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-il% JK Judge W M Jo “ e ‘^, .Hnb Soutb (BeorQla jprooiess.. THOMASVILLK TIMES. VOL. *) i THOMASVILLK ENTERPRISE. VOL. 47. THOMASVIIXE, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1904. New Series, Vol XV—No. 4. BEFORE DAY CLUB. ! HAS NORTH FLORIDA ORGANIZ ED BANDS OF NEGROES. Startling Story of Prominent Resident of the Miccosukie. Fie., Neighbor** hood who camn to Thomasvllle Tues- terday to Purchase Arms and Am munition. Epps Muiderer Con fesses Existence of Murderous Clubs. Excitement in Florida. The story of the murder by unknown ; parties of N. W. Epps, of Bradfordvilie, Fla., as told in yesterday’s Times-En- terpriae was followed by developments of a startling nature yesterday, ^welt known resident of the Miccosukie, Fla., I neighborhood came to town yesterday for the purpose of purchasing arms and ammunition for himself, his family and neighbors. He soys his community is much alarmed ove^recent deeds o£ vio lence . He fearn more in the future, aud says that the citizen* of the community all go armed and do not venture out of doors after nightfall. For fear of fu ture consequence he requested o Times- Enterprise reporter not to make bis name pub ic, aud gave the following startliug story of recent events justify ing his forebodings of future trouble. A STARTLING SEQUEL. His story was that Mr. Epps was idiot from behind, on Saturday evening while driving homo from Tallahassee to Brad fordvilie. The crime occurred H miles from the former city and 2 from the latter. The horse made its way home ward with the bloeding corpse in the , bottom of the buggy. The trail of gore was followed by the officer* to the spot ; where tho shooting occurred. Here they j discovered a pair of shoe* hidden by the [$. Dogs were put on the trail ‘d to the house of Isom Edwards, an old negro. After threats and per- •uusion from the officer* Edwards con fess! d the crime and implicated his son Isom Edward-, Jr. THE NEGRO’S CONCESSION. The negro said he was a member of a “Before Day” club, and that there wore others all over the country. Twenty negroes or more belonged to the “Florida Ctab” wliioli met at Mt. Zion church. I Their object was murder and robbery, j the motive he did not know. Eight white citizens had been marked for aUughter. Those named were all promi cent in the community. They were Mr. Epps, Jim Felkel, Will Roberts, Dick Johnsou, Bill Johnson and three Others whom he did not know. Of this number Mr. Felkel had been shot from ambush several months ago. The old negro had nothing against Mr. Epps, and did not want to kill him, but had to do it or be killed by others of the Before Day Club. This was a rule of the or ganization. His heart failed him and 1>e hired his son to assist him ia the awful deed. The old man and the boy laid in wait for Mr. Epps and the old man held him while his son shot. ' These facts were developed in the in guest over Mr. Epps body at Bradford* vUle, Fla. A STR1GHT STORY. The Miccosukie man who tells the Story is a gentleman of more than the usual education and ability. He heard the facts direct from those present at the Bradfordvilie inquest. News dispatches bear out his story iu every particular, though this is the first complete account of the exciting events and the negro’s confession. He returned to his home Tuesday afternoon, taxing with him a good supply of ammunition and weapons, and many assurances of help U ever needed. r THE EFFECT IN THOMASVILLE. • ■ The story did not become generally % known in Thomasville yesterday but created great interest among the few \ who heard it. They were naturally ? concerned, for the neighborhood, is less than a score of miles from here, across the Florida liue, aud many citizens of this place have friends or relatives there. There were 1 foolish rumors afloat yes terday .evening to the effect that a “Be'ore Pay C’ch.” existed in Thomas- ville, and old stories of agitators aud or ganizers who had been here were re- vived. But in this immediate vicinity no senous trouble between the races has taken place since reconstruc tiondays. The negroes are poacoable ana quiet, and reports tOj the contrary do both the negroes and 'the communi ty an injustice. f CONSPIRACY IMPROBABLE. 3efore Day Clubs are the fashion. It is true that the story from Bradford-* ville sounds pretty straight, but in the light of.common sense it bears the ear- marks of A fable The more statement from the negro murderer that he was a Before Day Club man means little or nothing, the “confession” was probably wrung from him by suggestion. Misery always likes company, and Isom Ed wards, being very miserable in his proxi mity to death, wanted other negroes to share his load. Edwards says that he held Mr. Eppes while Edwards, Jr., shot him. Now If he did, he has a different kind of nerve from any other negro. The placing of the death penalty by a band of negroes ANOTHER CONTEST. MAGNIFICENT PIANO AND TRIP TC£ST. LOUIS GIVEN AWAY. PIANO GIVEN TO PERSON WHO COMES. NEAREST COUNTING I NUMBER OF “AN&i” IN AN l&UE OF THE . WEEKLY TIMES-ENTERPRISE—ST. 10UIS TRIP TO MOST POPULAR YOUNG LADY. The Times-Enterprise is going to conduct another prize contest. This bare announcement will arouse a lot of iuterest over al south Georgia. The memory of oar famops “dot” contest, and the splendid prizes given away in ir, is still fra-h in the minds of everybody. The dots will be ai rain drops to fish ponds, compared with what is now in store for Times-Enterprise readers. • By the expenditnie of a great deal of energy and hard money the Times-En- on themselves, is highly improbable, and I terprise has been enabled to^ offer its the idea of banding together to commit friends such a prize proposition as was aimless ranrder is against all the rnles of human natnre. There may be a Before Day Club around Bradfordvilie, but better arra nt will Jjave to be produced to prove such a thing, <)na and Mary Turner, two Maters of Midville, Ga.. have catered the Vashti Home, making thirteen in all. Four others are booked forjrimits^iu. PATS AND LEANS. Plans for Big Picnic Day Includa Burlesque Ball Game. v Every day some new feature isplau- ned for tho nmupemeut of the thousands of people who are to be Thomasville' guests on September 23. It will be a day of pleasure that will long be re membered in South Georgia. Every body will be well entertained. * *' Among the amusements there will be a base ball game between the fats and the leans. Staid citizens of the town and county, will Him up according to their size, on one side or the other, and the result will be a morn interesting g»w* than the National league could pat np. Other amusements will include s sack race, three legged race potato race, colt show, mole race, prizes for the prettiest baby, the tallest man, the ugliest man, and others too numerous to mention. ueyer before dreamed of. / HERE IS THE PLAN. To the person who comes nearest to estimating the number of “auds” that in a few weeks aud everybody can then 6e<- for themselves what a magnificent gift is in store for somebody. The trip to St. Louis is not (ho kind that is usually given as a prize includ ing only railroad fare. The young lady who is elected will be furnished, not only with a railroad ticket, good for thirty days, bnt she will be furnished with entertainment in St. Loois for a week, and with passes into tho exposi tion grounds, into the Philippine exhib its and into various other side attrac tion*. The voting will be done on coupons that will appear each day in the paper. A strict record will be kept of all votes cast. The first coupon will * appear in to-day’s papdr. wlUbelli the Weekly Timcs-Eit.rjirise j The'weekly of Dee.. 80th wii;bo of Friday, Deo, 80tb, the Times-Euter- like ot hor weekly. It will contain Mr. T. S.;Vinson has moved his wlioloaale and jobbing business from the old Jones store on Jackson street to the Grantham blook on lower Jack- prise will givo the first prize, a magni ficent Lnddon & Bates piano. In case of a tie, tlie guoss first sent in will get the piai o. AuotVij^irizo, hardly leas desirable will be .riven to tho young Jady living in Thomas county who shall bo votiil the most popular. This prizo will bi nothing less than a complimentary trip to the great St. L,.-ts fair. Every cent pahloa subscription to tho daily or weekly Times-Eutorprist ho- tween Saturday September tho 10th aud Wednesday, Nov. 9th, at 8 o’clock p. m., will entitle anybody to one vote for the most popular young lady. Every dollar paid on subscription to the daily or wrokly Times-Enterprise between Saturday, September 10 h and Wednesday Dee. 28th at 8 o'clock p. in , will entitle anybody to one guess at the nnmberof ‘'ends ’that will appear in the Weekly Timi e-Eaterprlse of Friday Deo. noth. / The piano ti nt will be given away la the ueweat aud beat and biggest member of the famous Lnddon & Bates make that haa ever been put on the market. The regular price of it known every where ia $350.00, and it will come here direotiy from the factory. The pro>er< bially reliable firm of Garter and JDor- ongh at Valdosta' are the producers of the Ludden and Bates; this instrument that will be given away goes ont under Carter and Dorough’s thorough guaran tee. It will be on exhibition here with- twelve pages just us it does today, and of course uo Iverson on oarrh can say how many times tho word "and" will unpear ill it until sf er it is printed. j\ committee of thoroughly roll itle gentle- u.en will bo asked to do the .counting aud to announce the result Of coarse, any person who will count the number of times the word “aud" appears in this week’s paper edn form an approximate ide i of how many times it will probably appear at any other timb. The proposition is plain! There is no entoh about, it anywhere. Ally uumar- i led lady in Thomas county is eligibln to the voting contest and any person, any where, to the piano contest. A dollvr will carry yonr subscription just as long as it ever would, twelve months on tbe weekly and two mouths on the drily. If yon pay yonr snpeerip- tion betweeu now and Nor. 9th., yon can get both, a count it the “andt” and votes for the lady, If you wait until after Nov. 9th„ von can still conpt the ands.” Remember, though, that in oise of a tie tbe count first recorded will win the piano. Everybody can vote jnst as many times a, they want, bnt not more than five counts at the “ands” will be allow ed one person. The contest oosts yon abeolntely noth ing. Jump in and win. GRAND PRIZE AND VOTING CONTEST. This BUnlc Must be Used In sll Cases. KDITOK TIMF.S KNTBRPRISR, Thomasville, Ca.: o apply on my Autiecriptlon to The My Guess at the “ands” for the I’iano is 2 3 4- ---;---’ 5- -.-V--— One guo>i.s allowed for each dollar paid. No one person to have over five yuesBes. (siaie whether Daily or Weekly.) As The Host Popular Young Lady, to be given a trip to St. Louis, I cast . Timxs Kntrrpri.sk -Votes for Miss Ond vote allowed for c Name of Voter . Are you taking the paper now? Boston Column. (By H. O. Jordan ) A. G. Steele, of Brooks county, was in Boston last Wodnesda^ transacting bus iness and circumrotatiug generally. Hon. J. B. Rountree, of Barwick, was in our city last Wednesday spying out the situation with a view of locating. Boston’s gates are never closed against; such citizenship and we welcome au, good citizens. Miss Alma Roberts, who has been on a protracted visit to friends and relatives in Decatur county, returned home last Wednesday. J. W. Nimmo, the jeweler, who has been occupying a room in J. B. Way’* one story brick building, has removed to the rear of the Oulpepper building. Dr. M. R Mallette, of Thomasville, was here last Thursday transacting bus iness. The Doctor was a citizen so long of Boston, that we can’t yet realize that he ia a Thomasville citizen. We wish he would move back. ^ Jno. G. Burney reoieved a letter a few days ago from Ids cousin, J. J. Fore man, who onced lived at P»r#, bnt is now u citizen of Oolifornia and connec ted with Uncle Sum’s army and belongs to the Pay Master Department and ranks as 2nd Lieutenant. We congra* folate onr friend Foreman on his pro motion and hope to see him in command of a corps in the U. S. army. Jno. Baum, a citizen of Dnolin, and B. Baum, of Wayoroes, were here lost Thursday oalled hither by the death of their Bister, Mrs. J. B; Brooks. Miss Winn, of Brunswick, and an old class-mate of Mrs. W. H. Geiger is vis iting the latterather homo in Ilayview. Mrs. J. A. Horn visited her parents, Mr. and Mrs 8. G. Covington, cf Tkcmasville, since our last opistlo. Mrs. Abner Averitt, of Decatur coun ty, is- here to see her daughter, Mrs. J. B. Roberts, who is confined to her bed on account of fever. O. Nelms agent at this place for the A. 0. L. railroad, is at) Eldorado, Ark, visiting his father and mother. We are glad to chronicle the return of Mrs. J. R. Carson, who has been spend ing the summer at Roekton, S. 0.. witli tier parents. Our ex-widower (Ray) has put off thote graveyard looks aid his pliyLique presents a bundle of smiles. \P. W. Leak Jr., who was formerly with onr leading hardware merchant, J. G. Burney, haa accepted a situation with the Comfort Trading Company. Mr. and Mrs. Hnglt Moore, of the Prospect district, were in Boston last Friday shopping, selling cotton and shaking hands with their numerous coterie of fnends. Marion Little, of Savannah, Ga, cousin of Mrs. F. 0. Ivey, is visitingt he latter at her home on|BaUroedXetreet. Mrs. J. B. Roberts is, we arejsorry to write, very sick at her home on Main street. We trouts by good nursing and the skill of her attending physiolan she may soon be restored to health. Rev. J. W. Arnold’s daughter, Ruth, of Wayoroes, is visiting Dr. B. A. Vann’s ^daughters, -Marie and Jessie. Ruth has e large number of friends here who are delight^ to tee her in onr city. Our toyrn is in great sympathy with Mr. Frefi Norton, who met with inch a terrible oocident last Friday, in which he lost his left arm. Mutilations caused by gins tlironghont onr cotton belt are numerous. The death angel has again visited onr little city and carried off one of Boston's most lovable ladies, in the person of Mrs. J. B. Brooks, Which sad event took place last Saturday^, m. at 3 o'clock. Mrs. Brooks has been sick probably two weeks aud from the begiuiug of her sickness very little hope was entertain ed us regurds to iter recovery. She leaves several brothers aud sisters, be sides a devoted and loving husband and little daughter to mourn their great loss. Mrs. Brooks was a consistent member of tlto Methodist- church, df which com munion sne had' been a member for many years. The church not only loses an exemplary member, but our town a MOTHER AND DAUGHTER DIE Dr. Ramsey Goes to Macon to Attend Funeral of Slater and Niece. / Dr H. 0. Ramsey was oalled very suddenly to Macon WeduSaday afternoon aud his raissi n was an exo-ed’ugly sad one. Dr. Ramsey’s only sister, Mia. R. O. Thomas and tier daughter Luta both died within twelve h-urs of each other, tho lattor on Tuesday aiternoou sod the former on Tuesday night. They were visiting in Son’ll Caroliua at the lime, but their bod es have boon brought to Macon, aud they were buried there Thursday. Dr. R imsuy did not even know of tho serious illness of either, nud the double blow strikes very heavily on him. A Court Houy Compliment. Drs. Westmoreland and Harris < f the State Board of Health are. now in Bain- b idge. Before their departure they paidali gh though unwitting compU- pliment to Thomas county’s court hduae. They were in searoh of that bnilding, and were told the direction to take. When they strived at what they thought ought to be the placo they went away again “This large building, with iti well-kept grounds and flowers most be some clnb-honse” they sail. They went away again and wure sent to tho same place, and could nsrdly believe the bnilding to be really a court house. . They unite iu saying it is tho prettiest sp t in Georgia for a court house site. Mr. Duron Buys Homo. Mr. T. B. Daren lias purchased the Moore homo place on Broad street. He will improve the property and move hia family to that desirable location in the hoar future. The deal was man* through J S, Montgomery. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Smith aud ohild came homo Wednesday afternoon from Montgomery where tbey have been spending several weeks.withrelatives. model citizon and her brothers and sla ters au affectionate sister. The funeral took placo last £|a$arday p. m. at S o'clock. Rev. H.T3. Jones, pastor of the Methodist olraroh, officiated at the ob sequies, a large oait|ioqrse of relatival aud citizensl>eU|hpMpent. Duo West, 8. U., was represented in our city lgst week ih the person of Mr. R. L. Clamp! a prominent citizen at, said oity. Mr. W. 0. Williams, a decorator and sign pointer, who jias visited every port of the habitable globe was in onr oity stnoe my last budget doing some work for some of onr citizens. Ed. Stone, of Valdosta, wee here Inst Sunday the guest of his sister, Mrs. W» Z, Brantley. lire P.'A. McIntosh and daughter. Miss Nellie, of Loraville, Fla., an hero the guests of Mr. and Mn. V. 0. Ivy. .Miss ^Nellie comes to enter Boston's graded school, she .having been a pupU of aaid school auroral previous sessions. lbs. Mary H. Stephens and son Cal dwell, who have been visiting Miss Helen Stephens at Waycroaa returned home Hat Monday. Master John Roberta, one of Boston’s beet little boys, has accepted a position, with the FOetal Telegraph Co., aa meat eager boy. They oould not have made a better selection. Mrs. H. B. McOormas and Miia Velinar McRae left last Sunday fer White Springs Fla , and will be abeens about two weeks. ^ Mrs. J. J. i’arramore left last Tuesday a. a. for White Springs Fla., for rest aud recuperation. Mrs. Jones and daughter of Savannah also Miss Mattie McDonald of Monti- cello Fla., a niece of tho farmer wero the guests of Mr. nud Mrs. J. C, Ned siqce my last letter. Alien Amanda Neel of Thomasville who has been the guest of Mn nnd Mrs. Neel for several days left last Wednesday for her homo accompanied by Miss Uhctta Neel. Mr. G. Chestnut, the wide awake And ileft representative of the Times-Enter- . prise wns in our city last Tnesdayin the merest of the paper.