The weekly tribune. (Rome, Ga.) 1887-1???, December 07, 1893, Image 1

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M. QUAD’S STORY’ • MISSING. (Copyright, 1893. by Charles B. Lewis.] We talk and write of the mysteries of the sea as if there were no mysteries to be encountered ashore. He who goes flown to the sea will be awed and mysti fied and sometimes made afraid by sights and sounds, but the peaceful country and crowded city offer us no less. Al most everything met with at sea can be explained by natural causes, but things happen on land which baffle the shrewd est and most logical minds to make . elear. It is now a quarter of a century since the strange disappearance of Lizzie Wil i iiams, and yet the case is as much of a mystery as it was when 300 people were |1 w ft — — feBW "if W STRUCK DOWN BY TRAMPS, searching the fields and forests for her , dead body. Lizzie was the only daugh ter of a farmer living on the Wisconsin river, Wisconsin, between the towns of Rhinelander and Merrill. She W’as a handsome, intelligent girl and the belle of the neighborhood, and her family were well liked by all. One September mornrngT in the year ISOS, a tin peddler - named Joseph Sweet drove up to the honse. Mrs. Williams made a few pur chases, and as he was going south the girl Lizzie decided to ride with him as far as the house of a friend named Carpenter. The distance was only a mile, with a farm between. This farm was owned by a man named Endicott, and the peddler stripped at the house. He left Lizzie on the wagon, while he went around to the kitchen door. He found that Mrs. Endicott had just burned her hand on the stove, and whefrahe brought a cloth he dressed the bum and was in the house for perhaps a quarter of an hour. She went out to the wagon with him, being told that Lizzie Williams was there, but the girl had dis appeared. A few rods away there were a bend in the road and a bit of woods, and it was concluded that she had got tired of waiting and started off on foot. In a little while the peddler followed her and ■topped at Carpenter’s to learn that she ‘ had not arrived. It then occurred to him that she must have forgotten some thing and returned home, but it was a trifling circumstance and made no im pression on his mind. Three days later the alarm was sent out that Lizzie Williams was mysterious ly missing. She had not returned home, nor could it be found that she had called at any farmhouse for a distance of five miles either way. After a day’s search without trace of her the peddler was overhauled and placed under arrest. His story was a truthful one and easily veri fied. The pair were seen by no less than four different people as they drove up to -Endicott's, but no one saw Lizzie Wil =siams after that. As she was gone when the peddler came out with Mrs. Endicott, there could be no case against him, no matter what her fate. Day after day the search went on, until every foot of ground for miles around had been inspected. Then it extended to the towns. The river was dragged and the case given to the de tectives. Something ought to have been discov ered, but the case stands today as it did then. A dozen or more “suspects" were and discharged, and seven or eight different officials securer! “clews,’’ which promused much, but amounted to nothing. Not a glove, ribbon or other relic was picked up. No living person could be found who saw her after she left the peddler’s wagon at Endicott’s. No pedestrian or team passed her as she sat there. Lizzie loved her home and could not therefore have planned to run away. She had no money with her and was not dressed in her best. The search was so thorough and extended so far that had she been living she must have been found. There have been many theories advanced as to what became of her, but none of tin in has covered all the points, A Chicago detective who worked on the case for three months gave it as his opinion that she left the peddler’s wagon to make the other half mile on foot. The river was to her left and only a few rods away. Her attention may have been at tracted by something queer, and she walked through the strip of woods to the bank and accidentally fell in. The officer found a spot where the bank had Caved in, and this fact strengthened his ( theory. It was weeks after her disap pearance, and there was no use to look for the body |;hen. | ( It is dow about 18 years since the “conductor mystery" occurred, and the 1 solution is as far away as ever, A rail- I ' road conductor named George Hopkiut 1 , Mwfl at ÜbwHiur Green. Kv. At the THKx WEEKLY TRIBUNE age' of 25 he was married to a girl Ci good family and established a home. Hopkins was a sober, steady man and well liked by all who knew him. So far as any one could judge, his home life was all that could be hoped for, while his position as conductor was secure and his salary liberal. He had been married about 10 months when he arranged < build him a house. On a certain Tues uay anernooti no lev Hie contract to a builder and entered into certain othei business affairs. He went out at 6 o’clock that evening, and his wife accompanied him to the depot. He spoke to several people on the train whom he knew, and there was nothing whatever in his looks or actions to attract attention. The train reached Nashville on time, and Hopkins reported and got his orders as usual. It was half an hour after the train had pulled out before he was missed. A telegram was sent back, but no news of him could be had, Five dif ferent people saw Hopkins three or four minutes before his train pulled out, but no one saw him board the train. Neither could any one bo found who saw him leave thadepot or board any other train. After a couple of days the detectives were set to work, but they neve| got the slightest trace of the missing man. Had he vanished into air like smoke his dis appearance could not have been more mysterious. Was Hopkinsan embezzler? No. On the contrary, the railroad company was in his debt. Had he left his wife for an other woman? That theory was worked on, but produced no proof. Was he “off" in his head? All those who had done business with him that day scouted the idea, He had about §5,000 in the bank at home, and not over §3 or §4 with him. He was a man without an enemy. No body could find the slightest reason why he should plan to disappear, and nobody could see how he could be decoyed away and disposed of. After months of inves tigation it was generally concluded that Hopkins became suddenly insane and started off into the country; but if so. how was it possible for him to conceal his identity? Even the farmers for a hundred miles around were watching for him, and the case was known to the police of every city in the Union. One detective differed from the gen eral conclusion, and it may strike you that he was on the right trail. There was a freight train standing on the out side of the passenger train. As was after ward known, four or five tramps were in one of the empty box cars. Hopkins may have been walking between the trains and been struck down by the tramps for the purpose of robbery. It would have been the right thing to do to lift his body into the car and at some point down the road fling it into the bushes or into some ravine. A case which created widespread in terest for two or three years, and which was explained by a horrible discovery made 10 years after the first alarm, was that of Professor Cooke of a Baltimore college. About 30 years ago he went to the town of Mankato, Minn., to visit relatives, and one day he took a saddle horse and rode up the country to look at some land offered for sale. This was a journey of 16 miles. The land was pointed out to him by a settler named Nelson, who also invited him to dinner. After dinner the professor started out on foot to inspect the property, and that was the last ever seen of him alive. The horse had been put into a rude stable, and the saddle was not removed. Some time during the afternoon he got loose and started for home. Next morning two men came riding up to Nelson’s to see what had become of the professor. The farmer and his wife had been considerably worried over the man’s nonappearance, and they were glad to see the men and willing to ren der all possible assistance. The three men searched all day but could get no trace of the professor. Next day Nelson and his wife were arrested for murder, and 100 men were bunting the woods and fields to find where the body had been buried. While no trace of it could be found the demeanor of man and wife was declared suspicious. Their stories did not agree, and when pushed to ex- ■J V? ' 4' HIS DOO SCENTED THE SKELETON, plain matters they relapsed into silence. The enraged people wanted to torture the man to make him confess, and if the sheriff had not got the start of the crowd both would have been lynched. When the case came up for examina tion, Nelson and his wife told a straight forward story. If there were discrepan cies, they were of no importance. The bridle was found in the tarn. where the horse rubbed it off his head, and the foot nrinte «f the Otofewdr were found where KOiihbA.. 11l i KSDvY, J iECEiVIBKh 'i, I<3» ne naa leaped a creeir. not tne sngntest legal evidence could be brought against the couple, but yet two-thirds of the com munity believed them guilty. The miss ing man was advertised for, a reward in cited sheriffs and detectives -o take up his trail, and there was no k. v.p in the search for Iwo years. Three or four men continued it a year longer. It seemed impossible that the man could have gone a distance of 26 miles without being rec ognized. and as in the case of Hopkins no reason could be found why he should exile himself. Ten years later a dog solved the mys tery. In crossing the creek a mile or so from Nelson’s house the professor stepped into a bed of quicksand and was held fast. Ho probably shouted for assist ance. out ms cries were not heard. L< sank feet first, and when the treacher ous sands closed over his head there was no trace of his grave. Eight or nine years later a great freshet changed th<- course of the creek by many rods. Later still, as the farmer, was plowing up the old bed of the creek, his dog scented the skeleton and uncovered the skull. Help was summoned and the bones removed, and enough clothing was left to identify the dead man to everybody’s satisfac tion. He had met a terrible death, but no one was guilty of shedding his blood. Almost every day one reads of the "mysterious disappearance” of a well known citizen, but you have only to fol low the case for a few days to find that there were good reasons why lie should drop out of sight. There is no mystery where the man is an embezzler or de faulter or has become infatuated with an adventuress. The case of Milo Hast ings was one which hundreds of people pasted away in their scrapbooks and which scores of sheriffs and detectives had reason to growl over. Hastings was a young man, 23 years old, steady, tem perate and serious minded. He was half owner in a foundry at Jefferson City, Mo., and at the time of his disappearance was making lots of money and was en gaged to a handsome girl who would bring him a fortune. One day in June, 18G7, he called at the bank and deposited §B,OOO which had just been paid in to the linn. He tad a private account of over §12,000 in the same bank. He owed no man a dollar, had never had a quarrel with anybody, and his health was excellent. He drift the bank at 2 o’clock with a smile on his face, and up to this hour his case is an unsolved mystery. He went somewhere, but where? He did not go by boat or train. He did not drive or ride on horse back. Fifteen minutes after he left the bank he was asked for and could not be traced. The first idea in Hastings’ case was that he was involved financially. The next was that he wanted to evade mar riage; the third that he had been de coyed to some place and robbed and murdered; the fourth that he was a victim of temporary insanity. None of the theories would bear investigation. It was proved that he was anxious for the marriage to take place; that his financial situation was Al; that there were no particularly bad men in Jefferson just then, and that his mind was never clear er and stronger than on that day. "Why did he go?” was asked by thousands, and "Where did he go?” by other thousands, but to this date there has been no satis factory answer. There were those who held that he committed suicide by jump ing into the river. For three weeks the stream was watched and patrolled for a distance of 50 miles. The search cov ered every acre of ground for miles around. Every highway was traveled and in quiries were made. Thousands of circu lars having his photograph and descrip tion were sent out, and the reward stood fora year at §IO,OOO. The best detectives in the country spent weeks on the case and could not trace him beyond the doors of the bank. First and last over 50 men were arrested at different points and held for identification, but none of them proved to be the missing man. You will say with others that he must have gone somewhere and that some trace ought to have been discovered, but the fact re mains that nothing has been learned. My theory of the case is that he left the bank to go aboard of a steamer on a business errand, and that in crossing the gangplank or moving about aboard he fell into the river and was drowned. That his body was not discovered only shows that it might have caught fast on a snag at the bottom or floated past the watchers in the night. TARIFF TALK- No Financial Legislation Will be Considered Now. Washington, Dec. 5 —The committee on ways and means decided this morning to take up the tariff bill next Monday, giving the republican members the in tervening time to consider the new bill and comparisons. The meeting of the senate finance com mittee this morning indicated that there will probab’y be no financial legislation at this session, at least until long after the tariff has been disposed of. No positive action was taken, but the general drift of the talk of the senators who j lined forces in securing the repeal of the Sherman silver purchase act showed plainly that there was to be no resurrection of silver legislation and no pushing of financial measures of any sort of character. The tariff was the principal topic of diccussion at the meeting. Should there be hearings on the tariff when the bill cornea before the senate, or should these hearings be commenced now, were the questions propounded end which, when the commit ee a< j urued, h d not b ••’>! answen d. S naror V orhees will have charge of .he tariff: .tones of Arkansas, chairman; McPherson, Ve* r , Aidrich and Allison. The 10 Per Cent Tax. The rae>-i ii g of the bouse committee on hanking and emrenev today was devoted to a general dtecus-ion of the measure re ferret to it during lhe session. The proposition to repeal the tax of 10 per cent on the circu a ion i f state banks was discussed and made a sp< cal ordei for the meeting on Friday next. Membeis express the opinion that the matter will be theu finally tijspoa d of. HEARD FROM HONOLULU. Advices Receiv.il By a Kai! In r Vessel— Au Interview Repudiated, Port Townsend, Wash., Dec. 5. —The barkeutine K icKiiat, Captain Cutler, ar rived yes>erdiy from Honolulu, with ad vices tn November 20, fourd «ys as e the steamer Alexandria sailed for San Fiau cisco. In an interview published in the Ever. iog Star, Minister Willis is repoitcd to have said: ‘•Y >u arc authorized to state that no change in the present situv ion will take place for several wet Its. 1 b.oughr. with me certain instructions from the United States noverumeut on the Hawaiian situ ation, but since my airival coutii gences have aiiem, about which neither the United States government nor m i self were aware when I Mt Washington. “1 have thought best to submit these matters tv. Washington before procetdmn further to carry out my original instruc tions. No one need fear-trouble, end no lawlessness will be peimited.” Tms statement gave the amiexitionis's much satisfaction, and the rov alists were much displeased. Oa account of the many rumors current of the coutemp'ated action of the q-ieeu’s supporters, the pro visional government.found it necessary to keep two companies of soldiers nudtr arms for several nighi’a after the Al;» meda sai’u d. Continuing, Minister w Illis said: "TTnean thaFuht.il the time comes for me to cirry out my intention, the peace and good order of tais coma tmi'y will be kept undisturbed in the talerest of humanity, and that ar.y attempt nude by auy person or persons tp make trouble wi 1 be promptly checked and puuished. You may put the matter more plainly and that, even if the provisional government discharged all its troops ' toßiy, n > law lessness would be allowed for one moment under the present situation of sff firs. "The whole Hawaiian question is now in abeyance, and nothing that the news papers can say or do will alter this state ment one ioti. I make this statement, on my own responsibility and in the hope that it, wi 1 allay the present excite ment. No one need fear trouble, and no lawlessness will be permitted.” After this statement rumors began to fly about that the queen’s supporters would make a final rally in ber behalf. The crews of the United 8 ates men-of-war Philadelphia and Adams were held in readiness to be landed at a moment’s notice. The qeen’s advocates came out the n-xt day with a denial of the Willis in terview, saying that he was misquoted and by inference give encouragement to the idea that Willis bad or would receive an imperative order to restore the queen. The newspapers containing Mr. Bloum’s report bad not reached the island when the Klickitat sailed. San Francisco, Dec. s.—The United States revenue cutter Corwin, sailed shortly before midnight last night. Her destination is a secret, but it is supposed she is going to Honolulu with instruc tions for Willis. It is reported that one of the sailors on the Corwin had been bribed to take dispatches from Minister Thurston to President Dole. The captain of the Corwin refused to take letters from Consul Wilder, saying that he did not know where he was going. Washington, Dec. s.—The officials of the state department have received no advices from Hawaii by the barkentine Klicktat, which arrived at Port Town send, yesterday from Honolulu. They are inclined to discredit and question the accuracy of the purported interview with Minister Willis in the Honolulu Evening Star. They say that it would have been improper for Minister Willis to have thus expressed himself, and they do net believe he did make the statements at tributed to him. This is is the only ret - shi advanced for discrediting the le ported interview. Tae information that the carrying out of the president’s instruction had betn dslayed was evidently distasteful to the department, and unexpected by them. THE BRIDE WAS YOUNG. A Couple Married at Sliver Creek Bridge in a Buggy. Mr. L. L Wood and Miss Lula Arp were married last Monday night by Elder M. A. J. Wimpee. The bride is only about 16 years of age, while her companion ia a few years older. They were married just after dark in a buggy at Silver Creek. The license was issued last Jane. BANK BILL PASSED. LEGISLATIVE DOINGS. Special to theTribnne. Atlanta, Uro. 5 —The house passeri by a vote ot 121 to fifteen, the substitute f>r the Calvin and V<-ach bills reported by tiie special committee to which those bills b> ariug on state ba ks were referred. 1 he lubs'itute practically and essentially points to the original bill of Mr. Veach and the fact that it Went through by a miauimous vote is a high tribute to that gemlemau and to Mr. Boifeullet and the inembeis of the committee having it in obaige. The discussion on state banks opened with a speech by Mr. Calvin iu favor of Disown substitute for the committees report. He made a strong speech iu which he said that be believed his bill was safer aud tetter than that of the colu mn tee. Mr. Branch followed him and opposed the whole business. He said it was a w sie of nme for the house to pass a state bank bill as the presioeut isopposed restate banks. He sent to the cieik’a desk the Washing on special to the Con stitution which stated iu t if-ct that the president was undoubtedly opposed to state banks and be made his Speth on that line. Mr. Bo feUllet made a strong argument for the bl 1 . He was followed by Mr. linudtr, of Meriwether, who is himself a banker, and who was one of the most va uable members of the committee, i’ben Mr. Veach, the author of the bid, made a speech iu its favor. Mr. Gutrrard, of Chatham, was one of the three democrats who voted against rhe bid iu the end. He opposed it, taking the position that there is plenty of money and that all a man has to do is to take bis securities to New York aud get all the money he wants on them. He I He said there was no strengeucy what ever. As Mr. Guerrard is one of wealth iest tri e Chatham it is highly probable That he dois not feel the stringency, but a rood many other people in Georgia do- Ml. Thomason, of Morgan, thought that action on the matter ought to be postponed, as he had a substitute he would like the Committee to consider. Tbo debate was closed by a speech from Mr. Mcßtide, of Haialson. The vßte, when taken, was 121 to 15. The third party people were solidly against the bill. I'bey were Messrs. Askew, Branca,'" Brown of F irsyth, Boyd, Deal, Durham, Harrell, <Holbrook, Hogan, Morris. Mr. Dickson aud Wilson of Camden, the negro member, were two republicans against the measure, and Messis. Aycock, Guer rard and Picket were tbe three demo crats. Shall Not Solicit in Dry Counties. The seuate passed the bill of Mr, Jen kins as amended by the committee, which provides that liquor dealers or their ageuig shall not, under severe penalties, solicit orders for whisky of any charac ter in dry counties. Tile Shad Resolution Postponed. The resolution bo warmly championed in the house by Smith, or Gwinnett, was up iu tbe sena'e today, and called forth a strong speech from Senator Robbe against the resolution which he claimed was aimed st tbe manufacturers of Augusta. Senator Hatcher made a humorous speech on the subject, but after a vole it was indi finitely postponed. County Boards of Educ itlon, The senate passed the house bill cutting down county boards of education from five to three, and provides for $2 a day for their compensation. The matter was discussed some in tbe senate, but there were but three votes against it when it came to passage. This is a bill which meets tbe strong approval of the county school commissioner, and is in line with his recommendations. Two Important Bills Introduced. Senator Daley introduced two impor tant bills in tbe senate this morning. They provide for the repeal of two acts of tbe legislatare of 1891, one as which is the black-list law and tbe other requires employers to give reasons for their dis missal of employees. It is understood that the bills werejintroduced at tbe sug gestions of a member of the supreme court aud prominent lawyers, and even if the laws are constitutional—which is denied and wnich is now being tested by the supreme court—the penalties are very extreme, and the laws are question able. * Senate Coufirnintions, Special to Tbe Tribune. Atlanta, Dec 4 —The committee ap pointed to investigate tbe depositories and the treasury has completed the work of counting the money in the treasury, and finds that Uncle Bob had on hand 24 per cent more than he ought to have. Os course, nobody bad any other idea than that the treasury was absolutely all right, aud a great many people think that it was an outrage to saddle this in vestigation on Uncle Bob Hardeman, when it was simply a question of the de pository system. I don’t know how Un cle Bob himself feels about it, but I do kn w that a great many of h s s frier ds are indignant, aud this investigation may re sult in some political sensations in Geor gia in the near future. Both tbe aenate Mid tbe house held short sessions this morning, on account of small attendance, (ievo ing themselves principally to local matters. The Seuate iu executive confirmed the appointment of two men to the Uni versity of Georgia, W. H. Fish to fi'l lha place of B. P. Hollis whose term is not yet up, aud who represented the third congressional district, aud Howell Cobb, of Cia'k cou ity.torep esmts Athens. Iu the Ho.uxe there was quite a dis cussion over the bill of Mr. Bryan to prohibit emptying and depositing gas tar, coal tar and other poisonous sub stances in rivers aud running streams. There was a good deal of opposition to this and it was finally defeated, the opponents taking the position that the substances mentioned were not danger ous. The Senate passed the Police Com mission for Columbus with the amend ment c ncemk'g the tims of election pro posed by Senator Hatcher. Mr. Reagan’s bill providing for the submission of tbe question of holding a constitutional couvtutiou, was made a special order in tbe house for Wednes day. Mr. Cumming’s bill, providing for the graut of corporate powers and canal powers, was pmsed. _ The bill of Hones, of Decatur, to pre vent bunting on private, unenclosed groui d, when notice had been given, was , defeated, after some discussion. The rest of tbe session was devoted to h em bills, noue of them of general in terest. THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON Given by Miss Mumford of Cartersville »• Rome Visitors. The following appeared in Yesterday’s Constitution: ‘’Carteusville, Ga., Dec. 3 —Mint Louise Mumford entertained a few .fdends at Thanksgiving luncheon on Thursday at lieT beautiful home, "Tb< Oaks,” in a most elegantiland pleasant manner. “ The table was white and yellow, white and gold chrysanthemums and smilex centerpiece, the house decorations were thoroughly iu keeping with the richness of the furnishings, and comp l et< d a pic ture of rare beauty Tbe luncheon was to Miss Eva Simpson and’ of Rome, and those table were Simpson, Lily Mitchel), Mary Gilreath and Messrs. Charley Cothran, Janins Simpson, Rome: Joe Caihoun, E. D. McDougal and Monk Young. C. R. & C ROAD- from Fer.-one Requested to Aet »s a Protective Committee. In Saturday’s New York Post appeared an advertisement, indicating that some move is to be made with reference to the bonds of the Chattanooga, Rome Colum bus railroad. It was signed by several brokers,and contained,among others, the following paragraph: "In view of the existing conditions of the Central Railroad and Banking Co. of Georgia (ill previous p'ans of reorgau'ai tion having been cecl-red inoperative), and tbe pending forec osures of the mort gages on its main line, which destroy the value of its guarantees, the undersigned representing aud controlling a large amount of the bonds of the Savannah and Western Railroad company have been requested to act as a protective com mit tee of the bonds they now represent aud such as may confided to them. Vig orous and concerted action is necessary for the bondholders, and will add ma terially to tbe value of your bonds.” A SAD CASE- A Lady Advertises for a I.o«t Husband Her Sad Plight Mr*. T. J. Ramsey, of whose dire dis tress The Tribune cave an acc >unt last Sunday, basatkea us to advertise forber husband. He left home somet Ring over three weeks ago with $3 in his pceket, looking for work. He was last heard of in Atlanta on November 13, when he went out to East Point to look for work \at the oil mills. Since then his wife has heard nothing from him. He has three little children at home with tbe mother, and they are in destitute ciicumstances. She asks the Atlanta papers and the Georgia papers to copy this notice. They formerly livid at West Point, Ga. Her husband was from Columbus, O , where he has a brother, John Ramsey, in the drug business. T. J. Ramsey is 40 years old, medium height, stouf, with blue eyts and gray hair. His wife thinks he is sick or has met foul play. THE ADVERTISING CAR Will Iteave Today for Cartersville-Hua dreds View It. The advertising car is still at the foot of Broad street. Hundreds viewed it Tuesday, and were greatly impressed by the part of the ex hibit now in place. Mr. Land and Mr. Clark are hard at work getting matter in shape, and mov ing minerals and agricultural products for tbe car. It will be carried to Carters-- v I * today, returning tomorrow and tbeu leaving for Augusta.