Newspaper Page Text
LYNCHING of the preacher.
tK F*IR COSDKMYED BY BOTH
rßt whites ASU BLACKS.
, Mrelloß o* SegPO* Held at
* tf City *° Condemn the Lyn.-li
-19 4iien<led l>y Many Whites—A
,4 (ommlltee Appointed to
' ,lt Keolntlon —Jostlce Parnell
Tf ,l, of the Alleged Crime of the
4, ( rO.
v Cttv Fla-. July !*•—A mass meet
uf negro**. which was attended by
** B !mes, was held here this after
„ to condemn the lynching of Rev.
*°L r : Bennett, the negro preacher who
5 dragged from the pulpit by a mob on
of July 4.
g . Jte senator B. H. Palmer was present
js'd at tressed the ne gro e s. He condemned
jjjije lynching and- tho ortme that leads
y He pointed out, amid cheers from
t6at every race on earth is measured
K t [ie chastity of its women, and that
through them they must rise, if at all. He
Minted <> ut ,he inevitable resists of race
(•rtfe and the fu,ilit > r of the hopes of the
Its should they engage in It, and
closet by saying: "'Let us live together in
puttee Parnell, who issued the warrant
, n-tt before he was lynched, was
[rt ssnt and told all he knew of the af-
L r " a nd also what evidence there was
arainst Bennett. He said Bennett had
bs?n ra the habit of taking improper lib
<rt],s with Alice, the 11-year-old daughter
0 f Brantley Padgett of Suwannee county,
jr.d had actually had on one occasion at
t*m;te(i the perpetration of the crime,
,1; h was not discovered for some time
liter, the child fearing to tell. That is the
reason Bennett remained at Padgett’s
from June to July, after the offense, and
also the reason for the tardiness of the
ttngranee.
on motion from colored participants,
Uih follow ing mixed committee of seven
was appointed hy the chair to draft reso
lutions appropriate to the occasion and
matter in hand: Hon. A. J. Henry. Col.
£ H Palmer, J. W. Perry, Rev. A. B.
Dudley, Rev. A. D. Holland, John Jones,
gr., and W. M. Tarver. The first three
are white and the last four colorod. The
committee presented resolutions, which
were unanimously adopted. The resolu
tions follow:
Whereas, On the 4th day of July, 1895,
unknown parties from Suwannee county
Invaded our borders and took from Hope
Henry church one Robert E. Bennett, a
well known citizen of our county, and
without authority of law hung and shot
him to death: therefore be it
Resolved, That we. the citizens of Co
lumbia county in mass meeting assembled,
do hereby give public expression of our
condemnation of so unlawful an act, and
stamp the same as an unwarranted viola
tion of law; that we have confidence in our
courts and citizens to enforce the law In
all such matters and to bring to speedy
trial and punishment any offenders
against the virtue and chastity of our
women; that lynching is nowhere Justi
fied by law, nor should it be palliated by
the good citizens of our county and state,
and we now call upon the governor of our
state, antkall the officers whose duty it is
to enforce and carry out the law. to
gether will all good citizens everywhere,
to use their best endeavors to stamp out
this growing evil in our midst. We believe
that one legal infliction of the punishment
provided by law, whenever visited upon a
law breaker against the virtue of our
women, would have a better effect upon
the morals of the public than a dozen
lvnchings. 'v
HEADQUARTERS OF THE SOUTHER*
A Meeting In the Interest of Bring
ing Them to Atlanta.
Atlanta, Ga., July 13.—Two hundred of
the solid citizens of the town met at the
chamber of commerce to-day in response
to a call from President Woodson of that
organization, and passed resolutions in
viting the Southern railroad to make At
lanta their headquarters. This city is the
natiral operating point for the big sys
tem, and it is confidently predicted that
the location of the headquarters here is
only a matter of time, if the Southern is
given the proper assurance from the pub
lic. It has been claimed that the old Rich
mond and Danville, which brought its
headquarters here from Washington, was
induced to take its offices away, because
of adverse litigation and a general feeling
of unfriendliness. Capt. James W. Eng
lish declared this to be the case at to
day s meeting, and urged that the South
ern be given assurance of better treat
ment in this respect before it was Invited
to locate here. Several speeches were
made on the line of protecting the inter
est of the Southern should its headquarters
be located here, and a resolution, intro
duced by H. H. Cabaniss, extending such
an invitation, was passed unanimously.
Toe headquarters of the big system would
be a great acquisition to the city, bringing
a large number of people, and adding con
siderably to tho volume of business.
GEORGIA'S TAX RETURNS.
* Big Slump Shown In the Counties
So Far Heard From.
Atlanta, Ga., July 13.—Tax values in
G ' orgia continue to slump. Last year and
'he year before the returns were several
millions of dollars below the returns of
IS9 -' and this year the first half dozen di
gests received at the controller general's
omre indicates that the slump will be
heavier than last year. The digests from
'ffsyth and Clinch counties, received last
show a falling ofT of *175,000 In these
counties alone, while Towns goes below
!i st year's returns *21,581, Hancock *116,-
Pulaski, *52,569, and Madison, *76,873.
ratio keeps up, the tax levy will go
to the maximum. (
tARR-g TRIAL FOR LUNACY,
The Second Inquiry Into Hla Condl-
Ooi to Begin To-morrow.
Atlanta, Ga., July 13.—The second trial
c ‘ Alex Carr, the murderer of Capt. H.
King, for lunacy, will be begun on
•I rday, before Ordinary Calhoun. On his
ormer ,ria l for lunacy the jury disagreed.
. r continues to conduct himself In the
v: ® pecu Har way that has characterized
■ s.nce the first plea of Insanity was en
r,V p?, Bave his neck from ghe gallows.
to 41 Griffin, ex-county physician, went
Mr lf " i* 4ll to-day to examine Carr, as an
f?y "'"ness, but could get little satls
a„ ‘ out of him- As he has always
to- rk . .Prisoner failed to allow the doc
look him fairly In the face.
i-lbHTx IVgTs FEARFUL - FLASH.
J,, e Man Killed and Five Made In
"Pnslble at Myakka.
a w 0 ,a Gorrla ' Fla - July !•—A terrible
at xi nt * >y lißll tning occurred yesterday
Water al<ka landln £' the Junction of the
to f7r an J StaKe route from Puntn Gorda
'Vllllam* xV ity - Fred Gillls, a hackman,
Kirki.rTrte an , ah, “ ld ' a boatman, Wilbur
• ion. T j; . and wife and William Washing
:ris eiisihip tTOTa Chicago, were made
but *t° rse Cart er was killed in
tar ’ ,he others will recover. Car
s a transfer agent
a borribe crime nr Florida.
Three Me Overpower and Emascu
late a Railroad Hand.
River Junction. Fla, July 13,— One of the
most horrible and repugnant crimes ever
committed in Florida occurred near Mt.
Pleasant, nine miles east of here, on the
Florida Central and Peninsular railroad
yesterday.
A young man named Myers, whose fa
ther is a section foreman in South Caro
lina, came to this country about one week
ago looking for employment. Arch Mc-
Donald, a section master of the Plant
system, advised him to seek Will Shaw,
a Florida Central and Peninsular track
foreman who has charge of the Mt.
Pleasant section, which he did at once.
Shaw, who was In need of a
man, put Myers to work* tightening
bolts. Yesterday morning, while at this
work, at an isolated spot, three whit
men, under the influence of whisky, came
along and one of them caught Myers
around the shoulder, remarking that they
would have some fun. The three threw
him to the ground very roughly, regard
less of his prayers and entreaties and
er. asculated him and left him lying under
the glare of a burning sun unconscious,
where he was found a few hours later by
Shaw, who Immediately carrted him to
Quincy for medical attention. Myers re
covered sufficiently to-day to say that he
did not know the names of the three men
who made this fiendish assault upon him,
but would recognize their faces if he se-.v
them again. Up to this hour no arrest3
have been made. The physicians say that
Myers will die.
LAKE CITY’S ROnBKRS.
Yo Clue to Their Identity Discover
ed As Yet.
Lake City, Fla., July 13.—There Is still
no clue to the robbers who raided this
place and blew open A. M. Chandler’a
safe and broke open the money drawer
in the ticket office of the Florida Central
and Peninsular railroad. The men evi
dently belong to the same gang who have
been operating southward and at neigh
boring points for some time past. There
are no new developments in the matter.
There is nothing to connect the suspected
party with the Job, except that he is re
ported to have been about several other
places raided in a like manner Just before
it happened and to have played "drunk
and broke" at those points, as he did
here. He is supposed to be the spotter for
the gang, but may have no connection with
them. His name is May or Mays. He is
of dark complexion, is 35 to 40 years old,
generally has one or two stallions with
him and is either drunk and broke, or
plays it fine. He formerly lived in Geor
gia, latterly Is from Suwannee county,
and sometimes claims to be from every
where.
HEATH OF A WELL-KNOWN CITIZEN
Cither Matters of Interest at Amer
icas.
Amerlcus, Ga„ July 13.—Cel. S. K. Tay
lor, one of the oldest and most prominent
citizens of this city, died this morning
after a brief illness of less than two days.
He was taken violently 111 Thursday night
from eating cantaloupe for supper, lie
was about 75 years old.
John D. Williams, the young man who
killed the old negro. Jack Amas last Feb
ruary while driving his cow along the pub
lic road, and who has been at large sln -o
the murder, came In Thursday morning
and gave himself up to answer the in
dictment for murder. A verdict of no;
guilty was returned late yesterday af
ternoon. The result of Ahe trial Is being
generally discussed.
Joe Brown, one of the young men who
were parties to the romantic double wed
ding which occurred last Sunday, was
stricken two days ago with a violent at
tack of congestion of the brain and now
lies in a very precarious condition at his
boarding house on Lamar street. He has
partly recovered consciousness and some
hopes are now entertained of his recovery.
GEORGIA’S FIFTH REGIMENT.
The Companies Start From Atlanta
for Brunswick.
Atlanta, Ga., July 13.—The Fifth regi
ment of Infantry, under command of Col.
John S. Candler, left on a special train for
Brunswick and St. Simon’s Island to
night, where the regiment will go Into
camp for a week. Besides the Atlanta
companies composing the regiment, which
has ten companies in all, tho companies
from Barnesville, Griffin, Marietta, New
nan and LaGrange were also represented
by a full complement of men. The reg
iment carries over 200 men In all.
Brunswick, Ga., July 13.—Everything is
in readiness to meet the Fifth regiment
boys to-morrow, and all Brunswick will
turn out to welcome them. Both local
companies, with the marine band, will
be at the train, and three steamers have
been chartered for the exclusive use of
the soldiers.
A PEDDLER FOUND DEAD.
No Marks of Violence Found on His
Person by the Coroner.
Dade City, Fla., July 13.—The body of
Thomas Ferrell, a spectacle peddler, was
found dead In a vacant dwelling about a
mile from town to-day. The body was In
a bad state of decomposition. The cor
oner's Inquest revealed no marks of vio
lence, and the jury returned a verdict of
death from causes unknown. There was
a watch and 1 cent on the body, as well
as a deed to a lot in Windsor, Fla. The
man was aged about 55 years, and Is sup
posed to have come from Tennessee. He
had been here only a short while. An
empty bottle was found on his person.
TWO NEW ENTERPRISES.
Brunswick to Hnvc nn Electric Car
Line and Shoe Factory.
Brunswick. Ga.. July 13.-Reliable Infor
mation was secured by the Morning News
correspondent to-day that an electric
street car line would be laid in Bruns
wick shortly. Two syndicates are ne
gotiating for the franchise of the old
horse oar line and a deal will be closed
within ten days.
Brunswick’s shoe factory >•— begin
operations Monday morning with a force
of twenty-five people. The capacity will
be about' 600 pairs dally, and enough or
ders have been placed to insure ho delay
in operations.
EXHIBIT OF ILLINOIS.
Mr. Abbot Coming South to Select a
Site for the Building.
Chieago, 111., July 13.—The Illinois com
missioners to the Atlanta exposition met
yesterday In tlTe parlor of the Illinois Na
tional Bank. A. S. Trude was elected
president, George Schneider, vice president
W F Halliday of Cairo, treasurer, and
Willis J. Abbot, secretary. The secretary
was authorized to visit Atlanta and se
lect a site for the Illinois building and to
commission an architect to prepare the
necessary- plans for the edifice. An office
will be opened within a week
for the convenient/, <>t intending Illinois
exhibitors.
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, JULY 14, 1895.
WORK ON DIXIE’S WATERWAYS
APALACHICOLA BAY CHAIIEL FILL
ING IP AGAIY.
The Passage Over the Bar Sow Year
ly * Foot Shallower Than a Yenr
Ago Owing to the Failure to De
Any YY'ork on It Daring the Past
Tear— Considerable Good Work Ac
complished Along the Flint River.
Washington, July 13.—MaJ. Mahan’s re
port to the chief of engineers on the
rivers and harbors of the Eastern Gulf
states reached the chief of army engi
neers to-day.
Apalachicola bay, on which little or no
work was done during the year, shows by
examination that the channel through the
bar at the mouth of the river has filled
nearly a foot, the depth of water for more
than half the channel being now less than
five feet. The straight channel across the
bulkhead bar, completed in 1892, has not
shoaled appreciably.
The snag boat Flint went the whole
length of the upper Flint river and clear
ed out all the accessible logs, stumps and
over-hanging trees, making it fairly open
for navigation. Similar work was done
by the same boat on Flint river, Georgia,
below Albany, to which point a navigable
channel was maintained throughout the
year.
On the Chattahoochee river $12,801 was
expended from the mouth to Columbus,
Ga.
At Pensacola not much work has been
accomplished on account of the exhaustion
of the appropriation, with the result that
a slight shoaling has been noticed on both
bars. The depth and width of tho inner
bar channel not only prevented many
first class vessels from coming to the port,
but prevented many that did come from
clearing with full cargoes.
On the Alabama river over $19,000 was ex
pended during the year. The small appro
priations heretofore do not permit of a
full utilization of the plant. The com
merce of the stream is large, and as soon
as the projected depth, of six feet is se
cured, it will become much larger. It has
averaged about $5,000,000 annually for the
past six years.
On the Coosa river *83,255 was spent last
year, above Wetumpka, and *72,178 below
that point. In urging more liberal appro
priations for the work, it is estimated
that at the present rate of progress, due
to congressional parsimony, from 125 to
150 years will be required to complete
the Coosa river project. Of the eight
locks required in the upper section, the
fourth is now under construction, three
being in use. and in the lower section
twenty-three locks, wdth their accessory
dams are projected, one of which is
nearly finished.
BROWNE ASKS AN INVESTIGATION.
Mach Indignation Felt nt the Attack
Made on Him,
Key West, Fla., July 13.—Collector
Browne has requested the Secretary of the
Treasury to order an investigation of the
charges against him. The charges arc
known to be absolutely false and will be
so proven on lnvestlgatjon.
WAIFS FROM THE WIRES.
Some of the Day's Events Set Forth
in Short Stories.
Key West, Fla., July 13.—The cruiser
with the Nicaragua canal commission on
board has not arrived yet.
Raleigh, N. C., July 13.—This state has
turned over the quarantine station at
Southport to the United States and Dr.
J. M. Eager of the marine hospital service
has arrived and took charge to-day.
Indianapolis, Ind., July 13.—An elevator
situated on the Indianapolis, Decatur and
Western railway, at the suburb of Haugh
vllle, was burned last night. Involving a
loss of about *IOO,OOO. The insurance ic
light.
Paris, July 13.—The Politique Coloniale
announces that the French and Brazilian
governments have decided that the disput
ed territory on the frontier of French
Guiana shall be placed under dual con
trol.
New York, July 13.—The steamer Knick
erbocker while passing to sea on her way
to New Orleans this afternoon oft Bay-
Ridge, struck an obstruction and lost one
or two blades of her propeller. 6he will re
pair to-morrow.
London, July 13.—The Prince of Wales
this morning Inspected the ships of the
Italian squadron now visiting England,
and later in the day received the admirals
and captains of the foreign vessels on
board the royal yacht Osborne.
Chicago, July 13.—Receivers are in pos
sessibn of the property of the Campbell
Commission Company. Judge Phillips in
thb federal court at Kansas City appointed
receivers yesterday on petition of the com
pany. The liabilities are estimated *850,OOt).
It is expected that the assets will equal or
exceed that amount.
New York, July 13.—The American line
steamer St. Louis arrived at Fire Island
this morning at 2:05 o'clock, passing the
Sandy Hook light ship at 3:31 a. m., and
making the run from Southampton in 6
days, 18 hours, and 47 minutes. All the
passengers say the St. Louis runs smoothly
and without apparent effort.
Washington, July 13.—The Secretary of
the Interior to-day detailed William J.
McGee, chief of the division of railroads,
George McCorkle, chief of the division of
pre-emptions, and E. M. Rucker, Jr., as
sistant attorney, all of the interior de
partment, to appraise certain lands in
Alabama and Mississippi no longer need
ed for naval purposes.
London, July 13.—C01. Saunderson, mem
ber of Parliament for North Armagh, and
the leader of the conservative Irish con
tingent in the House of Commons, de
livered a speech at Loughall, last even
ing in which he said that the government
would shortly abolish the political lord
lieutenantshlp of Ireland and establish in
Its stead a royal residence in Ireland.
London, July 15.—The Baring liquidation
has been so successful that it has en
bled the partners in the firm to retain
their properties.
Lord Baring's state at Revelstoke and
Memblaird have been withdrawn from
sale, and so also has been the estate of
H. B. Mildway, one of the partners at
Shoreham.
A Successful Institute.
Louisville, Ga., July 13.—About 60 teach-'
ers were at the teachers institute of this
(Jefferson) county this week. Expert Gib
son was in charge of the institute. Many
visitors were present, among them Dr. D.
G. Phillips and Prof. J. E. Wright. The
manner in which the officers and teachers
discharged their duties gave great satis
faction.
She—Oh, this voting is perfectly love
ly. I never (did enjoy anything quite so
much. Let’s go round and vote at all
the places.
He—Well, I gues not.
She—Oh, you mean thing.—Detroit Free
Press.
"Oh, children! You are so noisy to
day. Canit you be a little stiller an!
better?”
"Now, grandma, you must be a little
considerate and not scold us. You sec,
if it wasn't for us ( you wouldn't be a
grandma at all.”—Texas Siftings.
WE MOYE^ —f T IPI A ATp II -ALL WE SELL <
SEPTEMBER lst 9| f | j L# /V I I"""I Z won’t have to be <
in 111 1 2to 129and 131 Broughton <
HDnrruT/ vcT 7™ _ - l SEPTEMBER Ist. <
Strewn with the wreckage of disheartened competition. Having;
determined to SELL onr present stock in preference to MOVING;
IT, our TRICES CANNOT BE COPIED, EXCEPT ON INFERIOR GOODS. ;
500 Men’s Dress , Sizes 35 to 44, selected from depleted lines in our stock. ’
andßusinessSuits Wo " derful competition killers - This week H a i LF PRICE . :
300 Men’s Sum- j And Single Coats, small lots left, in distinct lines. Concluded |
’ [j]BF COStS and VSStS ' we won * need them in September. This week they move at <
J HALF PRICE.
200 Nice Just the garments for the “sizzling” season; as cooling as ]
Oiifiiicr Qiifo taking off your flesh and sitting down in vour bones. “The <
umm& OUiiD, breezes blow them out” at HALF PRICE. ;
: Boy’s and Chil- Ages 4to 15 years; only a couple of hundred left; will re-'
1 Hron’e Quito i move parental solicitude for next fall’s outfit. This moving :
; UIBII * amlb, J fit makes them HALF PRICE. ‘ <
: Straws and i Some Straw Hats and “lots” of Ncflligee Shirts unsold, at ■
’ Mnirlin'nnn \ prices that will bring the “weeps” when you find them 1
negligees. 1 all cone.” <
: Lots of (Rings left—Attention Winners—all over the house. Everything is to sell.:
: Don’t fancy moving, and insist anyway on going into our new palace with a brand new:
: stock. So, if you want anything we have, be the lucky possessor at prices your grand-:
: children will dwell on. As our slangy friend, “Chimmy Fadden,” says, “DAT S RIGHT!”;
IT PAYS US BETTER $ sf / j/J < OUR REMOVAL PRICES i
to pav you to f / c 'v/C* ( £ JjSiMrWW 2 <
, MOVE OUR STOCK l £A • £ $/Ci lIT IS CHEAPER TO
From 1R Congreav than to move it Z JW t & /S' Jgjf S' jffe ’jtfS Z SFI L THAN MfIVF '
■ 2 T '"* r * *hy mUILi
THE MAN WHO WROTE DIXIE.
Dan Emmett, the Old Minstrel, Tells
Some Interesting Stories.
From the New York Jourfml.
Mount Vernor, Qhio.—lt is prbbably not
known to many that Dan Emmett, who
was the undoubted originator of the pres
ent form of minstrelsy, is still living and a
resident of this place. A Journal corres
pondent visited him at his home here to
day. His recollections of his early life
are very Interesting.
He is over 80, but he looks twenty years
younger. He is very Intelligent, and dur
ing the few hours the Journal corres
pondent spent with him he feint ed the cir
cumstances which led to the establishment
of negro minstrelsy; also the history of
the song "Dixie,” of which he is the author
and to which he owes his fame.
Before the appearance of the Virginia
minstrels there were few men who blacked
their faces and appeared on the stage and
sang and danced to the old plantation
melody of "Jim Crow,” and consequently
they were called “Jim Crows." A man
named Rice was the originator of this
style of minstrelsy.
When Dan Emmett and his three part
ners went Into the little haU on the Bow
ery—they had not been known as minstrels
before—they were at a loss to know what
to call their entertainment for advertise
ment purposes. Emmett searched the dic
tionary and found the word, "minstrel,"
the definition of the word being “A vocal
ist who accompanies himself on an Instru
ment.”
It fitted their case, and the troupe was
called the Virginia Minstrels. It was thus
the first company that ever bore the
name of the minstrels. Of Its appear
ance, Emmett spoke as follows;
"In the year 1843 Dick Pelham, Frank
Brower, W. Whltelock and .myself were
boarding at a little hotel on the Bowery.
All were printers. I played the violin and
banjo, and had traveled with several cir
cuses as a musician, as had Frank Brow
er, who played the bones. £>lek Pelham
had taken part In several arpateur per
formances and played the tamborlnc.
Whltelock had never appeared in public
before.
"For our own amusement we four play
ed and rehearsed together Singing songs.
All had good voices. In those days the
Branch hotel on the Bowery, was the
headquarters for show folks. Tho circus
element outnumbered the people of all
other branches of amusement. One even
ing, for a lark, our qiartette went to the
Branch hotel Nathan HoWres, tho leading
circus manager of the day, was seated in
the sitting room, surrounded by a number
of others.
When your Uncle Dan began to tune up
the crowd began to "guy” as such a com
bination of Instruments had never been
seen together. After the first song, an
opening chorus, the guyers had become
quiet. Brower’s funny song had made
them howl with delight. Whitelock's voice
had the same effect, until It came my turn
to sing, after which the little room was
In an uproar of applause. Nathan Howes
told us to get a hall and put our concert
before the people.
"Tyron's circus w-as then playing on the
Bowery, and the management engaged
our little band of embryonic minstrels on
trial. We appeared In the middle of the
bill, and at the first performance created
such a furore, that, having exhausted our
meager repertory of songs It became nec
essary to add something to our perform
ance to lengthen It.
“Pelham had greeted the audience with
'Howda Do, White Folks?' at our first ap
pearance. The audience laughed heartily
at this unusual salutation. I then put in
a few words for both Brower and Pelham
to speak, and conceived the idea of seat
ing bones on one end and Umbo on the
other. Brower had traveled with several
circuses, and was quick at repartee, ye
began chaffing me during the performance.
I had broken a string on my Instrument.
"The points of the chatting led into a
down Joke that we were both familiar
with. This convulsed the audience. Tho
next night it was repeated, and Pelham
recited a short humsrous poem, and thus
was gagging Introduced Into a minstrel
first part.
"Business increased at the circus. George
Woolridge, a man-about-town, got our
little party to try their fortune in a hall
further up the Bowery. Woolridge, be
fore the opening, had to pawn all hts per
sonal valuables, even to his cuff buttons,
to raise money for the necessary expenses.
A small bill announced the appearance
of the Virginia Minstrels. The night came,
and so did the crowd.
“Fqy weeks the crowd came until our
little hand flourished with success. Load
ed with money, wo concluded England was
the place to go. We went to England! and
our appearance In that country was a fail
ure. The people there would not stand
It. because they expeoted to see genuine
negroes. Upon our return to America sev
eral more pretentious minstrel bands had
sprung into existence. Our little quartette
disbanded, each joining one or the other
various minstrel troops. And thus min
strelsy was Inaugurated.”
In 1859 Dan Emmett wrote the song of
"Dixie." It sprang Into popularity at once
and before Bryarlt’s Minstrels had sung
the song a week all New Y'ork was whist
ling it. The whole country took it up. and
to-day it Is better known than the national
anthem. The melody and words appealed
strongly to the people of the slave states.
At the beginning of the civil war It be
came the popular song of the south. Em
mett's mustpal and literary achievements
are many. He is prouder of '*Dlxle” than
all of his other achievements combined,
and never tires of telling the circumstances
that lod to Its composition.
"Dixie” Is the song of songs in the south
to-day. No gathering where there is music
is ever held without “Dixie" is heard. It
was the song of the southern soldiery dur
‘ Ing the war, and from the beginning of
the war, and from the war it was sung in
the camps of the boys in blue. The words
have no political significance.
Later In the war the song had become
so strongly identified with the confederates
that the federal troops finally tabooed It.
Gen. J. B. Gordon, lectured here In Mount
Vernon last winter. He called upon Em
mett at his humble home, took him to the
hotel and spent an entire afternoon with
him.
Emmett has a comfortable Income from
the sale of "Dixie.” He charges *5 for an
exact copy of the famous song. Ht still
retains the original manuscript and no
money could buy It.
A Georgia Romance.
From the St. Louts Globe-Democrat.
Atlanta, Ga., June 27.—The marriage
of Stonmore Brooks Townes, a prominent
young lawyer, and Miss Fannie Rosa At
kinson Is the culmination of a romance.
Miss Atkinson was deeded to Mr. Townes
when she was 1 year old and he was 2.
Their parents were close friends, and the
mother of the little girl so loved the lit
tle boy that she made a formal gift In
writing of her child to him. The families
separated shortly after this. It was not
until Townes was 20 that he saw the
charming Miss Atkinson. Knowing noth
ing of the peculiar gift of eighteen years
before, he fell in love with the young wo
man. He was then a student at Colum
bia College. After graduation he came to
Atlanta. She In the meantime had come
here to teach school. When he heard of
the deed of gift he declared that he was
going to hold her to It, and the mother
who had written It was present at the
wedding which came as a peculiar ful
filment of her peculiar prediction.
COATING COTTON WITH SILK.
A Proci'M Similar to Silver Plating
Tried Suecesefally on Textile Fab
rics.
From the New York Tribune.
A great deal o( tableware is made of
an alloy containing copper, zinc and nick
el, plated with silver. Similarly, it has
now been found practicable to give a silk
coating to cotton and linen fabrics, thus
imparting to the goods a beautiful lustre
and a soft feeling not found in the un
treated material. The silk used for this
purpose is waste that could not be de
voted to any other service.
A French publication, the “Moniteur de
la Teinture,” recently described the ap
paratus and processes required for this
work The solid framewok of all vegeta
ble fibre is composed mainly of a chemical
compound, called cellulose. Any cellu
lose tissue may be treated successfully by
this system. The yarn or woven goods is
first run through a bath of strong sul
phuric acid or caustic potash. If there
be any animal fibre intermixed with the
cellulose, the acid bath Is preferable. By
compressing the material with rollers the
air is forced out of the pores, and the
liquid Is more readily absorbed. Then,
after going through a washing machine,
the cloth is dried under tension to keep
it from creasing. The tissue has now not
only been freed from certain impurities
and become whiter, but its nature has been
slightly modified. Another bath Is pre
pared, in which silk .waste lias been dis
solved. The liquid used for this purpose
Is a solution of very pure hydrated oxide
of copper or nickel In ammonia, although
here again an acid may be used Instead
of an alkali. Special provision is made,
through water Jackets, for keeping all
these liquids cool. The temperature must
be maintained at or below 45 degrees
Fahrenheit. At length the goods to be
coated are run through the silk solution,
and squeezed as before to exclude air
and absorb the liquid. The silk thus pen
etrates ail through the cellulose. In the
next drying the cloth loses the ammonia,
which is carefully recovered In the form of
vapor, condensed and used again. The
material Is therefore soaked In a weak so
lution of an acid having a special affinity
for that metal, and forming therewith a
salt which easily dissolves. After fresh
washing, then, the cellulose is left with a
coating of silk and nothing more. If this
first coat Is not as thick as is desired, a
second and third may be applied, and then
the silk-tissues are mechanically finished
by beetling, calendering, brushing, polish
ing and pressing. If any dye is to he Im
parted to the goods, it is used Just before
they are Immersed in the silk solution.
Fonr Straight Flashes.
A straight flush In the great American
game of draw poker is such a rarity that
tho person holding It is regarded as one of
the most fortunate and bleoeed of mortals,
says the Summit (N. J.) Record. Devotees
of that game will pursue the following
story with incredulity, but its absolute au
thenticity can be verified by at least ten
thoroughly reliable witnesses: A party of
four players entered a place not a thousand
miles from Summit one night this week,
and prepared to enjoy a few hours of re
creation at their favorite game. Another
game in progress at the time was full,
so the four players were obliged to start
at an adjoining table.
A “Jack pot" came around, each of the
four players filled in, and the game pro
ceeded. The cards, regulation pack, fifty
two cards, were cut by the player to the
right of the dealer, and dealt out in the
regular manner. The first player to the
left of the dealer opened the "Jack pot,”
and each succeeding player in turn raised.
The limit was 10 cents and the players were
usually light bettors, so that the raising
and lively chipping In before the draw
created considerable surprise. When the
dealqr prepared to serve the cards for the
draw, each of the players stood "pat,"
and the betting again started.
When each of the players had chipped in
*lO it was decided to stop the betting, as
that amount had never before been wager
ed on a game In the place, and none of the
players could afford to risk a greater
amount. When the hands were shown some
of the players almost succumbed to heart
disease, for there lay four straight flushes,
One of each suit, arid all running from four
to right. The iKr was divided, and the
cards were carefully put away in a case to
be preserved as a reminder of the greatest
poker hands ever held In this section, and
probably in the United States.
THE HEAD USHER.
Hud Been Fifteen Years In <lie Thews
ter and Never Saw a Sliovr.
From the Chicago Record.
It Is as old as the proverbs that the cob
bler’s children are always poorly shod.
The restaurant man goes home for din
ner, and the bartender is a total abstain
er.
The druggist may patronize the faith
cure and the railway man knows of no
greater luxury than a ride in a buggy. The
street car conductor Is glad to get a day;
off, so he can take a long walk.
A more remarkable case than any of
these is that of the head usher at the the
ater, and one theater In particular. Prob
ably every play-goer in Chicago knows
him. The title of “head-usher” does him
an injustice. He is more like a host or
the chief of a reception committee.
There are head ushers who pounce up
on you, grab the coupons, thrust them
back into your fumbled hands and shout:
"First aisle to the right!"
There are other head ushers who tell
you to hurry up or step lively. They givo
loud warning that all coupons must be
ready.
They shout: "Hey there!” and are con
stantly distracted because of the Immense
responsibility which they imagine is rest
ing upon them.
As soon as a snippy young man gets In
to a box office or is engaged as an usher
he begins to imagine that he owns the
house, the company and a good part of
the frontage In the block.
But the exceptional head usher is calm,
polite, attentive solicitous.
•No matter how rapidly the crowd may
pour In It seems that every one who comes
receives some courtesy at his hands. ,
He doesn't shout or grab and the small
children are not afraid of him.
The most remarkable thing about this
model master of ceremonies, however, is
that he knows very little about actors or
plays.
The other evening when the house was
crowded and the performance was being
received with noisy approval a man who
came into the foyer between acts remark
ed to him; "Well, It’s a funny show."
"I dare say,” he replied; “the house
seems to like it."
“Didn't you see It?”
"No, I whs out here all the time."
"Is that so? Don't you step inside to see
the performance?”
“Oh. no; my duties keep me here. In
the fifteen years that I have been in this
position I have never sqen a performance."
At first the man wouldn't believe It, but
it was a fact, Just the same.
—As They Impressed Her.—The little girl
In the high chair was looking at the pic
tures of bicycle costumes as printed in the
Sunday paper and Inquired:
"What are those for?"
"They are for ladies to wear when they
go out riding," was the reply.
“And do the men wear the ladies*
clothes'" she asked.—Chicago Tribune.
5