1973
Evans wins freezer Della Evans won a brand new 20-foot chest freezer at the Jackson County Farm Service housewarming, when her name was drawn from 270 people who had registered for the prize.Many other people won prizes, too. They included Carrie McDaniel, Henry Burris, Martha Morgan, Edna Jones, Green York, Ella Lakes, Ruth Grimes and Betty Lear.
Snake handling ends in death
A Clay County minister was linked to a snake handling death in Laurel county. The
service was at the West 80 Pentecostal Church and Mr. Shirley Wager, 72 was bitten by a
rattle snake during the service according to the report. Wagers refused medical assistance
and died seven hours after being bitten. Over 100 persons were reported as attending the
service.
Stringbean killed Two front page stories featured Stringbean Akemon. One reported his murder in Nashville and the other told of his life in Eastern Kentucky. "He came from ole Kentucky" the headline read. The author Stanley Dezarn told about a concert in Clay County that had featured String just a couple of months earlier. It ended by saying "A nation mourns for a plain down to earth man from the hills of Kentucky."
Tyner Senior Center opens Leonard McWhorter, director of the brand new Tyner Senior Center announced an open house with everyone welcome to attend. The center which was in the old elementary school, had a T.V., a record player, quilting frames, sewing machines and checkers, plus many other things for seniors to enjoy. The announcment also said the center would refer senior citizens to other services if elderly people needed them.
Homer Powell was elected County Judge and Carl Cunnigan was the newly elected County Attorney. Luther Little was the County Clerk and Hershel Lynch won the Sheriff's race, while Ernest (Frosty) Gabbard was elected Jailer. Otis Johnson was elected Mayor of McKee in 1973.
Jack Gabbard and Bruce Hays came in first in the McKee City Council race followed by Floyd Lainhart, Murrell Lakes and Farris Isaacs.
Man dies in fall
Ronnie Lee Philpot,30, of London died in a 127 foot fall from a water tankhe was
building in Jackson County. Philpot a partner in Philpot Welding Co. was found packed in
mud at the base of the metal tank about 5 p.m. by his co-workers. He was pronounced dead
two hours later while enroute to a hospital.
Lakes to chair March of
Dimes
Melvin Lakes was named Jackson County Chairman fir the March of Dimes. Lakes is quoted
as saying that birth defects had become the number one child health problem in the nation.
"Contributions to the March of Dimes will help in establishing more prenatal care
programs for mothers with high risk pregnancies," he said.
Judge set trial dates and
dismissed charges
Circuit Judge Clay M. Bishop dismissed 20 cases, with charges ranging from assault and
disorderly conduct to forgery, flourishing a deadly weapon, and failure to send children
to school.
He said the charges were dropped after complaining witnesses failed to appear, or in cases
where the court felt action was no longer needed. Some of the 19 cases in which he set
trial dates were similar in terms of the dropped charges, but they also included one
murder charge, two assaults with with a gun and one assault with a knife.
Jailer forms posse
When Lonzo King, 20, escaped from the Jackson County Jail, Jailer Ernest
"Frosty" Gabbard rounded him back up. Gabbard said he received a tip as to the
where abouts of the man who had sawed through the bars of the jail on Nov. 27,1972, so he
went after him.
Armed with a warrent, Gabbard, two sheriff's deputies and a Kentucky State Policeman went
to King's mother's home in Madison County, where they arrested him and returned him to
Jackson County. Gabbard said it wasn't unusual for a jailer to go out after his prisoner.
"He was in my custody, and he broke out of my jail," Gabbard said. "So I
went after him"
Parrett completes basic
Lynn G. Parrett, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wiely Parrett, completed his basic training
at the U.S. Army Training Center for Armor at Fort Knox. Parrett was a 1972 graduate of
Annville Institute.
Submitted by Sarah Thompson - Granted
permission by George Ferrell, Editor to re-post
"Out Of The Past" as reprinted in The Jackson County Sun ( Formerly The Laurel
County Sun )