Cleburne County AlArchives News.....Newspaper Abstracts for MARCH 1922 March 1922 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Candace Gravelle tealtree@comcast.net February 4, 2005, 11:50 pm The Cleburne News NEWSPAPER ABSTRACTS FROM "THE CLEBURNE NEWS", Heflin, Cleburne County, Alabama for MARCH 1922 NEWSPAPER issue of Thursday, March 2, 1922 LOCAL News Sheriff Adams perhaps has the record smashed as to having captured the smallest contrivance for the manufacture of "white mule", having captured the outfit in several days along with it's alleged operator. While searching for a still at a place some eight or ten miles southeast of Heflin an outfit of 1 gallon capacity was found in the back yard near the well of a farmer, it is said, and was set up ready for operation. The composit parts of the still were two ten-pound lard buckets, one shoved into the other, this with an iron pipe connection through which the "juice" ran. The outfit, if preserved, will be a valuable addition to some future museum. The sheriff also has in his possession the "Kaiser", the largest that officer and his forces have captured out of the 140 or more destroyed. The "Kaiser" is of pure cooper and large capacity. __ MUSCADINE News Rolfe and John Watson have returned to the Army after 30 days vacation. __ BETHSADIA News Mrs. Lenorah Junior visited Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Newborn Saturday night. __ Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Pruitt and little granddaughter Nettie Bentley spent Saturday night with W.M. Kessler and family. __ FRUITHURST News Mrs. J.P. Carnes left on Wednesday for a visit to her daughter, Mrs. Isaac Holder of Douglasville and her brother at LaGrange. __ Mrs. Hugh Faulkner and children are visiting relatives here. __ LOCAL News The late grand jury returned 28 indictments. A true bill charging murder in the first degree was returned against R.B. Ferguson for alleging killing of Chalmers McAlpin near Long's Store the latter part of last year. Ferguson was being held to the grand jury under a bond set by Judge Agree following Judge Baber's refusal after a preliminary hearing at Heflin. It is said that Ferguson is still at liberty under the bond fixed by Judge Agee last year. J.A. McCoy was indicted for murder in the second degree for the alleged killing of John Laminack the latter part of 1921. McCoy is out on a $2,500. bond. Ferguson will be given a trial at Anniston in federal court, sometime in May, it is said. __ LOCAL News Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Scott Robison, a girl. The little miss has been christened Margaret Elizabeth. __ Mr. J.H. Haley of Boaz, is the guest of relatives in Heflin this week. People who knew no better mistake the Boaz gentleman as being Uncle Jonathan's youngest son. __ HEFLIN News Born, to Mr. and Mrs. John Dunn, a boy. __ Bessie Butler of Trickum Valley visited Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Butler last week. __ Jesse Butler and family spent Sunday night with Jethro Cheatwood and family. __ HEPSABAH News Mr. and Mrs. Jim Wright, from Florida, spent a few days last week with their son Ellis Wright. __ Z.W. Morris, wife and daughter visited P.T. Howle and family Sunday afternoon. __ BEASON MILL News Horace Houston of Heflin spent the weekend here with his sister Mrs. Tom Teague. __ Mrs. Ben Teague and brother Leonard Faulkner have returned from a weeks visit to their sister in Carrollton, GA. __ RED LAND News Mrs. Delia Lovell and children attended the funeral of Arthur Traylor at Pine Hill. __ Mr. and Mrs. William Allen spent Saturday night and Sunday with the latter's mother, Mrs. Sutton. __ OBITUARY OF NELSON O. MESSER Nelson O. Messer, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.S. Messer, was born June 27, 1902; was married to Miss Minnie Myers July 7, 1921. On the evening of Feb. 8, 1922, while working in a coal mine near Birmingham, from an explosion of a can of powder, he was badly burned, resulting in his death that night about 11 o'clock. Bro. Messer attached himself to the Baptist Church in August 1912, during the pastorshop of Bro. C.R. Clarter at Howle's Grove. I am glad to say that he was loyal to and loved the church. His walk in walk, his great faith in god has been and will be of great inspiration to those who knew him. I can only say to the bereaved family "weep not as tho we had no hope, for as we cannot bring him back, we can go to him through our lord." I feel that he was one that could say "I heard a voice from heaven saying "blessed are the dead which die in the lord from henceforth they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them." R.L. Skinner ___ OAK GROVE News Miss Bessie Junior spent Saturday night with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W.M. Kesler. __ LECTA News Mr. and Mrs. M.F. White visited their daughter Mrs. Henry Hilley Saturday night and Sunday. __ OAK LEVEL News Mrs. Ben Steed, who has been quite sick for some time, is no better. __ Grover Roberts has returned home after a visit near Ft. Payne. __ NEWSPAPER issue of Thursday, March 9, 1922 UNION Hill News Mrs. Beason is visiting her son Noah Beason. __ Sorry to say that Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Blake have moved from this section. __ HIGHTOWER News Mr. and Mrs. F. Hanson spent Saturday night with their daughter, Mrs. M.V. Estes. __ FRIENDSHIP News Mrs. W.R. Henry of Bowdon who was called to the bedside of her father, returned home Saturday. __ Mrs. T.C. Johnson visited her daughter Mrs. Jesse Warmack on Sunday. __ C.L. Boman of Walnut Grove, Ala., visited his mother last week. __ James Scott spent the weekend with his sister, Mrs. C.P. Robinson. __ LECTA News "Uncle" George Fordham is seriously ill. __ Nellie Teague has been on the sick list for the past week. __ Marvin Lott and family returned home Monday from a visit in Texas. __ R.C. White is still on the sick list. __ GRANTLY News Mrs. C.A. Henson of Cedartown spent last week with her daughter Mrs. T.C. Moore. __ Ralph Warren and his mother spent the weekend with relatives at DeArmanville. __ FRUITHURST News Mrs. R.B. Blackmarr is packing preparatory to leaving for Florida soon. __ Mr. and Mrs. Rufus Savage are in Piedmont visiting relatives. Mr. Savage's brother is ill with grief over the death of his son Frank, a Lieutenant in the A.E.F., whose health was undermined to such an extent that he shot himself recently. __ Mrs. S.E. Moore has her brother, Mr. Laminack of Georgia visiting her. __ LOCAL News C.F. Dodson spent the weekend in Atlanta with his daughter, Mrs. J. Paul Robinson. __ Born, to Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Harlan, a son. __ Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Homer V. Jones, a girl. __ The news is in receipt of a letter telling of the death of "Aunt" Jane Laminack, which was received too late for this week but will appear in the next issue. __ AI News J.W. Warren and family spent Sunday with M.V. Harris and family. __ Roy Phillips is on the sick list this week. __ Miss Leola Myers is visiting her sister Mrs. Charles Wisner of Lebanon this week. __ BELL MILLS News Ruth McCulley left Saturday on an extended visit with relatives in Tennessee. __ NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, March 16, 1922 MEMORIAL AT EDWARDSVILLE There will be a singing at Edwardsville the fifth Sunday in April 1922 in memory of "Grandma" Bragg. The old sacred harp will be used and a large crowd is invited and everyone is invited to come and bring their books. __ GOOD HOPE News Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Sims were the guest of the latter's parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Jenkins. __ Mrs. Harris of Mt. Olive is visiting her daughter Mrs. Mitchell. __ Rosa and Lula Newsome spent last week with their sister, Mrs. Exer Miller. __ Jasper Sellers of Mississippi is visiting his daughter Mrs. Hayne. __ NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION Notice is hereby given that an application for pardon or parole of Jim Berryhill, convicted and sentenced by the circuit court of Cleburne County, Ala., in two cases, on the 10th day of March 1921, for distilling, to hard labor for not less than a year and one day and not more than 15 months in the first case and not more than 18 months in the second case in the penitentiary of said state, will be made to the Governor of Alabama. Jim Berryhill ___ RANBURNE News The James boys passed through Ranburne Sunday night, shooting up the town. __ LOCAL News Mr. and Mrs. Mack Cook of Somerset, KY are visiting the former's mother, Mrs. V.A. Cook. __ Born, to Mr. and Mrs. John Lambert, a boy. __ CHULAFINNEE News "Uncle" Jeff Johnson fell and was painfully hurt last week and has been quite ill since. __ AGED MOTHER GONE TO REST "Aunt' Jane Laminack, wife of Mr. John D. Laminack, died at the home of her husband near Muscadine campground, on Wednesday morning, February 22, 1922 and was laid to rest in the family cemetery, Rev. Compton officiating at the burial. A large number of Aunt Jane's neighbors and friends were present at the interment to pay this sainted mother their last tribute of respect. Mrs. Laminack has lived a pure and christian life and was ready to go with her lord called her. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church which has lost one of its truest supports. Aunt Jane will be missed in the home, community and church. The deceased leaves a husband, four children and a large number of grandchildren to mourn her death. All the children, C.E.; T.E.; and J.W Laminack, and Mrs. Ida McLendon, were at the bedside of their mother when the end came. "Dear mother has gone to that city where trouble and trials never come and dwells with the angels and her loved ones in that beautiful heavenly home." Jannita Alewine ___ TRICKEM News J.R. McElroy spent Sunday with J.E. Wise. __ Mrs. L.J. Baughn was the Sunday guest of Mrs. Mary Wise. __ Joe Jones has been going on crutches for several days from cutting his foot with an axe. __ NEWSPAPER issue of Thursday, March 23, 1922 CHEATWOOD SHOT SATURDAY NIGHT Last Saturday night, A.D. Cheatwood, an industrious young farmer living a short distance northeast of Heflin, gathered his wife and baby together and went to attend a basket or box supper given by the teacher and pupils of Cane Creek School. Everything progressed nicely it is said, until after the exercises and the crowd was leaving for their respective homes. It is said that as A.D. Cheatwood, in company of his sister, was leaving the school building, he was accosted near the door it is claimed, by John Rakestraw, who told Cheatwood that he was going to kill him. The sister pleaded for her brother's life, but in vain, and drawing a pistol, Rakestraw shot Cheatood dead on the spot. The News has made more than one effort to ascertain a motive for the killing but has been unable to do so, and if there was ground the the murder the general public is ignorant of it. Rakestraw left immediately after the tragedy and has not been apprehended, although Sheriff Adams has made efforts to locate and arrest him. Newnan Roach, charged with being an accessory to the killing, has been arrested and placed in jail here and will be given a preliminary trial before Judge Baber on Friday, the 24th in Heflin. The funeral and interment took place Sunday at Cane Creek, near where the tragedy occurred. ____ OAK LEVEL News Mrs. B.F. Steed who has been sick for some time, passed away on Tuesday, March 14th and was laid to rest in Camp Creek cemetery the following day, Rev. W.L. Carnes conducting the funeral and burial services. __ TRICKEM VALLEY News Otis White has recently moved to Trickem. __ Virgil Daniel spent Sunday afternoon with Hubert McElroy. __ BELL MILLS News Mrs. Henry Hilley visited her parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank White at Lecta on Sunday. __ NEWSPAPER issue of Thursday, March 30, 1922 LOCAL News Joe Sanford, charged with the manufacturing of whiskey, who escaped from the county jail last January is in the "hotel de Adams" having been arrested Saturday night near Oak Level by Sheriff Adams, Deputy Black and Tom Prestridge. At the time of Sanford's escape from jail, Homer Price also made his get-away and has not yet been apprehended. Sheriff Adams was particularly anxious to rope Sanford, who, the Sheriff had in January, gone to Arkansas for and later making his escape by digging through the jail wall. ___ AI News Mrs. M.V Harris left Sunday for Anniston to visit her mother who is quite sick. __ RAKESTRAW DENIED BOND John Rakestraw, charged with the killing of A.D. Cheatwood on Saturday night, March 18th, at Cane Creek School house, two miles southwest of Edwardsville, following a box supper, came to Heflin on Thursday morning and surrendered to Sheriff Adams and was placed in the county jail, and with Newman Roach, who was captured a few hours after the alleged killing, and was given a preliminary trial before Judge Baber on last Friday. The court room was packed with spectators, there being a large number of witnesses in the crowd, both for the state and the defense. The state put up only three witnesses, while the defense examined six. The defense attempted to show that Rakestraw shot Cheatwood in self defense. All the witnesses except Rakestraw testified that no words had passed between the deceased and the defendant so far as they knew just prior to the killing. After the arguments of the solicitor and attorneys for the defense, Judge Baber ordered Rakestraw remanded to jail without bond and fixed Roach's bail at $1,000. which was furnished. Rakestraw's attorneys will go before Circuit Judge Agee and ask that a bond be set for their client, it is said. The state was represented by Colicitor J.C. Nichols, while Merrill and Jones and Hugh D. Merrill of Anniston looked after the defentant's interests. ____ FRUITHURST News Mrs. Emory Moore visited her parents Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Laminack of Cullman for the past week and is now at home preparing for removal to the country. We are sorry to lose Mr. and Mrs. Moore from town. __ Mrs. Hugh Faulkner and chldren have returned to Atlanta after their visit here. __ LOCAL News Mrs. G.F. Hill returned Friday morning of last week from Hartselle to visit her mother, Mrs. Mandy Tolleson, who has been quite sick at the home of her son, Jesse Tolleson. Late reports say that her condition is improved. __ DEATH OF BROTHER CAUSES SADNESS Letter from I.V. Cheatwood from Leoma, Tennessee To the Cleburne News, Just a few lines at The News has been coming to me since my removal here from Cleburne some months ago, and I see an account of the killing of brother A.D. Cheatwood at Cane Creek on the night of the 18th of this month by John Rakestraw and it almost breaks my heart, but I had much rather hear that it was A.D. that was shot and killed than for him to have murdered John. I wanted to come and take a last look at my dear brother, but sickness prevented my doing so. I am sorry for my poor old mother, brothers and sisters and A.D.'s devoted wife and little daughter who will never realize how her papa worshipped his child. I am also in deep sympathy with John's mother and father for I am sure they did not want him to commit such a crime. From reports coming to me he had no excuse whatever in taking the life of my brother, leaving his wife and baby to fight the hardships of this world. My brother had often told me of his experience in France, of how shot and shell rained around him at the front; but god was at his side and he went through it all to be murdered at home! I hope the courts and juries of Cleburne will do their duty, god knows that's all anyone should ask; time will tell. In conclusion I want to say that A.D. was a law abiding boy and that his name does not appear on the court records. His work on earth is finished, he has gone to meet the one judge from whose verdict there is no appeal or "new trial." A.D. met his marker as he and his comrades met the enemy in France; god receive his soul, comfort his wife and baby and protect his widowed mother. From a heart broken brother, I.V. Cheatwood, Leoma, Tennessee. ___ MARS HILL News Friends of Mrs. Garner are sorry to know she is still on the sick list. __ Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Payne visited his father on Sunday. __ MUSCADINE News Mrs. Everett Cheves of Tallapoosa is visiting her mother Mrs. M.M. Allbright. __ Mrs. Grady Laminack and Mrs. C.J. Roberds visited near Lebanon on Friday afternoon. __ CAMP GROUND News John Parker is all smiles as his Grandpa McCoy has given him a Ford. __ William J. Austin spent Sunday with his father, J.A. Austin. __ Sam Tompkins spent Saturday night with his uncle, J.M. Cheatwood. __ Lawson Roberds spent Saturday night with his sister, Mrs. Latha Laminack. __ Mr. and Mrs. Grady Laminack spent Sunday afternoon with Mrs. C.E. Laminack. __ Bob Lee Tompson spent Saturday night with his sister, Mrs. Ellen Cheatwood. __ File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/cleburne/newspapers/gnw287newspape.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 17.4 Kb