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I BRIGHT ANO BREEZY S 1$ "AU The Newt.” J £ North Georgia's Great J (Daily. * Only 50 Cents a Month. * ESTABLISHED 1887. HERE BAN ARGUMENT , THAT IS UNANSWERABLE ’ Why the Tax Levy of Floyd County Must Re main at 7.29 Mills. k * Complete statement of county finances » Chairman Featherstone of the Board of County Commissioners Shows Thattt Could be Made no Less. Editor of The Tribune: The recent tax levy by the county board has elicited much comment and at least some complaint, in view of which, ■and of the fact that the people of the -county are entitled to full information -on so important a subjicc, the following statement in behalf of the board is deemed proper: ' It is hardly necessary to say the mem bers of the board took no pleasure in making this large levy. They fully ap preciate its burden to all, and the serious i distress it will bring to many. Besiaes, -each of them must pay his full share of this levy, and will feel its burden as fully, at, least, as the average. But the county is in debt. That condition is ■fixed, and we cannot escape its .conse quences, Delay in payment will simply add'to the debt’s volume and its burden. The board, before making this levy, devoted much time to investigating the county finances for some years back, some results of which are as follows: Prior to about 1892, and when times were good and the digest showed taxa ble property of nine millions and over, a levy of something over one half of one per cent, making, with the state levy, about one per cent, was sufficiei.t to meet the county expenses. But since that time such a levy has not been suffi cient, for two reasons: one, the falling off in the digest resulting from the gen ( eral decline in values, and the other, an increase m expenses. It was peculiarly unfortunate that the two should happen together. The result has been an annual -.deficit, the accumulation of which now amounts, or by the end of this year will amount, to probably fifty thousand dol lars and over, outstanding in reg:stered warrants drawing seven per cent interest. The impression prevails that this •“floating” debt resulted from build ing the court house. But this is a mis take. The board made four seperate special tax levies to pay for the court bouse, and collected by those levies something over $68,000, or about three thousand more than the entire cost of the court house and furniture. The first of these levies was made in the fall of 1891, when the whole levy, State, county, and special, was a frac tion over 1.40; the second in|lß92, the whole levy being 1.10; the third in 1894, whole levy 1.10; and the fourth in 1895, when whole levey was 1.25. It is true that nearly S7OOO of the court bouse debt is still unpaid, but not be cause the tax was not collected to pay *dt in fall, but because of w the urgent need of the money so collected for. and its application to. ordinary expenses. And this not with standing the fact that besides these special levies for court house. the levies for ordinary county expenses in the same years, and in every year since 1890, and the collee tions on those levies, were considerable larger than usual for the years proceeding. Ho it is clear the floatinging debt hes not resulted from building the court house, but has resulted from an annual deficiency of taxes to meet the county’s annual expenses. All agree that this course of things must be stopped, hard times or good times. Obviously expenses must be reduced, or taxes Increased, or both must concur, until and equilibrium is reached between taxes and expenses. To reduce expenses is plainly, the more desirable and the efforts of the 'board have been stenuously exerted ,to that end, and with some success. But the work is difficult and has •been bitterly fought by those who THE ROITE TRIBUNE. are the recipients of those expenses and their friends. Besides, fully half the county expenses, and perhaps more, are beyond the board’s control, towit, the expenses of the Superior and City courts and Wees and salaries fixed by law. Moreover, the legisla ture in recent years sums to be lend ing its aid to add to the burden of county expenses. From the beginning of our state government to this year elections were held without any ex pense to a county. But under the re cent law an election for Floyd county will cost the county not less than one thousand dollars. The fence elec tion for the Rome district alone last spring cost the county nearly three hundred dollars. Many services of public officers now liberally paid for, were formerly re quired without pay and as part of the burden of the office. And to add to the misfortune of the situation, an unusual number of bridges in the county have this year given out, along with the chaingang’s equip ment of mules ]and machines, besides other unusual expenses. But, notwithstanding this condition of things, considerable reductions in expenses have been made, the amount of which, however cannot be calcu lated upon with certainty till the end of the year. These reductions have been allowed for in the tax levy, as will appear later but not to the ex tent it is hoped they will amount to, for the board cannot take much risk of another deficit, and the experience of their predecessors is a warning they dare not disregard. In making estimates for next year the board are guided by two things, one the average amount of the coun ty's expenses in each department for each of the past five years, and the other an estimate of bow much, if any, the expenses in that department may be reduced by the board. Thus guided, they found that the chaingang had cost an annual average of nearly $13,000. They levid instead of that sum $lO 000. The alms bouse has cost $4,000 and over a year con siderable more for the last two years, that they reduced to $1,850. The jail has averaged about $4,500, they levied for that $3,000. The general fund has averaged about $17,500; this f undis made up lagely of court exposes and other matters beyond the board's control, but the levy for it was put at $15,000. The average for the jury fund has been about $6,900. and the levy was so made, because' the board has no controll whatever of that ex pense, but they made a mistake in do ing so. overlooking the fact that near ly $8,500 was paid for juries last year and that over $7,000 has already been paid this year, with the fall courts still to be held—in other words that that expenses is largely increasing and is costing now much more than the average for five years, and this is true of all other court expense. The amount for the bond debt of Course is fixed. The levy for bridges $5,000 is scant for the work that must be done. It is evident that none of these levies could bs safely lowered, and it is proba ble that some Os them ought to be high er. The body or individual that under takes to check the flow of money from the county treasury cannot well overesti mate the difficulties of the Work, and it is unsafe for the present board to as sume that they will succeed in this work so much better than their predecessors. They may not succeed as well. The ex perience of the board last year, 1896, is (Continued on Eighth Page.) ROME. GA., THURSDAY. S-EFTEMBtCK 9 1897. HIS NECK IS BROKEN r . • Perry Dies With a Lie on Bis Lins. IN TWELVE MINUTES After Drop Which Fell at 11:43 kH. He Was Dead. MAKES A SPEECH ON THE SCAFFOLD Same Old Lie About Protecting His Wife. GOOD RIDDANCE FOR GEORGIA Cruel. Cold flooded and Diabolical Crime Committed in a Most Cow ardly Manner. • ’ Atlanta, Sept. 8 —H. S. Perry was hanged for the murder of Bely Lanier at Decatur. The execution tpok place on a gallows in the yard of the DeKalb county jail. The doomed inqn was pale but cool and collected to the last. On the scaffold he declared his innocence of murder and reiterated his statement that he killed Lanier to protect the sanctity of his home. The drop fell at 11:43 a. m. Horace Stephen Perry was conduct ing a small grocery business in Atlanta when he committed the crime for wipch he paid the penalty on the gallows. To supplement the family’s income Mrs. Perry took boarders at their home on Piedmont avenue and among these was Bely Laneir, a young theological stu dent. The domestic relations of the Perrys were not happy. Perry had be come infatuated with a woman of ques tionable character. In the troubles that arose from his liaison, Laneir became in volved and as a result Perry shot and mortally wounded him in the court house at Decatur on Monday, March 8. After lingering for a few days Lanier died from the effects of the wound. Both men were under arrest when the shooting occurred, having been taken into custody at Ingleside, to which place Perry had followed Lanier for the avowed purpose of avenging an insult to his wife. Though both were searched, Perry succeeded in concealing a pistol, and no sooner had the party entered the court house at Decatur than he fired at La nier. After the shooting Perry said that his only regret was the fear that Lanier might live. He declared that Lanier had outraged Mrs. Perry. La nier strenuously denied that he had committed the assault, and before bis death made a statement in which he said Perry was angry Decause he, La nier, had told Mrs. Perry of Perry’s al leged relations with another woman. Perry was placed on trial for his life at a special term of the DeKalb supe rior court at Decatur on Tuesday, Avril 27, and convicted. The case was 'ap pealed to the state supreme court, which refused to grant a new trial. Strong pressure was then brought to bear on Governor Atkinson to save the condemned man, but after granting a respite, to allow himself time to inves tigate the case, the governor refused to interfere. Tli» sole plea of the defense throughout wus that Perry killed La nier to avenge an outrage upon his wife. A BRASH COUPLE. Prominent Georgia Connie go to Macon an I Represent Tbenselvee as Married. Macon, Sept. 8 —J. C. Warnock, of Savannah, and Miss Marie Lamar, of Milledgeville came here last night, and stopped at the Ellis house They said they were going to be married, and went out. They return ed shortly, and reported that Dr. Monk had made them man and wife, They spent the night together at the hotel. TodUy Dr. Monk denies having married them. Both belong to good families and are prominent in society circles. iMTe Are by kind l)og<. Candler, Gn., Sept. 8 —The wildest excitement prevails here because of the fear of hydrophobia. The people are going armed to their work and the schools are almost entirely without stu dents. There have been five parties bitten in this immediate settlement, as follows: Peurl Baden, aged 11; Wil burn Allen, aged 10; W. D. Ford, aged 86; Joseph, son of Dr. M. V. McAfee, ageci 6; Clarence Allen, aged 5. A num ber'of dpgs and some stock were also bitten. No cases of hydrophobia among (he bitten persons have been reported CONSUL LEE ON CUBA The General Arrives in New York. . THE CISNEROS CASE Stories of Her 11l Treatment Very Knelt Exaggerated. SAYS END OF WAR IS NOT IN WT Fourteen Hundred Americans Well Cared For. GOOD DEAL OF SUFFERING THERE Much Worse in Cuba Now Than When Cal houn Was There—More Testimony About the Cisneros Lie. New York, Sept B.—General Fitz hugh Lee, consul general of the United States at Havana, has arrived here. He is accompanied by his son, Geqrge Fish back and R. O. Oliver, United States consul at Merida. When asked as to whether he would return to Cuba or not, the general shook his head and said: "I cannot answer that and I would, rather not talk on Cuban affairs until I make my report in Washington.” In speaking of the case of Evangelina Oos'sio .Cisneros, the general said: "The young woman is now confined in Casa Recohidas. She has never been tried and I do not- think that it was ever intended that she should be banished. The stories of her ill treatment are very much exaggerated, and were it not for the hubbub which has been raised about her the girl would probably have been released long ago. In fact. I was given to understand that her name was on the pardon list. She has comfortable quar ters and is treated as well as possible under the circumstances. There was a good deal of suffering in Cuba, but the Americans, numbering about 1.400. are being cared for from the fund of $50,000 which was appropriated for that pur pose. They receive relief daily and up to the present time about $15,000 has been expended.” “Is there any sign of business im proving or a change for the better in Cuba?” asked the reporter. "No, I am sorry to say there is not,” said the consul general. "And there will,'be no improvement until the war is ended.” “When will that be, general?” To this last question General Lee re-' plied in Spanish, a free translation of which is “that is too much for me; I cannot say.” Among the other passengers on board were Robert O. Oliver, United States consul at Merida, Mex., and George W. Fish back of this city, who was said to have been sent to Havana on business for the United States government. Mr. Fishback said that his trip to Havana was purely on private business. Mr. Fishback said that there was a good deal of suffering all over Cuba and that the condition was worse than when he was there last as secretary to Commis sioner Oalhouu. when the latter was in vestigating the Rais case. He saw- Miss Cisneros at Cosa Recohidas and said re ports concerning her treatment were grossly exaggerated and that the young woman was fairly well treated and did not complain when he was speaking to her. BERTIRIA AND THE BARON. She Loves Poycllolfllng Unto Desperation Soe Says, Baltimore, Sept. B.—Miss Bertina White, formerly of Atlanta, is the leading character in a very romantic love story here. The girl met Baron Poyciloifling, a foreign nobleman who is a newspa per man here. became very much enamoured of each other. Miss White was finally sent to college at Frederickstown, but the baron wrote to her. This became known, and the girl was brought, back here by her mother. Miss White swears that she will yet inarry her lover. NATIONAL LEAGUE. Washington, Sept. B.—The games to day did not change the situation among the leaders. The scores: Boston 17. St. Louis 5. Philadelphia 5, Chicago 6. Brooklyn 2. Cincinnati 4 Washingtonß, Cleveland 7, let game. Washington 9, Cleveland 0,2 d game. New York 8, Pittsburg 7. Baltimore 5, Louisville 1, OUR CONVICT PROBLEM VIEWED BYEX-CONYICT Intelligent and Widely Traveled New England er’s Experience In a Georgia Chaingang. HE WAS GUILTY OF NO MORAL TURPITUDE Sent to the Chaingang Through a Technicality For One Year—En dorses the Penal Island Plan. The Tribune presents to its readers today one of the most intensely in teresting stories relative to the 6on viet question ever printed in a Geor gia newspaper. It comes from a man of education, undeniable honesty and Who has not only been in every state in the union but has circumnavigated the globe four times. The man is William N. McNamara, of Providence, R. 1., who has just completed a years sentence in the Floyd county ehaingang—yet who is guilty of no moral turpitude, only the unwitting victim of a legal technicality. He came into The Tribune office yesterday morning, a square set. rather low figure, dressed neatly and bearing the unmistakable air of a man of no little refinement and edu cation.- His face is a strong one, with a clear steady gaze in which there was no cringing or shifting lights the t betray always the hardened criminal or unprincipaled character. He talks straight to the point without; hesitancy, and his language is excel lent. His opinions come of an abso lute knowledge.of the subject die cussed, and a keen and intelligent comprehensiveness of grasp. Such a man’s views carry weight with them. He first told the story of the unfortu nate combination of circumstances that placed a criminal’s stripe on his back, but which should leave no stain on his good name. Story of Hie Sentence “I was in the employ of the Provi dence Tool Company, of Providence, R. 1.,” he began, “and with four other men had been sent to Yokohoma, Japan to put up some machinery. We lauded in Savannah, and my four companions went on home. Bat 1 wished to see some of the South and started from Savannah towards the northern part of the state. *‘l landed one day in the little town of Rockmart. There is where mv trouble began. A gentleman in that place hired me to sell a sewing .machine for him, a business I had had some experience in. He agreed to give me $5 commission on the sale, and I perfected it in about half an hour receiving the money in cash for the machine. When 1 went to the party to turn over the amount I retained my $5 commission saying at the same time. ‘lt is alright for me to retain this, is it?’ ‘‘He replied, ‘you aint going to charge me $5 for half an hours work are you?’ “I said, ‘That was our agreement, be sides I’m working on. commission, not time? “We had some more words about it, and be finally became angry and said I could get fl and no more. When I re fused to turn over the bill, he threatened | to have me arrested. I went away with the money because it was justly mine. I did not know there was a law in Geor gia requiring parties working on com mission to turn all moneys collected over to the employer, who pays back the commission. I had no idea that I was guilty of a technical crime, and certainly was not guilty of any moral wrong. I had sold machines many times before, retaining my commission in each instance and there had been no trouble. I had done the same thing in Anniston only a short while before. “But I was arrested, placed in jail and the grand jury found a true bill ag ilnst me. I will say, however, that the gentleman with whom I had the transaction made every effort to have the case quashed, but the great ma- J Increase Your Trade. ; * A Klondike Strike * * By advertising in ' The J i* Tribune. * X Best medium la Norik Georgia * PRICE FIVE CENTS chinery of law had been set in motion and had to be sated even though an innocent man, in every moral sense, should be deprived of his liberty. All thought my sentence would be fl and costs, the minimum. “It was a terrible shock when I was sentenced to one year in the chain gang,but I was a stranger in .a strange land and had no recourse. In the eyes of the law I was a “Just ten months-and ten days ago I began my experience' as a Georgia convict in the Floyd county chain gang, having been sent here from Polk under the hiring out system in vogue in this section. It is an ex perience that I shall never forget, but lam proud to say my case has been investigated by many good people here, and at home, They know I was the victim of a technicality.” His Views of Convict System. McNamara stated that his talk printed below had no specific reference to the camp here, and that the convicts were treated humanely by Superintendent Hackney. He stated that the food was clean and wholesome, and particular at tention was paid to the cleanliness of the camp. The straw in the beds is changed once a month, and the ticking washed. There is no vermin in the camps whatever. McNamara said in re* ply to a question as to what he thought of the plan of working convicts on the road: “I do not think the plan a good one at all as it is now. There is no appeal whatever for a prisoner who may be abused either through personal spite or otherwise by brutal guards or bosses. There should be some head to the sys tem, some one to whom a convict with a grievance might appeal. The power of the superintendent is absolute, and in most instances he will sustain the guard in anything he does, it matters not how much in fault he may be. “A guard who is paid S3O per month can make any statement he chooses about a prisoner, and there is no appeal whatever for the poor convict. Such conditions breed brutality in. the guards and to this is due so many of the har rowing abases recently reported to the governor. “But this whipping business is a ter rible thing, apd I believe accomplishes no other result than being an outlet for the passions of the whipping bosses. You can do far more with a negro plac ing him in solitary confinement in a darkened room. They are an intensely superstitions race, and for most of them the dungeon is peopled with awful shapes. Whip one of them and he for gets it in a short while. Confine him in darkness and when released he will be good for months. “To whip a white man who has any sense of pride left is keenest degrada tion. The stripes were never laid on me, and I believe I would have died had they done so. “There is another wrong thatjneeds correction. There should be some regulation of hours for working con victs. Now they get up at 8 o’clock, having nothing but a piece of cold corn bread, washed down with water, to sustain them in the arduous work until dinner—about eight hours. They work from day light to dark, and it is too much. There should be some system about it. “I will remain here a few days do ing some work and then go to Provi dence, where my old place is open for me.’’ McNamara is from Maine, but has lived a great deal of the time In Mas- (Contlnued on Page Two.)