Word: morrilton
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1960-1969
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Since 1960, when he started sniping from the pages of his weekly Morrilton, Ark., Democrat at the political machine that rules Conway County, wiry Editor Gene Wirges has been beaten up, shot at and haled into court on ten different charges. Repeatedly, juries, which always seemed to include at least one or two friends of Sheriff Marlin Hawkins, undisputed boss of the local machine, found Wirges guilty. Repeatedly, higher courts overturned the verdicts...
...clear, Wirges, who turned the editing of the paper over to his wife Betty three years ago, aims to take another crack at the machine. He now serves as a staff assistant, spending most of his time doing the investigative work he hopes will lead to better government in Morrilton. Wirges can count on some potent moral-and material-support from Republican Governor Winthrop Rockefeller. The Governor, whose 7,500-acre Winrock Farms ranch lies just outside Morrilton, has already provided Wirges with office space in Little Rock, secretaries, financial support and top-drawer legal assistance...
...editors emerge triumphant from court after tangling in print with their readers. Last week Gene Wirges, 39, former editor of the weekly Democrat in Morrilton, Ark., was sentenced to three years in prison for perjury...
...years ago, built himself a big showplace of a farm on Petit Jean Mountain, about 60 miles from Little Rock. He proceeded to put his abundant money and energies into Arkansas' sad economic and cultural life. Among his personal and business achievements: a public school rejuvenation program in Morrilton, including a model elementary school and donations totaling $500,000 for the school district; a clinic in poor Perry County; a campaign that raised $700,000 for an arts center; a homebuilding program that includes Negro communities...
...Wirges took a census of township voters: the first 14 voters he talked to swore that they had voted against the machine. The Democrat's story went a long way toward proving hanky-panky at the polls-although the county government has yet to take any action. When Morrilton's city aldermen, ignoring two defeats on a new sewer tax referendum, enacted a special ordinance permitting them to spend the money anyway, the Democrat gleefully printed this example of unrepresentative government...