Cleburne County AlArchives News.....Newspaper Abstracts for DECEMBER 1915 December 1915 ************************************************ 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 April 16, 2005, 12:26 am The Cleburne News December 1915 NEWSPAPER ABSTRACTS FROM "THE CLEBURNE NEWS", Heflin, Cleburne County, Alabama for DECEMBER 1915 (Note: Several newspaper issues missing from the microfilm roll for December 1915) NEWSPAPER issue of Thursday, December 2, 1915 LOCAL News Mrs. J.W. McClurkin of Anniston spent Friday with her sister, Mrs. F.P. Owens. __ Mrs. Charles P. Crouch and son Charles Jr. spent last week in Bremen with her parents, Dr. and Mrs. M.H. Stephens. __ Mr. V.A. Cook returned Sunday afternoon from Baltimore, MD., where he went to take treatments at the John HOpkins Institute. Mr. Cook seems improved since his trip and his hundreds of friends throughout the county hope that he will soon be restored to his wanted good health. ___ OWEN REFUSED BAIL The preliminary trial of Irvin Owen, charged with killing Ed Crouch, was heard by Judge A.H. Glasgow of the Probate court Thursday of last week. It will be remembered that Crouch was carried to Sellers' hospital in Anniston after the shooting and died there several days ago. A number of eye witnesses testified that they saw Owen shoot Crouch and he admitted the fact but said he did it in self defense. He said that Crouch was rushing at him with a whiskey bottle upraised in his right hand as if to strike, and to avoid to blow, he pulled his gun and fired. Owen was refused bail by Judge Glasgow but it is understood that his attorneys will now make use of habeas corpus proceedings to have him out of jail. Habeas corpus proceeding will be held in Anniston on Monday, December 6th before Chancellor W.W. Whitesides. ____ Ai News Mr. and Mrs. W.F. Jacobs attended the burial of the latter's brother at Waco, GA last week. They have our sympathy. __ Leonard Gaines attended the Harvest Festival in Atlanta recently and reports a nice time. __ J.W. Warren has purchased Ed Haines' farm. Ed intends to move to the Sand Mountain and we wish him well. __ Mr. Lambert is building himself a bridge across the Tallapoosa River. __ Justis Garner has purchased a motorcycle but we don't think he has it under good control yet. __ Mrs. Allen Garner and children of Louisiana are visiting Mrs. C.C. Gaines and other relatives in the community. __ NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, December 9, 1915 LOCAL News Mrs. W.A. Mays spent Sunday in Anniston with her sister Mrs. S.O. Smith. __ "Aunt" Amanda Tolleson left for Texas a few days ago to visit her children during the winter. __ Mrs. C.W. Stephens is with her mother Mrs. Mobley who is very sick at her home near Carrollton, Georgia. __ Messrs. C.M. Breed and family, S.P. Bean and family, T.N. Hann and family and Zeal Brown and family boarded the train here last week for Haleyville where they will make their future homes. ___ Mr. and Mrs. V.A. Cook had as their guests last week, Dr. J.R. McEachern and wife of Monticello, Florida, Dr. W.S. Cook of Albany, Georgia, Dr. H.M. Cook and wife of Tampa, Florida and Mrs. G.W. Cook of Bowdon, Georgia. ___ Mr. Luther McMahan, a popular young man of near Hopewell, and Miss Lois Taylor of the same community, were happily married last Sunday, Rev. Asa Willingham officiating. The young couple left this week for north Alabama where they will make their future home. ___ Mr. M.L. Gaines, from over on the river, was here Monday and informed us that Mrs. Gaines was quite ill and had been for some time, and was improving but very slowly. ___ Miss Maud Harris of Heflin and Mr. L.B. Sparks of Boaz, Alabama were married. The wedding took place at the bride's parents last Wednesday afternoon, the ceremony being performed by Rev. W.A. Mays, pastor of the First Methodist church of Heflin. The groom's gift to the bride was a new bungalow, newly furnished. The happy couple left for their home in Boaz, Alabama. A grand reception in Boaz was given in their honor at the home of the groom's brother, Mr. Howell Sparks. ___ BELL MILLS News Tom Prestage has recently moved to this place. __ R.L. Owen has opened a new blacksmith shop here. Bill Mason who has recently moved here from Hightower will assist him. __ Born to Mr. and Mrs. Bart Champion on last Monday, a boy. __ MCBURNETT SHOT DEAD AT HOME Madison McBurnett was shot and killed at his home in Randolph County on Wednesday afternoon, four miles north of Wedowee, by a white tenant named Stevens. Mr. McBurnett was a former capitalist in east Alabama, his interests covering several counties, Cleburne, Calhoun and Randolph, but had been devoting his time of late years to his farm on the Tallapoosa River. He had built a modern home, with all the up-to-date convenience, and was one of the most prosperous farmers of Randolph, operating his farm with up-to-date farming implements. He had been married a few years since but was separated from his wife. The home is on the old McBurnett homestead that has been in the family for more than 70 years. He was buried in the family burying ground where his father, his grandparents and great grandparents are buried. ____ NEWSPAPER Issue of Thursday, December 16, 1915 NARROW ESCAPE OF REVENUE OFFICERS The following news item appeared in the Anniston Star on Monday: It is a well known fact that internal revenue officers often take their lives in their hands when raiding moonshiners in mountainous regions but it is very rare that they meet with an adventure so startling as befell four revenue men late last night. Eight Revenue men, headed by E.C. Yellowley, district revenue agent of Nashville, left Piedmont about 9 o'clock last night with the intention of raiding a still and capturing the men who were implicated in the shooting of Capt. J.B. Edwards a few days ago. They were proceeding along the road, through a drizzling rain, in the darkness, in two covered hacks, four men in each, when the first hack suddenly pitched forward into Terrapin Creek. The occupants of the hack were Mr. Yelloley and Revenue Officer F.F. Koerber, John H. Draper and R.P. Ferguson. The creek embankment had given away under the weight of the horses and the hack and the men were precipitated into eight feet of water, where they were held down by the wreckage of the hack and the horses. One of the horses was instantly killed in the fall and the other died a few minutes later. Mr. Koerber managed to free himself from the wrecked hack when he was almost exhausted and was struggling up the bank when the second horse in its struggle kicked him back into the water and then rolled on him. Had it not been for the fact that a second hack was following closely, the four men would surely have been drowned. As it was, none of them expected to escape death and all were about done for when their rescuers pulled them out of the water. In telling of the awful experience today, Mr. Koerber said he would rather be shot at by a moonshiner a dozen times than have the same adventure again. The party returned to Piedmont drenched and cold but none the less determined to get the band of illicit distillers they are after. "Their arrest is only postponed", Mr. Yellowley said today. "We will get them if we have to deputize a hundred men. We have had numerous reports lately of illicit stills in Cleburne and Randolph counties and are determined to rid these counties of every one of them. It is not true that our offices have non sufficient authority. They can engage as many men as seems to them necessary to make a raid and it was unnecessary for Capt. Edwards to go in after the gang without more force than he did. But he has the reputation of being one of the most daring men in the service." The men who were so fortunately with the party last night when the accident happened were J.B. Ivins, Irwin McGrue, Deputy Marshall Blake and H.M. Burrows. The men who were thrown into the creek owe their lives to these men who worked heroically to release and resuscitate them. _____ SANTA LETTERS Dear Santa, I am a little boy 9 years old staying out of school on account of little sister's illness. So if you don't bring me something I will have to pick up hickory nuts in the back yard. So please bring me an express wagon, nuts, candy and lots of other goodies. Your little boy, Comer McMahan. __ Dear Santa, I want a doll and some candies too. I want some applies and oranges, some bananas. Good by, Santa. Flora Whitman __ Dear Santa, I am a little boy seven years old and go to school. Have tried to be a good little boy since you was here last christmas. Please come again and bring me a tricycle, toy gun, apples, oranges, bananas, candy. Don't forget my little brother Olen. from R.D. Hammond ___ Dear Santa, I am a little boy six years old. I have been a good little boy and have helped mamma with baby sister. Please bring me a gun, some candy, apples, nuts, oranges and fire crackers. Eugene Hammond __ Dear Santa, I am a little girl six years old. I go to school and can read and write. I have been a good girl and want you to bring me a butterfly, a big doll, some candy, oranges, apples, nuts, and a big doll carriage. I will not ask for much this time. Your little girl, Lillie Mae Thrower __ IN MEMORY OF MRS. O.F. CUNNINGHAM On the 26th of November in the old family burying ground near Wheeler's Chapel, Sullivan County, Tennessee, a new grave was made in which the body of Mrs. Cunningham was laid to await the resurrection morn. She was in every way worthy of her place beside departed loved ones. Sister Cunningham was born in Grayson County, Virginia July 12, 1857 and was married to O.F. Cunningham on September 10, 1874. In early childhood she joined the Methodist Church. A large portion of her married life was spent in Tennessee with childhood friends and companions. About three years ago she with her husband moved to Heflin. She was a woman of noble character and sweet christian spirit, a true companion and devoted mother. For several months her health failed rapidly and loved ones realized that the time of her going away was near. At her urgent request she was carried to Anniston and in twelve hours after a serious operation on November 24th she left them to join loved ones already gone up the shining way. She left three children and her husband who now know what earth is without her but we believe their loss is heaven's gain and we know where to find her. Holy spirit, faithful guide, lead them on, and all will be well. Her pastor, W. A. Mays _____ File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/cleburne/newspapers/newspape399gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 11.1 Kb