Newspaper Page Text
TIM
WBE±£J iY SUN--.
5, 1873.
THE GALLOWS.
Execution of Spann.
IGNORANCE, LUST AND MURDER,
Two Attempt* to Drown Ilia Wife.
FIN ALLY CHOKES HER TO DEATH.
SUSA It'S PART IN THE TRA GET) Y.
PLIGHT OK THE HVHDEKCKT.
Wanderings in Strange Lands.
SUSPICION TRACKS THEM EVERYWHERE.
LAST ACT IX THE DRAMA.
years old. Sbe and her parents before | fallen. Spann ■>. lieved he could plntge
her were very poor, bat were respect*- her head foremost in the barrel and
3 F drown her, and she son Id not rai«e any
shriek or alarm. When the time for this
work was at ' and, Susan’s heart failed
again. She negged Spann out of the no-
never owned any land—never I tion at that time, and the hellish work
was postponed.
The next arrangement was carried out
The Drop into Eternity.
Ye sterday, as announced in our special
tebg m, E. F. Spann paid the extreme
penalty of the law, at Preston, Webster
county, Ga., for the murd-r of his wife.
Tins was an extr lordinaiy and revolt
ing murder, and has excited great inter
est throughout the entire country. We
will give an outline history oi tne par
ties and the case:
ENOCH FERDINAND SPANN,
who yesterday perished upon the gal
lows, wa- born near B uubridge, in De
catur county, Ga. His pareats were
poor, l>ui of fair standing, both ot whom
died in his early infancy, and he was
sent to the house of his paternal grand
mother, in Jefferson county, to be
brought up. From some cause, which
we have uot learned, she diu not keep
him long, and at the age of four
years, he was sent to the house
of Uic.'iard Pendry, his cousin,
in what was then Stewart, but
now Webster county, some few mill a
North ot where tne town of Preston now
stands, lie w >s withont home or friends,
aud Mr. Pendry took him to his house to
raise Lim as one of his own children.
This, it i« said, was in the year 1839,
which n :kee Spann about thirty-eight
years of age.
H<> was a strange creature in bis habits
ami disposition from the first. Mi.
P< ndry sent him to school a yeir or more,
but he would not learn, so he took him
from school and sent him no more. He
was full of boyish deviltry; was over
bearing among his associate”, especially
with those a little uuder his size aud
strength. H“, at au early age, formed a
filthy ami disgustiDg habit of eating diit,
which made him pale, feeble aud sickly,
so that he was unable to work on the
farm. He spent his time mostly in soli
tude, and “ talking to himself” aloud,
holding conversations or disputes with an
imng'uary companion, or reciting some
marvellous story—the creations of his
imagination.
playing hangman. %
But the most curious and suggestive
of his CJilaish sports or habits, was his
amusing himse'.t by playing the part of
au executioner or hangman, it> which a
jug was made to supply the place of a
feiou. When veiy small, before he
came to Pendry’s House, he liad wit
nessed the execution of a negro. It
was one of the earliest tnings ue could
recollect, but the sceue made such a
deep impression on his miud, that he
retained all the minutia of the
terrible scene; so in his solitary habits
at Mr. Pendry’s, whilu spending his time
in luleuess, because he was two stupid
and inattentive to his books to learn any
thing at scuool, and too feeble physical
ly, on account of his disgusting dirteat-
iug, to work, he, one day saw an empty
half gillon jug in Mrs. Penury's smoke
house, aud conceived the idea of pro
nouncing it a murderer aud haugiug it.
Accordingly ue made a roughly construct
ed gallows oi smad dimensions. He
procured a small cord, making a uoose
on hub end, which ho placed around .be
neck of the jug, which he would ph*ce
on the platform beneath th- gallows. He
would then touch the trigger—the plat
form would fall aud the jug would be
daugliug in the air, at which Euocb
would exult.ugly exclaim, “ thar now,
you rascal, you re hung; what did you
kill that man for ? ” and proceed to hang
till jug aga n.
It is not probable that he sup
posed, while thus playing the part
of hangman, that he would
yet play the couspicuoos part he nas
upon the scailold, where the work was
real, and no child’s play—where a rea
hangman would play the part in a real
trag-c drama, which he was then per
forming in 6port.
Numerous and fruitless, efforts were
made to induce him to leave off his dis
gusting habit of dirt eating. Finally, as
a last resort, ho was s verely flogged.
He bad to be “ beaten with many
stripes” before he reached the point
where he was supposed to be thoroughly
subdued, making earnest jromises of re
form; but while tne mutter was in hand,
in the hope of making the matter more
certainly effectual, Mrs. Pendry made a
mixture of powdered c'ay and melted
htrd, which they forced him to swallow
in such quantity that it made him very
6ick, causing him to vomit qnite freely.
It cored him. He ate no more dirt, but
it soured him towards Mr. Pendry
and ms wife, and increased his
moroseness aud melancholic tempera-
taent, and his love of Bolitude.
But this unpleasant feeling caused
mm to leave Mr. Pendry’s house when
fourteen years old. He went out in the
worid alone, withont money or friends.
heu between fiftc-mi and sixteen years
“' ?■* “»*rh 'l to Miss Sarah
£ ?» wfa o was born and brought np
Lib . county, and who was then thirty
ble.
Sp&Dn w«s a farm laborer nearly a.l
his life. He whs not thri f ty, but a lift e
more so than most of persons of his
class. He never owned any land—never
baa s ho'-se, but generally cultivated
other people’s lands on shares. He
lwuys kept his crops in better condition
and always ma <e better crops than
almost any one in the neighoorbood. He
sept such luxuries as sugar and coffee all
the time, : ud occasiona ly urebased ior
his wife a calico dress aud such articles
of finery as comported with the same,
while his wife carded, spun, wove, aud
made his clothes, and he always had
better clothing, more nicely made, aud
cleaner shirts than -itber-j who had
lo more property. He s -emed to De
devotedly attached to her, and to wait
upon and attend to her wants most ten
derly. In uer first coutin, meut she was
attacked wi h “milk-leg,” as it is com
monly termed, wind became So seriou-
that her leg had to be amputated, and
be ever afterwards went on crutches.
They nad several children, oniy one of
whom-a uaiighter — lived to be g own.
Sbe married a few yearc ago, and soon
alter died; so Spaua U-avts no posterity
to suffer the stigma oi his disgraceful
end.
ft pa nil had no known bad habits. He
was a consistent «od a le.-ding member
of tue Baptist Church for many years- -
purl of rue time a 1) aeon. He oilcu led
in public prayers aud exhortations, and
had prayer in his family.
After their daughter married, .t was
neces ary to wall on aud ass st Mrs
Spann. She was becomiug v«ry feeble
aud subject t • occasional spells of sick
ness and confiremeut in bed, besides
having tut one leg. Several were em
ployed for this purpose, and fiually, in
December, 1871, Miss Sm.an Eberbart
theu aged sixteen, came into his house
to render this assistance.
Miss Susan was • weli grown, hearty
girl, but ex eedinglv poor and illiterate.
Hir father aud mo. her L,ad a large house
full ot children—mostly uirls—whom
they brought up in the greatest poverty
and iguoruuce. They had uo eoncation
—haa never mixed in society--not even
in going to Church or Sunday-School.
It Srems that there were uo vices or im
morality in the family.
Susan was sent to Spann’s to relieve
the overburdened poverty-stricken pa
rents of Mime of the expense of support
ing their hous-’-full of girls. She was to
do the cookiDg and washiug for the
family, to be fed and treated as one of the
larnily, and have the benefit of all she
could make by spinning—Spann fur
nishing rhe cotton for this purpose.
She discharged her duties faithfully
and was we'l pleased with her new uome.
Spaun and his wife were both very kind
to her, and she to them. She never had
been so well fixed in her life, and her
bertit warmed with iratilude towards
them. Spann bought her a calico dress
and a pair of cloth shoes—the like of
which she never bail before. Thus days
and months pass°d along.
But after awhile Spanu began to mak«
improper advances towards her. If she
had ever had the advantages of the com
monest education or culture, or had
mingled in society, she would in allprob
ability have acted properly; but it is
quite likely that she i.ever had a oeau
Instead of indignantly leaving his house
and telling her nr-ther, she remained
and kept it to herself. She was the kind
if creature most easily rumed uy a de
signing seouudrri. Finally she so far
yielded to his suit as to tell him she
would be willing io marry him, if his
wife were not living. He said if that
were all, she could soon be put out of
the way. Susan asked how that could
be done. He said he would kill her.
Susan told him to be ashamed of him
self, and never speak to her in that way
again. She, howevir, did not leave, but
remained and kept all tc herself. Spann
pressed his suit, aud finally br mght her
to ti e point of hsteuiug to propositions
to gt-t the ol .1 lady out of the way, and
it would s=eai that plans for this
purpose were discussed, canvassed aud
considered by them. Finally it was
agreed that on the following Sunday
they would all start tor church, with the
avowed intention if going from there
to Sushu’s father’s house aud taking din
ner and then returning home; but that
means would be contrived io drown the
old lady in Slaughter creek, which had
to be c.oased a* they went along. The
creek had been greatly swollen by heavy
rain and the flood had washed out a very
deep place in the common ford, with
which Spann was acqua.nted.
Accordingly be attached a couple of
mules to his little wagon, and the two
w< men got into it, seated on chairs
placed,on the bed of the wagon, while
Spann mounted one of the mules to
drive, aud thus they started. As they
approached the creek, according to
previous understanding, Susau got out
oi the yagou to walk a foot log across the
stieam, aud make her way on foot aioug
a narrow path through the wide, heavily
timbered swamo ou either side.
Spaun told his wife the freshet had
washed out a deep hole in the creek;
that the wheels of the right side would
pass through it; and for her to move her
chair close to the lef *. side and brace her
self agaiust pitching out. In this be pur
posely misled her, for the deep wash was
on the bit side; and while sbe was .ean-
ing as far to the left as possible, and bra
cing and clinging against a fall, tbe left
wheels ot the wagon suddenly plunged
down to a great depth in the was 1 :, and
the Door, feeble, helpless, crippled eld
woman was plunged head foremost into
water five or six feet deep !
Spann, well knowing what would oc
cur, did not look back, but seemed to be
absorbed in the burine«s of safely guid
ing the team through the narrow and in
tricate part of the ford.
Just before this catastrophe “Susan’s
heart failel her,” and she was closest
the rear of the wagon for the purpose of
saving the woman’s life. When she fell
oat Susan went to the edge of the deep
water, was able to reach the woman’s
clothes, and rescued her from drowning
At that moment some negroes hove in
sight, who were coming to meet Spann.
They witnessed the whole scene. They
at once cried ont loudly, with violent
gesticulations, “Mr. Spatial Mr. Spann!
dal woman fell oulen de wagon into die
creek,and it geten drownded!” This foroed
nim to look back, which he did, just in
time to see Susan pulling his wife out of
the creek.
The next plan was to drown Mrs.
Spann at the oow pen, one evening, in a
barrel of water, which Spanu hed placed
under the eaves of the stable, to be filled
for this purpose when a heavy rain had
It was agif ed that Spann should stran
gle or choke ms wife to death on Satur
day night, the 4tb day of August, 1871,
while asleep, believing it could oe doue
without leuving auy marks of violence
upon her. He was to inform the neigh
bors the next morning that on rising he
had fouud her dead, and that she had
probably died ot asthma, (to which it is
said she was.more or less subject.) or
that sbe had suddenly died of her afflic
tions f^r she was then sick and had
beeu confined to ner bed for a number
of dayp. Miss Eberhart was to go home
to her lather’s luuibe and remain two or
three weeks, when they were to be mar
ried, and she would return to his houae
as his wile.
Saturday evening came,and with itcame
Mrs Blakey, a widow lady whose house,
wts not more tLan fifty or sixty yards
distant, aud two young ladies by the
name of Cochran, who came to sit up ”
with Mrs. Spaun, on account of her ill-
ues~, according to the custom of neigh
bors in the community of visitiug these
who arc iu anywise seriously llL They
remained until about ten o’clock. Mrs.
Spann bad considerably improved during
the day, and earl f in the evening had
gone to sleep and was resting well; there
fore Mrs. Blakey and the Misses Cochran
returned to Mrs. Blakey’s house.
After these lady visitors had come to
his house, just about dark, Spann went
io the stable aud brought a plow li.e
wi h which to strangle his wife, and put
it where it would be convenient. He
went and returned whistliug, just as if
he wore gay, merry aud happy.
Miss Susan letired to bed at an early
hour and went to sleep—perhaps she
was fatigued from waiting on Mrs.
Spann for several dajs while she was
sick. VVhi n the visitors left Spanu wa 8
sitting alone by his lit arthstone.
He immediately set about the work iu
hand—that of murdering his wire. He
first ascertained that his wife was sound
asleep, and then put the rope round her
neck, having a noose on its end. without
disturbing her slumber.
Here the testimony, aud the best in
formation that can be attained are con-
flieting. One version is that he then
weut toSusan and told her to get up, as
everything was ready and his wife fast
asleep; that she rose, put on her dress
and went with him to the bedside; that
•Spaun carefully fixed the rope in his
hand so as to draw the noose tightly
round her neck and preserve his grip
firmly; th 1 he suddenly tightened i»,
when she gave a spring and shrieked
out, “O, my!” but the rope was tighten
ing and she could say no more. He
called to Susan to put a haudkercuief iu
her month. She spread it over her face
aud held it there with her hands, and
Spann, uot being satisfied, pressed it
dowd into her mouth between the girl’s
fingers with one of his hands, whi'e he
held the rope tightly with the other;
that Susan became sick and was about to
faint, when he told her to go back to
bed, which she did, and soon after fell
asleep again.
Another version is that w'.eu Spann
called ou her to put the handkerchief iu
his wife’s mouth, she only tossed the
haudkeichief to him, and he put it iu
her mouth, aud that she was most proba-
Dly in bed at the time, and did not rise
trom it. What the exact facts are we
kuow not.
Spanu maintained his grip till the last
struggle ended—till the last nerve had
ceased to quiver and the heart was still.
When he kuew that she was certainly
dead, he relaxed the rope.
The house was a small hewed log
cabin, say 18x20, having only one room,
with two beds *n it—one in each corn r
of the l ack end. The eirl was on one
of the beds a*_d tLe dead body of Mrs.
Spann on the other. Spann, alter some
time, disrobed himself and re ired—not
to rest beside the dead bony of nis mur
dered wife, bu-. to the bed whereon Susan
was theu sleeping.
About two o’clock they both rose to
rake observations and arrange everything
p -operly. Spaun removed the rope from
his wife’s neck, when both were terrified
to see that it had made a deep imprint,
which remained, and that it. was badly
“biood-sbotteu,” Bhow ; ng too plainly
that dea.h was Caused by violence.
Spann kindled a fire, and Susau heated
some water, and they tried to remove the
indentation of the rope, and the blood
shot appearance, by washing her neck
with the water, bu« the more they washed
the worse was the appearance. When
this fact was fully realized, flight was
immediately resolved upon; so hastily
making a bundle of a lew articles ot
clotring, and about a dozen plugs of to
bacco, which were iu the house, they
departed about 3 o’clock in tne morning.
They took the main pnblic road, passing
through Box Ai kle about daylight, and
through Lumpkin about noon, and
reached Florence, on the Chattahoochee,
at night.. They weut to the house o*
Mr. Cauffmai', a man who had long re
sided in their neighborhood, and knew
them both very well. Spann told tiro
his wife was dead; that he had married
Miss Eberhart, which enraged her father
and the family, who were seeking to kill
him, anu he was fleeing with her for his
life. Cauffman did not believe the tale.
breakfasted next morning, they were dis
missed.
From there they made their way to
Gh nnville, Ala., where they went to the
house of Mr. Sam Eberhart, a cousin of
the girl’s father, with whom they tarried
a.l night. They told him the same tale
they did Cauffman (which they told
wherever they went) but he did not be
t'll the 26th of July. When the sheriff
c mmunicated this to Spann, he manifes
ted no joy whatever, but quietly said
“ Well, any way.”
This reprieve was granted in order that
the case could be brought before the
Supreme Court, provided that body
would entertain it, (for the time within
which a bill of exot> ti ms oonid be filed
liuve it. Their appearance as agaiust and then carried there under the law had
them. Shaun inquired the way to Eu-
fanla, wheie he said a Kinsman of his re
sided, and Mr. Eberbart accompanied
tmm some distance the next morning to
put them on the right way aud gave them
plain directions. After lie turned back
tb~y did not fo.low the road more than
a quarter of a mile before turning into a
plantation through a large gate. By this
time the girl was broken down ami foot
sore, aud could scaroely make any fur
ther headway. 1'hey waudered abou<
m the great rich Cowaga vullej, some
times lodging with n. groes aud at other
times remaining in the woods all nigut.
At i.hb timeth. y found the railroad from
EufauUt to Montgomery, the track oi
wuich they took and walked on the cross
ties seven miles before seeing a hu
man. They founi two tracK la-
oorers, whom they told the* were going
to Ciavton, Alabama, and wished io
kuow If they were on ihe right railroad
track. Ou being iuiormed they were
not, they told the same tale they did ti.
Cauffman and all others. Tuese poor
laboring men believed their story, t x-
pieased much sympathy, gave them
Bonn thiug to eat, aud walked with tin in
several miles to show them the track ot
therailroau they wanted to find, which
they then followed for fifteen miles.
They finally crossed Pea River end made
their way to Coffee county to the house
of Mr. Sam H.rris, an uncle (mother’s
orotber) of Miss Susan, reacluug thf re
Saturday evening afier leaving We biter
county the Sunday before, ha\iug travel
ed about 125 miles. They remained at
Harris’ till Monday. The same old tale
was told, but t.neir appearance was uot
satisfactory. They saw that they were
uot cordially welcomed aud began to
plan to get away. So on Monday morn
ing opaun weut to one of H .rris’ ueigu-
bms, aud engaged for himself and the
irl to work for nim in his cotton field the
lemaimier of the year, aud begin tne
work in a few d ys, returning to Harris’
before dinner and reporting the engage
ment he had made. The object, i-ow-
ever, was to leave Harris’ to go to tu.-
house of the man who baa hired the m,
ana as soon as they weie out of sight <o
*arn out of the way, hasten back to Pea
river, and there iu some way secure Bonn
canoe or other small craft, aud in it, of
nights, float down stream (hiding in the
swamps in day time) to some point near
the coast, either iu Alabama or Florida,
aud’there settle down in obscurity.
Alter dinner Spaun wont into Mr. Har
r’s’ cotton field, took a hoe and went to
“chopping out” cotton for the remainder
of the day; but that evening, before sun
down, his pur-uers overtook aud captured
him. They carried him to Harris’ house
and there made Susau prisoner also. No
resistance was offered, aud Spann volun
tarily made a full confession of the kill
ing of his wife, giving all the details
rum its first inception to its consumma
tion, including the history of their, trav
els. Susau also made confession (so
these witnesses testify) of her participa
tion iu the matter to au extent that
caused the jury to regard her as
partirep s criminis in the terrible
tragedy. The testimony on the trial of
each one separately consisted almos
wholly of what these pursuers au i captors
swore they had confessed them.
‘ They were overtaken and arrested the
ninth day after the crime; were brought
back aud committed to jail to await the
next meetmg of tt.e Superior Court.
When Spann was arresred, he told the
pursuers tnat he and Miss Eberbart were
married; that they had obtained license
aud were lawfully married iu Stewart
county while passing through, and she
also said they were married—so those
who captured them state; aud Spann
complaiued bitterly to them because they
were kept separate aud apart, alleging
thut they were married aud they had uo
right to separate them from each other.
In a day or two -ifter they were thrust
iu jail, Spaun sent for Hou. James M.
Clark, the Judge of the Superior
Court, saying he wan’ed an early
sitting oi the Court, us he
desiied t*' be tried, convicted
and hung as quickly as possible. Ti e
Judge did not go to see him, and he
sent fjr h>m again, and then again, most
urgently requesting him to call and see
him, whereupon the Judge visited tinm
in tue jail, ou which occasion Spanu
freely ci nf esse I his guilt and his will
ingness to be hung for it, and so earnest
ly urged au early trial, that the Judge
called an extra session of the Super’cr
Court for Webster to assemble on the
‘27th of May. On that day the Gr ind
Jury fouud truebills of indictment against
both, charging them witn murder. On
:he 28th Soar.ii was tried—the jury ren
dering a verdict of murder, and on the
29th Miss Enerbarr was tried, resulting
.u a like verdict^ On the . c ()tb they were
both sentenced to be hanged on the fifth
day ot July following. Spann cm; loyed
oe* lawyer and made no preparation
whatever for trial. When his case was
called Messrs. Harrell & Son volun
passed) Accordingly a mass of evidence
was laid before the court, going to show
that Spann was a monomaniac or insane.
They issued a mandamus abs lute order
ing the case be bronght up regularly
before them at the next term of the
court. It came up m its turn and wa
argued by able counsel for Spann. Money
had been contributed by good men who
wanted Spann to 1 ave the benefit of ail
the law would allow, aud Gen. Phil
Cook and Meisrs. Hawkins & Guerry
were employed, but after a patient con
sideration that high tribunal on the 11th
of February iast, confitmed the original
v-rdiot. Miss Eberhart’s case was ar
gued also, aud rendered the j8th ol Fet>-
ru irv, likewise continuing the verdict of
the jury; and at the late March term of
We s.er Superior Coa t, th *y weie
re sentenced to be executed, Spaun day
befo e yesterday, aud Miss Eberhart on
t ie 3idof Mi y.
At tim.-s wmle in the Confederate army
he w>-uld be very religious, zealously at
tending prayer meeti’-gs, participating
prominently in ihe exercise, and at
other times he would try to get married—
notwithstanding he had a wife and a
neury grown daughter at home in
Georgia. A notable in tance occurred
in the wiu-er oi 1864, when his com
mand was stationer at Petersburg, Va.,
and he, with others, wereseut down iuto
North Carolina on a foraging expedition
wh re he formed the at'qna n ano 1 of a
woman wnom he engaged to marry.
S ime of his companions iu the service
learned the tacts snd tried to dissuade
him, reminding him of his relations at
home, but it did uot move lum from his
purpo.ie. He had tiis mind fully m »de
up and his heart set on murrying the
wi man. When they ijuud they could
do nothing with him, they considered it
their duty to infoim the lady, that he
bad a living wife iu G< orgia. which tbey
did. This broke up the match, Dut
Spaun was verj angry with them for it.
Spaun has been very pious in jail, and
proiehsed his perfect williugntss to die
and to meet his God.
On Wednesday last he sent out re
quests to some old friends to bring him
<* good dinner on Thursday, as it would
be the last dinner ne ever w uld eat.
He wanted sausages, aud ham, and boiled
eggs, aud butter, and fritters, aud nu
merous other article o “ Let us eat,
drink and be merry to-day, for to-mor
row we die,” involuntarily came into he
minds of almost every one who he >rd of
tue request.
CHAT WITH Si AIK HA PETS.
—A weekly mail has beeu established
between Washington aud Lincolnton.
—Calhoun is soon to have two new
oliurohes.
—On Monday next the Augusta Ice
Manufacturing Company expect to re
sume the manufacture of ice.
—The Columbus chain gang now num
bers twelve negroes who are at work
cleaning the streets of the city.
—A heavy crop of fruit is anticipated
this year iu the neighborhood of Col
umbus.
—The ladies of the Memorial Associa
tion at Savaunah will give a dramatic en
tertainment on the 25tk.
—The News states that Dougherty
county :s out of debt and has over $10,-
000 iu her treasury.
—The work of repairing the damage
to the buildings, caused by the late fire
in Albauy, is progressing rapidly.
— Col, Eugene Lt Hardy has returned
to Rotne after a protracted absence in
New York.
—Hon. D. H. Pope, Judge of Dough
erty County Court, has determined to
resigu, sell out and remove to Suermau,
Texas.
—G> n. D. M. DuBose has formed a
m-.jsro- .
MiDKoH, G*„ Apnirimf
BdUm AtlantaDt.UySm- U.1, , “
«ey« 4 l o.js ago, the („l|„» l0
the Atlanta Herald: ® etlet ,
Madison, Q a ., Aptll ^
Edilots Atlanta Heraut ■ F ' !*l
H U 5 m C> ? UCh Payd
H raid the leugtu ot tune r .
ooming to me. You will please «
paper to my address.
I feel constrained to this conn* .
several articles that have r ec ,,, t; ' ,
peared in its columns. I cannot i? ’«
that the publication of stories M
and vice, and blood, witu .11 p ^ ■>
emug details—even though thev t ^ W
—tends to elevate the public niorJ T" r *
outer. d*
Au editorial comment on a recent
tnbution pluces Wasuington iu a he*.
different from pi.uu historical V
it seems to me to (etiuy auesire t^ R
tack the truths ot revealed religion • M
this eiusadu 1 am n;u willing to ion, «{
or encourage you.
It WasniLgton entertained tbeFr - *
ideas that s,.uie held in thi 8 country dS
uig the American Revolution-smVS
example, as Tuomas Paiue—ui»\ J., 1
character, iu the general, was suen «. 1
iead him to cook tights on ihe fcatbj. j
then the Herald claims the honor
discovering the tact. That he wuAJ
such a mau, both history ana tu,^ j
unite in declaring.
I consider that I bold the right, aS() . 1
oi your subscribers, iu tuus s opi’iL S <! |
paper, to give jou the reasons m uV ^ I
me thereunto.
This I have endeavored to do briti m
and courteousr..
Respeetiully yours, v ’
Hamull A. Bvknet, *(•
The Herald without publishing mviJiS
ter, as in justice it suould have a 0 • j
devotes nearly a columu in repo. Ij.A 1
is no denial of the tact that tue lift. II
declared Washington a free-thinkaH
There is no denial ihat the EL raid a&awl I
ed he v sited cock fights ou tue Sahhii 1
day. Is this true of Washington ?
youth of our laud have been luughttfHj
believe that Washington was a Guu-feio
ing man. That he wa«, is ully attain
by his writings, his Farewell Adatesi ,
and ins obseavauce of religious fierv.dbd
iu the army. How could this be sc,II
Washington was a free-think, r ? i-ijfc
these the evid uces o. their faith orjjl
truits of ther profession. But to -H
the matter bejond all dispute, Wasli.:;B
ton was a vestryman in the Episcc.H
church. How dure the Herald, then, c ^
the cause of Iufidelity, by churgqfl
the revered Father of uis country w:uv|
being a free-thinker. Aud then too,t
p>ateol “ignorance,” “lack of kaotSj
t dge, &n.” “To 1»h charged with attact •
ing the truth of revealed religion, b«
cause we say that George Washiu^o*
was not a very devout Christian,
Herald. The truth is, the Herald de *
med he was a Christian, devout or otliti a
wrie, but alleged ha. be was a fr« 1
thinker, of French ideas, Ac. “And k, -
be further charge • with b. ginning am
sade agaiust Christianity, bicuiiNo n
stated another leading fact, tuat tueleao
ing men of our revolution had more c
less imbibed the ideas of the Fretc:
free-thinkers, &c.”—Herald
See how adroitly the Herald shifts jc-1
sition. He vas not charged with begin I
mug this cru8 .de, for the raison that It'
stated that our leading men had imbibed I
such ideas, but Decause he expretsh
stated that Washington had deur so. I j
call the Herald to the point. Wus Wash
mgton a free-thinker of the class that I
Paine snd Jefferson were ? It he was
not, to publish the contrary, I hold is to 1
attack Christianity. I kuow of no mors,
deadly manner of attacking it than to]
cuarge upon it* illustrious a ;heientiy
opposite views. For tue sincerity of thejj
Herald’s belief in the truths of Christ:
anity, I respeetiully refer the reader to
his editorial comment on tne coutribn
tiou referred to.
He charges me with being absorbed in
the perusal of Stories of vice, Ac. I
must say, iu reply, ac his own doorliaj
the responsibility for my Lavmg real!
sacli articles of late, for while he uadri
rehearsals of crime the chief pal.uion I
for his readers, my other papers wisely
and decently eschewed them. For the
co-partnership witji a p. < miu6nt lawyer I ^ enefit of the re!ldenj of t the J
of Washington city, D C. to pmsecJte ]
all claims agaiust the U. S. Government.
—Waterman has had his savage breast
soothed wi.h -he soft straw s of the narp
and a sort of bagpipe accompaniment,
in the hands of a pair of straggling musi
cians.
—The Enquirer says it is generally
know ! tha* at least three additional fac
tories at Columbus are contt mplated
during tne next twelve months,
—The dwolling nouse, smoke house
and,dairy of Mrs. Betsy Mulhkiu, at Re-
hobotb, Wilkes county, was destroyed
oy tire last Tuesday mght about mid
night.
—Th- 1 Albauy News says cotton and
corn escaped injury from the frost Wed
nesday night, and both crops are doing
splendidly. Planters are cheerful anc.
tue prospect is good.
—Col. McDougald, President of the
North aud South Railroad has just re
turned from New York and Philadel
phia where he has made s itisfact.ry ar
ia' gements for sufficient iron to ccm-
He noticed that they were talking low
and communicating with each other in a
whisper a great portion of the night.
They left next morning before break
fast, crossing the river in a ferry-boat
soon after daylight. He felt sure
something was wrong, but naturally sup
posed ' bey were running away. He did
not think of suen a horrible thing as ex
isted. They went into a neighborhood
some ten or twelve miles Northwest and
tried to hire themselves out to work ou
a farm—tneir object being to earn some
money, take the railroad, and get away
more rapidly. They found many per
sons wanting to hue help, but no one
liked their appearance. Finally they
found a Mr. Goidey, whose crop was
greatly suffering for work, and who, not
withstanding appearances, agreed to
hire them. * He took them to his house
at night—was to keep them there for a
day or two till he conld fix them up some
way in an empty cabin.he had, and they
were to work for him daring the s> &son.
Mrs. Gordey was greatly displeased
with their suspicions looks, and told her
husband sue could not bear for them to
stay in her house a moment after they
r:-d to d fjTvI him, aud at their requo * P 1 ®^® ro-id twenty-right miles.
me impress upon them the truths oi
these lii.es—
••Vice la a monster of ench hideous mein,
That to be hated needs but to be seen ;
But sun too oft. Sc.”
I dislike to be compelled to refer to a re-11
cent article which appeared in its col- j I
umus ; but us I nave charged his Dip«’ I]
witn Having a tendency to tower thel|
uulaid of public m ini s, I inns', to sub 1
e ; -ij- thu charge, find my proof is|
the iw. i t-ell.
I allude i > die scandal 1m unbiushinglt]
offer.- 1 ana insults his readers with, in the
publication ot the Bartow crime. I hon
estly eu mit to all de"i nt people, whJ
would make tne heunhsto e around !
which we rear our young olive plants, >0
pure, innocent and happy place, sweet- >1
eued by a mother’s pure lov<, ennobled;
ind exalted by ail the refining influences'
of Bible truth, whether their pure yooogi
minds, too prone bv nature at b-st to
roam into forbidden fields, should ba be-l
slimed in this mannei in their very start |
in life.
I am truly sorry, Mr. Editor, toha«’
tret paused so much on yrnr v iluafc'
Thos. H. Pickett, of Preston, agreed to| —The Washington Gazette is aiuhor- i llirald published ffi
« TT O. . V I letter, I would
assist them in the defense. He had j 1Z ed to state that Hon. A. H. Stepb „
already been employed by Miss Ebtr- , v i.l address the citizens of Wilkes c^-oy
harts tather to defend her. It was some day during the session of theSupe-
with difficulty they coutd induce rior Court in May, provided his health
Spann to plead “not guilty” to the
charge. Be seemed to desire to be
hanged and have done with his existence
in this world. In Busan’s case a mo
tion for a new trial was made aDd over- j
ruled, hnd an aDpeal taken to the Su
preme Court, but no such motion or ap |
peal was taken in Spann’s case. The de
fense set up by his counsri was insanity,
and they urged that no sane man conld
commit snch a dreadful crime without
any provocation. The Jftdge charged
the jury on the plea and the law of in
sanity : First, that tne law presumed
every man sane until he was proven to be
insane; and, second, that in order to
plead insanity as an excuse for his crime,
Spann must show that when be killed
his wife he did not know what he was
doing—d’d not know it to be wrong, and
did not know he would be punished tor
it if it were found out.
The Governor was petitioned to com
mute his sentence, and refused ; but
on the 4th day of July, he reprieved him
for twenty one days, till the record of the
ease couid be sent np on appeal to iho
Supreme Court for review. The Govern
or telegraphed his action to the sheriff,
could be sent off So soon as tbey had ordering a postponement of the execution
will permit.
— Dr. Parsons, of Savannah, has dis
covered a new nervine, composed of oil
of winter-green dissolved in alcohol,
which it is claimed will entirely super
sede chloroform in mild operations in
Surgery.
—The Methodist church in LaGrange
has had a series of meetings for several
nights past which have been well attend
ed. The Reporter says quite a number
nave been to the altar for prayer and
the editor hopes the meeting will de
velop into a gracious revival.
— Tne case against W. A. McTetuey,
charged with being concerned in the
murder of W. H. Lidner about a ynar
since, came before’Magistrate Abrams, in
Savannah, on Thursday. Several wit
nesses were examined, but not the slight-
have been willing to havs
ul„ Luo verdict to its read-rs as to the
merits or the discussion. I seek noto
riety from no quarter, least of all fr<OT
so questi nab'e a source os the Hereto
I submit to us readers if 1 have borne
lalse witness. I have told the plain un
varnished truth. I will remark in clos
ing, that several gentlemen in our to^
have exDressed an intention of stopping
th: ir subscriptions as soon as they em
pire, while not a few from the fitst, hav;
denied it* entrance within their doors
What may be the significance of tb ;
very elegant expression, “ Flap noodles,
I am not able to say. From what opio-
ion I have ‘heard expressed concernin'
the Herald in Madison, I incline to tfc
belief that it will be a “ large and Aon:
ishing club.” With this I drop the tb c
subject. | Samuel A. Burnet.
I sincerely trust, Messrs. Editors Sri”,
that you will publish the foregoing, j
am denied a healing in the Herald, n--*
est evidence was elicited to sustain this uo ^ on ly I attacked, but I C ® D ®^
tii.it the virtue of society itself isatU<.a w
serious charge, and the accused was hon
orably discharged.
Mb. A. K. Seago has a standing ad
vertisement in The Sun, which we com
mend to the attention of planters. This
stock is large at all times, and he is pro
pared to make advances to farmers.
in every issue of that delectable sheet
If so, is not “ the cause of Boston the
cause of us all ?” .
Your paper here is greatly esteemed -'
a reliable newspaper of the very high'”
moral type. I need scarcely mentio-
that I am ODe of its Daily readers.
Sam’l A. Burnet.