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ATHENS BANNEE: TUESDAY
HAVANA AGAIN.
POLITICS IN CUBA, AND HA-
THt VANA’SCEMETERY.
, han cl Cuban Centlemen-Soclal
duality With the Negroes—Oppoal-
?'n to Annexation With the United
t '°ues--How our Pilgrims Cot Even
Sti \ Hack Drivers—A Crave Sub-
_ The Cost of Staying Dead tn
Havana—A Rambling Letter.
ion* «■ r
« rl.l-
mu '
, the
ot 1,1
with
McGREGOR’S TRIAL.
emwnml nirk r.». I . ■ ... • 10
iiu: 1
W- >1"
iv
mill-
R ,,,y .mod fortune to meet
11 ' , M r Louis Gonzales, a young
•" i ' 1 who is proprietor - f the Co-
S!, * n “ ‘' r factory, the largest in the
Mr. Gonzales is one of tne
, Lomest me . I have ever seen, and
1:1 ' i nner-' are so . a-y and pleasing as
, iv ic you at once. He is one of
^ wl-ilth^st men in Havana, and
‘ m),. not over thirty years of age,
'' j ...vend high ■ dices. I am irulebt-
1 i.'di s gentleman for unusual cour-
tn during my stay in Cuba. He was
gainst constant companion, ami his
i as an open sesame 10 every place
1 in . He ku*wa Havana as one
ir ’ citizens does Athens, and
.inh an excellent aud kind
d,. I had an opportunity of get-
1, tier acquainted with the
t,M e, . U1 ,( their institutions than
*’ 1 I to reside there for months under
iivorablec rcuuistances. Mr. Gon-
1. , . I It his hiisiness, and was with me
:: ‘pi | retired at night. I had the pleas-
in,.nigh his introductions, of mak-
Ihc acquaintance of many promi-
nl spiinianls and Cubans, and while
e.iiiversatioii lia.l to he carried on
through an interpreter, I enjoyed
their'society very much. Mr. Gonza-
>ko our language fluently, and it
,1 ;t pleasure to him to add to my
rn," - luellt. .
i, t Hnvaiia, the Spaniards arc of
t'.iiirse the ruling class. They are to
that i'hiuil what the Federate were to
•hi-Southern States at the close of our
],[:• war. There is no good feeling now
between the 11 dive Cubans and their
rai. r-. The. Spaniards are a liaugli-
1U11I naturally look down
inhabitants of their
province. Fiiey till all the high of-
JiYs. and give their subjects the
privilege of paying taxes. And the
p,i.|,!e of Cuhaarc certainly tax-ridden.
11„\ must not only keep up their own
lioiu'o governments aud internal im-
proveiiienis, hiu support a standing
.1 r,nv of HHi.nOO men, and send a large
annually to the Spanish crown.
Kverything is taxed. If Cuba was not
• of me richest spots on the globe, it
would have been long since ground into
iveriy.
] luve read a great deal about annex-
i,.g this Gland to the United States, and
it my especial business to feel the
put,lie ptiGe and see how the people over
eived the proposition. 1 in-
I a 1 classes amt races, even to
the negroes. I did not find a single
v. ho endorsed Secretary Blaine’s
inn. On tin* other hand, the
are a unit against coming under
Sam’s government. One mtel-
l ubnii told me that he be-
a man would he killed
win, publicly advocated annexation
to i he United States. This gentleman
went on to say that the Cubans admired
the Americans very much, and looked
upon them as friends ; hut that the peo
ple, religions and customs of the two
mntries were so widely different that
would he like trying to mix oil with
ater to unite them. And he is right.,
... ' Vnnt believe that annexation
would he best for either Cuba or Jour
m i-v. The habits and morals of these
ml.- would be like applying an elee-
■ baiwry to our good people—and
111in 1 just as well try to make a leop-
I change its spots as to induce the
)„n-til.i.tiled people of this tropieal
i-kuai to adopt the staid ideas of us
North Americans. Our government
lu he forced, by public opinion, to
put a slop to certain sinful practices of
tin-Cubans—such as bull tights, the
pi'ii sale on the streets of the foulest
ami vilest books, and a thousand such
a l- that 1 count mention,—and such ail
atteinp' would perpetrate all insurreo-
li' a.
The Spaniards, quite naturally, de
sire to retain Cuba as a province, and I
lie net believe that they won! sell it for
any sum in reason. The Castilians,
front the earliest period, have been loth
to sell any of their possessions, and the
icen of the Antilles is Spain’s richest
province.
I'lio native Cubans have thoir hearts
set on independence, and will not be
content with nnythiiiJT^mi self-govern
ment I believe they had rather remain
under the domination of the Spanish
v > v,i—with all its oppressions—than
consent to become a State in our Union
Tti- l.iugmgo. people and customs are
►a entirely different, that it would be
like annexing one of our own States to
July or Spain.
The negro occupies quite a prominent
portion in Cuba. I studied the race
problem there, and tind a great sirni-
lari;y between the situation in Cuba
and the South. In the in-
mirrcotioo, that lasted from
isos to 1873; the Cubans, in order to in
crease their army, offered emancipa
tion to every slave who uuited with
them to tight the Spaniards. After the
suppression of this rebellion—that oost
Spain over $7o,(X)0,000 and. 68,000 lives
—that government, fh° retaliation,
issued a proclamation emancipating all
slaves in the Island, and without any
remuneration to the owners. As acon-
w.jnenee, the negroes look upon the
Spaniards as do the blacks of the South
the Yankees, and there is no love be
tween the slaves and their former mas
ters Spain, like our own government,
had a double purpose in this freeing of
the negroes. It was a revenge against
the rebels, and in the event of another
insurrection these blaeks could be re
lied on to assist their liberators.
A leading Spaniard said tome that if
‘ uba ever gained its independence, or
"as annexed to the United States, that
'he first step would be to drive out.
every Spaniard, against whom the na
tive whites entertained a secret, but
niost vindictive hatred. He then pre
dicted that Hie blacks would rise against
•he Cubans and drive them front the
is’.urul, and make this fair country a sec-
°od San Domingo'.
1 believe there is a great deal of wis-
' oin in the prophecy. But of one thing
lmu convinced—Cuba don’t want tone
attached on to the United States, and
neither should our government be anx-
lous toacmiiresuch a foreign mass of sin
and iniquity. Besides, we have negroes
enough without investing in any more
" e had rather dispose of some of our
•orpins stock of freedmen to Spain.
But there is one inconvenience we
'mist put up with from which the Cu-
oinss at* free—the nigger as & voter,
thu home government don’t bother
nese people with elections. They at
tend to such matters as in Madrid.
, otinilay . morning I drove
. Havana cemetery which
•locatedseveral miles from the city.
* ne road leading to;it is a.picturesque
crowned with forts and bristling with
guns. I saw no modern artillery on
these foitiflcations, but several old brass
guns that might have armed the Pinna
and the Nina, and used by Columbus to
strike terror to the hearts of the gulla-
ble Indians of the N. w World
We had ms our driver a dignified old
moan, who in America would readily
pass for a count or duke. I tried
to draw him out in conversation, so as
to learn the name and history of certain
plaees: but it was a total failure. He
seemed to imagine that my whole soul
and curiosity was wrapped up in the
dingy old fort at the mouth of the har-
H I pointed to a statue, or
building, or anything else, inquiring in
the best Spanish my fingers could mas
ter what it was, the old fraud instantly
replied, “Moro!” and would then drive
to some elevated site where I
could get a better view of the
ancient old uuisance. The qnly satis
faction I got was to request one of our
wicked editors to cuss the driver in
regular American style, which he did.
Hut it was like pouring water on a duck’s
back. After a volley of profanity strong
and emphatic enough to raise a riot in
our own happy country, the old impos
ter would meekly and attentively listen
to him throughout his discourse, and
then reply, “Yees, Moro!” aud then
stop his horse so that we could get an
other look at the castle.
It afforded some of our boys great
satisfaction to be able to abuse these
Cuban drivers and other swindlers, and
not endanger life or limb. It even
stiocked my ears to listen to some of
the compliments thus paid these guile
less foreigners.
The cemetery at Havana is well worth
a visit. It is a lovely spot, and I here
saw monuments that are said to cost a
half million dollars. I will add, how
ever, that marble must be very dear
over there, or the currency greatly
depreciated.
The finest monument in this
cemetery was erected by the
Cubans over the graves
of eight medical students who were
shot in Spain during the Cuban rebel
lion,charged with desecrating the grave
of a Spanish officer. The money to
build this tomb was rai-ed by public
subscription—and I imagine that it was
erected more with a view of showing
the hatred of the Cubans to the Spanish
government thau a desire to honor the
dead. I cannot understand where it re
quires any very great display of pa-
DRAWINCsTO A SPEEDY END.
The Prisoner Disrobes Himself to Show
a Scar Upon His Body—A Sensa
tional Scene—A Boy Faints.
triotism or valor to dig up a dead body.
This monument is a small sized palace
of white marble, the top ornament
ed with life-size statues. In
the side, through an open
door,an angel appears with outstretched
hands.
Now, by a very long stretch of the
imagination, 1 can understand why an
angel should reach out for a Cuban—
that is if he died a-borning and without
being permitted to breathe the atmos
phere of this wicked city; but it was
too great a tax on my credulity to
make me swallow the suggestion con
veyed that an angel took any stock in a
medical student. Si-Hawkins says it
would have been all right if they had
carved a pitchfork in that marble
angel’s hand, and attached a forked
tail to its rear.
Grave rent in Havana costs about as
much as house rent. In fact, the ex
pense is so heavy that only the rich can
afford to die. In this cemetery there
are a number of catacoinb-likc buildings,
extending for several hundred yards,
and furnished with tiers of v.ult*
on either side, just large enough
to hold a coffin. These are rented
to corpses by the year—and I will
add, that while they make a
specialty of admitting ‘’dead heads,”
dead heats” arc excluded. So long as
a corpse, through its living agents, pays
its rent promptly, well and good; but
miss a quarter, and out the bodies go to
the trash pile aud the space leas
ed to another customer. I have,
in my school days, used second
hand chewing gum, and once, through
mistake, borrowed a second-hand
tooth brush; but I draw a line on sec
ond-hand graves. I saw in some of these
nooks, that were for rent, seraps of
shrouds,pieces of ratten coffins,and other
horrible suggestions of their late tenant.
They are now building a crematory
in Havana, which much-needed institu
tion will break into the corner that the
ghoulish landlords have formed. It will,
too, save the devil a great deal of coal
and trouble—for after my short sojourn
in Havana, I have come to the opinion
that burningis this inevitable doom ot the
average Cuban, and he had as well ac
cept the situation in this world as the
next.
It is a pleasant relief to leave one
of these loathsome catacombs—that
are' floored with marble—and
breathe the freah air and perfume
of the fragrant tropical flowers
that make eveu the graves a pleasing
siglit to look upon. I noticed a great
:iny of the tombs have a wreath of
flowers upon them, woven of black
wire, and they are quite pretty. On
nearly every headboard you. see the
initial letters, “E. P. D.” Mrs. C., who
professed to understood Spanish biero-
-lyphica, said they stood for “Eat
_ oison and Died.” But an investiga
tion of the subject disclosed the fact
that these letters were synonymous of
Rest in Peace.” This is very sarcas
tic advise to give to a corpse, with a
landlord wrapping at his tomb regu
larly every month with the demand of
Pay your rent or move!”
But ray letter is already too long,
and l will close, and to-morrow tell our
readers about my visit to the bull flgbt.
T. L. G.
the
r TVarrknton, April 11.—[Special.]-
i he MeGregor trial is almost concluded.
It has been one of the most speedy
trials in Georgia courts of justice.
Turning to the judge he asked if he
could get the use of the stenographer’s
nographer’s table,
“There’s room enough for your pa
pers, sir,” replied the judge, at which
MeGregor laid down his papers and ad
dress thejury.
He said: ‘
“Gentlemen, it is but natural that I
should be somewhat enfeebled after a
confinement of six mouths in jail, and
under an excitement like this, I beg
that you will excuse me if any time I
appear unduly agitated.”
The speaker then addressed the
judge.
•‘Your honor.” he said, “it may be
necessary for me ask the indulgence of
the court if, during the progress of the
statement, I shall find inys,-lf physically
unable to proceed. I may need a short
period of rest before concluding my
statement.”
The judge assured him that be would
grant him all the time he needed, at
which McGregor unrolled his manu
script and begun to read.
The statement is given is substance
below:
McGregor was a member of the Royal
Arcanum, and ore December 24th, 1887,
he met several friends ore the street who
reminded him of a meeting of the order
■which was to occur that night, and
urged upon him the importance of at
tending.
He promised to go, and did so, leav
ing the hall about 8:16 o’clock.
As he was going home he heard the
popping of flrecrackers and saw the
Roman candles on every side, the boys
were beginning to celebrate Christmas.
It was a misty night and the toads
were muddy. He could see objects, bnt
indistinctly.
He reached his gate, unlatched it,
■walked in and started down the walk
toward his house. , .
Suddenly there was a blinding flash
of lightning almost in bis face, followed
in the twinkling of an eye a report so
loud that he was deafened.
He then felt that he had been hurt,
and on looking among the shrubbery be
saw the form of a man in a crouching
posture. He was about twenty feet dis
tant and8eeined to wear a mask, as Mc
Gregor could not distinguish his feat
ures.
The stranger said nothing, at which
McGregor cried out:
“What did you hit me with?”
There was no reply.
“What did you hit me with? You
have hurt me,” yelled McGregor.
Still there was no reply, and McGreg
or, seeing that he could expect no help
from the niau, and feeling that he was
giving away under the effects of the
wound, became alarmed and cried
out:”
“Murder! murder!”
Tiie man arose very suddenly and
dashed ott' into the darkness of the win
ter night.
McGregor’s alarm increased, and he
continued to cry:
“Murder! Murder!”
A gentleman who had been walking
with him and another gentleman cauie
running up; and assisted him toward
the house.
Ilis wile and children met him at the
door. They were greatly alarmed, hav
ing heard the report of the pistol, fol
lowed by cries for help.
McGregor faced the judge and asked
permission to exhibit the scar on his
body to the jury. It was granted.
lie pulled off his clothes and walked
up to the jurors and pointed out a small
sear in his right side, and then he turn
ed around, showing them the marks of
the surgeon’s knife in extracting it.
Various parties had come to him and
told him Cody was threatening his
life. '
He refused to believe it even when it
came to his ears that Davis.a negro
whose daughter was cooking for him,
had been offered three hundred dollars
to put him out of the way.
Davis died quite suddenly soon after
and McGregor was advised to have the
body dug up and examined for poison.
This be refused to do. .
One misty night, McGregor contin
ued, just such a night as the one he was
shot, he saw a man walking down the
street. In an instant he recognised the
figure as being the ope he had seen
crouching in the bushes and resolved
to identify him, he followed behind
until ihe man came under a street lamp
aud then he saw it was Jim Cody..
Each recognized the other,hut neither
spoke. *
McGregor followed, debating in his
mind whether he should kill him on the
spot or let him escape.
He decided to let him es«ape,as he had
no witness there,and it could be proven
that Cody had given him no occasion to
kill him at that time. "
band free, for he was afraid Cody would
take his life.
The one hundred days passed, but
Cody remained iu Warrenton. All the
while McGregor and his wire lived in a
state of nervous excitement, bordering
on frenzy. He never dare.l to go out of
the house after dark uuless be left by
the back door and slipped through the
fence for fear Cody would kill him, as a
strange man had been seen lurking
around the premises after night.
He finally had Cody indicted.
The case was set for trial, but one of
Cody’s counsel tried to get it continued.
He tailed, and the case was called but
Cody could not be found.
Another attorney said that Cody had
left the state, at which McGregor was
so delighted that he went home and
frolicked with some children and deter
mined to goto an oyster supper that
night.
Just before going a strange man was
seen iu the yard. All McGregor’s un
easiness returned and he went through
the .back way, carrying with him his
gun.
The next morning he saw Swain, Co
dy’s brother-in-law, coming down the
street with an orercuat on his arm.
The arm was stretched out as if he had
a gun under his coat.
Strain went inside a store, and Cody
saw a gun in the window on passing.
In a few minutes he saw Jim Cody
coming down the street and saw Swain
malciug signs to him.
Cody got out in front of the store and
McGregor shot him.
After the shooting, McGregor stated,
he ran on home, calling to the sheriff to
come and get him, as he would surreu-
der. The sheriff went to him and he
gave himself up, and had been in jail
ever since.
witnesses m rebuttal.
COL. PHIL. W. DAVIS WILL TELL
ABOUT HIS CHARGES.
How the News of His Cowhiding Was
Received In Athens—He Is Now
tn Oglethorpe County.
THE YOUNG SCOUNDREL SHOOTS
HIMSELF AND RUNS AWAY.
He Is In Hiding Near Bascobel— On a
Straight Road to the Penitentia
ry’s Domains
Several witnesses were introduced in
rebuttal by the state. Mr. James P.
Swain testified that he had no recollec
tion of carrying an overcoat on his arm
on the day of the shooting, but he cer-
taiuly had no weapon with him. There
was a gun in the window of t .e store,
but it was in the stock; it was not
loaded and had a cover on it. He made
no sign to Cody.
Mr. Thos. Pitcher testified that Me
Gregor had told him in July, 1888,
that he had no fear of Cody, but the
county was too small to hold them
both,
Mr. J. B. Swain was recalled by the
defense and asked if he had told to cer
tain gentlemen, just before court, that
he did make sigus to Jim Cody. He
testified that he did not so say; but he
had intended to so do, when he saw
MeGregor crossing to the street toward
Cody.
Mr. E. B. Hook, city editor of the
Augusta Chronicle, testified that he
had interviewed MeGregor a few hours
after the killing, and Mr. Hook gave
the details of the killing as published
in the Chronicle at the time, and said
that McGregor said he tried to put the
fii st ball in the exact spot iu which the
bullet struck him when his assassina
tion was attempted; the second he tried
to put in Cody’s forehead, and the
third under the burr of the ear.
“What did Major McGregor say was
his motive?” asked Judge Twiggs.
Before Mr. liook could reply Mr.
Watson was on his feet with aa objec
tion. The jut y was sent out and Judge
Twiggs read a part of
Mr. Hook’s report where
Mr. McGregor had stated that it was
regarded as a mystery why he had not
prosecuted Mr. Cody. The reason Me
Gregor save was that he had uo evi
dence against Cody except his own con
fession, made under duress, which
would not hold goou in court. The de
fense withdrew all objections and the
evidence was submitted, Judge Twiggs
promising to follow it up with other
evidence.
STRUCK ONA REEF.
CONFEDERATE VETERANS.
A Largo Meetlng^eBxpected on the
The ex-Confederate Surrivers’ Asso
ciation will meet in the council Cham
ber on the 26th inst. at 2 o’clock to
make arrangements for joining the
Ladies’ Memorial Association in the
ceremonies of Memorial day.
It is expected that a very large at
tendance will be held, for the reason
that some very important business will
be transacted on that day. Besides, it
He wrote Cody a letter charging him
with the shooting.
Cody acknowledge that he had shot
him, but said that he was sorry for it,
and asked for a private interview.
This McGregor refused as be was afraid
Cody would kill him.
Cody asked for a public interview,
which McGregor, agreed to.
McGregor went to a designated cor
ner in the business part of the city and
waited until he saw Cody coming,when
he walked out iu the middle of ihe
street and there they talked the matter
over, Cody expressing great regTet for
what he had done; saying that he must
have been crazy as he Went home and
found his wife in a terrible frame of
mind, at which he left and shot Mc
Gregor.
Cody then said he knew he was not fit
to live and told McGregor to kill him.
He saidtbey could go in a store and
is especially essential for the ex-Con- raise a disturbance when he would pull
federates soldiers to rally at this auuual out a knife and rush upon him and then
celebration now, that Jefferson Davis, McGregor cauld.shoot.bim And be.iidd
064 0 ■ - * J 1 justifiable in the eyes of the law: -
McGregor rejected the idea and left
m flletter demanding
lie confession of ihe
Codjr.v
“ tb
their leader, is dead, and his name
should be revered and cherished with a
double interest than ever before.
The Ladies Memorial Association at
a recent meeting elected Col. Albert L.
Mitchell chief marshal of Memorial
day, and under his manipulations
everything will pass off successfully
aD RevT Anderson and Chancellor
Boggs will deliver the orations in the .. _
Si, and delightful move wdl bc It to MeGrego^ -
rendered by a special choir of ladle* j Codrthen tri<o
and gentlemen.
WHAT DOES^ THIS MEAN,
He then wr
him to make a pu_ .
shooting, tffpay $500 to the family"'’ of | beach.'
the negro Davis, to take up a mortgage
of $l,500<ra his sister**: - — - -
Warrentcqinonehnn
Cody received the
the terms by signing it,
Wrecked Sailors Three Days Without
Water or Food on a Barren Island.
Philadhlpaia, April 11.—[Special.]—
The Xorwegan steamship Cuba, Capt.
Middleton, arrived here to-day from
BluefieldS, having on board nine ship
wrecked seamen whom she rescued
from an uninhabilated island on Morant
Key, near Jamaica, in a starving condi
tion. The men were Capt. Gerdin and
the Sweedish bark Hernosand, which
struck, on Morant Key on March 22, and
immediately became a total wreck.
She was bound from Port Natal, Africa,
to Progress, in ballast.
On the night she struck, the wind was
blowing a gale from northeast. It was
intensely dark, but occasionally the
whole horizon would become illumina
ted by fierce lightning. A good look
out was kept, and all hands were piped
on deck to stand a lull watch in case of
emergency. At noon Capt. Gerdin had
taken an observation and made close
calculations which satisfied him he was
in the right position to avoid dangerous
reefs.
It was just 10:30 in the evening when
the ship, with a terrifiic lunch, struck
on the coral reef. Her masts went
dow*, so great was the force with which
she struck, and immediately the seas
began to tumble over her. Rockets
were sent up, but no one saw them.
Death seemed to be inevitable.
An idea struck Chief Officer Sham
berg to make an improvised boat, and
be soon had all hands at work nailing
planks together iu the shape of a raft.
All the boats bad been washed away,
and lives of the nine men depended up
on the success of the officer’s invention.
When be succeeded in making a raft
about ten feet long, with three seamen
he started for the small island, which
was only about three miles distant.
After an exhausting struggle he reach-
it pn the morning of the 23rd, but found
it uninhabited.
He and his shipmates made a search
of the island and found a large canoe
stowed away carefully in the sand, and
left there by some fishermen. They
carried it down to the water and re
turned to their ship, which bad by this
time settled in tbe sand. They took
tbe rest of the crew and left the island,
where they remained until tbe 27th,
when the Cuba hove, in sight, bound
south. They rowed out to her and
were taken on board and kindly cared
for,
Capt. Gerdin said to-day that during
thpir stay on the island they suffered
untold misery for want of water, the
weather being intensely warm. The
onty"tbin^ they had to break their three
days’- fast was one little fish that one of
t|pi men caught |n his hand on the
beach. They devoured it raw; sharing
it evenly. ■>
“ he men iost-every stitch of cloth-
‘ all personal effects, saving what
in' at the time the vessel
The vessel’s striking on the
All yesterday the Baxter’s account
of the cowhiding of Col. Phil. W. Da
vis, of Elberton, was the topic of excited
conversation on the streets ef Athens.
The sensation was such a surprise to
the citizens that they were curious to
know more about the facts in the case,
and repeated questions at the Banxkk’s
telephone showed how the friends of
Col. Davis were wrought np with aston
ishment over the affair.
Late yesterday afternoon a Banner
representative approached Mr. Cobb
Davis, who is a brother to Col. Phil Da
vis, and asked if he' knew anything in
vindication of Col. Davis that he could
say for tne satisfaction of CeL Davis’
many friends in Athens.
“Nothing for publication,” he said.
“I have received two letters from El
berton to-day from parties who know or
ought to know the circumstances in the
case, and they state that a different
‘turn’ will be given the matter in due
season. I am not in a position to say
what ‘turn’ that is just nw, and for
that reason have nothing for you to pub
lish, at present. 1 certainly appreci
ate your kind consideration in desiring
to give justice te both sides, and thank
you sincerely for it. When I have au
thority to talk more freely I hope to
give you my brother’s statement.”
COL. DAVIS IN OGLETHORPE.
Col. P. W. Davis is in Oglethorpe
county at present, so the report states.
He has many friends anil relatives in
that county, and in fact all over North
east Georgia.
Col. Davis graduated in the Law
School of the University with the class
of ’78, with Mr. George D. Thomas, and
many other prominent Georgia lawyers.
The unfortunate affair is universally
regretted by those who knew him well.
Col. Davis te a married man and has two
children. 8?
The Elberten Star came last night,
and, with the following editorial, com
mented upon tbe matter which has
caused such a sensation;
PHILIP W. DAVIS.
Elsewhere in this paper will be found
tbe proceedings of a meeting of our citi
zens in* reference to this gentleman.
We publish in full the action taken by
that meeting,that tbe public may know
exactly what was done. ’Syiiile 'its ac
tion may seem hasty, and to some may
appear harsh, yet with tbe evidence be
fore it, and under the excitement that
filled the town, an impartial judge will
be obliged to say that its deliberations
and its actions were marked by a spirit
of moderation hardly to be expected un
der the circumstances. Mr. Davis had
many friends in that meeting; and
among those who signed the resolution
requesting him to leave the county,
are many who would gladly see him re
instated in the confidence and respect of
his fellow citizens. We have heard but
one expression of opinion among our
people, and that is one of sorrow at the
unfortunate position in which he te now
placed. Could Mr. Davis relieve him
self, of the charges against him, these
gentlemen would be among the first to
extend to him the right band of fellow
ship and assist in replacing him in that
high position he so lately occupied
among us.
And says at the conclusion of the piece
in yesterday's Baxnbb, which we re
ceived by wire verbatim, with the
head, “A brilliant planet in eclipse
—Col. Phillip W. Davis in disgrace—
He makes improper advances to a lady
—Receives a cowhiding, and is request
ed to leave the county.”
Col. Davis has been moat highly hon
ored by the people of this county aud
of this Senatorial district. Having
served them one term in the senate with
aigual ability, he came back and went
before the people of the county aB a can
didate for the lower house and, in oae
of the most hotly contested campaigns
the couiity has ever known, was elected
by a majority of the most flattering de
scription. Possessed ef talent of anigb
order, he had made for himself a name
as a legislator and jurist that was not
confiued tobis own county, nor his own
section. Let us hope that the severe
lesson he has now received will cause
him to break loose front those habits
that have caused his present trouble,
and, that the titn* may come, in the not
distant fntnre, when his former constit
uents will be ready to again welcome
among them one whom they in the past
delighted to honor. We believe in
speaking thus we voice the sentiment of
the best citizens of Elbert county.
While the spirit of justice reigns among
us, yet we do nut hesitate to say, from
our knowledge of this people, that the
spirit of mercy goes hand in hand with
it.
The meeting that requested his resig
nation also requested the press to give
only the facts, and formulated them in
the report we have published; and which
was published in the Baxnkb a day be
fore any other paper in the State.
It is also said that tbe cowhiding he
received was a most terrible one. He
was first assaulted in the court-house
door, and a buggy whip almost worn out
on him. He,was during the affray,knock
ed down and beaten in this position
For several days rumors have been
current that W. A. Pledger, Jr., the
young mail thief and son of the notori
ous Bill Pledg' r, was in another scrape,
but his father had used every endeavor
to keep this escapade of his you g hope
ful from the world’s gaze, and succeed-
el until last night, when a Banner re"
porter unearthed the story.
As was reported, young Pledger went
over to Madison county with a crowd
of soiled black doves,andjthere got rous
ing drunk. In fact, so drunk that on
his return drive to the city, he let pro
fanity fly in every direction, and when
asked by a quiet darkey to desist, drew
a pistol, and attempted to shoot his crit-
iciser for the trespass upon the sanctity
of bis own (?) actions. The pistol was
promptly taken from the young toper’s
hands, who was only too willing to use
it, and among his mingled oaths, the
party returned to the city.
His father discovered him drunk,
sometime af er bis return, in a barn,
and a little insight breaking through
bis paternal understanding of the course
bis boy was pursuing, he promptly
gave the kid a ^ good
whipping.
Now, young Pledger had been always
accustomed to follow where his own
sweet will lead to, and he was very
much enraged by this indignity.
He shut himself up in a room,—or his
father did it,we could not learn—having
with him the pistol,attempted to end his
own life. The ball entered his breast
somewhere, but was doubtless only a
flesh wound, and did uo damage that
we could learn of.
He then, unsuccessful in his attempt,
or changing his mind, left the city,and
it is said that lie is now in hiding some
where above Bascobel up the North
eastern railroad. What he is doing we
could not learn, as his father does not
kuow where he is.
This all occurred last Tuesday, and
since then he has not been in Athens
This last escapade of young Pledger’s
only keeps up his past record, and is
just what might have been expected
from sc young a hopeful.
His mother was seen, hut refused to
talk—even to state whether he had left
or not. She seemed anxious that his
leaving should not be found out.
This is certainly a pretty mess of pie.
Another theory advanced, and
through the meugerness of the infor
mation obtained, seems at least possi
ble, is that Pledger has a hand in this,
as he has in almost every piece of ras
cality lie can possibly be connected
with, and makes this a ruse to get his
son out of the law’s reach, when his
case is tried, as he realizes what a seri
ous affair his son will have to face, even
before republican Judges.
Mon Who Ran FmkhI Death an* Disaster
with Cool Courage.
Any great disaster, coming with sud
den shook and fury, lias a tendency to
bring out tlio heroic phase of human na
ture In strong relief against llie back
ground of consternation and terror.
The emergency demands leaders, and the
leaders are always to be found. They
rise superior to the general panic, calm
the fears of the terrified, and organize
the strong for the rescue of the wounded
and the recovery of the dead.
MAP OP STORM AREA.
1. Storm center Wednesday morning. A Storm
center Thursday morning- S. Storm center Fri
day morning.
This was strikingly illustrated on the
night of the recent great catastrophe at
Louisville. A husband, whoso home was
beyond the limits of the tornado’s path,
rushed to the wrecked Falls City hall
after the fatal whirlwind had gone by
in search of his wife, who was there ire
attendance on a meeting. Heading a
party of men, he plunged into the ruins.
One of the first corpses brought out was
that of the loved woman he sought. No
earthly joy or grief could touch her
more, so he bore the body to a neighbor
ing house, arranged for its decent care
and preparation for the grave, and then,
sternly grand and self sacrificing in the
presence of the awful calamity, returned
to tho pit of death and toiled on through
the memorable night, aiding, advising,
cheering his comrades to their duty—be
reaved, desolate, but a hero.
Previous disasters, similar in kind with
tho Louisville horror, are ennobled and
rendered doubly memorable by the rec
ord of personal self sacrifice and the dis
play of traits alike honorable to the in
dividual and the age in which we live.
When Mount Vernon, Ills., was devas
tated by the wind in February, 1888, a
pathetic bit of romance coupled itself
with tho otherwise long and unrelieved
They Confer With Gen. Hoke About
Branch Road to Washington. The
Result of Their Visit.
returned ! struck.
favor, pei| |
Hf| °/
reaching A
Switzerland Putting up Frontier De- I At
Defences at France's Suggestion. hotel. Cod
T a nril 11—TSDecial.]—Switz- ing McGreg
caused by a westerly I
ich $he log- shows was not
Rome In aBad Fix.
T nvnnii ADril 11-“[Special.]-—’Swit** I mg _ _
hua’jomuienced the construction the order, and informed bifitliat Jus »ou of that city shows the situatic
e f* a ?rnnri«*r defenses at Montfowhma carriage would be at NefwedlrrorThem be wars* than indicated by the
of ,."?®Lv er ...inn nf Vsllais. on th-ir return. irloomv anticination. As the eo
»0d St. Maurice,in the canton of Vallate
6wi*3 authorities,
11.—[Special.]—The
nt of the Times says
into the financial coudi-
the situation to
most
gloomy anticipation. As the govern'
rose* to come to tbe relief of the
<01# /^ a ^ w «Cl®!3P re »J2S>® e y nient ... _ _
"tered a hack,buLmet the carriage niid mumcip flity^ a crash with numerous
got Into it, McGregor peeping Uis right resulting failures w expected,
The Medical Association of Georgia.
Macon, Ga., April 12.—The above
association will hold its forty-first an
nual Bession in Brunswick, Ga., April
16th to 18th, inclusive. The hotels in
Brunswick offer reduced rates to those
attending tbe association. Reduced
railroad rates have been secured on all
the reads of tbe state. Be sure in pur
chasing going tickets to secure from the
agent a certificate of such purchase, and
this certificate, after having been sign
ed by the secretary of the association,
will entitle holder to return on one-
third the regular rate. The outlook for
a large and profitable meeting is very
flatenng. Every physician in Ga., of
the regular school, and in good stand
ing, te cordially invite to attend this
meeting. K. P. Moore, bec’y.
-» »'
Neuralgic Tersena
And those troubled with norvoasnen revolting
from care or overwork wIU be relieved by taking
Brown’s Iron Bitters. Qmhm
' msLTlr and wnaiM lino* m wtbtmw.
O TAP THE G. C.& N.
COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS FROM
WASHINGTON TO ATHENS,
WRECK OF UNION DEPOT,
list of horrors. Joseph Shew and Josie
Sutton were lovers, soon to be made mau
and wife. When tho storm struck the
devoted region the two were walking
along the track of the Louisville and
Nashville railway. No avenue of escape
lay before them, and from the position
of the corpses when found It was ren
dered undoubtedly apparent that the
young man had interposed bis own body
between tho girl and the tornado in a
vain attempt to shield her from the tem
pest’s fury, even at the sacrifice of his
own life.
At Wilmington, Del., in the fall of
1888 occurred another instance of una
vailing heroism. Charles Catlicart was
giving his 8-year-old child an outing.
The deadly blast swept down, as visual
with but a few seconds’ warning. Tho
father laid ids little one upon the ground
and bridged Irer tender form with his
stalwart frame. A mass of timbers
hurtled against them. When Cathcart
recovered consciousness his child was
dead, while be had escaped with a bruise.
The terrible visitation to which Roch
ester, Minn., was subjected in 18S3 de
veloped other instances of bravery in
human nature. So also did the destruc
tion of St. Cloud. A physician who lost
his entire family, wife, mother and two
Messrs. T. Burwell Green,and Miiton
Reese, of Washington, were in Athens
yesterday on railroad business.
They came to confer w th Geneial
Hoke, President of the Georgia, Caro
lina & Northern; railroad about the
branch road te tap our great trunk line
from Washington. They were in Gen.
Hoke’s office all the afternoon stating
their plans and making such proposi
tions in bahalf of the citizens of Wash
ington that might secure the branch
road desired.
They said that Washington was down
right in earnest about the construction
of the road and would at any time be
found doing their full duty in the build
ing of it. All they asked from the Geor
gia, Carolina & Northern was that reas-
onablg encouragement be granted them
on the project
oicx. hokk’s bkplt.
General Hoke told tbe committee that
just at present theG., O. & N. was pow
erle8s to help anybody but itself. “We
have too uiuch work to do for ourselves
just now in the. way of building a rail
road that we cannot do anything for
the Washington brauch scheme at all
After a while we will be in a better po
sitiou to hear propositions, and will do
all we can to help in any road that will
be of so great a benefit to us as will tbe
Washington branch.” Such is the sub
stance of the result of the conference as
told a Bankeb reporter by Mr. Green
after his talk with General Hoke.
It is not yet known what direction
the road is intended to take, but it is be
lieved by many that Sinithonia will be
in the route.
DROPS AT HIS WORK.
EIGHTH STREET FROM THE RIVER,
daughters, recovered his dead, and then
for two days used all his skill for the re
lief of the suffering. He refused to take
any rest until the crisis was over, and
with cool brain and steady hand stuck
to his work. He roee to the heights of
duty, put aside private grief, and faced
the situation with a patient courage that
had in it all the elements of the sublime.
In the map given herewith the crosses
indicate the recent storm’s track, and
tbe funnel shaped marks the location of
the tornadoes. The two other illustra
tions are of scenes in the wrecked dis
trict nt Louisville. !
Attacked with Apoplexy, Mr. A. H. M
Bennett Is Dangerously 111.
Yesterday about three o!elock, Mr. A
H. M. Bennett, a well known and popu
lar cabinet maker, was at work in the
thops near Wesley Merriwether’s black
smith shop, when he suddenly fell, al
most a corpse, into the door, striking
and almost dislocatiug bis shoulder.
Employees in the neighboring shop
ran to his assistance, and when medi
cal aid was summoned he was in a criti
cal condition. For a time he was uncon
scious, and did not recognize bis fami
ly. Dr. Lowry and Carlton had him
removed to his home, where he now
lies. It is not thought that be can live,
although last night he was somewhat
better. *
Mr.'Bennett has lived in Athens for
? rears, having grand children here, and
s well kuown by everybody.
I ItfUieWINEQFCAJWUMwWoafc Serves,
Tho authorities of Accomack, Va.,
have an Amazon in custody. 8he is 60
years old, weighs 300 pounds and is
charged with illegal liquor selling. She
and her daughters fought the officers
fiercely, and as a last resort the old wo
man denuded herself and defied them to
take her away. Duty overcame gallan
try, the prisoner was wrapped in blank
ets, carried to jail and locked up.
j
Lovers of olives may be interested in »
knowing that the fruit will be an ex
pensive luxury this year. Short crops
are reported in Spain, France and Italy;
and it is said that table olives wilTaa-
vance from 50 or 60 cents a quart to 75
or 80 cents. ;
A Baltimore young man is the unfor
tunate possessor of a singular birth mark.
It is on the right thigh and in shape like
a fish, perfect even to the scales. In the
bath it throbs and quivers, and it has a
decided prejudice against its owner’s eat
ing fish.
Dr. Gibson’s Candidacy.
Wc sought an interview with Dr. J.
G, Gibson the other day tn reference
to hiB candidacy for Congressman.
While he declined to say anything defi
nite for publica'ion he left tbe impres
sion that he would not enter the race.
Should he Lilly determine not to run
it will be a source of regret to his
many friends and his woukUbe sup
porters who are confident of his sm
should he make the race. He ha
promised to let his determination
kflQwa by next week,—Echo,
1 . •' - . 9a -pa
■