From Days Gone By Aug. 22,1925

 August 22,1925.

    The fire bug put in another days work Sunday morning about church time. The alarm sounded the W. H. Lovett's planing mill was afire. The whole Northside of the city was threatened. The firemen tried but it being so dry and a stiff wind blowing. Dublin sent a truck and a dozen men and finally got it under control. It is the 4th fire at Lovett's mill. He carried insurance on most of it. It's believed the fire was from shavings strewn along from the pile to the boiler. Lovett says he will rebuild.

    While playing little Joe Brinson, son of Mr. & Mrs. DeWitt Brinson, with is brothers were playing with a tin can and some wire when somehow the end of the wire went directly in his eye and he may lose his sight in that eye.

    Mr. Clayton N. Dent, 45, died in Macon while hauling lumber to the sash and door Co. His truck overturned while rounding a curve and he was half buried under the heavy load.

    Judge Camp opened Superior Court. A hundred men were called for jury duty but for varying excuses only 59 remained. A new face was at this trial, Col. Thomas E. Hightower of Dublin was retained by Rawlings. Much time was taken in whipping into shape all phases of the case. Rawlings attorneys argued the jury was improperly empanelled but Judge Camp overruled. Finally by the afternoon 12 men all Farmers, were selected. They were J. L. Drake, J. B. Wambles, Sr., Willie Lindsey, R. L. Kitchens, Dennis Mimbs, J. Elton Brantley, Jesse J. Grant, A. R. Brooks, C. H. Kitchens, J. M. Henry, D. O. Young and Respus Powell.

    The first witness was Lewis Stephens, colored, who was digging the bauxite holes. Next C. T. Alexander, the timberman, Mr. & Mrs. T. I. Young and Dr. H. B. Bray lead the circumstantial evidence with what the witness actually saw. A case of conspiracy between the 2 defendants and the attempt to prove that the death of Tarbutton was due to wilful crime and not to an accidental discharge of the shotgun carried by Tanner form the basis of the State's case. The defense denies any conspiracy or plot to kill Tarbutton and asserts that the dead man was accidentally shot.

    Dr. S. M. Johnson and M. E. Crow testified about the inquest and the scene of the fatal spot where the brains of Tarbutton were piled in a winding path down the steep descent of Ringjaw Bluff. A hot argument ensued over insurance papers held by Lake Holt, Receiver of the Rawlings estate.

   J. D. Bush, undertaker, testified to the wounds in Tarbutton's head. He prepared the body for burial.

    Late Wednesday afternoon the State put up Noah Covington, the white man who says he saw the shooting. More witnesses will be sworn by the prosecution before that side rests. There are about 50 witnesses on each side. The trial will likely consume all this week and may run into next week.

    Dr. William Rawlings, known nation wide is the founder and owner of the large Sanitarium and hospital that bears his name in Sandersville sat by his brother, Charlie, most of the trial.