Sunday, April 19, 2015

110-year-old news highlights from The Monroe Journal from April 1905

The Monroe Journal newspaper in Monroeville, Ala., under the direction of Editor and Proprietor Q. Salter, published four editions 100 years ago during the month of April 1905. Those issues, which can be found on microfilm at the Monroe County Library in Monroeville, were dated April 6, April 13, April 20 and April 27. What follows are a few news highlights from each of those editions. Enjoy.

APRIL 6, 1905

Circuit Court: Judge John T. Lackland, the new presiding judge, arrived Sunday and convened the Spring Term of the Monroe County Circuit Court shortly after two o’clock Tuesday afternoon. The criminal docket is unusually heavy, there being several capital cases set for trial next week.

DEATH OF COL. HIBBARD: Leading Attorney of Monroeville Bar Passes Away: Col. Bertrand L. Hibbard calmly breathed life’s last fleeting breath at his home in this place at 10 o’clock on Sunday morning, April 2, aged 63 years.

LOST CHILD: Causes Uneasiness and Excitement Until Found Sunday: Great excitement prevailed in the vicinity of Tekoa last Sunday on account of a little boy who became lost in the woods and much uneasiness was felt for several hours until the little wanderer was found.
A little son of Mrs. Evan Manning, aged about five years, went into the woods with several boys older than himself, when their dog jumped a rabbit. The boys followed in pursuit, but the little fellow being unable to keep up, was lost off from his companions and wandered about in the woods for several hours.
The older boys returning from the chase discovered that their companion was missing and reported the fact. The neighborhood was soon alarmed and searching parties went in all directions. After several hours, the little boy was finally overtaken several miles from home and restored to the arms of his half-distracted parents.

HOBSON TO LECTURE: A number of his local admirers have induced Captain Richmond Pearson Hobson of “Merrimac” fame to deliver one of his noted lectures in Monroeville, and his managers have designated Wednesday evening, April 12, as the date. The lecture will take place in the court house and seats are now on sale.

APRIL 13, 1905

Cooper B. Scott, who fired the first gun at Fort Sumter, died at Gainesville, Ga. on the 7th inst., aged 65 years.

MANISTEE: The Bear Creek Mill Co. have got their dam repaired and are going again.
Mr. J.M. Lambert of Nero is repairing the grist mill dam of Mr. George Harris which was torn out by the big freshet some weeks ago. Mr. Lambert will operate it this season as repairs are complete.

BEUNA VISTA: Since posting my usual weekly letter to The Journal, a very tragical affair occurred Monday afternoon about four o’clock, almost in sight of my door. Everett Jones, the 15-year-old son of Mr. Tom Jones, shot and instantly killed a negro boy named “Jack,” who was a farm hand in the employ of Mr. Ollie Finklea. Young Jones entered the “Kearly” field where Jack, another negro and Mr. Lacy Courtney were at work. Everett Jones carried his shotgun. He quarreled with the negro, and after some words, fired his gun, shooting the boy Jack in the head, causing instant death. Young Jones has respectable parents. After, the rilling Young Jones walked off, and has not been caught, or arrested at this writing.

The Hobson Lecture: Capt. Richmond P. Hobson delivered one of his justly celebrated lectures on the topic “American Naval Supremacy” at the courthouse Wednesday evening to a house filled with the county’s most prominent and intelligent citizens.

APRIL 20, 1905

The capture of Will Ptomey, the negro who shot and seriously injured Prof. Claude Hardy at Pine Apple some weeks ago, is reported to have been accomplished at Waco, Texas. A reward of several hundred dollars had been offered.

The Brewton grand jury indicted F.L. Hancock who killed Prof. Jessee Troutman at Canoe last New Year, charging murder in the first degree. The case was continued for trial until the fall term. An effort to remove the trial to another county on account of the alleged inability of the defense to secure a fair trial, failed.

The Spring term of Monroe Circuit Court adjourned on Saturday morning after two weeks of steady grind.
Following are the more important cases disposed of:
- Jim Stallworth, murder, sentenced to 45 years in the penitentiary.
- Tom Stevenson, murder, sentenced to 37 years in penitentiary.
- Robert Packer, murder, life imprisonment

Mrs. Levi Garner, an aged lady of Sepulga, died on Saturday night  from the effects of a snake bite inflicted a week before. She got up during the night and stepped on the reptile, a rattlesnake, on the floor which bit her foot twice. She became speechless in a few seconds and suffered great agony until death. She was 75 years old. – Evergreen Courant.

APRIL 27, 1905

Dr. R.A. Smith left for New York Tuesday to accompany a patient who goes to be operated upon.

Fire at Nadawah: Fire was discovered in the drying house of the Shoal Creek Lumber Co. at Nadawah on last Saturday afternoon about three o’clock. Pumps were at once set to work and a steady stream of water was poured on the highly combustible material, but to no purpose. The loss is estimated at about $10,000, with $9,000 insurance. – Camden Banner.

Town Election: An election for the purpose of electing a Mayor and five Councilmen for the town of Monroeville, Ala. is hereby ordered to be held in the courthouse on Mon., May 1, 1905. M.R. Sowell and N.T. Stallworth are hereby appointed managers to hold such election. – J.W. Fore, Mayor.

A Strawberry Centre: One of the busiest places in this section at present is the little town of Castleberry, the activity being caused by the opening of the strawberry season at that place. Ordinarily, the population of the town is about 250, but at present it is nearer 3,000, about 2,000 berry pickers being there besides commission men, spectators and prospectors.
In the vicinity and adjacent to Castleberry there are something like 600 acres planted in strawberries and new farms are being opened up all the time.


Messrs. Bayles, Hybart and Burns are now fitting up a handsome law office in the old court house next door to the bank.

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