Athens weekly banner. (Athens, Ga.) 1889-1891, June 25, 1889, Image 1
.vy-1-iii'pe.
.1 . ■ - ’ :*. •’* .
ATHENS, GEORGIA, TUESDAY MORNING JUNE 25, 1889.
iPUt
Reduction in City Taxes
10-
His Year.
SUITS SETTLED.
jj|U Biods and Permanent Street
w improvements.
liver? 8
Pressing Necessity—Proposition
,*g u i'd Them Without Cost
to the City.
All
til V
k<t i
|ly l' 1
a ml not
on a Arm
i>ni certainty in healthy finan-
mlitie'ii to receive the new boom
.(1,0111 t" Durst, upon us
; ,lant tii" ( lassie (_ ity
ami manufacturing foumln-
Irntrowler it one of the most im-
irlint business points in Georgia.
In the fat '- of the fai t that we have
urr.'la heavy expense in buiid-
#i>i:isniiH cel ' t new academies and es-
,]}«hing one of the best public school
steins in America, so rapid lias been
rrrowth of the city and economical
ailmini'-tration of its local affairs,
at our council was this year enabled to
Lee the city tax to one per cent and
L year it is hoped to make a still fur-
1,.,. reduction. Heretofore it has
from 110 to 115. This in itself
wikcs volumes for the growth of Atli
K ami should encourage capitalists to
ivest here. #
I Hoi). J. A. Hunnieutt, our efficient
oyor, tells Tuk Banner that be has
tiled and paid off the last damage
tit against the city, except that of the
tale of Mr. James Carlton, and will
■hitrate anil settle that case in a short
me. There arc two other trival snits
lie city will then he entirely
lew of litigation, anu Mayor llunpi-
itt says that lie intends to keep it so as
mg as he is office, for lie will not move
wilier shovel of dirt in front - of. pri
te property without a legal and writ-
a consent from the owners,
hi spite of the fact that our streets
ire been fully as well worked as liere-
ifore, ami considerable sums of money
vc been expended for damage suits,
uly half of the usual amount has been
fut on tiie streets this year.
The reduction in taxes does not mean a
idneed appvopriati^i ’for street work,
work, one without the expenditure of
a dollar by the city.
% ’Ji'his week Mayor Hunnieutt received
a letter from Mr. P.?K. Yates, engineer
of the Natchez’ Water and Sewer Com
pany, of Nathez, Miss., in. which he
proposes for his company to build a
first-class system of sewers in Athens,
at their own expense—placing them
wherever needed—charging those that
connect a reasonable amount per year.
Mr. Yates further proposes to give the
city the right at any time to buy the
setters, by the appointment of three
appraisers—the company and the city
each to appoint one, nml the two to ap
point a third. Then-these appraisers
will meet and decide on the value of the
ewers, and the city has the right to
buy or not at the price named.
At a first glance this seems certainly
a fair proposition, and will doubtless
receive the earnest consideration of our
City Fathers.
The other plan is -for the city to build
its own sewers, and then charge parties
that connect with them a resonable ren
tal. This sum will more than pay the
interest on the bonds, and so Athens
will be only lendii^ to its credit. We
believe that the tax payers will en/tforse
this proposition, for it makes those who
are benefited bear the burthen.
With the G., C. & N. assured, it now
behooves our city to shake preparations
for. the great work of improvement and
progress hovering over us.
A C OOD MAIT GONE.
Mr. Thos. J. Lester Died of Paralysis
Yesterday.
Mr. Thos. .T. Lester, of this county,
died yesterday afternoon at 4 o’clock.
He was a son of the late Louis Lester,of
this county, and nearly seventy years
of age.
Mr. Lester had always lived near
Athena, and was considered one of the
most prosperous farmers in tills section.
lie owns several plantations in this and
Jackson counties. He was a wholesouled
honest old gentleman and numbered liis
friends by the hundreds. Mr. Lester
was wonderfully well preserved for an
okl man, and enjoyed-fine health up to
the time lie Was striked* with paralysis,
which caused his death. lie leaves a
wife and two adopted cluldren to mourn
his death. He was ki member of the
Primitive Baptist church, -and a de
voted Christian. His funeral will take
place this afternoon at 2 o’clock from
his home three miles,from the city. Sir.
1£. MeLevoy will officiate. The body
will bfe laid at rest,in.the family bury
ing ground.
BRANCH COLLEGES.
PROFANITY UNFASHIONABLE;
>r the usual amount lias been appro-
fmteil for this important depart-
ll-nt. iKt:
loo much praise cannot be accorded
s .vor Hunnieutt and his efficient
Hard of eounoilnicn for the splendid
wk they arc doing for the city and
^-payers.
There are two things that Athens
‘tb and must have:
I he first is, bonds enough must he
"lied to pave our business thorough
res " itu Belgian blocks and put the
her avenues and sidewalks in perfect
* u ' r ’ These bonds, Mayor Ilunni-
•t thinks, can be floated at 4}£. per
nt * it will take $100,000 to dp
liis work, and a less amount will an-
for the property owners bene-
tu l w ill have to pay tlieir pro rata
' u> * lhe annual interest on this
ni is $4,;»00. We are now expending
t'veen $9,000 and $12,000 per annum
hiking dust tliat the first heavy rain
^lies off. .. .,
'' dlit not be ecohomy to-invest a
| 1,0,1 °f this sum in permanent street
" r y and let the remainder be used for
‘ M| f! and opening new streets? We
el assurred that all of our clear-headed
II ‘ * llc * s men " ill agree with ns. —
1,111,0 see< >nd place, every one must
111,1 tllat before Athens can he a great
• die must have a sewerage, system.
‘i pressing necessity. It will be a
I ‘*.'h waste of money to lay Belgian
u l JOn °ur streets, and then
to take them up again to build
. Un ’’ So before anything is done in
( liue ’ 0Ur city autherities must first
"tract a thorough system of uuder
0l, t»d drainage, particularly through
! | r business section.
A Degrading Habit Cominglnto Contempt
—A Markod Improvement In
Mankind.
Meeting Mr. Sam Hunter yesterday
morning, we entered into a short con
versation with him. Among other
things Mr.Hunter said:
l)o you know that cursing is going
out of fashion?”
“Do you think so?”
“I do. My attention was first called
to the matter by Capt. J. 11. ltuckcr-
a very quiet gentleman, hut a close ob
server—and since then I have been in
vestigating the subject myself. A few
years ago it was an hourly occurrence
to^ear profanity litewHy ; i,|Our from the
lips of many men, while certain parties
could not utter the most conunonrplace
sentence without interweaving it with
oaths. I venture the assertion that you
can to-day stop and talk to every man
you meet, and it is the rarest thing to
hear one use profane words. Even
those professional cursers are breaking
themselves of the bad habit, and if an
occasional bad word comes out it is a slip
of the tongue, ami 1 don’t think it will
be charged up against them.”
Mr. Hunter is correct. We have our
selves noticed this great improvement
in the language, of men, and there is no
doubt about the fact that cursing is
going out of fashion.
For this conduct there is no possible
excuse. It is not necessary for a gen-
man to use strong language to strength
en his declarations,' and profanity, too,
is a very poor ventilator for anger, as it
only fans the blaze of evil passions.
No gentlepian would, utter a profane
word, in the- presence of ladies and
children, but when the bad habit is
acquired, constant breaks must be kept
upon one’s tongue, le«t he give ex
pression to words that would mantle his
cheeks with shame.
This old world of our’s is constantly
growing better. Mankind is improving.
Civilization and Christianity have made
wonderful stride's in the past few years
A few years ago whisky drinking was
a common habit, and* gdrunken naan an
every-day spectacle. Now" it is the
rarest thing to see a man who has any
pride and self-respect, under the in
fluence of liquor. A great many con
firmed drunkards have reformed.
This does not only apply to Athens,
but also to every other place in the
South we have visited.
Let the One in the Ninth District be Lo
cated in Elberton.
DASTARDLY ATTEMPT.
A Little White Girl In
sulted by a Negro.
HORRIBLE PROPOSITION
TO A CHILD.
ARREST OF THE FIEND
Who Confesses His Crime and
is Placed in Jail.
THE CHILD’S STORY.
Interview With, the Pris
oner.
The bill to devote the remaining half
of the rental of the State Railroad to
higher education in Georgia, and pro
posing to.endow with $5,000 and estab
lish :t branch college in. every congres
sional district in Heorgia, will in all
probability become a law, as there
seems to be a popular uprising through
out the State in Favor of the bill.
In the event of its passage, we would
like to see the college for this district
located in the thriving city of Elberton,
for that point presents advan
tages superior to any other point that
we know. Every other section has a
branch,college except Elberton, Ga.,
and there is no plaec in the district
where such a wide range could be given
without invading the territory of an
other similar institution.
We mentioned this matter to several
of the. Board of Trustees of our State
University, and they at once acknowl
edged the importance of Elbertou's
claim.
Let our friends in Elberton begin to
stir themselves, and we believe that they
can capture this handsome prize. Ath
ens- and The Banner are ready to help
them.
NO FEARS OF LYNCH LAW.
IT WILL BE BUILT.
The Augusta and Chattanooga Railroad
fto be Announced in SO Days.
Uhless all signs hud promises fail,
the construction of the Augusta and
Cha tta nooga rai 1 road in ay be regard ed
a certainty. This great line i« a neces
sity to a wide belt of country. Capi
talists reeognize this to be true; they
see that the road will be a good invest
ment and arc willing-to put their mon
ey Into it..- 4 '
A well-informed gentleman said on
yesterday that if work was not com
menced on the road within the next
thirty days proposals would be solicited
and work begun as_ soon as contracts
can be made to Augusta - and Chat
tanooga, to the intermediate country,
as well rA the country beyond the pro
posed western terminus This road is
of the highest importance. Its con
struction will mark a new era in the de
velopment of the country and in the
advancement of the manufacturing-and
commercial enterprises of the two cities
named above.—Augusta Chronicle.
In conversation with • Judge Gibson
this week, he informed us that this
road will certainly be built, and that it
will come bv Athens. Every day shows
more'plainly that we are to be a great
railroad centre.
JUTE BAGGING.
'flier,
e are two Ways to do do this
A Criticism of Mr. Graves’ Address.
Fe w orators who have ever spoken at
the University have been listened to
with more delight than was Mr; John
Temple Graves, -on Tuesday of . this
week. And yet his address,otherwise
so excellent, was marred by one blem
ish—felt to be such by those who,apart
from this, awarded his effort their sin-
cerest praise. I refer to the use, in his
address, of quotations from the Bible
in connections which deep reverence
for their sacredness would scarcely
warrant. What a pity that words so
full of wise counsel to the young, as
they listened eagerly to the truths
which fell ; from, such eloquent lips,
should yet have set an example to them
of careless handling Of holy things.
Mr. Graves is a man of too much abili
ty to be dependent upon means like this
to give point—if such they ’’do—to a
witicism, ora felicitous rounding to
his periods. “Harmless mirth is the
best cordial against the. consumption of
th© spirits^ but jest not with the-two-
edged sword of God’s Word. Will
nothing please thee to wash thy hands
input the font? Or, to drink healths
in-but the church; chalice ? '
Athens, June 22d. ; M.
The Farmer's Boycott Determined On—
• Will Use Cotton Bagging.
THE Baxxek has. recently seen and
conversed with a number of representa
tive fanners in various sections of the
State, and without an exception they
announce that their people are deter
mined in their fight against the jute
bagging trust, and will not use a yard
of it if given to them free of cost. No
only will the farmers refuse to use jute
bagging, but they have resolved to boy
cott any merchant who offers it for sale,
or the ginner who packs a bale of .cotton
in prescribed bagging. The planter
that refuses to join in the fight on the
jute bagging trusts,Mall be ostracised by.
his neighbors, and looked upon as an
enemy to the interests of his people
The cotton planters, who are not able
to give a negotiable paper for cotton
bagging, have arranged with the mer
chants they deal with to purchase it for
them. Asa general thing, however,
the Alliance are anxious to plump out
the middle man, and negotiate Math the
bagging manufacturers direct,
vrnr liPtwoPH Alllil
The war between the Alliance and
this powerful trust Mill be Matched with
great interest.
A Through Wire.
A through M'ire has been put up on
the line of the C. &M. road between
Athens and Macon. This was done on
account of the large amount of tele
graphic business being carried on lie
tweeji the two places. Now if the
Western Union would only give Athens
a night-operator our telegraphic facili
ties M'ould be second to none in the
State.
On Thursday about 5:30 o’clock one
of the most dastardly outrages that
can possibly be perpetrated was attempt
ed upon the person of a little uiiite
girl named Mary Archibald, only li)
years old, living in East Alliens, in the
rear of Mr. Peter Culp’s.
This little'girl hiid been on a visit to
Mrs. Gunter, and M-as returning home
along a secluded path near a dense thick
et of young pines. She noticed in front
of her a negro boy sitting upon a rock
M ho appeared to be eyeing her closely
and suspiciously. The child
not suspecting anything Mrong
passed directly by this negro
some four or five steps, M-hen he hailed
her. Thoroughly frightened the child
obeyed, when the negro made a most
outrageous and* insulting proposal to
the little girl, illustrating his desire
and intent by an indecent exposure of
his person.
The little girl ran Math all her might
to her home about 150 yards distant,and
notified her mother of-the conduct of
the negro.
Mrs. Archibald at once sent M'ord to
the police, the chilitgiving a description
of her assailant, and every officer ini the
city, with all the extra and night force
have been in search for the fiend eVer
since.
Little LMary Archibald stated that
the negro M-ore a check shirt and black
pantaloons, with a slouch hat pulled
doMui over his eyes. That he M'as
smooth faced, and very black.
Capt. Oliver decided, for prudential
reasons,- to keep the affair a secret from
the public, leSt the negro might get
M ind of their intent and make liis es
cape.
Up to Friday morfling' no negro an
swering the description of the Avould
be-rapist could be found. But this
morning Niglit Watchman , B. O. W
Rase, of the Georgia Railroad depot—
M ho, bv the M-ay, is a most vigilant oft!
cer—discovered on Broad street,near the
Check Factory, a negro very closely
answering the description of the assail
ant of little Mary Archibald. He has
tened after him, motioning to Mr. Tom
Baker, M*ho M as' standing at the Check
Factory, to stop the negro if he attempted
to escape. When Mr. Rose came up to
the negro.he Avas pealing a peach, and
as soon as he saw the officer, evidently
suspected something, for he appeared
nervous and excited. He made no at
tempt. however, to resist arrest, and at.
ter Mr. Rose had deprived him of his
knife he turned his prisoner over to
Chief Oliver, Avho locked him up m
cell in the calaboose. Mr. Rose lost
no time in getting the negro out
East Athens, as the factory
ys began quickly to collectboound ar
him, and he kneM* that they Mere
in no humor to bear an insult to one of
their girls.
The negro arrested proved to he Wm
Jackson, M ho M as born and reared in
Athens, M'ho lias served a short time on
thechaingang for stealing cotton, and
afterM'ard had his fine paid by Mr. Hi
ram Peeler, M’ho secured himself by
taking a deed to a little house owned by
Jackson’s mother in East Athens.
The negro says he is 17 years old, but
is stout and well groMoi, fully a man in
size. He has heretofore bo.e a very
bad reputation, being looked upon as
thief and an idler.
Before Jackson’s arrest Mr. Rose had
carried Mary Archibald to a place
M’here a number of hands Avere grading
a track to Lucas & Benedict’s ware
house, opposite Rucker’s compress, to
see if she could identify any of the ne
groes there as her assailant. The child
looking through the sqnad, said
that the felloM* M'ho insulted her was
not there.
As soon as Jackson was locked in the
calaboose, Capt. Oliver sent for little
Mary Archibald to see is she could
identify him. The child soon arrived,
accompanied by her mother. She is a
pretty littl^brown eyed girl, Avith a
weet. ami l^qocent face and a very
bright and intelligent expression. She
seemed’collected and firm, and Avithout
hesitation entered the calaboose and Avas
the first at the cage Avhen the door was
unlocked.
The prisoner was standing about the
middle of the floor, with a stubborn and
defiant expression on his face. For an
instant the child eyed him from head to
foot, when in a most emphatic manner
she exclaimed:
“That’s the very boy, I would know
him anyAvhere. Yes, that’s the very
boy that insulted me,” reiterated tlie
little girl.
The negro did not seem at all abashed
by this identification,and asked“ Wliat’s
I been doing?”
Mary did not reply to. him, for her
nerves '.vere evidently giving away at
the presence of her assailant, and tear
sprung to her eyes.
The negro Mas evidently inclined to
broAA'beat and insult the child, antPhe
continued:
What you done: noAv tell ein Avhat
you done.”
Capt. Oliver ordered him to close hi
mouth, and told Mrs. Archibald *aud
lief daughter they might return home
Both mother and daughter Avere seeVi
by The Banker representative*
aiid told her story in such a straight
forward manner that it carried truth
and conviction with it. She stilted that
the negro did not lay any hands of vio
lence upon her, neither did he attempt
to follow her home after she broke and
ran; but confirmed the truth - of the
grose insults oft’ered her.
Mrs. Architald, the mother, is a lady
of education and fine sense. She say
she was born in the West of Ireland, but
was married in Illinois, from which
state she moved to Athens to work at
the factory here. She has four singl*
daughters and one son, her husband be
ing dead. Her son is named Alexander
Archibald, is a painter and lives in
Atlanta. All of her daughters are em
ployed in the factory here. Her oldest
daughter, 17 years old, is now on a visit
to her brother, so Mrs. Archibald and
her ti.ree younger ehildred w r ere alone
at the time 6f the attempted outrage.
This lady, in speaking of her son says
that she dreaded to have him hear of
the-insult to his. little sister, as he is a
very hot-headed man, and she knows
that lie will seek dire-vengenee.
Mrs. Archibald tells us that slie be
lieves the prisoner, Wm. Jfacksou is the
same negro hoy who. some three or four
months ago met in the Georgia railroad
cut, near her house, her youngest
daughter, ten "years old, and tells James
Hughes, of East Athens, aged 11 years,
and ottered these little girls, gross . in
sults. The children she says came
home nearly frightened out of their
wits.
While telling their sad story both
mother and daughter burst into tears,
the' Child’s firmness having entirely
broken down. She was assured by
Capt. Oliver and other parties present
that she M'ould be prptected from fu
ture insults.
After Mrs. Archibald and Mary had
left the calaboose Chief
Oliver and The Banner
representatives went to the cell of Will
Jackson to hear his story. At first the
negro denied all the little girl had said,
but acknowledged that he had been in
the chaingang for stealing cotton. After
The negro’s crim*! w- ,a *’©
blackest that can he possibly attempted.
nak itc «uv> not can v out ms tieogllS
•vas no fault of his, for only fear and
be hear proximity of others; deterred
him.. He merits and will most nssnrd-
lv receive the full penalty of the Ium*.
We i«> nor blame onn people for being
outraged and indignant. The person of
m innocent girl- or woman is sacred,
and the man, be he vvhitc or black,who
lays the. bund of violence upon one of
th‘*m. e irries h»e life in liis own bands.
Tliis is an unwritten law injthe South,
so strong is Uic protection of ffimai
virtue in the South that only a few
months ago, the Democratic governor of
South Carolina pardoned some negroes
who had lynched a white man for "out
raging a colored girl.
'Hie tree is yetuniting atthe end of
the Ga. Railroad cut, just this side of
Dr. McCeskey’s place, u, on which the
last negro lynched for ail out
rage upon the person of a
white woman in Clarke county was ex
ecuted, and even the limb upon which
lie was swung is still shown. This was
in the, early part of tin* war. and Mr.
Prlilgfeoil, who recently rendered him
self famous by preaching his own fune
ral sermon,* is said to have
headed the squad of lynclu r*,
but in this instance—in times of perfect,
peace—there is no possible excuse lor
mob violence, asthe-lan's of oiir State
prescribe a severe penalty for the crime
of rape, or even an attempt to commit
it, and we have the machinery to en
force it. The Banner, thererore, ad
vises < ur indignant and outr.-.ged
people to obey the laws, and curb their
angry. passions and lea ye this matter
ami the prisoner in the hands of the
officers of the law.
THE FIRST SPiHH.
Track Laying Being Pushed on the U, P.
■ & VV.P. R. R.
At half past ten o’clock on Tuesday
morning, June IS, 1S89, Miss Jennie
Sibley, of Union Point, drove the first
formal spike of the Union Point and.
White Plains railroad pear Union Point,
in the presence of a numerous assem
blage of ladies and gentlemen and amid
the plaudits of all who witnessed the
act.
Later upon the same day Master Hart
Sibley opened the switch for the first
locomotive (No. 35) which ever spun
upon the new rails, the regular engin-
cer ’beingthe popular and efficient V.T_
Newsom.
NEIGHBORING NEWS.
some cross questioning, however, the ne
gro remarked: “Well, gentlemen I am
going to tell the Avhole truth even if it
gets mie into trouble. I Avas sitting on
a log near the street Avhen that girl
passed. She stopped in front of me
and squatted doAvn. I then made the
proposal, she said. I didn’t touch her
or follow'her.”
After this confession the prisoner Avas
turned oyer tq Sheriff Weir, and carried
to our county jail, where he is securely
confined. He repeated his confession
in the jail before several Avitnesses.
. A large number of factory operatives
congregated around the calaboose. They
made no threats, hut Ave never saAv
such determined faces*. No
effort was.made to touch the prisoner
or interfere with the officers in charge of
him, but as one of the lookers-on re
marked, “ The hoys are SAveating under
their collars like steam pipes.”
Be it said to the Credit of the colored
people of Athens that not a single Avcrd -
Avas heard from one of them in the
defertse of extenuation of Will Jackson’s
outrageous conduct. A large number of
these people are working on the Bishop
building opposite the calaboose,
but they evidently had neither sympa
thy or countenance for a member of
their race A\'ho would he guilty of such
dastardly and outrageous conduct,
This certainly speak well for them, for
it shoAvsthe colored people of Athens
are good and laAv-abiding citizens.
We do not believe that any attempt
will be made to lynch this negro, as
our people do not endorse mob violence
and knoAVthat the court, as administer
ed in our county are fully able
to - puuisli violators of the law,
—Peaches are plentiful in Gainesville
from 10 to 15 cents a peck.
—Mr. Echols, who was acquitted of
killing Thomas at Covington,has moved
Wes
out West.
—On August 30t,h Morgan county will
haA'c a colt show and a fair.
There are some complaint of boll
AA'orm in Morgan county,
—-There is talk of building a summer
hotel at Price’s Park, Farmington.
—Miss Nellie Langford, of Watkins-
ville, is recovering from her recent se
vere illness.
—Rev.Simon Peter Richardson’s resi
dence at Watkiusville has been com
pleted.
—Prof. Cecil Porter lias been elected
■principal of the Union Pome academy.
—Dr. E. S. Billups tells us that he has
all the vigor of a 10-year-cld boy. liis
friends all over Georgia will be glad to
know that he has entirely regained ins
health.—Enterprise.
—Gainesville, has sustained a A't-ry se
rious loss in the death of Adoniram J ud-
son Jewell, one of her most loved, re
spected, and promising young men.
—Dr. J. I. Robinson, o'Walton coun
ty, has an acre and a half planted in on
ions, for AVhich he refused $80.
—•The only occupant of the Walton
jail is Charley Cooper, held for mur
der.
—lion. Ben Terrell, lecturer of the
National Farmers’ Alliance, wall ad
dress the Jackson county Alliances at
Jefierscn on July 5).
—A negro man was accidentally shot
in the ieg by the careless handling of a
pistol in the hands of another colored
individual on Mr. Janie9 Veal’s planta
tion near Watkinsville.
—A dummy line between Watkius-
ville and Barnett Shoals, the embryo
manufacturing centre of the South, is
being agitated by our people.
—Watkinsville is on the biggest kind
of a building boom, so we Ave see from
the Enterprise—which, by the Avay, is
an enterprising paper.
—Mr. Wesley Blair’s home at High
Shoals Avas struck by lightning on Sat
urday evening last. The lightning
struck a chimney and went doAvn in a
room Avhere his family Avere gathered
and tore, upjtlie flooring and also a stove
all to pieces. His .family was badly
frightened, but strange to say, escaped
unhurt.
Sheats—Lester.
Mr. W.H. Sheats, of Oconee,was mar
ried to Miss Francina Lester a few
nights ago. The ceremony was per
formed by Mr. McElroy. After the
marriage the guests were invited into the
dining room, and Invited to partake of
a , generous supper AA'hich had been pro-
Aaded for tlie occasion. . Mr. and Mrs.
Sheats have our best AA'ishes for
long life and liapinfcss.
hand of Ei^tor
—The fine Italian
Gantt is making itself felt on The Ath
ens Banner. Mr. Gantt has very wise-
lv amputated the cumbersome hyphen
and Watchman from the title-head of
tlie paper.—HartAvell Sun.
r.H.l