Murray County, GA.
Political Newspaper Articles
Source: The Columbus Enquirer-Sun 1915 July 08
BECK IS SEATED FROM MURRAY COUNTY
ATLANTA, GA, JULY 7--The house judiciary committee this afternoon voted favorably on a bill to abolish the city court of St. Mary's. E. H. Beck, of Murray county, whose seat was contested by J. H. Loughbridge, republican, was today declared elected representative by a majority of 213 votes. The majority of the contentions of Loughbridge were declared to be without merit.
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Source: The Macon Telegraph 1890 Sept 06
ALLIANCEMEN FOR GORDON
The Murray County Farmers Know Who Is Their Friend
ATLANTA, Sept. 5--[Special]--Gen. Gordon continues to be indorsed by the farmers in Georgia, despite the fact that some blind zealots among the alliances and some newspapers for political purposes are secretly knifing him. The following resolution passed by the Murray county alliance has just reached Atlanta.
"Resolved further, that we indorse the candidacy of Gen. John B. Gordon for United States senator, and that these resolutions be published in the North Georgia Times and the Southern Alliance Farmer."
INDEPENDENTISM DENOUNCED
The Murray county farmers are down on the Jeffersonian democratic movement in the seventh district, and have this to say about it: Whereas a small disaffection has sprung up in Rome, Ga., from local causes, which disaffection is tending to divide and disrupt the Democratic party and a direct thrust at the alliance: be it therefore resolved that we condemn said movement, and we earnestly request all democrats to unite with us in condemning the Rome convention. Resolved further, That we pledge ourselves to support the nominee of the Calhoun convention, and we will do all in our power to secure his election.
INVITED TO DECATUR
Gen. Gordon has been invited to speak, on Saturday, the 13th, at Decatur to the citizens of DeKalb county. He has consented, and will give them a stirring democratic address.
THE OPPOSITION TO LIVINGSTON
ATLANTA, Sept. 5--[Special]--The opposition to Livingston is still growing, but has not yet shown its head. In the case of Col. Albert Cox it seems that "Barkis is willin", but she's afraid to trust herself upon the troubled waters in this district.
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Source: The Columbus Ledger 1906 Feb 21
HON. CLARK HOWELL IN MURRAY COUNTY
SPOKE TO LARGE AUDIENCE YESTERDAY AND WAS GIVE BIG OVATION BY DEMOCRATS OF THAT SECTION
SPRING PLACE, Ga., Feb 21--[Special]--Clark Howell discussed the issues in the campaign for governor yesterday before on of the largest and most representative audiences ever gathered in Murray county. The superior court is in session this week and prominent citizens were here from all parts of the county, while many came also from Whitfield and Gordon. Mr. Howell reached Spring Place at an early hour in the morning, and a party of friends, leaded by Hon. Knox Ramsey , Murray's representative of the legislature, met him at the hotel. They kept him busy during the morning meeting, the many Murray county voters who were there in attendance on court, the majority of whom said or indicated that they were Howell men.
Among these were venerable Col. William Tibbs, now in his ninth year, the last surviving menber of the Confederate congress, who drive in from his country place 11 miles away, to see Mr. Howell and hear him speak. Judge Fite adjourned court at noon to most again following the address. Just as he did Monday for Judge Russell and today for Hoke Smith, who will make his second speech here. The court room was crowded at 12:30 o'clock, the hour at which Mr. Howell began his address. Every available seat was occupied and some forty or fifty people were standing in the aisle and at a side of the room where they remained throughout the speech. Enthusiastic applause greeted Mr. Howell as he rose to speak and the audience gave frequent and generous expression of its approval of the speaker's words and sentiments. Mr. Howell was introduced to his audience by Hon. C. T. Owens of Spring Place, chairman of the democratic executive committee of the seventh congressional district, and one of the most prominent businessmen in the section who said: "It becomes by duty and pleasure to introduce to you today a gentleman who is a democrat, and whose democratic principles have never been questioned or attacked. He is an applicant for one of the highest offices in the gift of the people of this state. Without further remarks, I now introduce to you Hon. Clark Howell of Fulton county. Mr. Howell was given a warm greeting, the entire audience joining in the applause as he rose to speak. He spoke first of the progress of the mountain section of the state. Despite its natural disadvantages, there is no reason why energy and enterprise should not build up this mountain section just as has been done in south and middle Georgia. This development is now coming to Murray county, he said, which will soon be in more direct touch with the outside world. Mr. Howell spoke of the attack which is being made upon the democratic party. The large majority of those who left the party have come back, but there are some who still occupy an attitude wholly hostile to the democratic party. "I have no issue to make with these men; I have nothing personal against them," Mr. Howell said, "but I do say they have no right to go out of the democratic party and then attempt to then dictate to the party what policy it shall pursue and what it shall do." (applause) Mr. Howell spoke of the efforts of Thomas E. Watson to disrupt and break down the democratic party. The address was well received throughout.
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Source: The Macon Daily Telegraph 1906 June 20
T. R. RAMSEY SUCCEEDS FATHER IN MURRAY COUNTY
ATLANTA, Ga., June 19--Secretary of State Cook has received the returns from Murray county showing the election of Hon. T. R. Ramsey to the legislature to succeed his father, A. H. Ramsey, deceased, who was assassinated in that county a few weeks ago. Mr. Ramsey while he had one opponent received practically the solid vote of his county.
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Source: The Macon Daily Telegraph 1912 Sept 29
HOT FIGHT ON FOR MURRAY COUNTY SITE
THREE TOWNS ARE FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL FOR IT, AND EACH MAKES ALLURING OFFER TO VOTERS
ATLANTA, Sept. 28--On Monday one of the hottest county fights recorded in north Georgia will come to an end at the ballot box. Up in Murray three towns are fighting tooth and nail to hold or grab the county seat. It has been located at Spring Place for many years but as that town is off the main line of the railroad, two other places are seeking to wrest the plum. Chatsworth and Eton both believe they offer exceptional advantages for the location. Spring Place advertises that it has a courthouse and jail already built and filled with prisoners. Chatsworth offers sites for courthouse and jail, while Eton comes forward with a bona fide offer to build both as good as those now seated at Spring Place, and exhibits a certified check for $25,000 to back up the argument. These buildings are to be given to the county. It is said that the interest is so intense that Monday will see recorded practically every registered voter. Those interested will see that every man on the list gets to the polls some way. As it takes a two-thirds majority of the votes cast to move the courthouse, all contenders are working like trojans.
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Source: The Macon Daily Telegraph 1912 Oct 30
MACON COUNTY IS STILL SCAPING OVER ITS SEAT
Atlanta, Oct. 29--Although the citizens of Murray county voted some weeks ago to remove the courthouse from Spring Place to Chatsworth, the matter is by no means settled and will be brought before Secretary of State Cook for a hearing and final decision about the middle of November. When the ordinary called the election he named Spring Place and Chatsworth as the towns contending for it, the old location being at Spring Place. Before the election, however, Eton entered the lists and put up a game fight. The returns showed that Chatsworth had received the necessary two-thirds, landing the plum. Now some are claiming that the election was illegal and that it was improper to vote for Eton. It is claimed that with the Eton vote thrown out, Chatsworth failed to receive the necessary vote for removal. Both sides are ready to put up a fight and have brought the issue to Secretary Cook for settlement. A tentative date for November 15 has been fixed, but it may change. It is expected that a large number of Murray county citizens will be here for the hearing, and that strong legal talent will be engaged. The last contest on county courthouse heard by Secretary Cook was the fight between Abbeyville and Ocilla. This hearing extended over three weeks and was a famous fight. Ocilla finally got the decision.
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Source: The Macon Daily Telegraph 1912 Nov 21
HOT FIGHT FOR MURRAY COUNTY'S COURTHOUSE
SPRING PLACE AND CHATSWORTH BOTH WANT IT
SECRETARY COOK TO DECIDE
In the vote for removal, Chatsworth failed to get a two-third vote for removal, due to Eton entering the race unofficially which is fight center. Telegraph Bureau, Kimball House.
Atlanta, Nov. 20--Secretary of State Phil Cook's office today looked like a justice court on a neighborhood row in the rural section, for it was crowded with parties in settling the dispute as to whether or not the Murray county courthouse remains at Spring Place or it goes to Chatsworth. The fight centers around the fact that with the Eton vote counted in, Chatsworth failed to get the necessary two-thirds of the rural vote for removal, while with the Eton vote thrown out, the county seat remains at Spring Place. Chatsworth was represented by W. C. Martin and W. E. Mann, prominent Dalton attorneys, while Spring Place's battle was waged W. M. Sampler of that place. When the ordinary called the election, which was held on September 30, the names of Spring Place and Chatsworth only appeared on the official order. But in the election and prior to it the town of Eton was put in the running, some assert in order to pull enough votes away from Chatsworth to leave the site at Spring Place. With the Eton vote thrown out, the town of Chatsworth will be the winner. The total vote cast in the election was 1,444. Spring Place received 155, Eton 427 and Chatsworth 862. A curious part of the after proceedings in connection with the hearing is the fact that more than 100 voters who cast their ballot for Eton have signed a petition to the effect that they now favor Chatsworth. Some fifty citizens from the county were present at the hearing today, among them being Mrs. G. A. Kelly, Mrs. Sam Kelly, and other ladies, who are vigorous in their espousal of Chatsworth. All the arguments were presented by 1 o'clock, and Secretary Cook took the case under advisement. His legal difficulty to untangle is whether or not the vote on Eton was regular or should stand.
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Source: The Miami Herald 1915 Oct 05
GEORGIA JUDGE AND COMMISSION ARE IN BIG ROW
Atlanta, Ga., Oct. 4--The bill of exceptions upon which the Murray County commissioners appealed from the contempt ruling of Judge A. W. Fite, which ruling placed them behind the bars at Chatsworth, Ga., on Sept. 15, came up today before the state supreme court. Threats of impeachment proceedings against the judge have been made. The jailed county commissioners are J. A. McGhee, T. M. Hemphill, and D. R. Dunn, and with them is county attorney Jesse M. Sellers. The action of Judge Fite putting them in prison has made heroes out of them throughout Murray County. The cause of the trouble is a courthouse muddle. Some three years ago, when the county seat was located at Spring Place, a movement was started to remove the county seat to Chatsworth, and an election was called to decide between these two places. The election gave the site to a third town, Eton, but the officials of the state ruled that these votes were illegal, as Eton, had not been mentioned in the election call. Chatsworth won the county seat, and thereupon the town set about building a courthouse. After plans were agreed upon a site on a hill overlooking the town was selected. Then when everything was ready to begin construction, it developed that it would be much more pleasing to some of the prominent citizens of Murray County, notably residents of Eton, if the building were turned around so that it faced in the opposite direction, leaving Chatsworth in the backyard of the courthouse. The county commissioners proceeded to advertise the levy of a tax for the construction of the courthouse, but on the same day, without the knowledge of the commissioners, it is alleged, Judge Fite, upon petition of citizens of Eton and others, issued an injunction restraining the levy of the tax. When this action against the order of the court came up for an airing before Judge Fite, he declared the commissioners in contempt of court, for which offense they were put in jail.
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