Taylor Recounts Hanging at Historical Society Meeting
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April 25, 2018 THE TOWNS COUNTY HERALD Page 1B Taylor recounts hanging at Historical Society meeting By Mark Novak and other items during the War Young Coward soon after Well, Coward reported Towns County Herald Between the States. informed Justice over dinner the murder that evening, and the Staff Writer And though it was not just what his father had told body was found as well as the illegal at the time to operate a him, before returning to his post gun used in the murder. Bad blood resulted in the still, it was illegal not to pay at the still. Justice was charged with death of two Towns County men taxes on the ill-gotten gains. The very next day, the the murder and trial was held in the late 1800s, and County Many Georgians at the elder Coward and Justice began in Towns County, ending in Historian Jerry Taylor told the time refused to pay taxes on the to drink heartily in preparation a mistrial with the jury being tale in the April 9 meeting of liquor they produced and kept for the coming crime. 11 for conviction and one for the Towns County Historical their stills well hidden from the The men loaded Justice’s acquittal. Justice was held in jail Society. government, much like Justice double-barreled shot gun and to be retried. The year was 1887, and in 1887. laid in wait for Godard to come Justice escaped jail with Tillman C. Justice was a lo- Enter James B. Godard. by, all the while drinking more three other prisoners, only to cal resident with something to Godard owned property and more whiskey. be caught five days later, and he hide – he knew if word got out next to Justice, and the two Finally, Godard appeared was called again to answer the he would be in trouble with argued over property lines for at his home, and the two con- charge for murder. the law. years, creating animosity be- fronted him about reporting This time, he was con- Justice was a moonshiner tween the men. the still. victed and sentenced to hang- and ran a still on his property, Another man named Ja- Godard denied report- ing on November 18, 1887, for and he aimed to protect his inter- son Coward told his son David, ing the still, but Justice didn’t murder in the first degree. est in the moonshine business. who worked the still with Jus- believe him. He pulled the trig- Taylor relied upon an Backing up just a bit from tice, that Godard had reported ger and hit Godard in the face, 1887 article from the Atlanta ‘87, U.S. Congress created the the still. He also told his son then shot him a second time and Constitution for the retelling Internal Revenue Service to that Godard ought to be killed broke his arm. of the only hanging in Towns collect taxes on liquor, tobacco for it. County history. Photo by Shawn Jarrard Also in the April 9 histor- ical society meeting, Mr. Ernest County Historian Jerry Taylor standing at the intersection of Noblet was fondly remembered, River Street and Lakeview Circle behind the Towns County Mountain Movers and Shakers and a display was prepared Courthouse, near the area of the only hanging in Towns County for the late Gov. Zell Miller, history. who was a lifetime member of welcome elected leaders the Towns County Historical Society. Patriots Friends of NRA meeting Members were also de- The Blue Ridge Patri- Judge Brian Jones. Topic: lighted to have special guest ots Friends of NRA (National State of Georgia Concealed Hugh Howell in attendance, Rifle Association) will hold its Carry Laws, and State Con- whose father Oscar Howell was regularly scheduled monthly cealed Carry Reciprocity, and sheriff in the early 1940s. Hugh meeting on Thursday, April Campus Carry. shared a scrapbook of pictures 26, 2018 at the Fannin Coun- If you are interested in and memorabilia from his child- ty Seniors Center located at this information please join hood when his family lived in 440 West First Street, Blue use, there is no membership the Old Rock Jail. Ridge. Meeting will start at 6 required or sought. The society meets on the PM. Meetings are held on the Point of Contact, Dan second Monday of the month at fourth Thursday of the month. Spies, Co-Chairman, Blue 900 North Main St. in Hiawas- Dinner will be provided. Ridge Patriots Friends of see at 5:30 p.m. Guest Speakers: Probate NRA, 843-592-1616. NT(Apr25,Z5) Judge Scott Kiker, Magistrate CA Photo by Mark Novak District 50 State Sen. John Wilkinson, right, appeared with these Towns County students, Sam Fullerton and locally elected leaders at a town hall-style meeting of the Mountain Movers and Shakers on Friday, April 20. By Mark Novak Towns County Herald cation,” said Wilkinson. “Some ognized the people that work so Staff Writer people will tell you that it was hard in Towns County to make fully funded in 2002, but it has it such a great place. There were many distin- never been funded to the extent “I want to especially com- guished dignitaries on hand to that it is funded right now.” mend the leadership that you speak in front of a standing- Wilkinson has been in- have in Towns County,” said room only crowd at the Friday, strumental in getting a number Wilkinson. “As long as God April 20, meeting of the Moun- of bills passed through the state continues to bless me with good tain Movers and Shakers. House and Senate that will be of health and we feel like we’re To open the meeting up, tremendous use to many of the making a difference, we’re go- guest emcee Amy Barrett ad- residents in his district. ing to keep working, and may dressed the crowd. One of the bills, Senate God continue to bless you.” “I have the great privi- Bill 330, deals with agriculture Towns County Sole Com- lege of serving as a city council and education in the schools, missioner Cliff Bradshaw fol- representative for your great and Gov. Nathan Deal will be lowed up the senator with a community,” said Barrett, a signing that bill next weekend at summary of his most recent Hiawassee City Councilwoman. the FAA convention in Macon, county meeting, and Hiawassee “Before we get started, I would in front of 5,000 FAA students, Mayor Liz Ordiales spoke about like to take a minute to thank the including some of the students the many improvements the city Movers and Shakers for asking from Towns and surrounding has been making. me to emcee this amazing event counties. “We’re getting ready to this morning.” “What it does is set up start all the work at the sewer Towns County Sheriff pilot programs in our elementary plant in the next couple of Chris Clinton then led the group schools across the state to teach months,” said Ordiales. “We in prayer before Towns County children,” said Sen. Wilkinson. finally got official award of our High School student Summer “Right now, we have instruc- $600,000 grant, so we’re mov- Rahn performed a moving rendi- tion in agriculture in grade six ing forward with that.” tion of “God Bless America.” through 12. Towns County Schools The first guest speaker “This would set up pi- Superintendent Dr. Darren Ber- that Friday was 2018 Top of lot programs in kindergarten rong also gave an update in Georgia Speech Contest Cham- through the fifth grade, so chil- the meeting, speaking on the pion Larson Church, who deliv- dren can learn more about what upcoming campus construc- ered her award-winning speech it takes to produce food and how tion, which will start on May on being grateful. you grow food.” 21, after school has let out for Next up, District 50 State In closing, Wilkinson rec- the summer. Sen. John Wilkinson spoke about his experiences with posi- tive thinking and the work he is doing to represent the people of Georgia. “I’m thankful that I get to represent a district like this where we can get together and have prayer,” said Wilkinson. “That I get to be with a lot of other people that put their faith first. “And then I think we need to put our family second, I think you would agree with that, and then the other things in life need to come after that.” One of the key issues that Wilkinson has worked on is education. “No. 1, for the first time in history, the legislature fully Photo by Mark Novak funded QBE, Quality Basic Edu- Sen. Wilkinson in Hiawassee on Friday, April 20. ...from Page 1A Bank with the merger, Cherry and the completion of its Corporation, in December. “This Jean E. Davis, a former director merger with Park Sterling is a significant step forward in of Park Sterling, have been Corporation (NASDAQ: PSTB) accomplishing our vision to appointed to the South State in December 2017. build a quality regional bank in Corporation and Bank Board of Under the terms of the the Southeast.” Directors. merger agreement, Park Sterling With this merger, South Cherry has served as CEO shareholders received 0.14 shares State Corporation has assets of Park Sterling Corporation of South State common stock in over $14 billion and a market since its inception. Prior to Park exchange for each Park Sterling capitalization of approximately Sterling, he served in numerous share outstanding immediately $3 billion. executive roles for Wachovia prior to the merger.