100-year-old news items from June 1921 issues of The Evergreen Courant

Alabama Gov. Thomas Kilby

It’s that time of the month again, time to take a trip down memory lane and review all of the interesting things that took place in Conecuh County 100 years ago, way back in June 1921.

In the June 1, 1921 edition of The Evergreen Courant, editor and owner George W. Salter Jr. reported that a “heavy wind, lasting only a few minutes, passed over Evergreen yesterday, and among the damage done was the razing to the ground of St. Paul M.E. Church, a large double window blown from the second story of the First National Bank building and numerous trees felled.”

In the June 8, 1921 edition of The Courant, readers learned that “H.G. Culverhouse of the State Highway Department, was here on Monday and formally received the state and federal aid road from Travis Bridge to the Butler line. This section of road will hereafter be maintained at the expense of the state highway department.”

In the June 15, 1921 edition of the newspaper, under the headline “Masonic Officers Elected,” it was reported that the “annual election of officers of the local Masonic lodge held on Thursday night last resulted in the selection of the following: L.J. Mixon, Worshipful Master; Geo. M. Jones, Senior Warden; J.R. Brooks, Junior Warden; M.S. Baldwin, Treasurer; J. Lamar Kelly, Secretary; R.H. Jones, Senior Deacon; R.E. Ivey, Junior Deacon; F.N. Hawkins, Tiler; Jerry Murphy and R.J. McCreary, Stewards; Dr. J.G. Dickinson, Chaplain; and Sam Craig, Marshall.”

Readers that week also learned that the “body of Rix Smith, who died of wounds in France about two years ago, reached here on Friday night last and on Saturday morning was conveyed to Old Town cemetery for interment. Rev. S.P. Lindsay officiated at the funeral and made a very appropriate talk. Quite a number of overseas soldiers were present at the interment.”

In the June 22, 1921 edition of the paper, it was reported that the “State Pardon Board yesterday recommended clemency for the condemned men, Booker T. and Dan Whittle, who were sentenced to be hanged here on Friday. If Gov. Kilby concurs in the recommendation the prisoners will at once be transferred from Montgomery jail to the state penitentiary, where they will serve for the remainder of their lives. Sheriff Kendall has all arrangements made for the execution should the application for clemency be denied.”

Also that week, under the headline “Another Homicide,” readers learned that “Charlie Grace was arrested and placed in jail on Monday for the killing of Allen Jackson at Herbert one day last week. Little could be learned concerning the tragedy. The slain man was buried before the sheriff’s department was notified. Sheriff Kendall and Deputy Andrews went down Monday morning and arrested the alleged slayer.”

On the front page of the June 29, 1921 edition of The Courant, under the headline “Dan and Booker T. Whittle Will Serve Life Sentences Instead of Being Hanged,” it was reported that the “happiest men in Montgomery Thursday afternoon were Dan and Booker T. Whittle of Conecuh County, who had just been informed that Governor Kilby had commuted their death sentence to life imprisonment and that they would be taken to the state penitentiary instead of the Conecuh County Jail, where they were to have been put to death Friday for the murder of Colonel Saren, taxicab driver.

“In granting executive clemency, Governor Kilby, following the recommendation of the majority of the board of pardons who said they believed from the evidence that the death sentence was too great a penalty to exact for the crime. Governor Kilby said he believed the ends of justice would be met by the confinement of the men in prison for life.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. Next month, I plan to take a look at the events of July 1921 in Conecuh County. Until then, if you get the urge to research the county’s past yourself, take advantage of the Evergreen-Conecuh County Public Library’s excellent selection of old newspapers on microfilm and other resources. The library’s friendly and courteous staff will be more than happy to get you started.