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THE FATAL SHOT
THAT USHERS A PROMISING
YOUNG LIFE INTO THE PRES
ENCE OF GOD.
WALTER ROUNDTREE DIES OF THE
WOUND RECEIVED AT THE HANDS
^QFjFRANK JOHNSON. J£Lj,
Full Particulars of the Shooting—The
Witnesses to the Reneontre Examin
ed—The Coroner 1 ! Inquest and
Verdict,
And Frank Johnson is Found Guilty
of Wilful Murder.
The sequel to the shooting of Mr.
Walter Roundtree, the student, by the
negro Frank Johnson, is even more
fearful, after a thorough investigation,
than our hastily-written report of yes
terday stated. After lingering until
10:30 yesterday morning this young
man hreuthed his last, surrounded by
Chancellor Melt, I)r. Campbell and
his brother and friends.
THKORIQIN or THE DIFFICULTY.
The beginning of this terrible trage
dy was about three weeks ago, when
Walter Roundtree and another stu
dent, named Groover, were walking
along the sidewalk. They were met
l»y the murderer Johnson, who pur
posely ran against the latter gentle-
man and came near knocking him
from the sidewalk, hut passed on
without ottering an apology. Mr.
Roundtree remarked to Groover that
he would not allow a negro to treat
him in any such manner without re
senting the insult. Johnson over
heard tile remark and made some in
solent reply, that Mr. R.- allowed to
pass unnoticed, as lie was not then
prepared for a ditlieulty. After that
this negro appeared to make it his
business to provoke a quarrel from
M r. Roundtree; und only a few days
ago, meeting his brother Bartow on
the street, actually pushed th«t gen
tleman from the sidewalk. The evi
dence goes to show that both the de
ceased and his brother did all in their
power to avoid strife, and actually
broached insults that would not have
for a moment been tolerutcd from a
white man.
AN OLD GRUDGE.
It seems that for some time many
tlie blacks of Athens have made it a
rule to insult the students whenever
tlie slightest occasion offered, and
there has been more than once ins-
lulnent danger of an outbreak be
tween them. We ull remember the
ease of one of these young geutlemeu
being cursed by a negro in frontof the
post-otllce, while a similar outrage oc
curred ut the book store corner. A
few months ugo a hand of blacks met
several students strolling up the
Xorth-Knstern railroad, and went so
far as to throw them from the track,
when there was plenty of room for all
to pass. These insults were received
without resentment, the negroes al
ways picking a time when they out
numbered tlii^r adversaries. The
young men have given these people
noeurthly cause for this warfare,
and their hntred is as malignant as it
is uneccountalde.
ENCOURAGED BY THE APPOINTMENT
OF A COLORED POSTMASTER.
NO. XLV11L
A TT-TTOSTS. GEORGIA, THURS
A/T’RIX. 13.1888
ball evidently did
Ripley was standing
who held In his hand a rook, and was
in the act of hurling it at the head of
Mr. Bartow Roundtree when Ripley
caught his hand.
A SIGNAL. j
But before the shooting began John
son placed two Angers in his mouth,
gave a shrill whistle, evidently sound
ed with the intention of summoning
help near at hand, but it was not
heeded, as no other negroes appeared
on the scene. Knoch Kchols had a
great deal to say at the first of the
difficulty, and was os much responsi
ble for the murder as Johnson.
THE TERMINATION.
After each party had fired two shots
apiece, Johnson seeing Mr. Walter
Roundtree fall, fled down the street,
pursued by Bartow, and that gentle
man in turn by Echols—II r. Ripley
very naturally will do all he can for
his son.
Enoch Echols is a tall, well-built
black negro, apparently twenty-two
or twenty-three years of age,who came
to Athens a few months ago from
Oglethorpe county, where his family
hagai ways been prominently mixed up
in politics.
VISIT TO THE PRISONERS IN JAIL.
Yesterday morning, through the
kindness of Sheriff Weir, we visited
the Jail where the prisoners are con
fined. They were allowed the liberty
.of the passage, and when we entered
the room found them singing and en
joying themselves, apparently indif
ferent to their fate. They both spoke
very freely of the difficulty, but their
statements were garbled and' contra-
..... , dictory. Johnson said he had cora-
U j >r e . n ■ plained to the police once about
Since the appointment of a colored
postmaster a'Athens a great change
lias been noticed in our black popula
tion. They have become very arro
gant in their manner, and there are
numerous instances where hut for the
forbearance of the whites bloodshed
would certainly have occurred. Few
of them think of giving the sidewalk
even to ladies, and every look on their
faces show that they feel the political
supremacy of their raee.
HOUNDED DOWN.
There never was a clearer instance of
a man being hunted to his deutli than
that of young Roundtree. On the
evening of his murder, together with
a squad of his friends, he leftthecam-
pus for an afternoon's walk. To show
that the party anticipated no trouble
there was hut one pistol in their pos
session,und that carriedbyMr.Bartow
Roundtree, und the part of his having
it was purely accidental. The party
hud separated, some being in advance
and others in the rear of the doomed
young mnn, who was accompanied by
Messrs. Ripley, of Atlanta, and
Twiggs, of Augusta, while Bartow
ltoundtree was a few paces in the
rear. From the latter young gentle
men we learn the following:
FOLLOWING UP HIS VICTIM.
Wliile Messrs. Roundtree, Twiggs
and ltipley were opposite Dr. Hamil
ton’s residence, sitting on the rock
steps, Frank Johnson, Enoch Echols
and another negro (u mulatto and
name not known), passed the party,
without speaking. Shortly after Mr.
Roundtree and his friends started
down Milledgc avenue, and while
nearly opposite Dr. Hunnicutt’s the
three negroes overtook them again,
hut passed oil without interruption.
Bussing by the Home School the party
saw five or six blacks, including John
son und Echols, ranged in
row on the sidewalk, near
tree, and as the students passed
some remark was made by the negroes
iwout “giving un inch of the side
walk,” but tlio exact words were not
caught. Tin young men, not wishing
a difficulty, passed on without reply
ing to lunguage that was evidently
intended as a t hreat and a taunt.' The
party hud reached the point .where
Hill street intersects Prince avenue,
when they were met by Mr. Bartow
Roundtree, who was walking up town
but no mention was made of the fact
that they were folio wed,* as the stu
dents were under the Impression that
the negrocsliad gone another direction
But ere they had proceeded many
steps Frank Johnson, Echols and the
mulatto first seen with them overtook
the party and were in the act of passing
in a manner evidently calculated to
provoke an assault, when' somehow
a dispute arose and Roundtree gave
Johnson the d—d lie. At this instant
his brother Bartow seeing them stopp
ed by the negroes, returned. Upon his
approach, Walter asked if he had
pistol, and Bartow replied In the af
firmative. In the meantime Johnson
had plaoed his hand on the handle of
aplstol that was plainly seen by those
present, when ' Walter . Roundtree
kicked him and turned around, facing
his brother.
• THE SHOOTING.
At this Instant Bartow drew his
weapon, but before he could sflbot
Johnson took deliberate aim at the
behind the latter,
of tlie Court-house square Mr. Ripley
saw Echols in the act of hurling a
stone at Mr. Roundtree’s head, and
yelled to that gentleman to dodge,
which he did, falling over tlie bank
that leads into tlie street. At this in
stant Johnson turned, and seeing his
assailant’s helpless condition, pro
ceeded to fire on him again, following
him down tlie street and emptying
every chamber of his revolver.
THE PURSUIT AND CAPTURE.
Dr. Cnmak and Mr. Childers wit
nessed the termination of this bloody
affair, and lieing determined to locate
the negroes, followed them up until
they entered the shop of Miles John
son. Here they were captured, and
from thence conveyed to jail.
THE WOUNDED MAN.
We will now return to Mr. AValtcr
Roundtree, who was evidently wound
ed by tlie first shot from Johnson. As
he was falling this young man remark
ed, “He has shot me, boys,” and fell
from tlie sidewalk into the street, the
fall causing a contusion on his head
thatSvas at first taken for a wound
from another bull.
HIM LAST HOURS.
A buggy was secured, the wounded
man placed therein and conveyed to
his lioarding-house, Mr. John G. M.
Edwards’. Dr’s. Benedict and Gerdine
were at once- summoned, and from
the first they saw no hope and so told
the sufferer. He was entirely con
scious, and when tlie Rev. C. D.
Campbell came, Mr. R. talked ration
ally with that gentleman aliout tlie
state of his soul and asked his pray
ers. About two o’clock in the night
he remarked that he fejt better; but
shortly after that began to sink, until
10:30 Wednesday morning when he
quietly passed away.
A SAD SCENE.
A few moments before Walter
Roundtree breathed his last we looked
in U]K>n one of the saddest scenes our
eyes ever rested upon. There was this
promising young man, who only a
few short hours before had been in tlie
zenith of youth, unconscious nnd
gasping for breath. At his side sat
Dr. Campbell, his head down in sor
row; a weeping, broken-hearted
brother, and tlie venerable Chancellor
of the University—and none more
deeply felt this fearful end than he.
They were powerless to tender aid
and quietly waited the end that all
saw was near.
HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED.
The breath had scarcely left Walter
Roundtree's body when tlie fact was
known in the city. Our people re
ceived the announcement with a calm
that appeared threatening. It was an
outrage even too deep for indignation.
They were determined that the mur
der of this young stranger, by a black
outlaw, should lie revenged—and that
from this hour these outbreaks should
strangled in their incipiency.
LET THE LAW TAKE IT8 COURSE.
We heard not the, first mention of
lynch law, and don't think such an
idea was tolerated for an instant; but
our people are determined that Frank
Johnson and Enoch Echols shall re
main in prison until the assembling
of our Supreme Court on the third
Monday in May, when they shall be
lawfully tried by our court of justice,
and then pay the penalty for this out
rageous crime.
NOTHING EXTENUATING.
We carefully studied the evidence
before the coroner’s jury—that was
composed of some of the sagest and
best men in our city—and we did not
hear the first word of testimony that
gave these negroes an excuse for as
sault, w)th less wilful and malicious
murder. These young men did all in
their power to avoid a difficulty, but
were followed and passed four times
by their pursuers before the assault
was made. They came prepared to
shed the blood of Walter Roundtree
and so bitter was Johnson’s feelings
toward him that the negro aimed his
shot at his breast when his own life
was actually in danger from the pistol
in Bartow Roundtree’s hands.
Roundtree, who had thrown a rock at
him, but added: “The police in Ath
ens ain’t worth a d—m nohow, and
are all a set of infernal cowards.” Just
before leaving, the Sheriff told the
negroes to go into the cells as he had
instructions to lock them up. They
hesitated at first, but finally obeyed,
Johnson remarking, “HeU! there
must be something the matter! How
is Roundtree anyhow ?” Nor satisfac
tion was given him, when the prison
er requested that his father and Capt.
Barrow be sent to him, adding: “I
want the old man to bring us some
thing to eat, as you don’t feed overly
well here.” He seemed very anxious
to have a commitment trial.
ARMED BLACK OUTLAWS.
Tuesday night our streets weie filled
with armed blacks, who after dark be
gan to congregate around the jail in
large numbers, until probably two or
three hundred were there assembled,
Their presence was reported to the
Mayor, who sent the police, under
command of Capt. Davis, with in
structions to disperse the mob. But
these officers were met by a deter
mined front, the negroes stating that
they had as much right there as the
police, and didn’t intend to leave. All
night long citizens in that vicinity
were kept awake and in dread by*tbe
tramp of these negroes, who filled
every nook and corner of the ground.
Five stopped under one window and
loaded their pistols. They remained
ull night around the jail, but made no
attempt to release the prisoners. They
were very boisterous in their language,
and were heard to more than once
curse the “cowardly whites” and ex
press a wish that they would come
out.
OUTRAGEOUS CONDUCT.
Every white man who passed in the
neighborhood of the jail was watched,
and a negro stepped up to one and
looked in his face. The gentleman
asked what he meant. “I mean that
I'segwine to find out who you is,”
was the reply. The gentleman re
marked that hereafter be would go
prepared to meet such insults, when
the negro retorted, “and I reckon I
can go prepared for you, too!”
A student passed seveu negroes on
College avenue, when one of the
crowd remarked to him, touching a
pistol in his hip pocket. “I ain’t go
ing to be satisfied till I shoot some of
them brass bottons off.” Other boys
from the College were shoved from the
sidewalk by negroes -and in other
ways Insulted. In fact, it seems that
the special spleen of these outlaws is
aimed at the students in.our city.
ARMS AND AMMUNITION.
Tuesday night the blacks were buy
ing up all tlie arms and ammunition
they could find, but yesterday Mayor
Rucker requested tlie merchants not
to sell either side any more, as he
wanted to do aU in his power to quell
the riot that all saw was brewing.
But bis request amount didn’t to much
—so far as the whites were condensed
and by noon every pistol and cartridge
in the eity was bought up. In tact,
some persons sold arms at actual cost,
to enable the boys to be prepared for
any emergency.
ACTION OF THE MAYOR.
PREPARING FOR MURDER.
To show that these two negroes left
home that evening with the avowed
determination of following up and
murdering Walter Roundtree, we will
state that they passed first Mr. H. H,
Phinixy and asked the direction taken
by Walter Roundtree and that gentle
man, suBplcionlng nothing wrong, di
rected them. They asked Mr. Basil
Cobb a similar question, and when
told that the gentleman they were
looking for was only a few blocks
ahead hastened on and overtook him
stated. About two weeks ago,
shortly after the encounter with Mr.
Groover, Frank Johnson came to Mr.
Ed Dorsey to borrow a pistol, stating
that he wanted it to kill Walter
Roundtree with, who had insulted
him. Mr. Dorsey thought at the time
It was nothing but an idle threat and
made the negro leave hie store. There
is other evidence of this kind—all go
ing to show a malicious premeditation
on the part of Frank Johnson to kill
Walter Roundtree.
THE MURDERER AND HIS ACCOMPLICE.
Frank Johnson is a ginger-cake col
ored negro, with good features, about
19 or 20 years of age. Up to a short
time ago he has borne a good charac
ter, but of late has gotten into bad
company and took a leading hand In
politics. A few months ago he was
about leaving bis father, Miles John
son, to open a dye-house in Greenville,
Mayor Rucker has a great responsi
bility on his shoulders, and he is dis
charging his duty faithfully and fear
lessly. Yesterday morning be secur
ed the names of the leaders in the mob
at the jail and had them summoned
to appear at court this morning. Last
night he detailed fifty extra police
men from among our leading citizens,
who remained up all night to guard
thp streets and nip in the bud-any at
tempt at a repetition of the conduct of
the night before. Up to the hour of
going to press all is quiet—and we
will here say.that our citizens are .In
no humor for any further outbreaks.
EXCEPTIONS.
All of our colored people are not in
sympathy with these murderers. It
is only those insolent, idle negroes
who have been cursing Athens with
their presence since oar city has
turned into a market lor barter votes,
and others who make it their busi
ness to stir up strife and discord—and
then sneak out when danger appears.
Many of oar colored men remain at
their business, and take no hand
whatever in the matter—publicly de
nouncing-the crime.
THE VERDICT OF THE CORONER'S
' £ JURY.
A large number of witnesses were
examined, and while the whites all
told one story, thq negroes mpae the
most contradictory statements—act
ually testifying that Roundtree fired
three times at Johnson before he re
turned* shot. One of their statements
impeaches another* After a careful
weighing of the testimony the follow
ing verdict was rendered:
The deceased came to his death on
the Sth day of April, 1882, from the ef
fects of a pistol shot wound Inflicted
on the 4th day of April, 1882, In the
city of Athens, at the hands of Frank
Johnson, col., and said ’shooting was
deliberate and premeditated murder.
We find that Enos Echols, col., was
an aooessory, -aiding and abetting the
act. We also find deceased was a res-
ldentof Quitman, Ga., attending Col
lege In Athens, Ga., and son of Mr.
and Mrs. A./. Roundtree. rt J
R. L. Moss, Foreman; James Gallo
way, Matthew Carr, John C. Pltner,
Charles D. McKie, Young H. Wynn
Joseph H. Carlton, Rufus K. Reaves,
C. G. Talmadge, James H. Reaves,
Arthur E. Griffeth, E. B. Hodgson
Peace again reigns in
remains of Walter Bonn
bounded to his death
cold-blood, were yesterday conveyed to
the Georgia depot, placed -aboard the
morning train, and by flow this inani
mate lump of clay is returned to his
heart-broken family,from whence b.e
parted only a few short weeks ago bouy-
ant with evety hd^e of a long and useful
life. - . *
THE FUNERAL CORTEGE. .
Early yesterday morning the two lib.
erary societies convened In their respec
tive lialls, that were draped in mourning,
prepared to pay‘tlie last sad rites to a
brother member end-student. Slowly,
they filed from their halls, their -ban
ners streaming with the emblem,of grief,
and headed by the faculty, followed the
hearse to the. depot. It was one of the
most touching scenes ever witnessed in
oar streets, and our eitizens bowed their
heads as tlie .cortege moved ou. If young
Roundtree had been carried away by a
wasting diseased or met his death by one
of the many inscrutable ways of
Providence, -this last, tribute would
not have made such an impress ou the
public miqd; bat for a young stranger,
committed by Ids parents to the care of
our city,. to be wilfully and maliciously
hunted to bis death, and murdered in
cold blood by-the hand of a negro whom
he had never wronged, made the latent
flrotn the veins of ev» ry white man burn
wit'i renewed fury—and then and there
a solemn vow was taken that tiiis mur
derer should not—no, by the Eternal shall
not—go unwhipt of justice. An escort,
chosirn from among ills particular friends
and classmates, accompanied the corpse,
to pe rform the s&d task of delivering it
over to his bereaved and heart-broken
parei its.
an autopsy.
At the request of tlie physicians the
coron er’s jury ordered a pout mortem ex
amination of the body, that the ball
migh t be located and used as evidence
in tlie coming trial. This was skilfully
done by Drs. Benedict, Gerdine and
Carlti in, but the fatal bit of lead could
not ioe discovered, without disfiguring
the r emains—but in the meantime the
pistol used by the murderer was produc
ed, wl rich satisfactorily settled the cali
bre oi the weapon and will answer every
purpe se. The wounds made b£ the scal
pel were neatly stitched, so tlmt not the
slight est disfigurement of tlie corpse was
made..
,T1 BE ATTITUDE OF THK 8'i UDEXT8.
The 'students at the University hav
certaii -ly covered themselves with hon
or by t heir conservative and law-abiding
deport: meat. We never knew a set of
young men to act so wisely. While they
were as iturally shocked and indignant
at the murder, they, at the same time
preserv ed the most commendably clear
headed coolness. . We mingled and talk
ed free ly with these young men, and
heard, "not tlie first int imation of taking
the lav' into their own hands Chancel
lor Me] 1 had lieen talking to them, and
the boj s loved and heeded tlie advice of
this gn -at und good man. They say that
they rare content to rest this matter in
the hands of the law, feeling that justice
will b o done their dead comrade.
Wei in e sday night, when our town was
wild with excitement, not a student
could ' be seen on tlie streets—they had
quietly returned to their rooms, there to
await I he events of the night. If their
service ,s were required to enforce order
they w ere ready to march out at the call
oftliei i-professors—but not before. They
hare not an idea of taking the law in
their.< >wn bands.
THE 1J1 FECTOF THIS MURDER ON THE STATE
- UNIVERSITY.
This unfortunate affair will doubtless
do, t-ei nporarily, our State University
some- i qjury—but Dot so much as many
suppos e. It is one of those outrages that
migiit have happened in any town or
city In Georgia—and it, waa not in the
power of human foresight to prevent.
Parent s for a time will feel loth to trust
their s ons in a city where black outlaws
are r cj lorted to hold high carnival—but
we w il 1 say to the people ol Georgia that
this n under has learned the people of
Athens a timely lesson,’and from this
time in l they will meet such cases with
speedy punishment—not awaiting for
the cwl mination of such hellish spleen.
Our til y authorities feel that these stu
dents ,are entrusted to their .protecting
care, * ud they will see thaj they are
shield* d from such outrages as they have
so long : and silently borne.
IrEDNESDAY NIGHT.
AtlK ns never witnessed a more quiet
period than last Wednesday night—the
time tl .at many were expecting strife.
Early in the night lage numbers of
blacks were gathered iu knots on the
corners of Broad streets, but pretty soon
were seen silent figures passing about.
There were the one hundred extra police
men, d etniled by order of the Mayor—
and ev ery man was armed to the teeth
and wi is of acknowledged courage. They
: making them dlo- A n
- —a ■.
REMOVAL SPOKEN OF.
- If these prisoners remain in jail here
itwillbe qecessary to keep a guard there
eveiy night, to prevent release and pro
tect them against any attempt at lyjteb*
law. This will entail a heavy expense
on the county. It is now proposed to
transfer them to the.Atlanta-jail nntftl&fe
May session of court here, where they
will be entirely safe from either of these
possibilities. It would be cheaper to
the county, and at the same time h'elp
allay tlie Commotion that now rac-a
Vie city.
, «THEIR TRIAL.
The trial of these prisoners will dopbt-
lesa take place at the May session of
Clarke Superior Court, as there il no
ground upon which the case can be post
poned, and the people are determined
that speedy justice shall be done. But
at best the law is slow in its action, and
jn all'probability a year will elapse be
fore these men will pay the 'penalty for
their horrible crime. The case will
will doubtless be carried to the Supreme
Court—which will postpone the sen
tence until next fall, and even then a
shrewd lawyer can stay tlie hand of jus
tice for many weary months. But the
people need feel no fear but that justice
will eventually be meted to these mur
derers—and it is best for us to patiently
await its conra4.
• A ALL SERENE.
Last night every appearance of theuom-
rnotion passed off, and while our citizens
were prepared for any fresh outbraek, a
great deal of tlie vigilance of the night
before had collapsed. There was no fear
of further trouble, and no demonstra
tion made by the blacks. IVe anticipate
no further trouble, and think both sides
have most wisely decided that they will
leave the culmination of this murder in
the hands oi the law. To-morrow morn
ing tlie leaders of the mob that surround
ed the jail Tuesday night will be ar
raigned liefore tlie Mayor, and will have
to afterwards answer for their trans
gressions to the State authorities. May
or Rucker intends to make an example
of these outlaws aud will mete to them
tlie extentof the law.
HOW JESSEE JAMES DIED.
St. Joseph, Mo., April 3.—Ever
since the Ford boys had been witli
Jesse they bad watched for it u oppor
tunity to shoot him, .but he was al
ways so heavily armed that it was im
possible to draw a weapon without his
seeing it. They declare they had no
idea of taking him alive, considering
the undertaking suicidal. The oppor
tunity they had long wished for came
this morning. James was standing
on a chair dusting some pictures. His
back was now turned to the brothers,
who silently stepped between Jesse
and his revolvers, and at a motion
from Charley, both drew their guns.
Robert was the quickest - of the two.
In one motion he had the long weap
on to a level with his eye, with the
muzzle no more than four feet from
the back of the outlaw’s head. Evsn
in that motion, quick as thought,
there was something which did not
escape the acute ears of the htinted
man. He made a motion as if to turn
ills head to ascertain the cause of
that suspicious sound, but too late.
A nervous pressure on the trigger, a
quick flash, a sharp report, and vhe
well-directed ball crashed through
the out-law’s skull. There was not an
outcry; just the swaying of the body,
and it fell heavily back upon the car
peted floor. The ball had entered the
base of the skull and made its ’way
through the forehead over the right
eye. It had been fired out of a Colt’s
forty-five. calibre, improved pattern,
silver-mounted and pearl handled
pistol, presented by the dead man to
his slayer only a few days ago.
THE DATE OF THE FIRST EASTER.
There is* seen eVery day oil our
street^ * qlliet gentleman, long past
the torn of life, fat and good natured;
and who at- a glance would be tile last
man a stranger wqpld take for a pe
destrian. This party is 9|r. Charlie
Shackelford? who was once the cham
pion foot raoer of America, and was
never vanquished, although he has
entered against the fleetest-footed
men that could be produced, of nearly
every nationality, down to tlie Mexi
can and Indian. After defeating
every opponent in Georgia thatdared
measure distance with him, Mr.
Shackelford was prevailed upon to (go
to California when that State was
young and the gold fever at its height.
His accomplishment soon became
known, and while others were dig
ging gold Mr. S. reaped a rich har
vest with Ms legs. -His fame soon be
gan to spread and numbers from a dis
tance canie to contest the laurels with
him—only to return’with the knowl
edge that it was folly to attempt to
measure speed with the “greased-foot-
ed Georgian.” Spo teamen have
searched the pacific slope to find a
man to combat him, bringing forth
the wild Indians from the plains and
the wlerry-limbed Mexican from over
the horded; but our friend always left
them in the rear. He never ran a race
for less than one hundred dollars, be
sides receiving a per centage on all
bets won. Finally his fame reached
down into 1 lexica, and.a wealthy
old greasef sport sent for him. Shack
elford accepted, and the old man in
formed-iris guest that he wished him
to enler against a well known runner,
who was the undisputed victor of that
country. The race was agreed upon,
and the appointed day a large crowd
was on hand to witness the sport. Mr.
Shackelford’s backers had great con
fidence in his speed, and took all the
bets offered. It is needless to add that
the Georgian won the day, leaving
his adversary so far behind that he
refused'to repeat the race. Mr. Shack
elford expected the old Mexican to
reward him handsomely for the thou
sands he had* won, but the stingy old
scoundrel would onjy pay $100. This
naturally incensed Mr. S.,who formed
a plot with other side to run the ■ race
over again and lose, and thus secure
the spoils, of which he had been de
frauded. This was agreed to,and in the
second race Shackelford “accidental
ly” stumped his toe and fell,, and. his
Mexican opponent won the race. But
the parties who had lost their money
was not satisfied, and it soon was
whispered around that the American
had entered into a plot to lose the race
on purpose. A mob was made for the
stranger, who happily received warn
ing in time to make good his escape
on foot, over the border. , But Mr.
Shackelford has long since given up
this sport, and is now living the quiet
life of a man whose “race has been
run.” *
Mr. EmftrySp»«r Indleaottj 1
ble for lire Murdarcf Mr. Roundtree.
Macon Ttics/ojJi and Heotenyer.
The people of Gedrgt* .we hardly re
covered from the shock of the murder
of old man Hicks, of pwiqnctt oounty,
by a gang of deputy United States
marshals, when they as* horrified by
the details of the niurdef sf a student
of the State University qpon the
streets of Athens by a couple of negro
politicians.
Our readers are, tamiliar with the
details of both tragedies, so there is no
iccepslty of their reproduction. But
were calm, cool and collected, fully
determ Ined to see that the outrageous
condo*-t of the night before was hot re
peated. Our citizens were prepared for
any esciergencV They .bad at their grasp
needle guns and ammunition in suffi
cient quantities to anu over one hun
dred men—and had the gang* of strife
bee a thrown down the streets of our city
would have flowed with blood. They
slid i tot wish to provoke an outrage—but
they have borne the last grain they in
tend eil, and before the morning’s sun
had arisen, did an outbroke occur, the
question would have been then and
there -decided: Who will rule Athens—
the Af rican or the Caucasian?
Just now there is a great deal of dis
cussion in the religious press as to the
date of the first Easter. One author of
a leading Bible commentary man tains
that tlie old idea that our Lord’s passion
and resurrection occurred in A. D. 35
(given in most Bibles which have dates
in margins) was founded’ on the< tradi
tional belief that He was about thirty-
three years on earth, combined with the
idea that the date of His nativity was
four years later than it really was (the
actual date of the .event being in all
probability, B, C. 4.)
The only real doubt about the date of
the resurrection la whether it was A. D.
29 or 30. Now astronomy tells os that
the full moon, which would be Pasnhal
in the former years fell on a Saturday—
April* 16—which is inconsistent with the
circumstances narrated. Butin A. D.
30 that full .moon was on Thursday,
April 6, oi> which day the Passover meal-
was eaten, and our Lord suffered the
next day (in our reckoning, the same
day in Jewish) on which other observ
ances connected with the Passover were
stiU to be kept. This, then, without *
doubt, was the true year, and, if so, of
course the first Easter was on April 9th
which day the Christian world 'this year
will celebrate its anniversary.
1— r
Taking Time by the Forelock.
At the battle of Groveton, Stonewall
Jackson tried an experiment which
nearly frightened a Federal division out
of tlieir I loots. Bars of railroad iron
were cut up into foot lengths and fired
from some of bis heaviest guns, and the
noise the missiles made as’ they went
sailing through the air was a sort of cross
between the shriek of a woman and the
bray of a mule. The Federate listened
in wonder at the first few which banged
through the tree tops, and presently one
of the pieces fell just in front of a Penn-
sylvania regiment. A captain stepped
forward to insect it, and after turning
it over he rushed to bis colonel with the
news: ‘
“Colonel, them infernal rebels are fir
ing railroad iron at us!’’
No!” i
They Ore, for a fact!”
'Captaip, advance your company to
that ridge and deploy, and the minute
you find Jackson is getting ready to fire
freight £arS at us seftd me word. I don’t
propose “to have my regiment mashed
into the ground when il can just as -well
be decently exterminated In’the regular
way!” *■ ” t
Kathrtlle American.
1812. fThe first delegated general
conference of the Methodist Episcopal
church lb America—inclining Cana
da- met in New York, B$&y, 1812. All
the mdtabers of that conference are
dead.
1816. The second conference conven
ed in May, 1816. Not a single mem
ber of that conference is living.
1820. The third session was held
also in Baltimore in 1820. We know
of no one living who was a member of
that conference.
1824. The conference of 1824 conven
ed again in Baltimore. We know of
no one living who was a member of
that conference except Robert Paine,
now our senior bishop.
1828. In 1828 the conference conven
ed at Pittsburg, Pa. Of all the dele
gates from the territory pow occupied
by the Methodist Episcopal church,
South, only four are living: Robert
Paine, F.A. Owen, and|Ashley B. Ros-
zell from the Tennessee conference,and
Peter Akers from Kentucky. Dr.
Akers is now connected with the
Methodist Episcopal church in Illi
nois. '*.
1832. The conference met In Phila
delphia. The only southern delegates
of that conference remaining are Bish
op H. H. Kavanaugh and the Rev.
Dr. Peter Akers, then of the Kentucky
conference, and Bishop Paine, G. T.
Henderson and F. A. Owen, of the
Tennessee conference. 4
1836. The conference was held in
Cincinnati, 0. Of the delegates from
the southern conference at that meet
ing there remain only Bishop Kava
naugh, Bishop Paine, G. T. Hender
son and J. B. McFerrin, of Tennessee,
and Wm. Murrah, of Alabama, now
of the North' Mississippi conference.
The venerable Wesley Browning, of
the St. Louis conference, was a dele
gate, but was from the Pittsburg con
ference.
1840. The conference of 1840 con
vened in Baltimore. The southern
delegation now living are Thos. N.
Ralston, of Kentucky; Robert Paine
and J. B. McPherrle, of Tennessee;
Wm. Murrah, of Alabama, and G. F.
Pierce, of Georgia.
1844. The General Conference met
at New York. Southern delegates
still living: Jerome C Berryman, of
Missouri; H H Kavanaugh, of Ken-
tucko; Robert Paine and J B McFer
rin, of Tennessee. Memphis confer
ence, Thos.-Joyner; Arkansas confer
ence, Andrew Hunter; Alabama con-
ferepce, Jesse Boring and Wm Mur
rah ; Georgia conference, Geo F Pierce
and J E Evans; ’North Carolina con
ference, Bennett T Alnke; Virginia
conference, L M Lee.
1845. The convention of southern
delegates met in Louisville May 1,
1845. There were present ninety-eight
members; of these, seventy-seven
have passed away, leaving only twen
ty-one yet in the service of tbe Mas
ter. How rapidly are tbe ranks thin*
ning! In reviewing the past, we are
pleased to say there were giants in the
former years of the Methodist church,
May the strength of .the ministry
never be diminished.
The Bev. Dr. James E. Evans, of
the 'North Georgia conference; Bev,
Dr: J. B. McFerrin, of the Tennessee
coiiference; Bishop Paine,' Rev. Dr.
Jessee Boring, of the North Georgia
cofnerence; Rev. Dr. Guilford Jones,
of the Memphis Conference, and Rev.
Dr. John W. Hanner, of the Tennes
see conference, will, be the veterans at
the general conference lu^May.
' . A» •
QUIET REIGNED SUPREME.
Bat happily—and as we all wished—
the blacks saw that they could not ad
vance another step, and most sensibly
'dpi what all good citizens owe their
coant ry—accepted the supremacy of the
law. About 9 o’clock they bad all left
Broad street, with only an occasional
dusk} horseman dashing by with the
coma tand to every black he met, “Don’t
fail tc • meet at half-past eleven.” Inti-,
mxtio n had been received that large
bandi s of armed negroes were seen upon
the o utskirts and in secluded parts of
the c Ity, and we doubt not but what it
was! intended to remain on guard around
the jail as the night before; but they
soon discovered that discretion was the
beta :r part of valor, and most ol them
disp ersed to their homes before the mid-
die of the night. A few videttes attempt
ed to bang around the jail—doubtless to
feet the pulse of tbe whites—but they
feu id it feverish and each finger on a
trigger. So’the Mayor and Chief Davis
She Backed Out.
WiUU't Syfap-Book.
A certain boat coming up the Mls^
sissippi daring the flood the other day
lost her way and bumped up against a
frame house. She hadn’t-more than
touched it befofe an old dariey rammed
hit head up through armhole in toe roof
where the chimney once came eftit,
and yelled at the captain orfthe roof:
Wbar do hell is yer gwlne wid dot
boat? .Can’t you see nuffin? Fast
thing yer knows yer gwlne to turn dis
house ober, spill do old wqman an’ de
chil’en out in de-flood an’ drown ’em,
Wat yer doin’ out hero In de country
wldyer damn boat, anybowl Go on
back yander froo de co’n fields, an 1
git back Into' de ribber, whar you be-')
longs. Ain’t got no business sev’n
miles out in de country foolin’ roun r
people’s houses, nohow!” and She
backed out.
Failures in This Section.-.
The following failures are reported
inBradstree^’s: Tarver*Co.,grocers
Macon, Ga., are offering to comprom
ise. They recently gave chattel and
realty mortgages for $1,236. R. S
Wynn, agent, grocer, Macon, Ga., has
been closed by tbe sheriff. Liabilities
about $2,500. William Jackson, gen
eral store, Palmetto, Ga., has been
closed by the sheriff.
Georgia Gold Mining. 1
THE IMPOSSIBLE'GIRL. . '
He offered her a handsome opal ring.
Excuse me, sir,” she .said, while a
blush,crept over her velvety cheek*
“opals are unlucky.” ’Thud -he fished
a package of caramels out pfhis pock
et and attempted to present It to her.
“I never touch them,” she murmured
languidly, “as they destroy the teeth
and*draw) the filling out. My mother
got some between her teeth the other
day, and her jaws were, held together
so tight for two hoars that she could
quiet
you
Railroad Record. a $
A movement is on foot to establish
goveromenfcassay office at Dahlon-
ega, Ga. “Up to the war there was a
branch mint at Dahlonega, and the
records show that over twenty ’ mil
lions of bullion passed through It.
Georgia has seventy odd gold mills
at work. One is giving a monthly
product of about $7,500. From a care
ful look over, no good reason can be
given why this belt will dot. produce
three hundred thousand dollars per
annum this season, and bo prepared,
with sufficient machinery, by Janua
ry next, to produce five hundred thou
sand dollars monthly for the year 1883.
The ore is there. All jh&t is required
to make an immense yield is energy,
good management, scientific superen-
tendence and modern machinery. In
their rather crude ways of working
-the mica, slate and other more hr less
decomposed rodks of £his region, it
costs but twenty-five cents per ton to
Ratine aifomfUfeold-bearing ores.
Good gnld Veins assaying from five
to fifty dollars per ton, fropr one to
twenty tulles from a railroad,* with
water, flngftMliibor plenty and cheap,
can be bought far from one thousand
to twenty thousand dollars, whicbq if
intheBocky Mountains, five hun
dred miles from any place and all the
way up BUI, would be worth half a
million doljgrs. A great and’prospew
ous future awaits gold mjUting, on an
extensile scale, In Georgia. -
Rostand
legitimate conclusion
successful attempt of Mr. Emor
Speer to Africanize that portion of the
State to gr$tlty.his personal vanity
and ambition. We should feci better
$bout tbe matter If, we might justly
lay the blame of the entire transaction
at his door. But it is true, and it is
about time for the people of Athens
and the surrounding country to awak
en to a knowledge of the fact, that
they who have upheld and sustained
this young mar. in his anything but
admirable career, may have to bear a
part of the responsibility for the re
sults whieh have followed. No doubt,
just now, all the better eloments of-.
Athens society are clothed in sorrow
over the deplorable deed, and Indigna
tion of the perpetrators of it. But for
the prevalence of wiser counsels, or
the determined front shown to the
negioes, we might have occasion to
chronicle more violence and a further
outrage of law and goodordpr.
Only a few years since, In the midst
of the commencement exercises of the
University, we saw this young man
mounted on a dry goods box at the
corner of two of the public thorough
fares of Athens, surrounded by a mob
of drunken men, women and children,
the most ignorant, idle and depraved
of their class. With the. exception of
the writer and two or three other
white men attracted by a curiosity to
hear what he might say to such an au
dience, there was not a person present
with intelligence sufficient to know or
to feel that he or she had any interest
in Georgia or the community in which
they were cast more than to get a meal
as best they could, and a shelter from
the sun and rain as best they might.
And we listened to this young Mr.
Speer harangue this mass upon the
bad treatment they and he had re
ceived from the Democratic party, the
rights that he and they had been de
prived of by caucuses aud rings, until
by reason of the Influence of the whis-
ky or the effect of his eloquence, they
were worked up into a frenzy of anger
or hatred against every man whose
skin was white, save Mr. Speer. Thia
was in Athens in sight of tbe State
University, within hearing of its fac
ulty, board of trustees and visiting
strangers; in a city which Justly boaste
of its learning, its intelligence, Us re
finement and social elegance. And
we heard not a protest against this
sickening, disgusting and disgraceful
scene.
In the political contest which fol
lowed, then, and was repeated two
years afterwards, many of these citi
zens of Athens voted that tills young
man should be sent to the national
assembly as their representative. The
trustees of the University endorsed
him by selecting him to sit as a mem
ber or their body. It is strange under
such circumstances, that the ignorant,
the idle and the vicious should have
rallied to him in sufficient numbers to
make his election sure?
His Congressional career is a part of
a very small, and not respectable part
of the history of the time. Its m*ln
points are embraced in an active and
industrious conniving with that po
litical party, whose success means the_
humiliation and disgrace of the South,
the destruction and overthrow of the
principles upon which our social and
political system rests. If we are to
credit the Journals of the city of Ath
ens, the elections which have occurred
there during his Congressional incum
bency have been a disgrace to out civ
ilization, and have been managed and
controlled by a mob of howling and
drunken negroes.
Is it to be wondered at, then, that
riot, bloodshed and murder have fo)*
lowed in quiek succession? Who
to say how much more of itis to come
before law and order and common de
cency shall be again enthroned by an
enlightened and civilized public sen
timent?
I this brutal murder of young
Roundtree shall not awaken the peo
ple of Athens to their fearful condi
tion, and to the immediate hecossity
of reformatory action, then the. good
name of the place will have passed
away-forever. No place can prosper
and maintain its credit and reputation
not talk.”
in the*house.”, “Sir?”
must have had ariot In the-house! I
mean that your mother must have
been so provoke^ that she couldn’t twhlch is at the mercy of a depraved
j her nsukl state of beautiful ,and ignorant class,
y, bdt’was obliged to £lve '[way , ’And if this state of aftkirs now ram-
• feelings,, in spite of her heroic* pant there is to be repeated and con-
efforts to appear calm. Would you
like to go the 'minstrels to-night?”
“No, thank, you. Iam always sad
dened by 8U£h woful dramas as ’Ca
ndle,’ 'Hamlet’ an£ 'Miss Mutton;'
and the last time I was at the min
strels I saw how those plays could be
made more heart-rending with the
jokes of the minstrels worked into
them.
He (hen Invited her to take a walk
and partake of ice cream and other
luxuries calculated to thrill tbe femi
nine* minc^with ecstacy. Bat she re
fused each aud all of them: And the
young man danced around with his
pocket bookin' hlsh&rfd, ,and thought
what expense -4rod!d be saved If all
the girls were like this one. And he
sang: '
“I’ve foand me a wife U the future,
rvefound the Impoulbte Old.”
Then heywoke np.and ascertained
that he had been d teaming. The Im
possible Girl has yet to be discovered
V
Reclaimed From Shame.
Just before the Ce’ntral passenger train
left tbe car shed Thursday night two wo
men made their appearance,and iu a few
seconds were comfortably seated In the
ladles’ Coach, ticketed to Macon.. One
WlNNirript, Manitoba, "£prll A
Canadiah Pacific train, with eight
hundred emigrants, is frozen In three
miles from the nearest source of sup
ply. Provisions are being carried to
it by a relief train. It will be tbree or
four days before the train can -be got
out. / - • •'
Capt. Nizwah/who returned partly
on foot and partly by sleigh, says a
man is dying in the train, and that it
is piteoiisto hear little children cry
ing for bread during the night. A
barrel of biscuits and one cheese
were discovered on board and were
dealt out, so there is no danger of star
vation, but there Is of ftiel and light
given out. t
The river is now running through
some or the streets in Morgan City,
La., and the situation is.appalling.
tinued the State of Georgia had best
close the doors of the University. The
fathers and mothers of ths State are
not going to gelid their sons to a place
to seek the ad vantage of a training and
education, where it is known to them
that they will have to go armed to
ptytect their lives and perhaps be
brought back in coffins, the victims of
Mr. Speer’s partisans. The people of
Athens, the Democrats of Athens and
its vicinity cannot afford to close their
eyes to foots patent to everybody else.
They have Intelligence 'sufficient to
see and to appreciate that Georgia la
again about to engage in a conflict
With a political faction, which has
been for'years seeking her life, and
they ought to have tlie manhood to
cast aside social ties and associations,
and personal prejudices long enough
to take a band and to do their foil du
ty in the struggle.
The State government of Georgia
which gives to the people the protec
tion of courts of law, Which lias re
lieved them from an Imported robber
band, which has saved the public
property and kept inviolate the public
credit, apd which .has sustained the
8tete University to its youth—has
been snatched Yrom- political revolu
tion and guarded from sppUationby
of tho women was well known to the por the? Democratici party.
Bee, and «; the' other appeared ,o be but aW - ay . *“• i ^ ^
cb ud, Captain Couch determined to
interview them. Hardly had lie uttered
a woird’before ascertaining that the child
was Carrie ‘Mitchell,'the grati hjaughter
of an resident pf thjs city. Ouiy a
few days ago.Carrie ]efc ber home and
entered upon a life of sliame; aml in or
der toav.oid her relations, who were
making diligent search for lier', ' she de
termined to yield to the ad\4ce of iier as
sociates in shame and leave the city. -
Carrie is a small thirteen-year-old'
child with a bright intelligent [face. She
expresses a willingness'to return t* her
relatives and says she would hav* done
so the day after leaving home but for the
advice of those witii whom she was stop
ping. Chief Connolly supplied lier with
a room at the station house for the
night.—Atlanta Constitution
guard, and give rein to the unbridled
ambition and passions of Mr. Speer
and his followers, and tho classic
walls of the Universlty, within whioh.
now lies the bloody corpse of the first
of its children murdered by negro pol
iticians, will be spattered with the
Mood of others, in an effaiwto save
them from the hands of a mob of Afri
cans raised to madness by the elo
quence of Mr. Speer jn the reeital pf
his and their wrongs. . W**®'*’
Tlie Secretory of War, iu his r»q>on
to tire President on the case of Sar-
geant Mason, takes issue with the
Judge Advocate General on the ques
tion of the validity of tbe sentence or
the court martial.
Mr. Stephens is up aguin.