Around The Court House and County News from 1924

 

Here is some interesting and informative items from the year 1924 from the archives of The Crittenden Press, from columns titled “Around The Court House and County Court News.”

The Honorable Judge E. Jeffery Travis presiding.
 

• Jan. 11, 1924 – The regular session of the Crittenden Fiscal Court convened January 1 and was in session Tuesday and Wednesday, County Judge Travis, County Attorney Edward Stone, and all the Magistrates being present.
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• L.H. Franklin qualified as magistrate in the Union district, to succeed Charles LaRue whose term of office has expired.

• The price for plow and team on the public roads of the county was set at $2.00 a day.

• The windows, doors, casings, etc., of all the office buildings in the court house are undergoing a coat of paint, which adds greatly to their appearance.
  

• County Clerk, L. E. Guess has issued marriage licenses to Walter Cook and Mrs. Harpye Herrin; Ernest Conyer and Miss Myra Frances Mitchell; Rob Brown and Miss Effie Campbell and Roy Herron and Miss Vera Belle East.

• The county levy for all purposes was set at 50 cents on the $ 100, divided as follows: Road fun 30 cents, salaries and miscellaneous, 13 cents, pauper fund 7 cents.

• Squire S. F. Peek and Constable Vernon Patton, of Dycusburg brought to Marion Wednesday morning a moonshine still which they turned over to the authorities here. The still consisted of a large copper tank, and other machinery necessary to the manufacture of moonshine liquor, including a fourteen-burned oil heater. The still was estimated to be of capacity sufficient to turn out from 50 to 60 gallons of moonshine a day. The still was unloaded Monday from the Steamer Grace Devers on the streets of Dycusburg, the river being too high for the boat to land at the Dycusburg landing. The shipping tag indicated that the outfit was from the Nation Metal Works of Paducah and was addressed to Jim Ferguson, Bulls Pasture, Tenn. The Dycusburg officials report that no reason is known why it should have been put off at that place. The court will decide what to do with it.

• Jan. 18, 1924 – There are lots of things that our good friend, Judge E. Jeff Travis, possibly might be criticized for and about but we at least must compliment him on the stand he has taken for law enforcement. There probably has never been a county judge in this county that was more conscientious in his efforts along this line.

• The will of Mrs. Tressa Lamb was filed for probate. Her nephew, Press McConnell, is sole beneficiary under the will and was made administrator of the state.

• January 25, 1924 – According to the records in the office of County Clerk L. E. Guess there have been issued during the past year, 87 marriage licenses, while the records in the office of Circuit Clerk J E. Sullenger show that 29 couples have filed suit for divorce. These figures show that exactly two thirds of the couples in Crittenden County who marry stick, while the other third seek for the annulment. Cupid has it by a two thirds majority.

• Out of more than 1,200 dogs assessed in Crittenden County the owners of only 67 of them have obtained dog license for the ensuring year, according to a report of County Clerk L. E. Guess. The law, says Mr. Guess, places a penalty of 20 percent on license after January 1, and when license are not paid, the dogs are at the disposal of the sheriff.

• Of more than 600 automobiles and trucks owned by citizens of this county only the owners of 87 have paid their 1924 licenses. Mr. Guess attributes the delay on the part of auto owners to the many machines now in disuse owing to the bad condition of the roads.

• The County Clerk has issued a marriage license to Mr. Steve Curry and Mrs. Mary Smith.

• March 1924 – The Marion-Princeton road which was graded and prepared for surfacing last year will in all probability, be surfaced this season. W. R. Campbell, of Madisonville, has the contract to surface the road from Marion city limits to Livingston Creek. E. Champion has the contract to haul and put the surface on one and one fourth miles. Frazer and Son will surface the first two miles out of Marion. Mr. Campbell will have his headquarters at Crayne and will surface two miles in each direction from that place.

• Work has begun on Dam No. 50 on the Ohio River, just above Fords Ferry in this county. The work of clearing off the land on which to erect the camp buildings was begun lat week, and actual construction will begin as soon as materials can be secured, which will be in a few days. The dam is being built by the United States Government as are the three other dams located on the lower Ohio at Uniontown, Golconda, and Brookport. The purpose of the dams is to insure a nine foot boating state in the river at all season of the year. This work will give employment to hundreds of men and four of five year time will be required for its completion. Mr. R. B. Tinsley is the superintendent in charge at Fords Ferry.

• City Council News for March 14, 1924 – H. K. Bell, water engineer, was present and presented his final plans for a water system for Marion.