Old newspaper excerpts from The Monroe Journal newspaper of Monroe County, Alabama

Truman Capote

34 YEARS AGO
APRIL 21, 1988

Biggs lobbies at Capitol: Monroe County Probate Judge Otha Lee Biggs was in a delegation of about 25 persons who went to Washington recently to lobby for federal money to maintain and develop the Coosa-Alabama Waterway.
Biggs made a weekend trip to the capital and was there Mon., April 11, for hearings by the House and Senate appropriations subcommittees on energy and water development.
Biggs, a member of the board of directors of the Coosa-Alabama River Improvement Association, has made such trips for 18 consecutive years.

Excel player is top athlete of the month: Brian Thomas of Excel High School has been named Outstanding Athlete of the Month by The Monroe Journal, McDonald’s of Monroeville and WIZARD-104 FM in Mobile.
Thomas, a 6-foot-4 senior first baseman and pitcher, has helped the Panthers post a 10-2 record this season. He is leading the team in hitting with a .400 average, six home runs and 25 RBI and has posted a 3-1 pitching record.
Thomas is a big reason why the Panthers have won the 1A Area 2 baseball championship the last two years and why the team started this week with a 3-0 area mark.

Miss Sawyer finishes third in statewide spelling bee: Monroe County spelling bee winner Ellen Sawyer won third place in the state Birmingham Post-Herald spelling bee competition Saturday in Birmingham. The word she went out on was “microcircuitry,” which she spelled with ease Tuesday. Miss Sawyer is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Landon Sawyer of Monroeville and a sixth-grader at Monroeville Junior High School.

59 YEARS AGO
APRIL 18, 1963

Truman Capote Is Greeted By Friends In Aunt’s Home: Greeting old and new friends at the home of his aunt, Mrs. W. Jennings Carter, Saturday was Truman Capote of New York. Mr. Capote, recently returned from Switzerland, was welcomed to his former home by many who knew him as a child. This was his first visit to Monroeville since 1955.
Another honored guest was Miss Nelle Harper Lee, a childhood friend.

The new Excel High School coach will be Ed Comer Jr., who also will serve as a social studies teacher. He is a graduate of Albert G. Parrish High School in Selma and Troy State Teachers College, and formerly was an assistant coach in Coffee County. He also taught at Cullman Junior High School.

Church Property Is Sold: The sale of property on the north side of Courthouse Square by the First Baptist Church to National Butane Co. was completed this week. Milton Thames is shown above presenting a check to Rev. L. Reed Polk covering the transaction which included the Lindsey Building and two vacant lots adjacent to the building.

Uriah Seniors Will Present Play Friday: The senior class at J.U. Blacksher High School will present a comedy-drama of the sunny South Friday evening, April 19, at 8 p.m.
Members of the cast are Lester Peavy, Rodger Lambert, Jerry Gross, Randal Morris, Roger Johnson, Gaylyn Hood, Elaine Thornton, Mary Frances Solomon, Mary Laura Weatherford, Frances Turberville, Linda Powell and Linda Marshall.

84 YEARS AGO
APRIL 21, 1938

ALABAMA RIVER ON RAMPAGE: Not since the flood of 1886 have residents of this section seen so much water as has passed down the Alabama River during the last 10 days. The highest point reached the first of the week was less than two feet from the 1886 high mark.
For more than a week, the highway between Monroeville and Camden on the Camden end has been under water. Flat Creek has been backed up well above the bridge on the Monroeville-Camden highway, and Little River has backed up well above the bridge on the highway between Uriah and Stockton.
The river was reported falling in the vicinity of Miller’s Ferry.

GOLF TOURNAMENT BEGAN TUESDAY: Play in the local golf tournament began Tuesday with two flights of players. The final matches will be played on May 12. The following players had turned in scores for the opening of the tournament:
First flight: J.T. Morgan, Lucian Jones, C.A. Gentry, George Thomas Jones, Moses Katz, R.L. Jones, W.H. Simmons and Wills Moore.
Second Flight: E.S. Gardner, David Katz, R.M. Lazenby, H.G. Greer, Charles Locklin, F.G. Hastings, A.C. Lee and E.M. Salter.

Goode Speaks To Monroe Voters: Hon. R.J. Goode, candidate for Governor, addressed a large and enthusiastic crowd at the courthouse here on Wednesday of last week. The auditorium of the courthouse was fairly well filled.
His address was well received and at the close he shook hands with dozens of our citizens who promised him their support.

110 YEARS AGO
APRIL 18, 1912

Dr. A.B. Coxwell met with an unpleasant experience Wednesday morning in the effort to cross Double Branches on his return from a professional call. The stream was much swollen from the previous night’s rain and the current very swift. His horse and vehicle were plunged into a deep hole washed out by the swirling waters and were washed several yards down the stream, laming the horse and damaging the buggy. The doctor was compelled to jump out and wade through water several feet in depth. A valuable case of instruments was lost. A substantial bridge should be erected across this stream without delay and thus prevent similar and possibly more serious accidents in future.

The County High School baseball team crossed bats with the McGill team at the latter place last Saturday, playing two games in which the visitors were ingloriously licked. They are game, however, and have challenged the McGill boys to another contest on the High School diamond when they hope to return the compliment.

NOTICE: The freight and ticket offices of the Manistee & Repton Railroad at Manistee, Alabama has been moved from the post office building to the general office building. Parties desiring freight or information can obtain the same at the new location. – J.A. Kauffman, General Manager.

A rabid dog was killed on the streets one day last week and considerable apprehension is felt, as it is feared that other animals may have been infected. The town council met promptly and enacted an ordinance requiring that all dogs found within the corporate limits without muzzles be impounded and killed.

134 YEARS AGO
APRIL 18, 1888

The Beat meetings in each of the 13 precincts of the county will be held Saturday for the purpose of electing delegates to the county convention.

A MINISTER SUICIDES: A Tuscaloosa special of the 5^th inst. says: Rev. T.F. Hardin, the Methodist minister on the Romulus circuit, shot and killed himself yesterday at the residence of Mr. Holmes of Greene County, with whom he was boarding, and the body was brought here this evening for shipment to his friends at or near Auburn, Ala., where he formerly resided. No cause is assigned for the suicide. Mr. Hardin appeared in good health and spirits and was in a pleasant and talkative mood just before the fatal deed.
Rev. Mr. Hardin spent two years on the Repton Mission, embracing a part of this county, and was well known to many of our readers, who will learn with deep sorrow of his tragic and untimely death.

Mr. W.B. Jones, the obliging proprietor of the Jones House, has the finest garden in town, and his many guests during court may expect a rare treat in the way of vegetables. We have reason to know whereof we speak.

Several events of interest are likely to transpire in our midst during next week. Circuit court will convene on Monday, a very entertaining concert will be given by the young people Tuesday night, and the county convention will meet on Wednesday. Almost anything to break the monotony would be gladly welcomed by a suffering people.