The Monroe Journal newspaper in Monroeville, Ala., under the
direction of Editor and Proprietor Q. Salter, published only four editions 100
years ago during the month of December 1914. Those papers were dated Dec. 3,
Dec. 10, Dec. 17 and Dec. 24. What follows are a few news highlights from each
of those newspapers. Enjoy.
DEC. 3, 1914
Dr. A.B. Coxwell, Judge W.G. McCorvey and Mr. F.W. Hare
attended the Masonic Grand Lodge in Montgomery.
Circuit Court adjourned last Friday evening, having cleared
the docket of all cases set for trial at the term. Judge Lackland, Solicitor
McDuffie and Stenographer Gilmer went from here to Grove Hill, where court
convened on Monday.
There were seven convictions during the late term of Circuit
Court, one for murder, two for grand larceny, one for petit larceny and two for
assault with a weapon. Torrey Puryear was convicted for the murder of her
husband and given a life sentence; John White and Sam Sampey got two years each
hard labor for grand larceny; George Crosby was fined $50 for petit larceny. Ad
Jefferson was given two years for assault with a weapon and Jim Sampson was
fined $100 for a similar offense, while Adam Montgomery was sentenced to eight
months for temporary unlawful use of property.
The entire community was painfully shocked and grieved by
the sudden death of Mr. Clinton Whisenhant, one of the High School students,
which occurred on the school campus Wednesday afternoon. The basketball team of
which he was a member was preparing for a practice game when the young man was
stricken with heart failure and expired before a physician could reach him.
The new brick drug store on Southside will be ready for
occupancy by the Lyon Pharmacy very soon.
DEC. 10, 1914
There were 19,882 bales of cotton ginned in Monroe County
from the crop of 1914 prior to Nov. 14, 1914 as compared with 18,829 bales
ginned prior to Nov. 14, 1913.
Mr. H.L. Dodson of Perdue Hill reports the somewhat unusual
incident of seeing a “belled buzzard” flying over his place on Nov. 29.
Exciting Times at Finchburg: Last Friday morning the
neighborhood around Finchburg, in this county, was aroused and excitement ran
high for some time on account of a very unfortunate affair. Early in the
morning Mr. A.C. Finch was approached by Mr. Sam Henderson, his neighbor and
friend of long years standing, who without warning opened fire on him with a
Winchester rifle. Being without weapon of defense, Mr. Finch made a hurried
departure for his residence which was close by, and in company with Mrs. Finch
left the house immediately for the home of a near neighbor. Evidently, Mr.
Henderson thought Mr. Finch entered his home, for he promptly approached the
house and delivered about a dozen shots into that part of the house usually
occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Finch.
No one was hurt, but it was evidently due to poor
marksmanship, for several of the first shots were fired at Mr. Finch out in the
open and at convenient distance. A telephone call brought the sheriff to the
scene and Henderson was brought to Monroeville, examined by a physician and
committed to the asylum for the insane on the same day.
DEC. 17, 1914
A SINGULAR ACCIDENT: A few days ago I took my wife and baby
boy to a sand gully near Mexia to procure some white sand. When we arrived at
the place my wife and little boy got out of the wagon and went down into the
gully while I was hitching the team. In a few minutes I heard little Horace
screaming, and when I got there he told me that Mamma was covered up in the
sand. You cannot imagine my feelings at the moment. There was no time to lose.
I had to act at once. I could not see any sign of my wife or hear any noise,
and I had no tools to work with, only my hands. I began the desperate task of
removing two or three tons of earth that had caved in entirely wrapping my poor
wife. I sent little Horace to a negro house about a quarter of a mile away to
get help. In a few minutes four Negroes arrived and assisted me in rescuing
her. In the meantime, I had succeeded in digging a hole down to her head, but
she was unconscious. In about 20 minutes after the accident we had her out and
she began breathing but looked like a corpse. I phoned to Monroeville and got
Dr. Bayles there in a few minutes who administered restoratives and carried her
home in his car, of course, saving her life. At one time that night her pulse
went down to 30. Dr. Bayles remained with her until she was better. By that
time I had Dr. Aaron White, her brother, with her who stayed until she was out
of danger.
The unfortunate occurrence was a harrowing experience to me,
and but for the intelligence of my little five-year-old son Horace, who was a
little hero on the occasion, the accident would undoubtedly have proved fatal.
Yours truly,
A.J. Petty
DEC. 24, 1914
Following our usual custom, no paper will be issued from
this office next week. The printers, after 12 months of arduous labor are
entitled to a brief rest, and this holiday season affords a fitting occasion
for acknowledgement of ties that draw us again within the family circle.
Dr. Leslie Powell Howard of Durham, N.C., who was killed by
a railroad train at Kingston, N.Y., Dec. 21, was a native of Monroe County and
a nephew of Mrs. W.B. Jones and Mr. F.J. Powell of Monroeville and had numerous
relatives in Mobile.
Cadets W.G. McCorvey Jr. and Stephen Hixon of the University
of Alabama are spending the holidays with home folks.
The Lyon Pharmacy is occupying new quarters in the Yarbrough
brick building on Southside adjoining the old stand.
The periodical examination of applicants for license to teach
in the public schools was held in Monroeville during the first three days of
the present week, under the supervision of Superintendent Barnes and Prof. J.D.
Forte. There were 30 applicants, eleven being colored.
The County High School and Grammar School suspended work
yesterday for the holiday recess. Most of the out of town pupils and teachers
have dispersed to their various homes to partake of Christmas cheer.
About one mile of street and road improvement has been
completed under direction of the city authorities. Uniform grade has been
secured and the surface graveled. Further improvements are contemplated if citizens
continue to cooperate.
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