3

Veteral Newspaper Man

3

"I was a member of the convention that framed the present Constitution
of the State of Alabama. That was a fine piece of work that we did. I am
more proud of being a member of this convention that of any other that
has been given me."

In reviewing his long years as a reporter, editor and publisher, Mr.
Greer said "I have had some exciting times, as any newspaper man is likely
to have. I guess the most excited, not to say the most frightened I ever
was, was the time I looked up from my writing to find two men pointing
guns at me. They were very definite in their demands. I was to write as
they dictated. I did this and sent the article up for publication word for word
as they had dictated it, and it was on the front page of the paper the
next day. I asked these men If they would get me an interview with their
leader who was a notorious bandit of that time. They replied that they
did not know him and that they did not know where he was, but that they
would try to get word to him, if I would publish exactly what he said
so the public would know his side of things. A short time later when
this leader was kllled one of the men who held me up was with him.

"One of the most historic spots in the South is the brass star on
the porch of the Alabama Capitol building. This marks the spot where
Jefferson Davis stood to take the oath of office as President of the Con-
federate States of America. I was present when Governor Jones and his
assistants were trying to locate the place where he stood, so they could
have this star mark it. No one seemed to know exactly where Mr. Davis stood,
so the present location of the star was chosen by Governor Jones as the
most likely spot."

Mr. Greer has always been on the alert to secure the good things of
life for his community, if it was in his power to do so.
Through his efforts there was obtained for his county a rural telephone
service from the Bell Telephone Company when that service was rarely
available. The International Harvester Company was

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