From Days Gone By June 9,1911

June 9,1911. Sherman and Clifford Dixon, charged with shooting to death Mr. Lindsey, policeman of Kite, were given a committal trial this week with Judges Brinson and Carter presiding. After hearing the evidence of prosecution and defendants, they were remanded to jail, guilty of murder, according to the evidence. This case is figured to be disposed of at the September term of Superior Court; the defendants having to remain in jail will, in all probability, bring on a speedy and final trial. A large portion of the people of Kite were present at the trial. Judge Kent and Col. Blount appeared for the Dixon's and Judge Faircloth represented the prosecution. All the parties are considered good people and the occurence is very much regretted by all. It seems Wrightsville has become infested with a regular organized band of small boy theives of the colored persuasion, ranging from 10 to 15 years of age. They have been employed at the barber shop and other businesses to do chores and from these places have been purloining articles of value such as jewelry, money, razors, etc. while the barber shop boy was doing the "fence" stunt for the gang. As suspicion was aroused among some of the victims of the "light-fingered brigade," an investigation began which resulted in the arrest of the entire layout. Most of the stolen property was recovered and proper punishment promptly meted out to each of the offenders. One of them who evidently hadnt gotten enough went to the residence of D.G. Blount on an errand and before leaving decided to visit the sitting room while the family was upstairs. He spying a pocket book on the mantle took it and left. The pocket book belonging to Mrs. Clyde Lanier contained hergold watch and chain and small change. When it was discovered missing Mr. Blount soon apprehended the little thief who admitted to the crime then produced the booty he had hidden under the bridge on Myrtle Avenue. What Justice W. C. Brinson did for this chap for this his second offense was "a plenty". A five-room dwelling house on the J. F. Norris plantation was burned. The fire was caused from a defective stove flue. The house was occupied by a Mr. Roberts and family and everything was destroyed. B. B. Tanner just purchased a handsome E. M. F. Car. Judge Daley and son Fred went to Atlanta where Fred was treated for his throat by Dr. Crawford. Mr. & Mrs. Frank Outlaw had a fine son arrive this week who tipped the beam at 12 pounds. The Sunday Schools of Sandersville had their annual picnic at Idylwild and required a special train of five coaches to carry the crowd. Chief Ferguson with his crew is making some fine improvements on the streets and sidewalks Work will soon begin on the business corner of Court and Marcus streets which property is owned by Robinson and Burns. Brick stores are to be erected there which will improve that portion of the business district. D. Tantory, our citizen of foreign descent brought an egg to town which was somewhat of a curiosity, as per on the smaller end of the egg was a perfectly embossed figure "9" or capital letter "C". The egg was a product of one of Daniel's high grade strain of hens. J. M. Johnson of Kite informed that the crop prospects around Kite are quite favorable. Bumper crops of corn and cotton are expected. If there is any doubt about Johnson County's farm lands being profitable, three miles north of Wrightsville in the Cedar Grove community lives a young man by the name of Hen Wilson who is a live wire when it comes to farming. Last year he planted 20 acres in corn which averaged 25 bushels per acre. When this field was ready for "laying-by", he planted peas between the rows and covered them with the last plowing of the corn. No further attention was given, and when the harvest was over, he found that he had 85 bushels of peas which he sold for $175, and 500 bushels of corn worth $1 a bushel.

From Days Gone By June 2, 1911

June 2, 1911. Burglars made their appearance in Wrightsville last week for the first time in several years, but were frightened away before they secured any booty. An attempt was made to enter Dr. Jones' residence, in the western part of the city, but the rogues were discovered before they gained an entrance. Police officers and citizens are on the alert and are prepared to give the thieves a warm reception if they begin their prowling again. The Johnson new brick block under the supervision of W. C. Chester, is fast climbing skyward, and will soon be completed and ready for the various occupants. The opera house is to be located on the second floor with the entrance on the Marcus Street side. The work of removing the E.A.W. Johnson house will begin in a few days. A Mr. Huffman will do the work. An auction by the Mason Realty Company will take place in July to auction off ten or more lots on College Street between Bradford and Valley Streets and considered valuable real estate being on Wrightsville's most public thoroughfares. Prof. W. L. Buxton was elected Vice-President of Warthen College. He has the best of credentials and a fine young man for the job. Clifford Robinson is a student at the military college in Atlanta. Miss Sara Lovett is attending the female college at LaGrange. Dr. Jones' and family will move to the Daley house on Marcus Street vacated by U. H. Tompkins who is moving back to Warrenton where he has opened a business. A. P. Hilton of Dublin is leaving the Commercial Bank at that place and taking the cashiers job at the National Bank of Wrightsville. S. C. Josey left for Hazelhurst to be cashier at the Witham Bank. Bascom Anthony, Jr. of Savannah was here among friend soliciting shipments for the Gans Steamship Company. Master Albon, the manly little son of Col. & Mrs. Lee Hatcher is very ill with the measles. Miss Lucile, the lady lie little daughter of Mr. & Mrs. John Douglas is up again after a severe attack of measles. Dr. J. W. Flanders is out and about again. He has been in very feeble health for the past year and unable to leave the house. Hon. S. S. Meeks died at his home near Meeks on the 25th and was buried at Meeks burying ground with Masonic honors by the Kite Lodge which he was a prominent member. He had suffered for a long while with cancer of the stomach. He was 56 years old and a faithful member of Rehobeth Baptist Church and held in high esteem in this county. He was survived by his wife and one daughter, Mrs. Jesse Grant, and two brothers, Rev. Henry and Mr. Allen Meeks. A few minutes after 10 last night Uncle Bob Rhodes died at his home near the jail, dying of dropsy. He was one of the good old-time colored men who enjoyed the respect and confidence of all his white friends. He had been living with Mr. J. T. Fuford for a number of years and was a familiar figure about the stables. A little daughter came to the home of Mr. & Mrs. W. C. Brinson on Sunday. They are very happy over her arrival, and cannot find a name pretty enough for her. Judge A. F. Daley, with several other railroad officials of Georgia, are enjoying a few days recreation at Brunswick and St. Simons. Citizen E. A. Lovett has been out of the city for the past couple of weeks on a mission of recuperation and enjoyment. He attended the big Confederate reunion at Little Rock, after which he went to Nashville, where he witnessed several games of professional ball. The other afternoon Mrs. J. T. Blankenship, living in the northern part of the city discovered a huge black snake leisurely meandering about her back yard, and procuring a gun shot the monster reptile to death. His snakeship proved to be the coachwhip variety and measured six and one-half feet in length and was "big-around" in proportion. J. T. Fergurson says there is a great deal of complaining about water breaking over the ditches and flooding the property of various citizens of the town. If the good ladies of Wrightsville will put the sweepings of their yards into boxes instead of sweeping it in the ditches this problem would not occur. It cost the town a great deal to keep the ditches clean. If you will put the sweepings in a box and leave them in the yard the trash cart will come and get it. Please help us! (http://deshistoricalpub.blogspot.com)

From Days Gone By May 26, 1911

May 26, 1911. The annual commencement exercises of Warthen College closed this week with the graduating exercises. Rev. B. E. Whittington of Swainsboro preached the Sunday morning sermon on Rev. 2 Chapter and 10th verse, "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life." The following young ladies and gentlemen composed the Senior Class and its officers: Miss Gladys Anthony, Class President, read the Salutatory; Miss Nellie Mae Jenkins, Historian; Miss Cora Williams, Prophet; Wade Bedingfield, Poet; Maurice Acree, Valedictorian; Miss Nina Hicks, Class Will; Otho Tanner, An essay, "The Man of the Nineteenth Century." Miss Loudella Webb received a diploma in Stenography and Bookkeeping; Gordon Young and Carl Claxton, Bookkeeping; Miss Ina McWhorter, certificate in music. Afterwards in a meeting of the Trustees the following were elected to teach in the college another year: Prof. A. F. Ware, President; Miss Minnie Pate, Collegiate Department; Miss Clyde Lanier, Primary Department; Miss Troutman, Music; Miss Moore of LaGrange, Expression. Prof. O. H. McLendon, instructor in the Commercial Department has resigned to teach at the High School in Doerun. T. J. Arline was back in town from Savannah shaking hands with old friends. Tom is a traveling real estate man. Rev. & Mrs. W. F. Quillian have returned to Atlanta from their home in Monterrey, Mexico on account of the war there. Wrightsville has a new grocery firm composed of two hustling young men, Messers. Otho Tanner and Jordan Siniard. They are successors to the firm of Tanner & Kent. B. B. Tanner and T. V. Kent are now giving their full attention to their furniture business. By mutual agreement the McLendon-Mason Realty Company has dissolved its real estate business. O. H. McLendon is retiring so J. M. Mason is assuming all indebtness of the firm. Mr. & Mrs. Virgil Snell are entertaining a little daughter whom the stork left at their home. Miss Laura Daley returned home from an extended visit to Hawkinsville relatives. Her health is very feeble and will probably have to go to Atlanta for treatment. Mrs. B. B. Tanner's health is improving. After an extended illness, Mrs. Eldrige Crabb died at her home here and was buried at the Crabb burying grounds. She had been an invalid for several years, suffering from paralysis. She is survived by her husband, two sons and a daughter. Mrs. A. E. Hayles died here at the home of her step-grandson, Mr. J. E. Tompkins. She attended the methodist church that morning and was taken violently ill that night and died a few days later. She was placed to rest at Louisville. Tax Collector J. L. Harrison's house caught fire and was totally destroyed about 10 am. The blaze originated from the kitchen stove flue. Most of the contents were saved. Judge Wiggins, Ordinary, is contemplating installing a pump in the old artesian well on the court house lawn. The water will be used solely for drinking purposes and will be appreciated by those who have drank it for over 20 years. The Southern Bell Telephone Company has just issued neat directories embracing the town of Sandersville, Tennille and Wrightsville. "Play Ball!" is the slogan in Wrightsville at present, and our boys are making it warm for teams in other towns. Miss Maude Lou and Edith Sterling, are the happy possessors of a beautiful team, a Kentucky thoroughbred, and a handsome rubbertired runabout. They are enjoying many drives these pleasant afternoons. A little colored boy, about ten years old, by the name of Ulie Thomas, displayed unusual nerve last monday by stopping a runaway team on Elm Street. A mule, hitched to a top buggy, was on the run when the lad ran into the road and pluckily stopped the animal; then caught the bridle and held it until the owner could get there. School has closed and our town seems deserted, in a way. The happy throng of children, going to and from the college for the past months are missed from the streets, and everything has settled down for a summer rest.

From Days Gone By, May 19th, 1911

May 19, 1911.
Jim Sparks, a black man in the employ of Dr. J. W. Brinson, shot and instantly killed Charlie Rickerson, another black man, on last Saturday afternoon. The killing occured in a field of Dr. Brinson's near Wrightsville, where Sparks had gone to feed hogs, and where he met Rickerson who he states shot at him with a gun. Sparks returned the fire with the above result, claiming the killing was in self defense. As there were no witnesses to the act, no inquest was held over the dead man.
As Mr. Mark Smith of Dublin was coming to Wrightsville in his Jackson car, and when near the Wrightsville & Tennille Railroad crossing, he looked back to see the rearend of his car on fire and rapidly burning. He leaped from the car and fell to the ground in a swoon, and by the time he had regained conciousness his car which had stopped running was entirely consumed by fire.
The depot at Adrian was robbed on Monday night. The burglers secured about $100 in cash and a number of tickets and paychecks. Representatives of the Central of Georgia are at work on the case.
A "picked nine", composed of Wrightsville's young bachelors and married men, and nondescripts, played baseball with the college boys Tuesday afternoon, and were defeated in a score of 14 to 4 in favor of the college team. Agreeable to a previous engagement, the Sandersville boys came down Wednesday afternoon and pulled off a contest with our home team. It soon proved that the visitors were "dead easy" in the hands of our boys, to prove which, at the wind-up the score showed 27 to 3 in favor of Wrightsville. Carroll and Swann, batteries for Sandersville: Culver and Lord, batteries for Wrightsville. Next!
Mr. & Mrs. G. B. Dunlap have a new daughter. Col. Rufus Price has moved to Swainsboro to practice law with his brother, Col. I. L. Price. Mrs. Geo. W. Cochran is having additions made to her home on Myrtle Avenue. Johnnie Paul has opened a grocery store at the corner, under the telephone exchange. Wrightsville now has a milk wagon, ice wagon, bread wagon and fresh meat wagon. Guess we will have a "water wagon" next. It might have a few patrons during the hot weather. Macon, Georgia was selected as the next place for the reunion of the United Confederate Veterans is the word from this years reunion at Little Rock, Arkansas.
H. P. Hicks, Wrightsville's well known and expert house painter is at Mount Vernon painting the court house and jail.
Mr. & Mrs. Wm Whitfield Anthony of Wrightsville announced the ehgagement of their daughter, Gladine, to Mr. Stephen Folsom of Dublin. The marriage of Dr. John Green Harrison, of Macon, and Miss Ruth Barrett, of near Washington, Ga., is announced to take place in June at the home of the brides parents. Dr. Harrison was reared near Wrightsville and was once pastor of the Baptist church here. He is now one of the faculty of Mercer University.
Mr. Gus Brantley, who resides about six miles from Wrightsville, took his little daughter Emogine, to Rawlings' Sanitarium, where on last friday she was operated on for appendicitis, after a ten day illness. The operation was successful, and she is now doing nicely, and will be able to return to her home in a few days.
Messers. B. B. Blount, Wm L. Culver, J. M. Cook, A. T. Cobb, E. E. Daley, I. H. Archer, W. A. Lovett, R. L. Stephens, Frank Downs, Flyint Flanders and H. T. Downs, left Tuesday by automobile and rail transportation for Colman's Lake, on the Ogeechee River, where they will spend the week in flirting with the finny tribe. A jolly bunch of fellows they are, and they went "thoroughly equipped with all the paraphernalia necessary" to enjoy the outing; and will have some wonderful fish stories for the suckers to bite at when they get back home. The above party got back yesterday afternoon, a little earlier than was expected---on account of getting out of "bait", besides securing as many fish as they wanted. The catch was fine.

From Days Gone By May 12, 1911

May 12, 1911. The racing of automobiles has become exceedingly dangerous, especially within the corporate limits of Wrightsville. There is an ordinance prohibiting this. The rate of speed at which several cars were driven to and from Idlywild last week was a menace to the life of pedestrian and children. If it isn't stopped a tradgedy will surely occur. Speaking of racing, Wrightsville was well represented at the automobile races in Dublin wednesday. Several drove their cars over and a large crowd traveled by the Wrightsville & Tennille Railroad. Mrs. E. L. Stephens and children returned home from Warrenton this week and all her children are down with the measles. E. N. Hitchcock is also quite sick with measles, he has been in bed for a week. Mrs. J. T. Tharpe died at her home here this week after a long illness. She is survived by her husband and several children. She was an excellent woman, and a devoted member of the methodist church. Her funeral was held at Piney Mount. The sophomore class of Warthen College entertained the senior class with a picnic at Idlywild. Mr. Curtis Robinson is graduating from the Atlanta Dental College. Mr. George W. Granger and Miss Leitha Holmes were married at Scott last week. The groom is assistant postmaster there and also secretary/treasurer of the town council. The bride is the daughter of Mrs. M. L. Holmes. Dr. Gordon Brantley and his new bride arrived this week from their wedding at Lake City, Florida. John R. Grice has completed the excavations for adding a cold storage cellar in the basement of the Grice Inn. Two large bedrooms will also be added on the back. E. A. W. Johnson and family will move to the home of Mrs. Mollie Johnson until their new home is completed. B. B. Tanner and T. V. Kent petitioned for a charter under the name of Tanner & Kent Furniture Company. The Martin boys are on the "ice wagon" again, and are out every day now, crying "ice" in their usual cheery way. A defective flue in the boiler at the power house shut off the electric lights this week but repairs were made at once and the lights are on again. The flue of E. J. Tompkins' kitchen caught fire but as the blaze was slight, it was extinguished soon. On the subject of fires a concerned citizen, probably from the fire department made the following thoughts of pistols as fire alarms: " It would be exceedingly bad to have a disasterous fire in the city of Wrightsville, but worse to have the fire and at the same time, have some innocent person accidentally shot to death by some one shooting their pistol as a fire-alarm. It is dangerous, it is a violation of the ordinance of the town, and it shows what a large percent of the citizens of Wrightsville are carrying pistols in violation of the laws of the state. Do these pistol shooters care nothing for what other people think of us as a town? Is it true, what Booker Washington said, "that the negro was making more rapid strides toward higher civilization, than the whites?" Are the white boys of Wrightsville going to be the first to verify the truthfulness of that assertion? I hope not, We have more civilized methods of making fire-alarms than the use ofso dangerous method as the pistol. Besides, if you are going to carry a pistol young man, do like a white man; go register, pay the fee and carry it openly. You have complied with the law. You would have no one to fear."

From Days Gone By May 5, 1911

May 5, 1911.
Last Sunday afternoon at Sandhill, a black church located about 5 miles from Wrightsville, a drunken row took place among some black men, in which one was shot and killed outright. While this was in progress Sheriff Lewis Davis was phoned, and accompanied by R. Z. Sterling went to the scene to fine one dead and two or three others acting ugly, under the influence of whiskey. Mose Turner was especially demonstrative and when Davis attempted to arrest him he showed fight and tried to shoot the sheriff. Sheriff Davis overpowered him and took the gun. He and Elick Morris were placed in jail. The dead man was Son Warthen who allegedly was shot by Henry Farver, who immediately fled to parts unknown. Warden William Z. Kemp with his gang has done some excellent work on the Old Savannah Road, leading east from the city, beyond Cedar Creek. Several farmers living on that stretch of road speak in high praise of the road. Superintendent J. H. Rowland of the Wrightsville, Adrian & Lyons Railroad says they are making splendid progress on the road. The grading is almost completed from Lyons to Adrian, except a little dressing up. When done the workforce of 60 mules and 100 workmen will be moved to this side of Adrian and should be ready for rails by July 1st. Forty thousand ties have already been placed and more are being laid at the rate of 500 ties per day. J. T. Fulford, J. W. Brinson, Jr. have greatly improved their property by placing attractive stone copings around the yards. The work was done by F. F. Flanders who manufactures the material. Dr. Jones and family of Midville have moved to Wrightsville and will occupy the T. M. Hicks residence on West Court Street. Mr. & Mrs. W. F. Shay of New York are in Wrightsville at the Dickens House. Mr. Shay is here installing the cables for the telephone company. Mrs. Rosa Martin Kennedy of Wrightsville has been elected sponsor for Camp Martin, No. 904, to attend the grand reunion of the United Confederate Veterans on May 31st at Little Rock, Arkansas. She is the daughter of Captain John L. Martin. Messers. R. Z. Sterling, J. E. Linder, U. R. Jenkins and I. R. Tanner, prominent stockmen of Wrightsville, went to Atlanta this week with a carload of mules on a trading expedition. Mr. & Mrs. Ben Hill Moye are happy over the arrival of a little daughter last week. The stork visited the home of Mr. & Mrs. Tom Davis saturday night and left a fine son. The Wrightsville friends of Mrs. E. L. Stephens sympathize with her on the death of her mother, Mrs. Micajah Norris of Warrenton. Death, that unwelcome visitor, has invaded another happy home of Mr. E. B. Underwood's, and took its captive, Beverly Evans Underwood, age 26. He was sick just nine days of that dreaded disease pneumonia. Mrs. J. F. Norris has ripe peaches in her orchard. This is unusually early for peaches in view of the late spring. The cold snap this week brought out overcoats and wraps which had recently been discarded for the "glad rays" of spring.