From Days Gone By April 2,1926

 April 2, 1926.

    Thursday morning Judge Camp began the second trial of J. J. Tanner accused of the murder of Mr. Gus Tarbutton on Ring jaw Bluff. The State was represented by Solicitor Fred Kea, former Solicitor E. L. Stephens, former Judge John Luther Kent, Col. W. C. Brinson and Col. Jack J. Harris. The defense was Evans & Evans and Wright & McMillian of Sandersville, Charles S. Claxton, Thomas E. Hightower and former Governor Thomas W. Hardwick.

    Six panels were sworn from which to obtain a jury. The jury consisted of J. N. Hall, D. A. J. Price, J. T. Horton, H. E. Webb, T. W. Stapleton, J. R. Grice, W. Marcus Anderson, Samuel Foskey, Buddie Brantley, F. M. Tapley, C. L. Williams and N. T. Beasley.

    The testimony was grilled as strongly as in the first trial. Several witnesses could not attend, some had died, others had gone beyond the court jurisdiction. It was fought stubbornly on both sides. All the evidence was concluded at 6:15 Saturday night with a packed courthouse all through the trial. The jury got the case in time to consider it but a few minutes when the Judge ordered the Sheriff to care for them until Monday.

    The jury came in about ten Monday morning with a verdict of guilty and carried the recommendation to the Judge for mercy. Tanner had nothing to say before the Judge passed a life time sentence on Tanner. Attorneys for Tanner immediately filed a motion for another trial and this motion will be heard May 15th.

    The annual meeting of the Wrightville & Tennille Railroad was held in Savannah. All officers and directors were reelected. A dividend of 6 per cent was declared on Preferred Stock and a dividend of 3 per cent on Common Stock.

    Mrs. R. H. Rowland entertained her father, Judge John Luther Kent on his 58th birthday. The mumps, the kind which gives you the big jaw, has been raging all around the county.

    The Southern Agricultural Works have offered $100 for the best five acres of cotton in Georgia. Agent Crow is urging all boys in the corn clubs to enter this contest.

    There will be a soil redintegration or soil building demonstration here in April on the J. H. Rowland plantation three miles east of Wrightville. The public will be interested to see the growing vetch on this piece of ground.