From Days Gone By March 23, 1923

 March 23, 1923.

    Closed down, all barred up, and at home, church or Sunday school with but the smallest amount of travel anyway, the people of Wrightsville enjoyed their first "Blue Sunday" under the present administration last Sunday. Stores, cigar stands, soda water places and gas stations along with all other businesses were closed after 9:30 am. The Women's Club pushed the move and the city obeyed.

    March 23rd, by Georgia law, was fixed as Temperance Day in all county schools as pushed by the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Mr. M. E. Woods turned over his garage to Mr. Osley M. Sumner and is now the dealer of Chevrolet. Mr. S. M. Johnson, Jr. is headed to Bradenton, Florida to join its baseball club of the Florida State League. On March 28th Wrightsville will hold another hog sale.

    Mr. Tom C. Johnson, son of Mr. Mason Johnson of Wrightsville who was working at Wrigley's Pharmacy in Macon, mounted his motorcycle to go home when it jumped headlong upon the sidewalk, striking Miss Frances Berna Fogarty crushing her to the sidewalk on Second St. and she shortly died after reaching the hospital. Johnson hurried to the sheriff an told what happened and was locked up pending investigation, after which Johnson was freed as it was purely an accident.

    Mr. Clay Jenkins has returned from South Georgia and is to play with a big baseball club there. Mrs. Nancie Jane Wheeler celebrated her 73rd birthday. Mr. Oliver Sinquefield is working for Standard Oil Company. Mr. L. A. Lovett sold another carload of Ford's. "The Kid" with Charlie Chaplin & Jackie Coogan is at the Dixie.

    In the March Term of Superior Court, the State vs Dave Wilson, colored, charged with the murder of Arthur Wright, was found guilty and given a life sentence. Fred Irvin was also found guilty of murder and given 18 years. Modie Taylor's tril is still in progress.

    Mr. & Mrs. T. L. Drake had a son, Clifford Meadows Drake on March 14th. Miss Sallie Mae McCoy of this county married Mr. Ralph Hatcher of Treutlen County. She is a daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Dan McCoy of the Liberty Grove community.

    A car had been put on the sidetrack. It was loaded with the remains of C. H. Moore's ice plant, bound for other points. The purchaser, Mr. Johnson of Hawkensville was loading the last of the piping when pressure was put on him to keep it here and bring what he carried away back. A mass meeting was called for the mayor and council with 65 tax payers assembled with Mr. Johnson. The matter was discussed from every angle, pro and con, with the result that the city was delegated with authority to go ahead and treat with Mr. Johnson on a resonable way to get the plant built back in the city.

    One thing presented itself, the purchase of the old house and the land on which it is located and adjoining land or all the tract that goes with the ice plant, cotton gin and old warehouse that was burned. This is owned by the Central Bank & Trust Corp. of Atlanta. W. C. Brinson acted as spokesman for this company.

    The meeting adjourned pending a session of council with Mr. Johnson and the city attorney. Further developments are being awaited at this time and it is said that the matter will be arranged so that the ice plant will be put back.

From Days Gone By March 16,1923

 March 16, 1923.

    The Dublin Industrial Exposition is drawing larger crowds than the management had hoped for for the first three days it has been going. People are visiting it from the whole country around and thousands will see it by the end of the week. Many booths in the industrial building are pretty indeed and contains the latest factory turn-outs. Chief among these is the one of the Roberts Buick Company with a most gorgeous display of Buick cars.

    Miss Lucile Nelson of Wrightsville is representing the county as Miss Johnson having been chosen by a committee. Miss Nelson is a beautiful young lady and will serve most charmingly as Miss Johnson at the Beauty Show at the exposition in Dublin.

    Congressman W. W. Larson returned from Washington to visit with all his constituency in the 12th district. Hon. Walter F. Gray of Swainsboro, solicitor-general of the Middle Judicial Circuit came here. He says he is proud the county authorities of Johnson are working the Kite-Wrightsville road because he can then travel eight miles less to reach the courts in Sandersville.

    Adrian pulled off a big hog sale selling 562 head with top price was $6.95. The total pounds was 72,237. Sixty head was from Emanuel Co. Mr. J. R. Pound of Swainsboro was the successful bidder.

    The Wrightsville Atheletic Club easily defeated Cochran A. & M. by the score of 21 to 18. It was the best game of the tournament and it gave Wrightsville the championship of the tournament.

    With the first good planting days the farmers are planting some corn on the plantations. While there will be a larger acreage of cotton than last year there will not be a smaller acreage of corn. Stock raising being so prosperous has also called on the need for more corn.

    Mr. W. T. Johnson will run for County Treasurer. Dr. Wade R. Bedingfield has gone to New York to work in the hospital and college. Mr. J. J. Burns had his 54th birthday. Mr. Thomas Dickens will celebrate 79 years of age.

    Mayor T. V. Kent had a full house in the Mayor's Court. Darktown furnished the victims, eight of them, and the fine was $10 or 30 days, with two being held up for good behavior. The mayor is after violators and is instructing his policemen to pull down on them legally and pretty hard.

    Miss Mary Edna Jennings, daughter of Mrs. Lillian Jennings of Plains, and Dr. H. B. Bray of Grady Hospital were married March 7th. Dr. Bray is son of Mrs. C. T. Bray and brother to Nat, John, Charlie and Ostell Bray. Mr. Havie Soles and Miss Elma Caraway were happily married. Charles Ray in "Scrap Iron", a seven reel First National Attraction is at the Dixie Theatre.

    The State-Wide Clean-Up week had a fine time for it and many an old brush saw its last days along with old tin cans and other debris. The Wrightsville ladies are to be highly commended for their work along these lines. The city fathers, at the ladies suggestion placed at the main intersection a large sewer pipe standing upwards with flowers and a "drive to the right" sign.

    Mr. R. E. Hayes went to Oklahoma where an apartment house and store combined, which he built there several years ago, burned last week with a heavy financial loss to him. From now on each Sunday morning all business will be required to close at 9:30 am and no one can sell after that time.

From Days Gone By March 9, 1923

 March 9, 1923.

    Officers W. T. Kitchens, W. T. Rowland and Carl J. Claxton responded Friday late to a tip there was in operation near Moore's Chapel, a stilling outfit which would likely be going that night and so they drove down and began a search. It was found about 2 miles east of Moore's Chapel in a dense cluster of bushes, briers and swamp so thick that the officers could hardly work their entrance into it. They walked and crawled until they come up to the splended outfit which was set up and ready for business.

    It was a copper concern and looked to hold about 30 gallons of mash. County policeman Kitchens brought it to town and set it up in his store where hundreds gazed upon it. The large can, the second mate, the run and the worm were all of copper and in good condition. Seldom found and well-arranged an outfit found anywhere. About 125 gallons of mash, beer or mobby were destroyed. It was ripe for running and no doubt the outfit would have been all heated up in a few hours had the officers not found it. No arrests were made as no one was around it.

    For 7 years Dr. S. M. Johnson has been devising and originating specific ingredients to perfect a favorite beverage to be served at fountains or in bottles and to bear his own trademark. He has worked between calls on this drink until he has gotten it like he wants and spending alot of money perfecting it. His product being named "La Pal" advertising it as "Nothing else like it!" La Pal is going on the market right out of Wrightsville this summer.

    In the high school basketball tournament in Augusta the Redjackets scored the highest score in the first round. The 10 teams that played the score was Wrightsville 51, Louisville 24, Zebina 30, Wadley 29, North Augusta 19, Warrenton 35, Edgefield 24, Thompson 21, Graniteville 28, Wrens 35. In the Dublin tournament the Bearcats defeated Dublin 25 to 19. The Cochran Aggies beat the Redjackets 22 to 19. This pitted the Bearcats vs Sandersville and Wrightsville won 27 to 10.

    The Salvage Co. will be selling the damaged goods of the Dixie Dept. store that burned recently. The county will have another hog sale March 28th. Mr. & Mrs. W. Anthony West had fine twin boys. This makes 14 living children.

    Charlie Dent was in town selling cotton. He says there is going to be a cotton famine on account of the scarcity of labor. More than 100 farms are lying out this year because of nobody to work them.

    The post office says now if you get your mail delivered by a rural carrier you must have a mailbox. In January & February the W. & T. RR. shipped 447 cars of fertilizer, the Wadley Southern shipped 286 cars.

    Warden Stanley is building a good road between the city and Kite. This is the most important road in the county now. It is 4 miles nearer via Kite and Wrightsville to Sandersville from Swainsboro.

    Mr. J. T. Jenkins was honored on his 65th birthday. Rev. C. R. Williams has moved to Alma. Mr. Elton Oliver has moved to Waynesboro to work in the Chero-Cola bottling works. Mr. J. L. Stephens works in a silk weaving mill in High Point, N. C. Morris Riner may run again for state senator. Mr. John A. Douglas, Jr. Is likely to run for Clerk of Court. William Duncan in "Where Men Are Men" is at the Dixie.

    Do you know that over $250 worth of butter fat is being shipped from the county each month. A carload of livestock has been shipped from the county for nearly every day this year. Thousands of dollars have gone into the banks from cotton sales. That sewerage would help Wrightsville no telling how much. More lumber is being moved now than when timber was around. That officers are on the scout for tigers and the like. We had 2 cases of rabies while the state had 2,476 cases. It was left to a black man chemist to show the world the 150 by products of the lowly peanut. The guinea fowl has been proven to be very effective in the eradication of the boll weevil.

From Days Gone By March 2,1923

 March 2, 1923.

    Saturday and Saturday night was a bad time for the negro Burnett family who live on the William Oliver place on account of the meanderings of one. Modie Taylor, colored, who also lives around there when he's not on the county gang.

    Taylor made it hot for the whole layout of Burnett's, driving the old woman up the road with a shotgun and abusing her badly. He wasn't satisfied with that and he sets in wait along the road about dark for the boy, Arthur Burnett. Arthur worked with Mr. Tarbutton. Modie gets in ambush and lies in wait with a single barrelled shotgun. As Arthur comes along Modie shoots filling the boy's front from waist up with small shot and knocking out a couple of teeth. The doctor says if it hadn't been for Arthur's thickly clad body it could have been real serious but Arthur will get well.

    Modie seemed to be working his way back in the gang. He hit for high parts but was seen by several people and the county and three baliffs went in search for him on Monday. But Modie decided he rather surrender and while they were tracking him he walked calmly into Sheriff Davis' office unarmed, leaving the gun at his brothers.

    Robbers made an unsuccessful attempt to rob the Scott Banking Co. just before rain set in Monday night. The parties drove up and made a quick entrance through broken windows, then pulled the shades and placed a type writer on it so they would not be detected. Scott like other small towns at this hour are asleep. The robbers had nothing to stop them until they had broken the knob to the vault door and left it still fastened hard. They left in such dismay they didn't even stop to take the $10 left in tbe cash drawer. Banking was at a stanstill till they could get in the vault. The rain came in time the robbers could not be tracked out of town with no clue who it was, where they came from or where they went.

    Will Cuyler, a colored laborer with Rowland Lumber Co. was severly wounded while working around the dry kiln at the lumber plant. The large weights that control the door were hoisted at the time and in some manner one fell, crushing down on Will's head and fractured his skull. Also badly wounding his right hip. Mr. Arthur Rowland rushed him to Dr. Claxton in Dublin. His escape was a narrow one but he is believed to recover.

    Mr. W. T. Kitchens of Wrightsville was appointed county policeman. He will serve papers and act as an arresting officer. It is rumored Mr. W. R. "Bill" Smith will run for sheriff. Mr. J. D. Johnson has moved to Clearwater, S. C.

    Rev. J. C. Griner with some members of his congregation had a thrilling experience at Arline. When assembling they began to build a fire in the stove. It started right off an the pastor began the service when he discovered the house on fire around the stove. Quick work got it put out. Mr. & Nrs. C. T. Swinson had a daughter on Feb. 25th. Mr. & Mrs. J. E. Tompkins daughter, Lulline, is engaged to Mr. Claude Lewis Hodges.

    The Redjackets won two games beating Louisville 18 to 4, then went to Wrens and beat them 26 to 21. The Bearcats beat Adrian Athletic Quint 39 to 31.

    Frank Flanders just laid the foundation for Mr. Nat Bray's new store near his home in the country. Alice Lake in "The Golden Gift" is at the Dixie.

    Bearing down tremendously hard on the flagrant lawlessness now going on in our county, Rev. Brown during his revival at Brown Memorial pulled down the bars and flayed the workshops of Satan in all their accursed features. He never missed a word but went after gambling, liquor drinking, dancing, picture shows and public bathing pools with his gloves off. He applied the remedy in each and declared that in order to be faithful he could not nor would not change the label on the bottle.

From Days Gone By Feb. 23, 1923

 February 23, 1923.

    The body of the boy found dead in a Laurens Co. field a few weeks ago was identified as Remus Cooper of Soperton, son of Mrs. Emily Cooper. She had missed him since Jan. 18th where he was suppose to be enroute to Ft. Benning from Dublin. It was first thought the boy was from Johnson Co. Mrs. Cooper went to Dublin and identified the man's clothes.

    Cooper went from Dublin with several others to Ft. Benning for enlistment but on account of being 5 lbs under weight he was not sworn in and his enlistment was held up a few days. During that time he walked away without notice and acted like he did because he thought if found he would be arrested. He seemed dilerious an refused help getting to the point he fell from exposure and flu-pneumonia. The last time he was seen he walked by a negro woman's house who asked what he wanted, he replied only his mother. Laurens Co. health officer refused to allow his body dug up until lawful conditions were met. She wanted her boy back in Soperton.

    Lee Johnson, the colored blacksmith for G. A. Tarbutton, a peaceful, industrious worker for 2 years, fell dead less than 100 yards from his home from apoplexy according to a coroner's jury. Lee had been complaining of being "under the weather", he was advised to go home and headed that way was stricken. He fell on his face, his hat pulled down over his eyes in the middle of the road.

    The 10 year old son of Mr. & Mrs. Milledge Meeks shoots his toe off with a gun while hunting. The whole foot was mangled badly.

    The big chicken sale produced $3,600 actual cash to the many producers. A carload was shipped to Philadelphia. In the hog sale was shipped 266 hogs worth $2,507.23. At least 40 farmers sold hogs.

    The annual school meeting will be April 13th which will include spelling, reading, arithmetic and writing contests. There will be athletic contests also..

    Mr. Ivey R. Tanner shipped off a carload of hogs and cows. Col. W. M. Shurling is operating one of the fastest velvet bean hullers seen in a many day. Mr. DeWitte T. Brinson produces big hogs having just put in his smokehouse one that netted him 526 lbs of meat, the largest here yet.

    Mayor T. V. Kent went on the bench facing a lot of wrong doers for various charges. Several fines were assesed, two for $25 each, a couple for $10 each. Mayor Kent is turning out to be a crime fighter.

    Pvt. Willie J. Mills of Co. A, 8th Inf. now at Ft. Screven, Tybee Island, and just back from Coblenz arrived home on a 21 day furlough to see his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Arnold A. Mills who reside on the old Wright Sumner place. He hasn't been home in 4 years.

    Dr. J. W. Brinson had a very costly and dangerous auto accident 7 miles out of town towards Tennille when his auto skidded into a ditch. All was bruised badly. Roads in the Kite area are being worked on now by Warden Stanley starting near Rehobeth Ch. and work that community. He wants to make a big 30 ft road of the Kite-Wrightsville highway, a part of the Bee-Line and is considered the most important road in the county at this point.

    The first defeat at home this season for the Redjackets when the G. M. C. Quint 34 to 10. Tomorrow at the Kennedy indoor court here the Redjackets take on Cochran A. & M. Quintette.

    Playing at the Dixie Theatre is George Arliss in "The Devil". Also Lester Cuneo in "Lone Hand Wilson", a 5 reel western.

    Medical science takes another step, saving a negro man whose heart had been punctured. The heart was sewn up, and the negro man is well. The operation was performed at Grady in Atlanta.

    Mrs. J. G. Davis died at her home only being ill a few minutes before her death. She was born in Jefferson Co. Dec. 20, 1872 daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Robert Ford. A member of Nails Creek Ch for 37 years. She had been almost an invalid for 20 years. She left a husband, three daughters and two sons.

From Days Gone By Feb. 16,1923

 February 16, 1923.

    Has anybody in Johnson Co. lost a son, about 18 or 20 years old, light dark hair, sun burned a right smart and has been gone about 15 days now? This was the question that county policeman J. T. Jackson of Laurens Co. was asking here Tuesday in an effort to gain some tangible info relative to the death of the young man that was found near Dublin some weeks ago lying up in a field.

    Mr. Jackson had a clue that the fellow was John Will Amason, a son of Bill Amason of this city, but upon going to the Amason home was informed they had not lost a boy, that all their son's were at home working. He still had another clue which he was investigating and the results he has not disclosed yet.

    If there is a lost son from Johnson since Jan. 1st the fact has not come to light so far and many questions are being asked all around to see if one is missing. They are anxious to ascertain just who this dead fellow is. He was buried the other day where he was found.

    The Dixie Dept. Store burned to the ground early last Thursday morning Feb. 8th. This was a severe loss to the owners which had been in business for several years. Starting off as Hauger-Hobbs-Davis Co. then Hauger-Davis Co. then The Dixie Dept store. It was a total loss from fire, water and smut. The amount of insurance did not cover the stock. It is not known how the fire started other than a bad stove flue causing it. The fire fighters couldn't save the store but did prevent damage to adjoining stores. The firm members C. D. Hauger, J. Tom Davis and C. H. Moore decided to reopen as soon as possible. The building belonged to Mr. E. A. Lovett and was next door to Dixie Theatre.

    The Feb. term of city court convened with Judge Ben Hill Moye. Instead of a two day court it was a two hour court. Charlie Brown, colored, pled guilty in two cases and drew two fines, one for 12 months or $125 and 10 months or $75. He went to the gang. J. W. Page, white, drew a fine of $100 or 12 months as he pled guilty but paid the fine.

    Mr. Charlie Johnson who was stabbed two Saturday nights ago by Morris has improved now after fighting for his life. His home is at the rise of the hill just across the county line 4 miles north of town. 

    A scant 2 hours before he was to have walked the gallows to have his neck broken in penalty for killing his wife and sister-in-law, Seab Johnson, Emanuel Co. negro, was notified he would have 2 more weeks of life while additional evidence is being investigated. Sheriff Coleman received a telegram from Gov. Hardwick to respite him until Feb. 23rd.

    Mr. Henry T. Downs who lives at Carr's Station in the thick of the robbery a week ago when 2 blacks robbed all the stores joined the posse and tells this story:"We were stationed on the highway between Milledgeville and Sparta to watch for the two negroes, the dogs being after them. About 30 min after I was stationed there the two desperados came up Towns Creek to a bridge where Lindsey Gilmore was watching. He held up one of them while doing this the other shot Gilmore. They took his gun and went on up the creek. The dogs took a hot trail from Gilmore on up the swamp about a mile. There were found Gilmore's gun and the stolen gun and the men had seperated. The pursuit led on hot until a short distance away they overtook the mulatto negro and he was killed. He had left the creek and started up a branch. The posse then went back where the trail divided but after several hours couldn't catch him and he was still at-large. Gilmore died. A $100 reward is out for the other man described as 5'6" about 130 lbs an has 2 gold teeth."

    The city council are making a try-out of all-night light service which they started up last week. If you go to bed and are an early riser you will have lights, the light plant running till 7am. Merchants were asked to allow one light burn in the back of their stores serving two purposes, help the night policeman to see through the stores.

    A Johnson Co. boy, Pvt. Willie J. Mills is on the roster of the American doughboys of the 8th infantry who disembarked from the St. Mihiel at Savannah. He is in Co. A with 930 officers an men that left the occupied region at Coblenz, Germany.

    Wrightsville High defeated Empire 56-13 with Blount and Lovett playing best. The girls defeated Irwinton 19-4. The Bearcats were defeated by Glenwood 11-12 then the Redjackets defeated B. P. I. 25-31. Franklin Farnum in "The Fighting Grin" is at the Dixie.

    Mr. James Lewis Pournell died here Feb 12th after a several month illness. He was born Dec. 25th 1852. He was brother to Mr. W. L. Pournell. He was buried at Westview. Mr. George B. Maddox died at his home on Feb. 9th. He been sick for about a year. He was 51 years old, member of Moore's Chapel. Surviving him is his wife, a son, Tiller Maddox, 6 daughters, mrs. C. M. Sheppard, Mrs. C. C. Watts, Mrs. E. O. Hutchinson, Mrs. H. D. Garnto, Misses Nellie and Eddie Lou Maddox. One brother David L. Maddox and sister Mrs. J. W. Page. He was buried at Westview.