FROM DAYS GONE BY Jan 23, 1920

January 23, 1920.

Tuesday morning early Sheriff Willis D. Rowland and Deputy Willie T. Rowland left for the city jail with their new famous prisioners, Willie Q. Snell, Snell's wife and Lonnie Parker, alias Lonnie Wiltiams, who he was holding for a special trial for the alleged killing of Elijah Pryer, an aged white man near Kite early last Saturday night.
Pryer was a harmless old man without means and was an afflicted fellow, help being offered him here Saturday to have treatment for his eyesight, which, he was preparing to get done. Going home from Wrightsville in the afternoon he was seen sitting near the Snell shanty, a half mile out of Kite. The next thing known of the old man he was lying beside a tree on a bed of straw in the near edge of the swamp below the negro hut with a long axe wound in the back of his head and a large pool of blood a foot from his head. He was found by two young boys who were out riding their bicycles. About 75 yards away the bloody axe was found. It is now in the clerk's office for keeping until the trial. Snell admitted that this was his axe.
In the absence of the Coroner, Judge C. L. Claxton held an inquest which was not concluded until late Sunday night and three negroes had been jailed in the Kite calaboose. The evidence grew so strong against the three that feeling ran high for a time, but the cooler heads prevailed upon the crowd until the Sheriff was telephoned to come for them, and they were brought here where they remained until Tuesday morning.
The old man had about $40 or $50 on his person at the time and this money has been traced from the possession of Parker. It is also in evidence that Pryer's knife was in the pocket of Parker. Since this evidence was brought to light it is claimed by responsible witnesses that Lonnie has made a complete confession and has implicated Snell and his wife in the crime. It is not known just now when a trial will be had but just as soon as it can be arranged one will be given the three negroes. Judge Kent will be busy in the courts of the circuit for some time and as soon as he can get time he will give them consideration. It was called a black, dastardly crime and one that should have justice done.
After a most careful investigation into the murder of Lewis Mason, who was found dead in Dry Creek swamp on the 8th, it was the verdict of the Justice that the defendants, Ben Jones, Buster Cason, Lillian Hilson and Duke Golden were not in on the killing far enough to hold them for the higher courts, if they were in it at all. The trial lasted all Saturday afternoon to a full courthouse. Messrs. Faircloth & Faircloth appeared for the defendants. Judge Sumner obtained Col. A. L. Hatcher for the state.
That Wrightsville and Johnson County will have a hospital all her own seems to be a certainty now. All the city and county physicians are for the plan as week after week patients are carried to other counties for operations and treatments that our doctors can do here if they had the facilities. It is the purpose of the doctors to either erect a building or rent one but if it takes the long green to get one they are committed to do it.
Of the 4800 miles of road linking every county seat in the state, the state highway dept. has marked out a road across Johnson leading from the Washington County line through Wrightsville on to Adrian. This system was provided for by the last legislature and when completed will give the state a system equal to any in the U. S. and make her in reality a splendid empire.
On Dec. 24, 1919, Mrs. W. G. Davis, Jr. died. She was born Aug. 23, 1898 and was just 21. She was a daughter of Mr. & Mrs. J. B. Kemp. At 17 she became the wife of Willie G. Davis, a son of Mr. & Mrs. J. G. Davis of Bartow. She was a member of Nails Creek Baptist. She leaves a 2 year old child, 3 sisters, 1 brother and her husband.
Mrs. Elizabeth Williams (nee Walker) born in Johnson Co. Jan. 29, 1835 married to Shadrick Williams Dec. 21, 1854 at 19, died Dec. 24, 1919. She had 9 children, Mrs. Archie Page, Mrs. F. M. Cochran, Mrs. W. M. Oliver, W. D. Williams, N. S. Williams and E. L. Williams. Three children and her husband preceeded her death. She had 2 sisters, Mrs. John Oliver and Mrs. Mary Page, 35 grandchildren, 38 great grandchildren and one great great. She called her great nephew and told him how to make her coffin, large and comfortable.