Looking Back
February 1909
(Editor’s Note: This column looking back at St. Francis County’s history is featured each Friday on this Lifestyles page along with the week’s History Photo. The items included in this column were printed in previous editions of the Times-Herald.)
Baby Dead - Mrs. Emma Cummings and Mr. Henry F.P. Gorman left Tuesday for Augusta in response to a message which conveyed the sad intelligence of the death of Henry Sherman, the sweet little 11 months old baby boy of Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Carl Lee, which sad event occurred the same morning about 3 o'clock. They attended the funeral which took place Saturday, the remains being interred in the cemetery at that place and offered such assistance and comfort as was in their power, returning home Sunday. The relatives and many friends of Mrs. Carl Lee, who was formerly Miss Lollie Gorman of this city, where painfully shocked and grieved to learn of her great bereavement and we join them in sincere and kindly sympathy in this darkest hour of sorrow she has ever known.
Getting Ready - The St. Francis was rising and the skippers of the gasoline fleet were overhauling their craft and getting them ready for the boating season. Mr. S.P. McDaniel brought the launch Buster around from the Crescent Club on Old River where it had been held in by the low water since the latter part of last summer. Leo and Albert Grobmyer have also put their staunch little launch, the Anna Mae, (a sister boat of the Buster), in first class shape having had it out during the low water and giving it a new coat of paint, re-arranging the seats and putting the boat in fine shape all around. Otis Stevens of the Bessirma, had also overhauled his splendid launch and put it in first class running order.
Good Hope Times - Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hughes spent Sunday very pleasantly with Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Hughes; Miss Mary Pettus was a guest of Mr. and Mrs. John Pettus; Mr. and Mrs. Ben Satterfield had been on the sick list for the past week but were convalescent at present; Mr. Charles Pettus was on the puny list; Miss Ona Giles was a guest of Mrs. F.M. Satterfield; Miss Blythe Gwyn spent the night with Miss Mary Pettus; Messrs. Jesse May, Hubert Grant and George Turk of Fulwood attended Good Hope Sunday School last Sunday. They looked a little lonesome; Miss Nettie Hughes spent last week very pleasantly with her sister, Mrs. Jim Brown at Caldwell; Mrs. Jim Overton, who had been such a charming guest of her cousin, Miss Willie Brazwell for the past three weeks returned to her home in Wynne Saturday night.
Henry Isabelle Killed - A man named Henry Isabell, formerly employed by Mr. T.J. Davis, was shot twice and instantly killed by Mr. S.E. Hammond, who was also Mr. Trapp's employ as bookkeeper. An inquest was held by the coroner and the jury returned a verdict of justifiable homicide and exonerated Mr. Hammond from any blame. Mr. Hammond testified before the inquest as follows: Last Saturday Henry Isabelle came in the store. He was drinking and was very impudent to Mr. Trapp and wanted his account. We got his account for him. He left the place and we did not know where he had moved to. We found that he had moved to Mr. T.J. Davis and went up to him. Mr. Taylor asked him for the account. He had his gun in his hand. I asked him to put down his gun, he would not do so, so we left him. After that Mr. Taylor got a warrant on the 26th for him and deputized me to go with him. Mr. Taylor left me to go through the woods with him, while he, Mr. Taylor went over to tell the hands what to do. I am paralyzed in my arm and was afraid of him if he attempted to assault me for I could not protect myself in any other way than to shoot him. I thought that I would wait for Mr. Taylor but that he would not attempt to assault me when Mr. Taylor was with me. He grabbed me by the arm and said, now you --of a --. I have got you and I shot him. His testimony was corroborated by Mr. Taylor, who came up in time to see the shots fired and others testified that he was a bad, insolent man and that he had formerly drawn a gun on him.
February 1923
Posey Corner - Mrs. A.J. Taylor, who has been sick with the flu, is up again. ***Sorry to state at this writing that Mrs. Charlie Lawson, who has been very sick, is no better. Several more of the family have the flu. ***Mrs. Susie Webb, our efficient school teacher visited her sister, Mrs. D.A. McCollum. ***Mrs. Bob Wilson, who has been sick with flu, is better at this writing.
February 1928
Goose Dinner - Members of the Forrest City Band, with a few guests, were entertained at the Presbyterian Church with a goose dinner. Mrs. George F. Parker, Mrs. James Fussell, Mrs. Neil Snyder and Mrs. W.W. Campbell were in charge of serving. Among the specially invited guests were: Mr. and Mrs. Saul Bluestine, of the Melody Music Shop of Memphis, and Miss Delorea Valesco, Gennett record artist. Mr. Bluestine was the principal speaker of the evening and Miss Valesco gave several vocal numbers. Several selections were given by M.J. Honnell's newly organized orchestra. There were about 50 present to enjoy a most excellent dinner. An election for manager resulted in Mr. Ragland being reelected to succeed himself. The band felt that since Mr. Ragland had filled the position as manager so well, being interested in the work, there was no need of making changes.
Needle In The Throat - Little Ruth Allison, 6, who swallowed a needle, was recovering at her home at Whitmore. Ruth was picking her teeth with a needle when she coughed. She swallowed the needle. C.M. Allison, her father, rushed her to the Baptist Hospital in Memphis, where the needle was extracted. It had lodged in her throat. The child went home after the needle was removed.
New Hearse and Ambulance Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Stevens returned Saturday from Piqua, Ohio. Mr. Stevens drove home a new motor combination hearse and ambulance as added and improved equipment to his understanding establishment. The ambulance part of the vehicle is that last word in comfort for conveying patients. Among conveniences contained in it are hot and cold water and a medicine cabinet holding necessary medical supplies for use in emergency.
Slaying of Fitzgerald - Tom Beard and Andrew Webb, found guilty by a circuit court jury of charges in connection with the death more than four years ago of E.B. Fitzgerald, a planter, probably will be taken to the state penitentiary at Little Rock unless they file a motion for a new trial. Beard, who testified he fired the shot that killed Fitzgerald, was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to five years imprisonment. Webb, who was with him at the time of the shooting, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and given two years. They were tried on first-degree murder charges. Testimony at the trial was that two men in an automobile had stopped alongside other cars and were cursing. Several women went to Fitzgerald who lived nearby and he came back with a gun. Beard claimed Fitzgerald fired on him first. After the shooting Beard said he and Webb left without knowing whether Fitzgerald had been shot, they were afraid of violence and left, Beard declared. Fitzgerald died several days later. Beard and Webb traveled through several states and were arrested several weeks ago at Picher, Okla.
Flu At Stuttgart - An epidemic of influenza which broke out at Stuttgart last week caused the closing of churches and theater and public schools and a partial cessation of business activities. Because of the mildness of the disease, no deaths directly attainable to the epidemic have been reported. Eight school students were sent home when public health officials found they were suffering with mild attacks of influenza.