North Georgia times. (Spring Place, Ga.) 1879-1891, May 28, 1891, Image 1

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NORTH GEORGIA TIMES. C. N. KtXli, I Proprietor S. B. CARTER, 1 Two Bards. A bard who wrote in staves Once made a heathen hymn. It had this stern refrain, And moved as though in pain, “The underthought of graves : Makes the sea grim.” , A south-land singer sting W'th happy heart and free; The living, not the dead, He dealt with, and he said, “The world is glad and young, And good to me.” And ever since mankind Is shuttled back and forth Between these singers twain Of glad and sad refrain: The south-land warm and kind, The bitter north. —[Richard E. Burton, in Harper’s Wef ly. DETECTING- A ROGUE. BY LAWRENCE LESLIE. One of the cleverest feats in the de¬ tection, pursuit aud capture of crimi¬ nate that has been developed for years was performed by an officer of the New York detective police force some years since. About that time tho officers of the City Bank of New York discovered that they had been swindled out of $75,000 by means of a forged chock for that amount, purported to have been drawn by Commodore Yander. blit. Nearly a month passed before the fraud was discovered, and in the meantime several other checks for large amounts, drawn by the same party, had been honored; so it was almost impossible for any of tho bank officiate to remember with satisfactory distinctness any of the circumstances connected with the payment of the fraudulent document. However, it was placed in tho hands of a shrewd detective, and ho wont to work to find a clew and trace out the myslery. The officer’s first suspicion was that some of the clerks of the banks had been in collusion with the forger, and doubtless shared the profits of his erime. After two weoks’ scrutiny of the character, habits aud associations of the various clerks, that theory was abandoned, aud it only remained for him to gather from them, if possible, some clew,'however slight, of the bold operator. His finsLinquiry was if any f one, not ' ’ in tho4,habit of preslhtiug she cks, had been ctoin the past month. OnlyAy had any memory on the , and theirs was of the most shadowy and unsatisfactory character. One remem¬ bered seeing a stoat, elderly man driving a strikingly beautiful black horse and fine carriage up to the bank, enter the office, and transact some bus¬ iness, lie knew not what, and depart, since which he had not seen him. The other clerk, after a thorough examination, aud a multitude of questions pnt to assist or quicken his memory, at last concluded that he did recollect a strange man, who entered the bank one day about the time the forged check was presented, and had a draft cashed for a largo amount. A peculiarity iu the man’s neck-tie at » traded bis attention, and he looked him full in the face, and retained a vivid recollection of every feature. He was an amateur artist, aud especi¬ ally expert In pen-drawing. Taking a sheet of paper and an old pen which was lying upon tho desk, he quickly produced a portrait, which lie de¬ clared to bo a good likeness of the man he suspected. The officer did not look upon these clews, if such they might be called, as promising much hope of success. He first ex’ ifited the drawing to tho clerk who had seen the suspected rogue drive up with the fine black horse, and he confidently identified it. Here at last was some encourage¬ ment. The first attempt was to trace the horse and carriage, and discover who owned or who had hired snch a rig. The effort was nnsuccessful; the officer, however, was convinced that the man, whoever lie might bo, was an admirer of fast; and stylish horses, and he therefore commenced a search among the establishments devoted to the stabling and sale of such animate, hoping that lie would find some one who could identify the parties. After going to nearly all such es¬ tablishments, exhibiting the portrait, he came upon a man who recognized in the drawing one William Living¬ ston, whom he had known a year or two, bot who had disappeared within Ihe past month, after paying up some pid debts and baying one or two fancy SPRING PLACE. GA.. THURSDAY. MAY 28, 1891. horses. Further inquiry brought ont the fact that Livingston was in very straightened circumstances but a few months previously, and how he could honestly obtain the means to pay his old debts aud gratify his love for horseflesh was not so clear, and gave fresh encouragement to the ing detective. To follow Livingston was necessary, but how could he be traced? He had disappeared, and no one knew when or whither. “What, then was to be done? Should the trail be abandoned and the case given up aB one of the mysteries that baffled solution? Never, said the indefatigable officer, aud he went to work with desperato energy to unravel the tangled skein. He finally reached the following conclusions: The perpetrator of the forgery was Livingston; ho was a good deal of a horse-fancier, and would doubtless spend a considerable portion of his dishonest gains in the purchase of fine stock; and, further, that tho stock would be purchased iu New York, as that market promised a bolter selection, and the criminal con¬ sidered himself entirely safe from de¬ tection. The first step, therefore, was to learn if any one had recently made any extensive purchases of such stock, and if so, to run them down and see who they were. For weeks the search was without reward, but at last the case brightened. A man was found, of whom several horsos had been purchased by a man much resembling Livingston, but here giving the name of Peck. The horses were shipped to Buffalo, whither “Mr. Peck” stated that he was going. Here was a long-sought clow, and the officer lost no time in visiting Buffalo, to learn further of Mr. Peck’s present abode. Another disappoint¬ ment met him here. The freight books showed that the horses had been received two or three months pre¬ viously and taken away, but nothing further was known concerning them or Mr. Peck. Nothing daunted, however, the in¬ quiry was pursued, and finally the horses Were traced to a stable, but were now owned by a Mr? Welch. Several other animals were, purchased, and the whole then shipped to Chi¬ cago. From the description,’theJof&cer was convinced that Livingston, Peck and Welch were one and tho same person, and the pm suit began to wax interesting. Arriving at Chicago, he found that the horses had been taken away, but the most careful inquiry revealed nothing more. As they had not been resliipped, tho officer concluded they had been driven into the country. There were some mares among tho stock, and he concluded that the party, whoever he was, designed to open a stock farm. Finding all other attempts to trace the horses vain, he attempted to learn if any farm suitable for sucli a purpose had been purchased recently, and if so, by whom. At one of tho real estate agencies he found that a man from the East,named William Livingston, had been looking for such a place, and had finally pur¬ chased one, but where was not known, certainly not in Cook County, as an examination of tho records proved; but the officer reasoned that it could not be far from Chicago, as the stock was apparently driven instead of being shipped. If, reasoned the officer, Livingston, who was without doubt the criminal, has purchased a farm of this charac¬ ter, he must buy a large quantity of tools, harness, saddles, wagons, and like goods far its use. A careful search among dealers in those articles revealed the fact that a liberal quanti¬ ty of such goods had recently been bought by a Mr. William Livingston, and sent to Da Page County, about forty miles from Chicago, where he had bought four small farms and con¬ solidated them into one handsome stock farm. Believing detection im¬ possible after the lapse of so long a time, he had boldly taken his own name, and, though almost within the clutch of the officer of justice, was yet entirely unconscious of bis danger. The game was found—now for its capture. Taking four or five police officers from Chicago, all in citizens’ flothes, the party went ont to the farm, and inquired for William Livington. Tho “elderly, short, stout gentleman,” who had figured so conspicuously in the officer's search, appeared, and the correctness of the pen and ink sketch impressed the officer as remarkable. The party represented themselves as from Chicago, who, having heard of his farm, aud come down to see for themselves, and perhaps purchase some of his choice stock. They were cordially received, hos¬ pitably entertained, shown over the piace, and finally dined and wined i« the spacious mansion. On rising from the table the New York officer remarked: “Well, Mr. Livingston, do you like this place and this quiet life a? well as life in Now York.” The man was startled,looked sharply at the officer and answered: “What do you mean? I was never in New York in all my life.” “Well, then,” retorted the officer, “you will have an excellent opportu¬ nity to go there. William Livingston, I arrest you!” Livingston turned as pale as a ghost, and gasped out: ‘What for!” “For the forgery of a check on the City Bank of New York for $76,000,” replied the officer, drawring a pair of handcuffs from bis pocket, aud ad¬ vancing toward him. “Stop, sir!” oxclaimed the culprit “Stop, sir! This is an outrage,” and he glanced around the room for some weapon with which he could defend himself. He was quickly surrounded, however, and tho irons fastened upon him. For a time he raged furiously, mak¬ ing fearful threats against his captors; but the storm soon spent itself, and he was able to talk over the matter calm¬ ly. He represented that a relatjrre ’ who had recently died, had left Hun a considerable sum of money, with which ho had purchased the farm and stock. On searching him, howevqy, a roll of bills amounting to $10,000 found in an inner pocket, many ol them being entirely new, and on 4he City Bank—the very notes whiph hi been paid ont on the fraudulcu^obm some months before. After .thjptdi covery he was more quiet, asK.jri! ingly accompanied his a York, ' BE The cash found on his person, the t farm ahd stock were taken possession of by t)ic victimized bank, and man¬ aged so judiciously that more than $65,000 was realized, leaving the bank a sufferer for less than $10,000. Livingston was soon aftor brought to trial, convicted, and escaped with a sentence of four years and a half. Al the expiration of his sentence he went West, and when last heard from was opening a small stock farm in Iowa. The case in all its phases ranks among the most curious and interest¬ ing in criminal aunals. The slight clew so persevcringly followed, the little incidents which pointed so uner¬ ringly toward the culprit, and the sa¬ gacity with which all these little hints were followed to the end, places the detective art among the most notable and useful of the scionccs.—[New York Weekly. A Maltese Bog. A rival to the Maltese cat is the Maltese dog, an irresistible bit of canine beauty which comes straight from tho Paris kennels. His mistress, a Washington beile, who has but just returned from abroad, considers him the most valuable prize she has secured daring her wanderings. He has been dubbed Marquis, and is thoroughly French from the top of his curly white head to the tip of his snowy tail. Spoken to in French he becomes a most obediqpt dog, but his knowledge ol English is at present very limited.— [New Orleans Picayune. Kept His Appointment. Mrs. Blifkins (time, midnight)— Horrors! husband! husband! I hear some one burrowing through the wall! Mr. Blifkins—Weill well! It must be that book agent. I knew we’d all be in bed bv 11 o’clock and I told him to call at half-past.—[Good News. Vegetable Diet. Jones—That’s all nonsense about eating meat being injurious to health. My ancestors for hundreds of years ate meat. Vegetarian—Yes, and where are they now ? Dead, ain’t they ?— [Texas Siftings. HOME OF THE MAFIA. Traits Observed Among Sicilians in Their Native Land. They Rely Upon Themselves to Right Private Wrongs. The last British Consular report from Sicily remarks that there arc dark shades in the Sicilian character which contrast with the simplicity by which one might imagine the people to be wholly possessed. They can be deceitful, reticent, malicious and vin¬ dictive; petty thefts and robberies are not.uncommon; it is said also that in gratitude they are sometimes wholly deficient It is significant that to be “scaltro” (cunningly clever) is with them a meritorious quality, aud that advantageous lying is regarded with favor even in children. Owing to the spirit of “mafia” and “omerta,” which pervades all Sicily, they combine to hide each other’s mis¬ deeds, and in the case of robbery, and even assassination, it is generally im¬ possible to get evidence against the wrong-doers, even from the victims themselves. There is a secret under¬ standing among alt that no one shall assist the legal authorities iu their ef¬ forts to bring criminals to justice, and the Sicilian, as a rale, relies on himself and on his friends for obtaining retri¬ bution for private wrongs, and every one who transgresses this unwritten law has to fear the vendetta of his neighbors. Onp of the most disagreeable traits In their character is excessive crnelty to animals of which travelers in Sicily frequently f have seen revolting in¬ stances. When remonstrated with on at t df this they simply shrug their era and say: “What matters? ire b^jtized.” They cannot ahem -t ang creature has any , ration the*& '«ide c wm Frightful 9 pal e of and« thi j|frch. raws iu horses keys go unnoticed, and are fed orfby flies; deep boles are plugged with tow, and lame animate are made with heavy loads as though nothing was the matter with them, As for relieving a horse or a donkey of a heavy burden going up hfh, such a thing never enters their heads.' To see a country cart crammed people behind a horse which can scarcely stagger under its heavy load, and to observe that no one ever eu doavors to relieve the poor animal in the most difficult passago is a common occurrence. Live poultry is carried to the market slung on pack saddles, or carried by pedestrians from the hand, by the legs. The birds keep their heads up as long as strength en¬ dures, till at last they can do so no longer, and die a painful death by a rush of blood to the head. Children are, it is said, taught cruelty to animals from infancy, for one of the common¬ est sights in town and country is to see children playing with newly caught robin redbreasts and goldfinches, which they held tied by the leg with a string, and pull back when the poor bird attempts to fly. Another defect in the character and bnbits of the Siciliampeasant is lack of cleanliness. But in spite of all these the treneral demeanor and habits of the Sicilian are so pleasing that one feels inclined to regard his deficien¬ cies with much leniency.—[London Times. Forgot to Slide Down, The primitive knotted rope fire iscape has done some service at hotel fires, but one must know bow to handle it, just as he must know how to handle a lobster. One of the guests of a hotel that burned last week tied one end of the rope to the bed post and leaped out of the window with the other end in his hand. When he reached the ground, which he did in about the tenth of a second, ho must have been greatly pleased to discover that he might have fallen ten feet fur¬ ther without taking up all the slack.— [Hotel Mail. The Whale's Latent Power. An English naturalist who has been out to see the whale in his native pastures estimates that a full-grown whale, driving ahead at fall speed; could break down any break-water ever built, and that the sweep of his lower jaw is equal to the foree of a thirty horse-power engine working at Ms uli spaed.—-[Detroit Free Press. Vol. XL New Series. NO. IT. Peculiarities of Korea Children. People of Munson claim to have among them the queerest family as to physical peculiarity in the whole country. Jacob Hiers, a farmer in moderate circumstances, lias seven children. The oldest is sixteen, a bright boy, but having thirteen lingers and thirteen toes—seven on one hand and six on the other, Lis toes being similarly divided. Next to him is another boy, fourteen years old. As long as this boy is quiet no one would suspect he had any peculiarity, but tho moment he opens his mouth to talk lie loses all control of his hands, arms, feet and legs, and they jerk and thrash aud kick around as if they were hung on wires. The boy is as slow of speech as his ]iinbs are active, and in answering a simple question it is no uncommon thing for his legs to have carried him a rod or more away before he is able to articulate yes or no. The boy does not seem to mind his affliction, and not only does not hesitate to respond, or try to, when he is addressed, but is always ready to begin a conversation on the slightest excuse, lie can be seen almost any day arguing witli or explaining some point to some com¬ panion, who is kept constantly busy either in avoiding tlje involuntary kicks or blows of the boy’*.sprightly feet or hands in following him briskly to keep the run of the subject. The third child is a girl, who is a hunchback and a dwarf. She is twelve years old. A boy next to her is deaf and dumb- The fifth child has a bright red birthmark encircling her ncck like a piece of flannel. It is an inch and a half wide. The other two children are twins, three months old —a boy and a girl. The boy’s head is covered with hair enough for a grown person, while the girl twin hasn’t the sign of a hair npon the head, the little poll being as white and shiny os a bil¬ liard bail. The girl is fat and the boy lean. Whe tire boy laughs the little girl cries lustily, and when his little sister is merry the boy sheds tears and yells. Every one of these seven children is handsome and mentally bright. Mrs. Hiers is a fine-looking woman, and her husband is sound physically and 'mentally.—[Philadelphia Inquirer. 1 Lake with Petrifying Properties; A writer in Douahuo’s Magazipe tells of a grange lake in Ireland, fying any subsiance that may be put into it. Of course it is understood that petrifaction is not the actual turn¬ ing of a substance into stone, but that the material of atone, dissolved in water, is deposited in its cells where it hardens. A stone is made upon the model of the substance petrified as a casting is made by filling a mold. An English firm, a well-known cut¬ lery house, heard of this lake, and at once sent a man to examine it. He selected several pieces of hard wood, and having tied weights to them, plunged them into the lako, and marked their location by small buoys. In two weeks, he returned and took up two pieces, which he found to be partly petrified. Two weeks after¬ ward tho rest was taken up, and each piece of hard wood was hard as flint, petrified through. Then the firm made experiments with the wood iu the different stages of petrifaction, and discovered that unusually excellent razor hones could bo manufactured from it. These hones are now a famous product of the firm, but the razor-sharpening world little knows that the ston* is, 60 to speak, wood, petrified in a few weeks in the largest of the Irish lakes. In several ancient histories there is reference made to the “hard, woody stone,” which was taken from the bot¬ tom of Longb Neagh for spear and ur fow-heads by the early Irish. So that, although Irishmen today are unaware of the useful peculiarity of their “big lough,” those of ten and fifteen cen¬ turies ago knew it well, and utilized it. In the museum of Trinity College, Dublin, can be seen several of these spear and arrow-heads made centuriei ago. Not So Difficult, After AH. t Dashaway—Just look at Miss Jasper. She has a dress for every day in the week. Clevertos—How the mischief can her father afford it? Dashaway—Easy enough. It’s the same dress.—[Cloak Review. . In Quietness is Strength, CVsnse. cleanse your soul from tin sad soil, AnJ poetry will in it grow; Quell in it greed and hate's turmoil, And music from its depths will flow. Still, still in tranquil mood advance. From everchangefjl scene to scene; Atoms and molecnies may dance. But n'jii should hold a constant mien. Mad, mad. my masters, is the age. It plunges down, like Plueton's team; Consumed by fear and lust and rage, We have forgotten how to dream. Less, less the golden store he mine, So that I may have quiet hours In which to train inv cottage vine And pick the priceless wayside flowers. —[The Academy. HIMOKOL'S. An ice bill may be cool, but it is no always collected. When is a window like a star? —Wheu it’s a skylight. Teacher—Freddy, iiow is the earth divided? Freddy — Between them that’s got it and them that wants it. Here’s a remarkable case. The other day a wagon-make. - who has been dumb for years picked up a lmb and spoke. The Squire—flood morning, Hiss Violet. Bent on an errand of mercy? Miss Violet (the rector's duugluor)— Oh, no! I am just taking a few little pies of my own making round to the cottagers. Aged Husband—I understand you were engaged to biin before we were married? Young Wife—Yet, but he's single yet, und there's certainly no harm in his asking how your cough is getting along. “Has she no pride—no self-respect? How can she permit that fellow to smoko while they arc promenading ou the avenue?” “Ob, that’s Charley Van Ninny, and she’s afraid people wouldn't know it’s a man.” Gadsby—Those llirco dude sons o t Van Xostraud cost him about $0000 a year. Mias Caustiquc—Then he has bren putting a good deal of money into real estate. “How's that?" “He is spending $6000 a year on a vacant lot.” A gentleman had Just succeeded in bJg clothing merchant from drowning. “Ah,” remarked lie, grate, fully, “I see, in rescuing me, you have ruined your clothes, remit m to hand you my butiu esttratrd Ten iidnt* of the best suite in the city !f„q> $10 ” fipwards.” His Idea of Heaven: He bad telling stories and spinning yarns great vivacity and emphasis that urate them audible throughout the car for an hour and a half, and thsu turned to the genii* man iu the nest seat, asking: “What is your idea of a perfect heaven, sir." “An impossible place, where every old story will be told to a new audience I” Hilenea reigned supreme until Springfield wu reached. A Strange Punishment. True to the well-known umtto of E Pluribus Unum ou the armorial bearing of our country, the navy is composed of the descendants of many nationalities; and in the future, as in the post, these adopted sons of Uneh Sam will, undoubtedly, point the gum of his cruisers to the confusion of his enemies. But it happens that they are not seldom addressed in ianguaga at once abusive aud contemptuous by the thoughtless and ignorant, l renob lect, some years ago, a strange punish' ment being dealt ont to one of these revilers—a “hard case” from fcau Praucisco—who had called one of hie shipmates a “Dutchman.” The so pression was heard by the command¬ ing officer. He at once ordered the o(lender “to the mast” (tbs break Of the quarter deck, where elf deilo quents are arraigned on a ma»-of war), and roundly reprimanded him “Now," said the commanding'offi¬ cer, “you will stand four hours of each day for a week on the bridge, and every quarter of an hour yon wfU point to the ship’s ensign, 4ywg atthe peak, and while doing so yo# will m to the officer of the deck: “That gsg is potent enough to oationehte find ualuralizc every one who ml* mfaf it!” The man was astounded, bn# f rather think it had a mat saiutery #f fcct, suhdumg many asperWe# of speech in other directions for f long time*—[Nety Qfhm crat.