The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 60, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 25, 1932 Page: 1 of 8
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knlXtfGMTOE is dead. And in
f Using Reportermaa loses
'"L- Rockdaie fnend. for Dad
fJTfirst good friend this scribe
^in B^al Roc^aaie'
, bright day in May, twenty-
* ago, Reporterman rode
Lkdale in what the railroad
Ten called a “zulu car.” As
‘ igN local pulled to a stop,
lads were sticking out the side
, — Reporterman’s, and
* of hi- buggy horse, Old Blac k
‘ It was debatable as to which
f gladder over the journey’s
the horse or the man. An all-
, a]i.night ride in a zulu car,
kPd full of household goods, and
a restive horse to care for. is
.some experience. And Repor-
n in addition to being physi-
v tired was mentally depressed
1 tbe prospect of making a new
|rt in life, among a new people-
total strangers.
he first man to greet' this scribe
L swung down from his boxcar
Dad Longmire; and right there,
,e unloaded Old Bob, was the
-ining of a friendship that was
ined to endure throughout two
ies. and which was never in the
test degree disturbed until the
t Creator called Dad home last
Dad was at that time in the
fy business, and had been advised
Dail of our coming, and he was
l0 mecc a; with a greeting
j though given in his own bluff
was none the less hearty and
As the process of unloading
car proceeded we got acquainted
Dad—and we liked him. And
the last of the goods and
-js had been placed in the lit-
rented house over on East Da-
street, the spirits of this scribe
risen, and he was imbued with
use of certainty that he was go-
■ to like Rockdale and Rockdale
f.
ughout the months and years
followed the friendship grew
ger. Dad and the new editor
many long talks. Dad was
u]]y readv to discuss religion, pol-
farming or local history. We
ijd him always on the right side
Vy moral question. Wc got val-
le historical data from him, and
' thereby enabled the quicker to
Rockdale and Milam county,
'to gain a better insight into
resources and advantages. He
' us the best fishing holes and
biggest squirrel trees, and it was
his supervision that we got
first drink of Ycgua creek wa-
Dad Longmire was the only
in the world who ever made us
coon—and like it. Wheh he
lened to throw us in the creek
didn't wait; we jumped right in,
jtes and all. We knew he meant
Dad loved his joke, and he could
and take.
ROCKDALE REPORTER
++++++++++++4*+4
♦ ♦
+ THERE IS 4
♦ NO SUBSTITUTE FOR ♦
: NEWSPAPER :
♦ ADVERTISING ♦
AND MESSENGER
Rockdale Messenger Established 1873
THE OLDEST AND BEST
Roekdale Reporter Established
VUL. HO—NO. 2
13 FELONY CASES ARE
RETURNED IN MILAM
Grand Jury Report Shows Addition-
al Indictments at Adjourn-
ment on February 18
Cameron, Feb. 19.—The January
term of the grand jury adjourned
Feb. 18 and returned to the court 13
additional felony indictments, mak-
ing in all a total of 35 felony and
three misdemeanor indictments for
the term.
Four of the indictments are listed
as follows:
Marion Snow, charged with hog
theft; Hubert Robertson, alias
"Heck” Robertson, negro, charged
with felony theft; Eura Bell, negro,
receiving and concealing stolen pro-
perty; Will Alexander, negro, charg-
ed with burglary of railroad car.
Alexander is in the penitentiary
and will be brought back here for
trial.
The others indicted have not been
arrested.
ROCKDALE, MILAM COUNTY, TEXAS, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1032
EIGHT PAGES
s.r!='
ATCAMERON
To Hold B. T. S. and
Sunday School Con-
vention of Dist. 15
Former Governor of Texas Elected
To Presideney of Baptist Uni-
versity at Waco, Texas
jorterman is not given to sing-
;fulsome praises to the dead. He
psto give his flowers to the liv-
tnd he is glad to feel today that
Longmire knew we loved him.
{lacked a lot of being perfect. He
no claims to perfection, and
A small use for the man who
make such claim. But Re-
anan learned to know him for
[t he was—an honest, earnest,
friendly sou], who believed
r6 fatherhood of God and the
prhoocl oi man, and who did
teid level best to live as he be-
Peace to his ashes!
FOREIGN RATES
ON U* S. MAIL TO
BE RAISED
Raise Announced Ef-
fective April 1, H.
H. Turner Says
The fifth annual session of the
District Sunday School and B. T. S.
Convention of District No. 15, will
be held with the First Baptist
Church of Cameron, Tuesday and
Wednesday, March 1 and 2.
The Sunday school conference will
come in the afternoon of March 1,
and the B. T. S. conference the fol-
lowing morning.
O. S. Hopkins, Dallas, general
secretary of the Sunday school de-
partment, and T. C. Gardner. Dallas,
general secretary of the B. T. S; de-
partment, will be in attendance both
[ days. |
The first session will begin
i promptly at 2 p. m. Tuesday, March i
1. A cordial invitation to all Bap-1
tist workers of the district has been
extended, and the Cameron Baptists
will entertain visitors on the “Har-
vard Plan.”
District 15 includes the following
Baptist associations: Austin, Creath-
Brazos, Burnet-Llano, Lampasas,
Burleson-Lee. Milam. Robertson and
Williamson.
Waco, Feb. 23.—Trustees of Bay-
lor university today elected Former-
Governor Pat M. Neff as president
of the school, the oldest institution
of higher learning in Texas.
Neff, now a member of the Texas
railroad commission, took the matter
under advisement. His acceptance
would make him the successor of
Dr. W. F. Allen, who has served as
acting president since the death last
year of Dr. Samuel Palmer Brooks.
The former governor and the late
Dr. Brooks were classmates at Bay-
lor and life-long friends.
Several times, after Dr. Brooks'
i death the board of trustees met to
Farm Loan Committee is
Named for Milam County
Sheriffs of Texas
TURNS IN mAYnff&SA.
44 ARE BEING
ELIMINATED
(Continued on page four)
A. LONGMIRE IS
BURIED HERE
SATURDAY
76 Year Old Pioneer
Dies Friday From
Heart Attack
PLEASANT HILL WOMAN
NOW NEAR 100TH YEAR
Mrs. Martha Bess, 97, Thought
tq Milam County's Oldest
Resident at Present Time
Postage rates to Mexico and all
other Central and South American
independent republics will be raised
as follows, effective April 1, 1932, ac-
cording to Postmaster H. H. Turner:
Letters, per ounce or fraction. 3
cents. Postal cards, single 2 cents,
double 4 cents.
The same rate also applies to Cuba
and other independent outlying re-
publics of Ihe Caribbean group. Tur-1 ““ was born ,n Llvingston county.
ner states. For Canada and New-
Mrs. Martha Bess, nee Emerine,
who lives with her nephew, Emil
Miller, of Pleasant Hill, is perhaps
the oldest resident in Milam county.
foundland the above rates went into
effect November 1, 1931.
Turner also calls attention to the
fact that on November 1, rates on
letters and postal cards to Great
Britain, Irish Free State, and all
other British owned possessions,
were raised as follows: Letters, first
ounce 5 cents, each additional ounce
3 cents. Post cards, each 3 cents;
double 6 cents.
Therefore it will be noted that
after April 1, 1932, there will be no
! 2 cent rate on letters or 1 cent rate
on post cards to any foreign country
or their possessions. The former 2
ent and 1 cent rates will apply only
to the United States and its
essions.
The postmaster suggests that par-
ties having mail to send t oany for-
eign country, unless he fully under-
stands the new rates, would do well
to consult a postoffice clerk before
mailing. “Mail with insufficient
postage cannot be sent into foreign ^
countries,” he stated, "and in order
o assure delivery patrons should be
careful to see that sufficient postage
is paid before mailing.”
Kentucky. December 4, 1835, and is
now in her 97th year.
She married John Roberts, of
Crittenden county, who was a soldier
in the Mexican war, and after his
death married Mr. Bess, who also
predeceased her. She is not able to
be up, owing to physical infirmities,
but talks intelligently and enjoys
company. She is entitled to a Mex-
ican War pension as widow of her
first husband, John Roberts, but on
account of intervening years, it is
difficult to secure proof to prove
service of Mr. Roberts in the Mex-
ican War.
Mrs. Lucius Miller, sister of Mrs.
3tss and mother of Emil, and sev-
pos" eral years younger than her sister,
is unusually active physically and
mentally.
Y SCHWENKER, editor of
• Braay Standard, announced
JUion dollar rain" last week, the
rainfall measuring about three
of an i«»L r* .
- .iiv.ii. ivt-poiiciLimn
WS just what value Schwenker rinmn_AI1 A nnrnvpc
Place on Milam ourty rain-1A RITterOn ApprOVCS
o! the year 1932, amounting to
1 thirteen inches. That much
,0nld fix McCulloch county up
| year or two, and spread Brady
J1 over the plaza. Incidcntal-
yV coumy farmers would like
de,for about six weeks of West
i drouth.
Relation of Lime and Phos-
= . lo the Bone Development.
^ats is the title of a bulle-
“f by Texas Agricultural Ex-
l" Stat'ion. Anyone interested
I for ^por!:<vnTlftn’s copy by
Its Two Banks As
U. S. Depositories
Cameron, Feb. 23.—Commission-
ers court in special session Monday
approved new bonds of the First,
National bank and the Citizens Na-
tional bank as county depositories.
The new bonds were made necessary
by reason of closing of the Cameron
State bank, which was also a depos-
itory at the time it closed.
The Citizens National bank was
designated as a clearing house for
the depositories.
J. D. Hairston and
Alex McLeod Will
Lead 1932 Tigers
Alex McLeod and J. D. Hairston
were elected to lead the Rockdale
hi; to school football team of 1932,
at a meeting of the Tiger 1931 grid
squad Tuesday. Feb. 23, it has been
announced. McLeod will serve as
backlielci captain and Hairston as
line captain.
Nominations for this election were
made at a squad meeting at the
high school on Monday, February
15, when J. D. Hairston, Morris
Green and Wade Bankston were
nominated for the line captain past,
and Bedford Watson, Alex McLeod
and Floyd Griffis received the back-
field nominations.
McLeod made his first letter dur-
ing the past football season when
he played the right half position for
Another of Rockdale’s pioneer cit-
izens has passed on. A. Longmire,
age 76 years, 5 months and 16 days,
died at his home in this city last
Friday night. Kis death, came
I peacefully anc| suddenly—so sud-
denly that only his faithful com-
panion of the past half century was
with him at the end.
Mr. Longmire had suffered from
heart trouble for several years, and
knew that his end would come sud-
denly. While confined rather close-
ly to his home for the past several
weeks, yet he was feeling as well as
usual Friday. About 8 p. in., he
suffered a heart attack. The fam-
ily physician was summoned, the
attack was relieved, and J,he patient
went to sleep. About 11 p. m. he
passed away as he slept.
Funeral services were conducted at
the family residence Saturday af-
ternoon at 4 o’clock, Rev. L. E.
Strickland, pastor of the First Bap-
tist Church, officiating. Interment
followed in the New City Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Messrs. Earl Ryan,
N. M. Bullock, E. A. Camp, Branch
| Lew'Ls, S. M. Floyd and J. E. Dyer.
A. Longmire was born September {
3. 1855, at Camden, Willcox county.
Alabama He came to Texas at the!
age of 16 years, and had been a j
citizen of Milam county for 45 years, j
For the past 20 years he had lived
Supervisor Opens New
Work on Rockdale-
Minerva Road
Henry Reaves, state highway
maintenance supervisor for Milam
county, this week began work on the
job of straightneing out the crooks
on Highway 44 at the Hood Caldwell
corner, four miles north of town.
This work win connect with that
done last fall at the Banzhaf hill,
and will cut out three comers and
one dip between the Caldwell and
Banzhaf farms. A modem concrete
culvert has already been built to re- j
place the wooden bridge at the foot
of the Banzhaf hill.
Work was also due to start this
week on topping the Thomdale sec-
ton of Highway 43. The highway
commission has had many cars of
crushed rock placed at Thomdale
and Nile, and this material is being
distributed by trucks, preparatory to
spread and binding with the usual
blacktop binder.
ROCKDALE MAN
IS PLACED ON
LOAN GROUP
Cameron. Feb. 20.—Sheriff L. L.
Blaylock of Milam county who holds
an enviable record among Texas
peace officers, was honored at the
sheriff’s association convention in
Brown wood last week.
He was presented with a large j . . . . . .
black jack, carved from oak by Geo. j A. (X JVl. (j. (./I 11C 1 ell Ap-
Edwards of Brown county, as the
sheriff present at the meeting who
had the longest service record. Mr. j
Blaylock has a record of 28 years ser- {
vice as a peace officer.
proves Appointment
Of Geo. Banzhaf
RATTLESNAKES ARE
HOBBY OF THIS MAN
“Monkeyed” With Them So l ong, a
Rite Might he Fatal to the
Snake, Buckholts Man Says
GARNER IS MAN
FOR PRESIDENT
IS TEXAS’CRY
State Committee Nam-
ed to Push Interests
Of Native Son
San Antonio, Feb. 23.—John N.
Garner as a national selection fo.
the presidency, not as a mere fav-
orite son of Texas, was enthusias-
tically offered to the country here
Monday at a rally of about 5000
Democrats.
From ail sections of the Mate they
came, imbued will) the conviction
that the Uvaid< speakci of the na-
tional house of representatives was
the man of the hour. They left with
the eloquence of orators and the
John, alias Swamp, Russell, a long | °f +«\ aroused ^>cracy
ringing in their ears, more oonvinc-
time resident on Lapan creek, a
mile and a half north of Buckholts
was in Cameron Saturday with about
a dozen large rattlesnake pelts. The
largest measured six feet and five
inches.
Mr. Russell is an expert authority
from natural experience, on rattle-
snakes, and has killed 26 this year,
12 on his and nearby farms, and 14
on the Woodson and Dobbins farms
on Walker’s Creek. Mr. Russell ren-
ders the fat of the reptiles and sells
and uses it for different ailments of
the body, external application, al-
, hough he occasionally takes some
internally. He sells the bones to
concerns that use them in making
various trinkets for ladies, and now
hat pelts are being used f«r up-
holstering in airplanes, he hopes the
once will be more profitable.
jed than ever of “Texa.". Jack’s" pros-
pects of nomination. It was an un-
precedented message that went forth
from San Antonio, a message in
which Texas Democracy joined with-
out. a dissenting voice in whole-
hearted sponsorship of a distinguish-
ed Texan. Not in modern years lias
this state agreed upon any person
or issue with such unanimity. It
was in marked contrast to most
Lone Star political gatherings, which
usually smolder and flame with con-
troversy.
Never before, indeed, ha.. Texas
ever risen in .such spontaneous fa-
shion to advance the cause oi any
man for president. Ariel this with-
out a word of encouragement from
the object of their efforts, who was
15C0 miles away.
He tells many exciting and ln-
r '* rT" 1 i teresting stories about his various
in Rockdale, where he was known ,,7. 7
mid respected for those traits of
character which stamp a man as a
good citizen.
In his earlier days he had acquired i
considerable farm land holdings in |
the country to the south of Rock- j
dale, and maintained his supervision i
Conn R. Isaacs, Rockdale banker;
J C. Freeman, Maysfield farmer,
and I. P. Lehman, Buckholts busi-
ness man, have been named as the
committee which will pass upon ap-
plications for loans to Milam county-
farmers under the provisions of the
Reconstruction Finance Corporation
Act as recently passed by the Na-
tional Congress. This committee
was appointed by George Banzhaf.
Milam county farm agent, and ap-
proved by D. B. Martin, of the Tex-
as A. & M. College Extension Ser-
vice, who was named as co-ordinat-
or of farm loan activities for this
section.
Office room has been provided at
the headquarters of the Cameron
Commercial Club, where applica-
tions will also be received, and
where some farmers will find it
more convenient to call than on a
m: mber of the committee, accord-
ing to W. M. Cobb, secretary of the
Club.
O. W Sherrill, Georgetown bank-
er, will head the state organization
thi\ ugh which these loans will flow
to Tex.i: and Oklahoma farmers.
Mr. 3h:;rll! will make'his head-
quarters with the Federal Reserve
Bank in U. 11a;. Mr. Sherrill has
issued the following statement:
Explains Plan
“A county board, consisting of a
banker, farmer and business man, to
approve applications for loans in
each countv in co-operation with
the county and home agricultural
events who will assist the above
board.
"Ail banks in he county should
co-operate in origination of ioans t »
farmer- ir in a position to secure
essential, absolutely needed credit*,
for making crops otherwise in their
territory.
“If applications have been passed
by the county committee and if ap-
proved or rejected by the committee
■ ho il serve without pay the ap-
pmved loans will be turned over to
a field representative in charge of
three counties who will have gov-
ernment authority to further re-
iContinued on page five/
(Continued on page five)
2 You ins, Accused
Of Car Theft, are
Held at Cameron
Cameron, Feb. 23.—Two boys from
Fort Worth, driving a car which of-
ficers said had been stolen, were ar-
rested here this morning as they
were trying to sell two automobile
wheels and casings.
Sheriff L. L. Blaylock reported
that the car belonged to Grady Mor-
ris, of Decatur, and that charges of
automobile theft will be placed
against the boys in Wise county.
experiences with the venomous rep-
dies and when asked if he did not
fear that some time he might be-
anie indifferent or non alert while
catching and working with the rep-
tiles and receive a fatal bite, he
aughed and said he had “monkey-
ed” with them so long he thought
* f «\ U1 4 V» » w» 4 4 »vr\i tie? fq* o1
a v/iXV tJiO iii.ii .1/ rvouiu jv. t i, x u >■»x-%
to the snake!
_____ j cons, and in the end from the con-
District Judge John Watson has I vention as a whole. It was antici-
bcen confined to his home in Cam-jpated that the Texas demonstration
eron since Tuesday with a light at- j would give strong impetus to the
In ihelr speeches, In then formal oh“k ‘*"d,,1!lt «*>
... , . , apolicant is properly proceeding to
resolutions, and in private conver-
.sations during the day, the leader
■.tressed the need of,a man of Gar-
ner's abilities, experience and char-
acter to pilot the ship of state in
those trying times. They believed
that Garner would receive the votes
of some state delegations at the
Chicago national Democratic con-
vention from others after compli-
mentary votes foir |thcir (favorite
make a crop.
$400 Limit
"All loans will be limited to $400
but preferably cut to the lowest pas-
sible needs for 1932 crop produc-
tions and no individual landlord can
secure mere than $1600 total for his
entire tenants. Landlord's will in
all cases be required to have waived
or subrogeeea, us weii as >ther mort-
gages on the crops to be grown.
»‘ T .. — - ...J 1 I 1 *11 rvl Uln T*.«. 1-Ur.
Liudl no will IJC l 11(^1 DjV/ X '/I l/UU
lowing purposes and only where ab-
solute ne d exits: for feed, for seed,
tack of flu.
father Observer Discards Old Inch Method Of
Measuring Rain; He Chalks It Up by the Foot!
■^®arrs, local volunteer wca-
rne! IVPr’ Steu* th*t he has
^nn|r the 1932 rainfall by
e says that during the
January and February
.f. had one foot and a
•foot /ain’ which added to the
horded in December,
ttiorp m ng °f a record, and
r&«. han P^r cent
«<SrtarnUal PreclP‘tation us-
thLs section by Jup-
icched the P°int in
this good year of
the chronicling of rain
is no longer news. However, a real
news story is found in the fact that
at 1 p. m. Monday the sun came out
and shone brightly for almost thirty
minutes, and that again on Tues-
day Old Sol did his durndest to
break through the Clouds that have
with frequent and monotonous per-
sistency dripped water in greater or
less quantities upon the face of Mo-
,her Earth until the entire county
has been filled to a soaking suffi-
ciency.
Farmers are unanimous in stating
that never before in the history of
Milam county has there been as lit-
tle farm work accomplished dur-
ing December, January and Feb-
ruary. Corn planting time Is here
and so little land has been put up
that it is negligible when compared
with the usual status at this season
of the year.
Many farmers will be forced to
"nigger-in” their com land, It is
thought. It will require a full week
of bright, dry weather to enable the
mm and teams to get into the mast
favored fields. Doubtless the out-
come will be less corn and more cot-
ton planted than Milam county far-
mers really expected to plant or
wanted to cultivate.
The two rivers and all creeks were
out of banks over the past week end,
and second-class roads are in a
somewhat depiorable condiiton. With
these slight exceptions everything’s
lovely and the goose hangs high in
Matchless Milam, while the crop of
andidates is growing larger each
week.
Later—The sun shone all day
Wednecdav, and Thtir;dav is also
... and warmer—believe it or not,
odd but true, and strange as it
seems!
Expect 15 Teams
At Junior Cage
Tourney Feb. 27
Garner boomers.
Whether to treat “Cactus Jack” as
! a dark horse key to a convention
'deadlock, or to promulgate a nation-
al organization and an aggressive
countrywide campaign, was the most
serious question of the convention.
Some doubted the advisability of
even starting a statewide organiza-
tion, feeling that this would give the
impression that a campaign was
necessary to put Gamer over in
Texas.
Rayburn in Charge
The prooiem was finally solved by
adoption of a report, by the conven-
tion committee on permanent or-
Approximately 15 teams are ex-
pected to be entered in the county
basketball tournament for junior
boys on the indoor court in this
city next Saturday, Feb. 27, accord-
ing to Coach Ralph Gay of the
Rockdale high school. Gay is direc-
tor of athletics for the Milam Coun-
ty Interscholastic League.
The first game of the tourney will
open at 9 a. m. after coaches of
the various schools entered have
drawn for places. The final game ls^ GoflCrctC BfldgC
scheduled to begin at 9 o’clock Sat-
urday night.
All school boys under the age of
15 on September 1, 1931, are eligi-
ble for junior competition, Coach
Gay states.
Dates for the girls basketball
tournament for Milam county have
been set for March 4 and 5, with
the play to take place on the Rock-
dale court.
The county meet will be held on
March 19 and 20, with Supt. H. M.
Roark, of Thomdale, as director
general. This meet will also be held
in Rockdale.
(Continued on page five)
Near Rosebud Is
Open to Traffic
Rosebud, Feb. 22.—The new con-
crete bridge over Fond creek, be-
tween Cameron and Rosebud, has
been comnleted and accepted by the
state highway commission. Traffic
began to move over the new bridge
during the past week-end.
The bridge, a 705 foot structure,
was built to replace a wooden bridge
which burned last Aug. 30. The new
bridge is of wood piling, steel cross
beams and concrete.
(Continued on page four)
Eastern Star Has
Many Visitors At
Cameron Meeting
Cameron, Feb. 22.—An Eastern
Star school of instruction was given
here Saturday, opened by Mrs. Beil
Tomlinson, of Wallace, grand wor-
thy matron. Mrs. Josephine Gar-
ner, worthy matron, and H. E. Gar-
ner, worthy patron, of the local
chapter, presided.
At the noon hour lunch was serv-
ed at the Methodist church base-
ment by Group No. 1 of the Meth-
odist missionary society with Mrs.
W. A. Bonds as chairman.
Due to the illness of one of the
grand chapter officers in Austin,
which called Mrs. Tomlinson away,
no evening session of the school
was held. The school adjourned at
5 p. m.
Grand Officers here were: Mrs.
Bell Tomlinson, Wallace, grand wor-
thy matron; Mrs. Nettie Mayes,
Pope, grand warder; Mrs. Louise
Pope, Houston, deputy grand mac-
ron; Mrs. Florence Read, Coahoma,
'"and evr>»ulnnr; Mrs Ruth Rla-
graves ,IoIa, district deputy grand
matron: Mrs. Bessie B. Garth. Tem-
ple, past worthy grand matron.
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Cooke, John Esten. The Rockdale Reporter and Messenger (Rockdale, Tex.), Vol. 60, No. 2, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 25, 1932, newspaper, February 25, 1932; Rockdale, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth741470/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library.