Cleburne County AlArchives News.....Newspaper abstracts for OCTOBER 1928 October 1928 ************************************************ 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 May 24, 2005, 9:03 pm The Cleburne News October 1928 NEWSPAPER ABSTRACTS FROM "THE CLEBURNE NEWS", Heflin, Cleburne County, Alabama for OCTOBER 1928 NEWSPAPER issue of Thursday, October 4, 1928 MACEDONIA HAS BIG SINGING The Macedonia singing class met at J.A. Southerland's on Sunday night and had one of the best singings you ever heard. Among the leaders were G.W. Groover, N.N. Smith, R.E. Moore, Hulen Preston, E.L. Williamson, Jim Banks, C.C. Southerland, Luther Bird and several girls whose names were not gotten. ___ PICKS 100 LBS COTTON IN 10 HOURS Herman, the 5 year old son of W.Z. Brown, living on Route 7 out of Heflin, is the champion cotton picker in the county, so far as has been reported. The little fellow who tipped the scales at thirty-two pounds, picked 100 pounds of cotton one day recently in 10 hours, on his father's farm. Herman gets the blue ribbon as the champion cotton picker. ___ NEGRO IN BEAT 9 KILLED BY GIBBS Luther Gibbs of Beat 9, living near Hightower in the eastern part of Cleburne, was brought to Heflin Tuesday night by Sheriff Rowell, charged with the killing of Zack Maywether, a negro tenant, following an alleged difference between the two men. The trouble occurred at the negro's home and only a short distance from that of Gibbs, and was witnessed by Lewis, a brother of Luther Gibbs, and the dead man's wife. Following an agreement with county solicitor R.E. Jones, bond in the sum of $5000. was furnished by Gibbs who returned to his home Tuesday night. The negro was shot twice. ___ NEWSPAPER issue of Thursday, October 11, 1928 FUNERAL RITES FOR HENRY JOHNSON Funeral and burial services for Mr. Henry E. Johnson were held at Upper Cane Creek on Tuesday, Rev. Lawrence Campbell and Rev. Hobart Murphree in charge. Mr. Johnson who was 69 years old, was stricken with heart trouble the first of September at the home of his daughter here and died October the 6th. He was a devout christian and member of the Congregational Methodist church for 39 years. His companion, Mrs. Annie Johnson, was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J.D. McSwain. Mrs. Johnson died Feb. 2, 1924 and today their bodies are resting side by side. If Henry Johnson ever harmed anyone, intentionally or otherwise, it was not made public. It was his full intention to live a clean, upright life and not only his children will miss him, but many others grieve his death. Surviving children are: D.L. Johnson of Bangs, Texas J.D. Johnson of Boonville, Miss. Mrs. W.Z. Walker of Tellahoma, Tenn. Mrs. I.V. Cheatwood of Lawrenceburg, Tenn. Mrs. Alson Houston of Heflin, Ala Mrs. Lela Austin of White Plains, Ala W.E. Johnson of Edwardsville, Ala J.A. Johnson of Edwardsville, Ala U.S. Johnson of Carthage, Texas The surviving brothers and sisters are: W.W. Johnson J.E. Johnson Mrs. John Banister Mrs. T.J. Owen; all of whom have the sympathy of the Cleburne News in their sad bereavement. ___ VESTER OWEN DIED TUESDAY Vester Owen, age 32, of Edwardsville, died at an Anniston hospital Tuesday morning and was buried at Cane Creek on Wednesday. The Cleburne News extends sympathy to the bereaved family. __ NEWSPAPER issue of Thursday, October 18, 1928 LINEVILLE SCENE OF FIERCE BATTLE What is said to be one of the most exciting gun battles between officers and outlaws took place on our streets here Wednesday when officers of Cleburne county and officers from Clay county apprehended Sebe and Joe Echols of Cleburne in Lineville and attempted to arrest them. It seems that Sebe was apprehended by the officers and after being placed under arrest, made a dash for liberty, whereupon the officers gave chase, firing twice but not hitting the fleeing man. Joe Echols, a brother, some distance away, fired four or five shots at the officers as they persued Sebe then made a get away but was later located at the home of Howell Turner, a negro, some five miles east of Lineville. Sebe was recaptured in the home of Dr. J.S. Ray by John W. Kilgore, a Cleburne county officer, where he happened to run while trying to make his escape. Sheriff Allen and Deputies Cook and George Thrower of Cleburne and Pope of Talladega, were at the scene of the negro's home where Joe was shot and captured following a pistol battle lasting several minutes. It is alleged that Joe is wanted in Cleburne county for the murder of John Watts some three years ago. He has been scouting ever since, it is stated. No one was hit in the melee in tnown but the bullet sign on the wall of Dr. Gay's office shows that lead was spattered promisciously at the officers, one shot going into the front room of Dr. Gay's home. It is said that the Echols boys were living a bandit life in the mountain of Cleburne and Clay counties along with several other scouting criminals, their only source of living was in making moonshine liquor. Joe is said to have acknowleged shooting someone at a party more than a year ago while under an assumed name. The condition of Joe is reported as very serious since the spine was hit and that he may not live very long. Lineville Headlight. Thrower and Kilgore on their way to Ashland court, noticed Echols car parked in Lineville. Returning with Clay county officers, Sebe was located, his arrest soon followed as stated in the Lineville paper. However the officers did not know of Joe's presence until he appeared on the scene "working" two pistols at Kilgore who was chasing Sebe and other officers who appeared in sight. Sebe was brought to the jail here where he later furnished the required bond and was allowed his freedom, while Joe was transferred to an Ashland hospital and is said to be seriously wounded, having been shot as he ran from the negro's home in an attempt to escape, the ball entering under the left shoulder blade, loding near the surface on the opposite side. Sebe was wanted by Cleburne officers on two or three charges. ____ OTIS SMITH Otis Wright Smith, age 11, died at a local hospital at 12:30 o'clock this morning following the amputation of his farm several days ago. Young Smith sustained a fractured arm when he fell from a wagon in Cleburne about two weeks ago. Blood poisoning necessitated the amputation of the arm and is also given the cause of his death. Funeral services were conducted Friday afternoon at Harmony cemetery. Usrey was in charge. Young Smith is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Smith of Hopewell, five brothers, Herman, Enoch, William, Chester; six sisters, Vesta, Bertha, Celeste, Nellie, Daisy and Pauline. Anniston Star, Oct. 5th. ____ MR. NEWBORN DIED TUESDAY The sad news of the apparent sudden death of Mr. Tom Newborn on Tuesday morning at his home one mile south of Edwardsville was a shock to the many friends of the family. Early in the morning Mr. Newborn was discovered by a member of the family in a serious condition, the end coming in a few minutes and before medical aid could be summoned. He had complained of not feeling well Monday night. Mr. Newborn was a lover of sacred music, especially the Old Harp, and was a regular attendant at all the county and community singings throughout Cleburne and adjoining counties, at every opportunity, taking a deep interest in those exercises. Mr. Newborn was sixty-odd years old, a member of the Missionary Baptist church and is survived by his wife and several children, who have the sympathy of a large circle of friends in the death of husband and father. The funeral and interment were at Bethsadia on Wednesday, with interment in the church cemetery. __ MRS. PUTNAM DIED TUESDAY In a telegram early Wednesday morning from Chas. W. Anderson, Atlanta, this paper is advised of the death of Mrs. Putnam, widow of the late I.T. Putnam, Borden Springs. Mrs. Putnam was one of the community's best loved women. __ WIDELY KNOWN CITIZEN WRITES Editor of The Cleburne News, I will say that I was stricken with rheumatism when I was 16 years old, and from time to time suffered attacks until I was 38; then I had a stroke of paralysis, after which I never walked again and now for almost 40 years, I have been absolutely helpless. I lost my wife October 9, 1895; left me with 7 children to care for, the oldest a girl of 16. I had to take the oldest boy to drive me as I peddled over the county in order to make a living for my motherless children, working at this for 5 years, summer and winter. the other children farmed the best they could. I kept the children together until they were grown up. In 1896 I was elected tax assessor for Cleburne County, serving 13 years in that office. I was appointed notary public, ex-officio justice of the peace for this county to make and correct land deeds, serving 7 years in this capacity. Then, Edwardsville, Beat No. 4, elected me justice of the peace 4 years. I received all except two votes. The third time I ran for tax assesser and got all the votes in the county, that were case, except 46. So you can see how I had the confidence of the people at that time. In 1900, myself and son went into the mercantile business in Edwardsville and were forced into bankruptcy on a $45. note. My lawyers told me I had as well let it go. I told the bankrupt court that we had 6 or 7 times as much property as we owed but he gave it against us. It was all done because I could not be used in dirty politics. So you can see how my savings from labor vanished. When the stuff was sold Doc Baber bought about $900. worth of the notes and accounts for $62. and he and Enoch Owen owing $64.25 of the accounts. He then bought 160 acres of timber land from me for $200. He took his and Enoch's and some hands' accounts at the saw mill and turned the books over to me to collect on the halves. I paid about $100. he owed the parties who owed us and I turned over to him $320. I had collected; and he sold a cutting of the timber to Mr. Robinson for $800. and there is now that much timber on the land he bought. In about 1906 Charley borrowed $1000. from Mrs. Coker at 8 percent to run until the youngest child was of age. Doc Baber went on two of the three hundred notes and he paid them off after we were forced into bankruptcy. In the fall after he paid the notes off, when I got my tax assessors wages, I paid him $350. something like three months after he bought the notes and accounts. Three and a half years I paid him $1114. and the notes were misplaced and never could or did not produce the notes and anybody can see that I had overpaid the debt. In 1916 I sold him the timber on 120 acres of land. He didn't cut it off as he promised to do; but kept sending me word he would do so as soon as he could get the mill there, so I was patient and didn't hurry him. So more than a year before my time expired on the timber, he goes secretly and buys the land and I did not know anything about it. He kept sending me word to rest easy, he would pay me for it as soon as he could get to it. So when my time expired, he said he did not ask me any difference as loud as he could. Sam Williams and Leal Owen got it that way. Say, do you call that stealing, taking from a helpless man? Wm. Harper ____ NEWSPAPER issue of Thursday, October 25, 1928 FATAL ACCIDENT LAST SATURDAY Friends and neighbors of Mr. and Mrs. Marlin Owen of Edwardsville deeply sympathize with them in the death of little Gene, their three and a half year old baby who was struck and almost instantly killed by a loaded truck at that place Saturday afternoon. The accident was said to be entirely unavoidable and the driver of the truck is held entirely blameless. Funeral and burial services for the little fellow were held Sunday afternoon with Rev. Hobart Murphree in charge, interment being in the Edwardsville cemetery. Sympathy of the Cleburne News is extended the fond parents in the untimely death of their little boy. ___ LOCAL News Mr. and Mrs. Jim Ivey moved to Birmingham this week where they will make their future home. __ The entire community extends their sincere sympathy to Howell Newell and family, whose sister Mrs. Ruby Turner died last week, after a lingering illness. __ ECHOLS BURIED Joe Echols, who was shot and mortally wounded in a gun battle with Cleburne and Clay county officers on the 10th of this month, at Lineville, died of injuries at Ashland where he was carried following his capture. He was buried at Heflin on Thursday. ___ CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY Mrs. Lena Merrill of near Micaville, celebrated her birthday on Oct. 21st. The children and grandchildren began to arrive by 8 a.m. Those present were: Mrs. Sallie Traylor and Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Traylor of Newell Mr. and Mrs. Elbert Traylor and family of Carrollton Mr. and Mrs. Emory Merrill and family of Heflin Mr. and Mrs. Willie Merrrill of Heflin Alta Traylor of Gadsden Homer Merrill Misses Louise and Lizzie Mae Merrill At 11 a.m., the guests went to Micaville and heard an inspiring sermon by the Rev. Mr. Skinner. After the sermon they returned to the Merrill home and enjoyed a most bounteous dinner which was spread out in the yard near the well. The table was laden with tempting refreshments of which the guests partook of to their hearts content. While at the table a picture was made of the family. After dinner the crowd gathered in the living room to enjoy talking of by-gone days and the many blessings which have daily poured out on us all. All too soon we realized it was time to return to our homes and all departed, feeling cheerful and happy that we had lived to see that happy day. We trust that we may have the pleasure of attending many more birthdays at home with mother. A friend ___ File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/cleburne/newspapers/newspape516gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 14.3 Kb