Newspaper Page Text
Commissioner Hart Asserts That
New Act Will Probably Lower
Tax Rate Also.
Tax Commissioner John C. Hu‘fi
gave oul a striking statement Satur
day might, in which he said the mew
tax equalization law not only is work
ing smoothly and equitably ‘fimugh
out the State, but that it will result
immediately in the payment of the
present deficit of $1,000,000, and a
lower tax rate.
The Commissioner takes the four
counties thus far completed and
shows jusf how the law is being ad
ministered.
Judge Hart said:
“In four small counties, afl that as
yet are fully reperted, I have com
pared the present digest of 1914 with
G 2
S
o ,r
&0
the digests of the same vounties for
1912 and 1913, so as te see just what
effect the new law had. These di
gests shows that these counties in
1913, returnmed property valuatiom of
$14,225 less than they were in 1912;
that is to say, these counties im 1913
;,firze $14,225 poorer than they were in
Gains Over Million,
“This yedr's returns under the tax
equalization act show them richer
by $1,160,350 than they were in the
previous year. In other words, a loss
of property valuations of $14,225 is
now turned into a gain of over $1,000,-
900.
*The increased valuations have
come about largely as a resuit of dis
covered property heretofore mot om
the digests, and as & result of equali
gation amongst the taxpayers who
had beem returning preperty for tax
ation. ‘
“More than a majority of the coun
ties in the State last year were con
fronted with losses in property valu
ations, and with many the practice
was constant of decreasing valua
tions. Some counties in Georgia have
not only been losing in the valmations
of persomal property, but shave lost
large areas of valuable land. Several
counties last year lost as much as
56,000 acres of land.
“In a semi-official report to this of
fice, in one county the equalizers have
found 99-odd thousand acres of land
that had disappeared from the digest.
More Expected To Be Found.
“Another county board of assessors
and equalizers write that they think
in their county they will find $1,500,-
000 of property that had never here
tofore been on the digest.
“It is this omitted property, beth
real estate and invisible, that has put
the State in its present very embar
rassing financial situation, and made
the taxes so high on those who had
been returning their property.
“The State to-day is in debt ap
proximately $1,000,000. This debt is
because of the effort to provide edu
cational facilities for the children of
the State; provide for her physically
defective and mentally unfortunate,
and for pensions for the Confederate
soldier and his widow. The State has
endeavored to do these things, and al
though levying on the property re
turned 5 mills, the highest constitu
tional rate possible, and for seven
years past, the result has been that
the revenue has been insufficient and
the State yearly ran behind several
hundred thousand dollars.
Ends State's Embarrassment.
“The purpose of the Tax Equaliza
tion Act is to have each man take his
part of the common burden of taxa
tion, according to his ability to carry
it, which ability is to be measured by
the amount of property he owns, and
each county in the State to carry its
part, be it much or little, according to
its ability to carry it which ability
is to be measured by the property in
the county. In other words, the two
fundamental principles in the Tax
equalization act are: First, to put
on the digest all of the property of the
county. and, second, to have each tax
paver take exactly his part. That is
honest and the very essence of jus
tice.
“The people of Georgia wish the
State's debts paid. They would be
disappointed if they were not paid. I
do mot believe there are 100 men In
Georgia, if they thoroughly under
stand the case, who wish the State
to longer remain in the embarrass
ment and humiliation it has suffered.
“When the debt is paid the tax
sate ought to be reduced. Let those
who are intrusted with the spending
of the State’s revenue remember that
no less important to the raising of
revenue fairly is that of spending it
wisely.
“Not a dollar more should be col
lected from the people than an eco
nomical and wise administration of
the governmental affairs require, and
the public welfare demands.”
THE GEORGIAN'S NEWS BRIEFS
Daphne Revels Minus Her Tights
All Classic Dance Garb Surpassed
; V[ YVONNE CHAP
§ PELLE clad as she
! was when the brevity of her
attire shocked the clubwomen
who saw the ‘‘Revels of
{ Daphne.”’ ;
" s
N s
e iy 1 W S e
BRAgg 2L B 0 ! il
A b NY f 3 :
&F N :
R EL % . 2 i
S PSRRI S 5 ¥ &5 F @ &
? R e e E 5 & ; 2B Z
o R e sZ¥ 3 S P B ER E
5 M EEw PR i
5R£ N P
5 § ? & & F ¥
eSRTY 5 g » 3
RN Oy - £ v
s ‘-,":‘!t'_-'?.;:'f .<~s2'~:i\‘"‘~' 4 & 8 > ¢ i of
£ ; cFa o P
B e ¥ @EE Sis P v &¢ ¢
e T A 25 $o 5w £ % F
AR I e N £ % ¥
S e vy oik % W s i
é T T S W U g R : .
' & G I G REUESN N . A
——l P R : ; o ;
AR — o 8
: & % e 5 BB 1 % N %fi ALy
o SN b i A o : . % G | o Y
#epatig i;.i § 7 AN N L L % %
Bl o LR R et L < %
R & % R% S oEP AR R Tgk TR * ¥
§ A K e Y PN SRR N, o, x 2
# " «,\% A% %‘?{' P ey : B , E
3 o S SN B 8 B OO RN e 4
;‘ B ¥y% RN ¥ b ’
. & P & AR NAR A %
= ) i 55% QBT e - LES &
i eMR T e R R A £
% 5 R R
3 o D R LR e B
£ RR e L B
A 3 IT g A L * T X 1
G L kS AR R e
= TN TST ek 3
: 5 AR § s
; R R i ek
2 7 oMR TS b i
s EH & T A B
* F FRET {! o A 5 f“ g‘: e
o /| { oy S
. i SR 45é Y :
\“ i i A :{>9? Q
i3Bo e W G
3eT S i S
Pheg PR T y ol ¥4
Police Lid Isn’t Tight Enough to
Halt Exhibition Which Shocks
Dress Reformers.
CHICAGO, June 20—Some 3,009
members of the Federated Women's
Clubs, who met here in convention
iast week, are badly mixed on their
ideas of dress reform, classic art and
other things having nothing whatever
to do with votes for women.
Miss Yveonne Chappelle is the cause,
and most of the delegates finished the
convention in a twitter and went
home to tell about Miss Chappelle
and what she wore in a classic dance,
and especially about what she did
lnot wear and where she did not wear
:
Police Censor Is Agitated.
Major Funkhouser, the polize
“movie” censor, also is agiated 10
a degree that might be called alarm
ing in warm weather. Again Miss
Chappelle is the cause.
1t eeems that the very evening after
the 3,000 members of the Federatled
Women's Clubs had issued a clarion
call for dress reform they were en
tertained and highly scandalized by
a presentation of two classic ballets,
“Worship of Apollo” and “Revels of
Daphne.”
Miss Chappelle was “Daphne,” and
current report has it that she was
classic to a degree hitherto unap
proached, except by Lady Constance
Stewart-Richardson. Major Funi
houser had previously put the lid—
that is to say, tights—on some high
ly edifying scenic effects in rehearsal,
but he apparently overlooked Miss
Chappelle, or clse she wasn't at the
rehearsal Major ¥Funkhouser saw, «r
else she was not in full dress.
Costume Decidedly Expurgated.
Miss Chappelle’s costume was de
cidedly expurgated at the real show.
In fact, it was mon'lj expurgation.
Her gown was a flowlng affair, cut
off at the knees and slashed to Llhe
hips and bound rather carelessly at
the waist by a loose girdie. Her arms
were bare. Her reck was bare. Her
shoulders were bare. Her feet were
bare. Her legs were also.
The federated women stood it pret
ty well until Apollo, in the amazing
mazes of the dance, began swinging
Daphne around over his head. The)
the F. W. succumbed in platoons and
either left the hall or were carried
out by the hundred,
Miss Chappelle submitted to photo
graphs the next day and is quoted as
wondering what all the fuss was
about.
, .
Smail Nations of
Europe Plan Uni
BERLIN, June 19.—From a well in
formed Dutch quarter it is learned that
diplomatic negotiations are actively on
foot between the Governments of Hol
land, Switzerland, Denmark and Swe
den for the formation of an “offensive
and defensive union of the small na
tions of Europe.”
3
e
o
YR
0y - e N
S 4
A Hd
gt i
ey R e =
N s g =
B . TR o
b g g TN
R e %
e N ¥,
ie R %
B B %
3 o SRR RN g
P -
5 ’ Pt :;r‘ i e ::;(‘
% oo B
% o ] Faiagr e AT
o e s
- L o
7 A
> E: Rl k- - e
¥ s
Victorious Rebels
On Alb o n Capital
DURAZZO, ALBANIA, June 18—
Another furious assault was made
upon this city this morning by Alba
nian rebels, who were encouraged by
the defeat of the Albanian regulars in
their offensive operations yesterday.
King Wiiliam, who lost 200 killed
and 260 men wounded in yesterday’'s
attack upon the rebels, was in the
trenches east of the city in personal
command of the defenders,
All of the cannon of the gen
darmerie were captured by the lin
surgents, who immediately turned
them against the city and shelled the
palace.
King William sent an urgent re
quest to the officers of the foreign
warships in the barber to land more
marines to protect the royal family,
the palace and the consulates.
At noon the capture of the capital
by the rebels seemea inevitable.
T. R. Is Given 3,000
Books on Argentine
NEW YORK, June 17.—A library con
taining 3,000 wvolumes relating to Ar
gentine sociology, commerce, industries
and customs has reached the home of
Theodore Roosevelt in Oyster Bay.
It was the gift of the Social Museum
of Argentina, through Alejandro Jas
calevich, an Argentine newspaper cor
respondent in this country.
RECEIVER FOR LORIMER BANK.
CHICAGO, June 19— W. C. Niblack,
of Chicago, was to-day appointed re
ceiver for the closed la Salle Street
Trust and Savings Bank Mr Ni
black’s bond was fixed at $2,500,000,
Husband of Victim Hears Two
Protest Their Innocence.
One Confesses. |
Robert Paschal, George Hart and
William Hart, negro youths, paid the
death penalty on the Tower gallows
Friday for the brutal murder of Mrs.
8. L. Irby, in Wrens, Jefferson (‘oun
ty, last December. The victim's hus
band saw the three die.
George Hart, but 15 years old, the
youngest of the trio, reiterated on the
gallows his confession, made eatlier
in the morning, that he alone com
mitted the crime while in a half
¢runken condition.
He declared that Paschal and Wil
liam Hart had no part in the crime,
and, as the noose was being fastenel
about his neck, pleaded with Sheriff
Mangum not to hang his brother,
William, whe was the lasi of the ne
groes to drop through the trap.
Says He Was Drunk.
“l killed Mrs. Irby myself I was
half drunk and I knocked her in the
heéad with an axe, and I don’t want
you to hang my brother—don’t hang
him for this, for he didn't do it!"”
cried the negro to Sheriff Mangum.
At the same moment William Hart
was in the death cell adjoining the
execution chamber, praying and pro
testing innocence, awaiting the tims
to follow his brother to death.
On the gallows both Paschal, who
previously had confessed, and Wil
liam Hart pleaded innocence to the
last.
The young husband of the slain
woman came to Atianta from Jeffer
son County to see the executions.
When the last of the megroes had
gone to his doom, Irby said:
“I'm satisfied that all three were
guilty, and that justice has been
done.”
Youngest Hanged Here.
The negroes are the voungesi ever
hanged in Fuilton County, George
Hart being 15, and Paschal and Wil
liam Hart 16 and 17 years old, re
spectively.
The three were executed singly be
caunse of the size of the gallows trap.
Sheriff Mangum sprang the trigger
in each instance. Paschal, who had
shown signs of a breakdown, was the
first to go. The drop fell at 10:16
o'clock. Paschal was pronounced
dead at 10:31.
The trap doors parted beneath
(GGeorge Hart at 10:44. He was pro
nounced dead at 11:04.
Same Rope for All Three.
There was a longer intermission be
tween the hanging of George Hart
and William Hart for the reason that
the rope had to be shortencd before
the latter was executed, the same rope
being used for all three. ;
William Hart shot through the trap
at 11:28, and was pronounced dead
at 11:45.
The negroes were pronounced dead
by Dr. J. W. Hurt, county physician;
Drs. 3. M. Mitchell, S. D. Warnock
and H. M. Luning.
Rev. H. H. Proctor, pastor of the
Negro Congregational Church, at
tended the trio of condemned youths
in their last moments, both in the
cells and on the gallows. Before the
black cap was adjusted, he asked
each of them to tell the truth of the
Irby murder. He asked Paschal to
explain why he had at first confessed
to the murder, to which the negro re
plied that he did so because he was
terror-stricken and feared he would
be lynched.
Prayed for Confession.
In his last statement, Paschal said:
“] got down on my knees in my cell
last night and prayed that the guilty
mun might confess and set tnisthing
right so everybody would know who
was guilty. After I had prayed George
Hart said he did it, and that he was
alone.”
William Hart was the only one of
the trio to pray on the gallows. When
everything was ready for the execu
tion he prayed for fully five minutes.
He had prayed continuously in his
cell before being led into the death
chamber.
Throughout the hour and a half re
quired for the triple execution a
crowd of morbidly curious stood in
front of the jail, watching the fifth
floor of the prison, where the death
chamber is situated, and eagerly seek
ing information from the inside. The
crowd did not disperse until the wit
nesses to the execution filed out of
the jail and it was known that the
grim proceedings were at an end,
The murder of Mrs. Irby was one
of the most brutal ever commitied in
(Gieorgia. Her husband found her dead
in the Irby home, her head crushed
with an ax. Her two littlie children,
Annie Maude, aged 7, and Albert, 4
vears oid, were cowering in the house,
Mrs. Irby was but 26 years old.
3