene Harris, Chairman of the County Agricultural Stabili zation and Conservation ASC Committee. This year the election of ASC committeemen will be held Dec. 1. All petitions to nominate candidates must be filed at the County ASC Office by close of business October 27. A recent change in election procedures permits petitions to be filed when signed by only 3 qualified farm voters, instead of 6 as required last year. Also, the petition, or an accompanying signed piece of paper, must contain a statement that the candidate is willing to serve if elected. Petitions are still limited to one nominee each, but farmers may sign as many petitions as they wish. If a community doens’tnomi nate a full slate of 6 candidates, the community committee will add the number of names re quired to fill out the slate, in Alamo-Landsburg, Glen wood-Shiloh, and Union-Spring hill communities where there are a number of negro farmers, if their community committees have to complete the slate of 6 candidates, the committees must make sure that the minority group is represented. “We’re hoping to have the still support of the farm com munity this year in nominating, voting for, and in willingness to run as committeemen candi dates,” Mr. Harris said. Each ASC community will elect 3 regular community com mitteemen and 2 alternates to represent the community. Three committeemen from each community will serve as dele gates to the county convention, where farmers will be elected to fill vacancies and name of ficers for the CountyASC Com mittee. The County Committee loc ally administers farm action programs. Community com mittees help keep farmers in their districts informed of changes in program provisions and other farm program news. “Together, the community and county committees serve as representatives of farmers, and as spokesmen for the De partment of Agriculture in Washington, for such farm pro grams as REAP, Feed Grain, Cotton, Wheat, Tobacco, and Peanuts,” Mr. Harris said. Male and female farm own ers, tenants, and share croppers, of legal voting age, are eligivle to participate in ASCS programs and take part in ASC committeemen elec tions regardless of race, color, creed, sex or national origin. Other details on voting and committeemen requirements are available at the County ASCS Office, located at Mcßae Street in Alamo. The telephone number is 568-3711. Questionnaire “We call November TQ Month’ in the Veterans Administration,” A. W. Tate, Director of the Atlanta Veterans Administration Regional Office, said. The “IQ” he referred to has nothing to do with the in telligence of some 35,000 vet erans in Georgia who receive monthly VA pensions but an “income questionnaire” they will find enclosed with their November checks. Sent out each year, the ques tionnaire must be filled out accurately, signed by the pen sioner and returned promptly to the VA, according to the VA official. Tate explained that pension payments for 1972 are based on the information requested.