Newspaper Page Text
Americus
Recorder.
ESTABLISHED 1879.
AMERICUS, GEORGIA, FRIDAY. DECEMBER 26, 1890.
FOR FIVE CENTS.
ONE NEGRO KILLS ANOTHER.
K Oeourred Wednesday Afteraoon-At
Pltt’a on 8. A. M.-A Cold Blooded
Murder, and the Murderer Esoapes.
Killed for a niekle!
Shot through and through by a
big 44 pistol.
The wounded man dies in a few
hourB.
As brutal a murder as Is on re
cord.
That’s what the eye witnesses
state, and this description of the
killing certainly makes it such:
It seems that Sam Wagneu, the
negro who did the shooting, was
once a hand on the road, and on
thiB afternoon was loafing around
the station at Pitt’s with a number
of other negroes. The material
train was standing here, and be
sides the negrbes on it many
country negroes were standing
about.
Wagnen had a large Colt’s pistol
44 calibre, which he was displaying
and after a while .began shooting
with others at marks. This was
about three. One of the men at the
station told Wagnen that the pistol
would get him in the chain-gang.
Wagnen answered that this was no
strange place for him.
About this time Wagnen put the
pistol back into his pocket, and
walked ofT towards the caboose
where the negroes stayed. Our In
formant saw nor thought nothing
more of him until about four when
he heard a pistol shot, and saw a
negro running from the caboose.
As he reached a high bank another
shot wbb fired, and he turned, ran
under the car to the other side, fall'
ing about forty feet away.
Only the negroes saw the shoot
ing and had nothing to say about
it. The passenger train then rolled
in, and the negro Wagnen got
aboard.
After he left, the Injured negro
was taken in charge by the white
men and cared for. The bullet had
entered at the right nipple and
coursed downwards, coming out at
the back, just above the left hip.
He could hardly talk, but gave hU
name as Ed Wilson. He said that
he had worked for Peacock & Son
of Seville, and that Wagnen bad
shot him on account of a niekle.
This was about all he could say. A
doctor was sent for but none could
be found, aud the white men cared
fnrbiiuas best they could. The
negroes would have nothing to do
with him, and the whites had to do
all the work.
Finally, some of them told the
story of the shooting, which was
merely that Wagnen opened fire on
Wilson with no warning but the
drawing of the weapoq. They said
that Wagnen had a grudge against
Wilson, and this was the cause of
the shooting. A few months back
Wagnen won all of Wilson’s money,
some $0, and the latter took up a
Winchester and shot Wagnen on the
finger, making him drop the
money. Ever slnoe then Wagner
had been trying to getaonanoe at
him, and often said* he would get
even with him.
All the negroes seemed to fear
Wagnen, and their stories were
greatly mixed. The whites didn’t
even know who did the shooting
until the negro hgd left on the
train.
The marshall of Cordele was im
mediately telegraphed to, but the
negro was sharp enough to get off
at Seville.
Wilson died between 10 and 11
that night. . ..
Wagnen is desoribed as a mulatto
of about 24 years, clean shaved, 5
feet 8 Inches high, and the Index
finger of his right hand broken.
DIED THIS MORNING.
Mr. Charles. T. Btanfleld Passes
Away.
Charlie Stanfield Is dead!
The news reached the elty a lit
tle after three this morning
He has been slekwith pneumo
nia for some days, as Is well known
to all, and this morning at 2:30
o’clock passed quietly away.
He is too well known to our eitl-
sens to need anything said about
him here. As a business man he has
made a most enviable reputation,
and has recently been holding the
position of manager of Harrold &
Johnson’s store. A more popular
man never lived In the community,
and bis death will be regretted by
all. He possessed the faculty of
making friends with all, and the
mourning to-day will be to a degree
seldom equalled.
PIKE'S PEAK.
An Interesting Letter From Colorado
by an Ex-Amerioua Citizen.
Denver, Col., Dec. 24.—Editor
Recorder: I have been a wan
derer from the good old town of
Americus for many years, delicate
health necessitating a change of
climate.
The paBt summer has been spent
'in the Rocky mountains, crossing
the "Great Divide” and penetrat
ing Canyons, the difficulty being
not where to go but what to omit.
This wide continent region, as is
well known, possesses the finest
scenery in the world.
My most enjoyable summer’s ex
perience was a ride to the top ol
Pike’s Peak on the new "Cogwheel
Railroad” recently opened to tour
ists. It is the most novel railroad
In existence. Compared with it
those of Mt. Washington, Ne.v
Hampshire, and the Ridge. Switz
erland, is insignificant, The wind
ing and curving necessary to attain
the three miles of attitude makes
the road ten miles in length. Its
cost was half a million of dollars.
The road bed is twenty feet wide,
culverts are of solid masonry, the
bridges aud rails are of the heaviest
steel with a double coy rail in the
center. The track is substantially
anchored at short intervals to the
solid rock.
The cars without being tilted are
hung within fifteen Inches of the
rails, and two pinion brakes are so
arranged that when necessary the
train can be stopped ltf a space of
ten inches, either ascending or de
scending.
The engine was coupled at the
rear and pushed the train, a desir
able innovation, relieving one’s
eyes from the constant annoyance
of cinders. Stops were made at all
sightly points. The round trip,
costing five dollars, occupied three
hours, and I considered it the begt
Investment of time and money
made during ten years of constant
travel.
A brief chat with Sergeant
O’Keeffe, of the Signal Station on
the summit, elicited the following
Interesting faocs.' The gentleman
having made the rude oabin on the
peak his residence for five years,
and being the only person ever de
tailed twice to the same point, his
Information may be considered re
liable:
The lowest temperature ever ex
perienced was 67 j>elow aero; the
highest 62 above. The mean high
est winter temperature was 14 be
low. The winter zephyrs are often
of considerable strength. In one
instance, one hundred and thirty-
five miles per hour was indicated,
at which time the wind blew the
balls out of the socket and the roof
from the cabin. This was followed
by a marked increase in the veloc
Ity, continuing several hours, dur
ing which he estimates the speed of
one hundred and fifty miles per
hour was without doubt attained..
Boulders, weighing tons, are not
unusual on the summit, and are
frequently utilized for holding the
cabin roof in position, for which
purpose they are found more ef
fective than chains.
Sergeant O’Keeffe pronounces
the story of the death of an associ
ate while on duty at the station,
recently published in the New
York Sun and extensively copied
throughout the country, as fiction.
No person of the name given hav
ing ever been employed there, and
no death ever having occurred
He attributes the story to the effer
vescing and fertile brain of some
N. Y. City scribbler too far removed
from “the seat of war” to be able
to invent a reasonable yarn.
It Is not generally known that a
year ago, at the desire of the astro
nomical department of Harvard
College, thp station was turned
over to that institution by the U.
Home Harvard “tenderfeet”
plains,” where seventy-five mil
lions of dollars were expended laBt
year for buildings, but also in
smaller cities where ail sorts of
land schemes, fraudulent and oth
erwise, are being cooked to induce
people to come.’ A new one to me
Is that of the National Bulidiug
and Land Co., of Julesburg, Col.,
who are giving warranty deeds of
every fourth residence lot for sev-
enty-flv" cents. I took one for
luck, as the town appeared to be
growing rapidly. The company
evidently have for managers men
of progressive ideas. They frankly
acknowledged that they were deed
ing away the lots at a ridiculous
price, but were dependlngfor profit
on the enhanced value of inter
vening lots and neighboring real
estate in which they are'deepiy in
terested. That they ure square,
honorable men is sufficiently Indi
cated by the fact that the validity
of these warranty deeds and their
characters are fully indorsed by
the town aud county officers, bank
officials, postmaster and merchants,
to ail of whom I was referred.
The most practical indorsement
to my mind was the fact that the
town people themselves were in
vesting freely,<aud also in the fact
that they are erecting and deeding
three room cottages to every county
agent who sells for them two hun
dred lots.
- Please favor me with a few extra
copleB of your paper for distribu
tion among numerous old time resi
dents of Sumter county, now resid
ing here and elsewhere in the
State, whom I have met in my
travels. They will, I‘know find
home news quite as interesting as
does your whiiouf correspudent.
J. B. B.
THE FUEL FAMINE.
PROSPECTS OF AN EARLY RELIEF
REPLIES TO “RUTH.”
The Coal Mines of Alabama Expeoted
to Resume Work-Steam Can Hardly
be Bought—What Mr. U. B. Harrold
Baja of the Matter.
SCHLEY COUNTY POINTS.
The Doings Among Our Near Neighbors
Near Putnam.
S. ■■■■■
were sent out to assume charge,
All went well till winter approach
ed, when the fair contingents in
continently filed, owing, It la eup-
posed, to “lack of sand.’’ The U.
8. resumed possession but for a few
brief months only. The station has
recently been abandoned.
The prospective sliver bill, of
which the main feature Is free
coinage, is already giving Colorado
a prominence never before at
tained. Mining la to-day prose
cuted with renewed vigor and vast
fortunes are being rapidly accumu-
lated This stimulates real estate,
the prices for which have rapidly
advanced not only in Denver, the
so-caiied “Golden City of the
Putnam, Dec. 22.—The Ellavllle
lodge of alllancemen have passed
resolutions censuring “all” all!
ance representatives that voted for
Gordon for U. S. Senator.
Is the colored man master of the
situation 7 During the cotton pick
ing Beacon and in the matter of
renting he has, and is now proving
a success; but report now says that
bis latest move is to unitedly de
mand one dollar per day for farm
labor the ensuing year.
Moving now is in order, and
many changes will be made. A.
J. \Vall has moved from his own
place to the place of Mr. Will
Allen, where two families consol!
date to make one; J. B. McCorkle
goes on D. W. Rainey’s place; C.
D. Newell and G. A. Chapman go
to the Smith place.
The little baby girl of Mr. Jerry
Rolan bad the misfortune a few
days ago to fall from the top of the
door steps to her father’s residence
and break her arm. At last ac-
counts she was doing well.
Mad dogs, hogs,, eto., have had
the settlement for the past week or
two in considerable exoltement.
The malady seems to prevail prim
olpally among hogs, as four differ
ent farmers report one each in
about a week. We admit we have
always doubted the real existence
of such an affection, yet we have
sacrificed a little pet canine that
certainly had reached a point be
yond what might be called a sus
picious character.
Residences seem to be in mote
demand In this town than business
houses. The Calhoun store;bulld'
lng has just been put upon rollers
and moved from Its original site to
a more desirable location, where it
will be turned Into a residence.
The primitive Baptists up hero do
not persist In everything old. They
are tearing down their old ohurch
at Good Hope, and are building a
new one. The colored people of the
same denomination are building a
new churoh at Mount Zion.
Mr. G. W. Monroe has a cow
peculiarly affected. Some time ago
the udder rose, and now the whole
of it, weighing eight or ten pounds,
has fallen out between the teats.
Bob Williams, an old time Marl
on county boy, Is visiting friends
and relatives near here. Bob is an
engineer on a Texas railroad.
WhoIsTfalsF
The Dawson News Bays: “Last
week parties from both Americus
and Albany were here consulting
the city’s largest capitalist and en
deavoring to secure loans. The
Americus party, who Is prominent
in business circles of that city,
wanted $10,000, aud the Albany
party $20,000.”
“How about the coal famine?”
said a Recorder representative to
Mr. U. B. Harrold, of the firm of
Harrold & Johnson, yesterday.
“Well, we are not so seriously in'
convenleaced as you might think.
We secured two cars yesterday, one
to-day, and expect another to-mor
row. This, you see, is enough to
supply the demand. Sometimes
we run pretty short, and have to
Cutoff a customer a little while,
but have been able to fill all orders.
We get just about enough to supply
the people.
“The reason, as you doubtless
know, for tlie scaroity, is the strike
of the coal miners in Alabama.
Wo get our supply there, and there
is Utile to be gotten. The coal
there in the grate is Montevallo,
the best there is. Anthracite, of
course, is not ail affected, but the
people here use very little of It.
Steam coal ie scarcely to be had,
this being that just from the
mines.
“However, judging from what I
see in the papers, and from private
advices, the famine is about at an
end. The miners are on the eve of
'returning to work; and then there
will be no trouble.”
“How about the price 7 Is It any
higher than natural for this time
of the year?”
“No, we have made no advance
at all. It-may have been put up In
some places, but ours Is just about
what It usually is.” -
So it looks as if the matter of fuel
is not so seriouB, and that In
short time you can get all you
want. The greatest trouble has
been in getting steam coal, nearly
all railroads, etc., having been
obliged to patch out wltn wood.
This is where the greatest incon
venience has been and is now.
Enough Is In sight and on hand to
supply ordinary consumers, and
the return of the miners to work
Vlll be good to those using steam
coal.
Wood, too, is scarcer than It ever
has been. It'commands almost
any price, and It is the hardest sort
of a matter to get any. All sorts of
excuses are made by dealers, but
exouses won’t burn. The main
trouble here is in getting choppers
and haulers, The negroes all seem
to have something else to do, and
though high prices are offered, they
will not do much. Then there Is a
greater demand - for wood than
usual, the railroads, Elootrlo Light
Company, etc., using a great deal.
When the coal famine is over, there
will be muoh less demand fer the
wood, so in a short time we are apt
to have ajl the fuel we want.
HAPPILY MARRIED.
Mis* Busle Sheppard and Mr. B. L. May
nard Joined Yesterday.
Yesterday, at the home of the
bride’s parents, about six miles
from the city, Miss Susie Sheppard
and Mr. Robert L. Maynard were
joined in the bonds of love and
marriage, Rev. A. B. Campbell offi
ciating.
The groom, with his brother, Mr.
P. V. Maynard, of Forsyth, and
several friends, and Mr. Campbell,
left in carriages for the plaoe where
the ceremony was to be performed,
and at exactly twelve, when the
glorious orb shone forth in atl its
splendor, the happy young couple
pronounced the words joining them
as msn and wife.
The party then returned to Amer
tons, the newly married couple
taking the 2:80 train for Forsyth,
the old home of Mr. Maynard.
As Miss Sqsle Sheppard, the
bride was exceedingly well known
through this section, and justly de
served the many compliments so
often passed on her beauty and In
tellectuality.
Mr. Maynard Is one of the prom
ising young lawyers of the city.
He (has resided here but a few
months and has already made bis
mark as a brainy yonng man. Suc
cess is bound to meet bis efforts,
and a bright future awaits him.
Whtlo no presents were expected
a number of nice ones were given,
among which was a handsome check
for a neat sum glvenby the bride’s
father.
The Recorder joins In wishing
for the newly.married couple a hap-,
py and prosperous journey through
life.
Deacon Hargrove Makee a Statement
About tbe Church Festival Matter.
AND
Enterprise, Ga., Dec. 24.—In an
issue of your paper some two weeks
ago, but whloh was brought to my
knowledge the 21st Inst., appeared
an artiole written by a lady df the
Leesburg Baptist eburob under the
assumed name of “Ruth.” The ar
ticle Is a violation of Christian eth-
los, and would be so considered by
any ohuroh. Not only does the sis'
ter critiotse the action of her
church in a harsh and unohrlstian
manner, but places it in a wrong
light before the world through the
columns of a se -ulnr paper.
About a year ago the uhureh de
cided to build a new bouse of wor
ship. As this was neaiiugcomple-
tlon a committee of sisters was
appointed to raise funds - to pur
chase lights and suitable furniture.
It was pretty generally known that
some of the members of the churoh,
together with its pastor, were con
scientiously opposed to churoh sup
pers and church fairs as a means of
raising mono; for religious pur
poses.
. Yet these sisters had a supper
without submitting the matter to
the church. The most of the mem
bers, however, appreciating the
motive of the sisters, acquiesced
and they were contemplating hav
ing another supper, tbe matter was
brought before the church in con
ference. The following resolution
was offered and unanimously
adopted.
“Resolved, That In our opinion
that church Buppers and church
fairs are not conducive to tbe best
interest of the ohuroh and we are
therefore opposed to them.” To
this resolution there was not a sin'
gle dissenting voice. Suffice it to
say that the obuich was well repre
sented, there being very few that
were absent. The action of tbe
churoh in this matter was purely
upon the principle that the polloy
of raising money for religious pur
poses by means of festivals, sup
pers, etc. tends to secularize the
ohuroh, and defeat the Bible prln-
olple, whloh appeals alone to tbe
hearts and free will offering of
God’s children for money to pro
mote His kingdom In this world
The ohurch has never at any
time Impugned the motives of these
sisters, but has shown them every
appreciation in their efforts to per
form the duties imposed upon
fhem.
I cannot believe that the sister
who wrote that article represented
the other members of that commit
tee, no never. I don’t know who
“Ruth” Is, but I am sure there are
but few “Ruth’s” in Leesburg Bap
tist church. Indeed, I did not
think that there was one sister in
the ohuroh who would so far forget
herself, as to write and publish to
the world through the coluthne of a
seoular paper, suob an article about
her own ohurch. Sister, you should
be ashamed of It. You should
apologize to your church. You cer
tainly owe it to the other members
of that committee to giveyour right
name. S. J. Hakorove,
Deacon of Leesburg Baptist church.
A BIG ROW.
SEVERAL NEGROES
SHOT.
GET
It Oeourred Saturday Night—Near the
Sumter and Lee Oonntj Line—At the
Store of Mt. H, A. Blmmone—Four of
the Dleturben in Jell at Leesburg.
IS IT LA GRIPPE?
Or Merely An Epidemic of Common
Colds.
All Americus Is coughing.
' And nine out of ten people yon
meet tell yon they are dying with a
cold.
And you generally tell them tbe
same.
The cold snap seems to have
eaught everybody, and to have
given them a slight remembrance.
That Is, It Is sneezed at a great deal,
and may be called, slight. Every
body seemB to be affected. Old and
young, men and women, rich and
poor, all tell you in hoarse tones
that they know they will die. And
they look like they mean It.
Never was there each a lot of
colds, and It looks as it la grippe Is
taking another tour. Men/ of
those afflicted say they have alt the
feelings given as symptoms of that
once' fashionable; Indisposition.
They say their bones ache, and
they feel as If their last hour had
come.
Whether It Is the grip nr not, it
certainly has a grip on the major
ity of .the people here, and bad
colds aro the order of the day.
The Albany News says that even
if Judge Fort does move to Atlan
ta he will be a representative of
Southwest Georgia. Right you
are.
There wbb a terrible fight among
agang of negroes Saturday night.
At the store of Mr. H. A. Sim
mons, ten or twelve miles from the
city.
The news of the battle reached
Americas yesterday, but only
meagre particulars could be gotten.
Mr. Simmons is a well to-do
farmer and merobant, who is well
known here. His store is just over
In Lee county, and in connection
with a stock of general merchan
dise, he has a bar-room.
Here a great deal of drinking is
done, and those of the surrounding
country do most of their trading
there.
Saturday nights Is always a big
night for the blacks. They get paid
off that day, and a great majority of
them take that night for a time of
carousal. .
Last Saturday night the crowd
of negroes was larger than usual,
and after filling themselves up with
whiskey began to quarrel among
themselves. Exactly how or why
It started could not be learned.
First two started tbe talk, and the
others took sides with one or the
other. The more they talked, tbe
madder they got, and suddenly one
of the erowd flashed a pistol and
fired, striking one of the other side
in the hip.
This was the signal for other
shots, and a regular battle took
place. The gentleman reporting
the affair, says It sounded like at
least a hundred shots were fired.
Nearly all the negroes had weap
ons, and nearly all took a- hand in
-the sorlmmage. One had a mirac
ulous escape from instant death.
A negro stuck bis pistol against
his stomaeh and fired. The ball
struck a button and glanced offin-
fllotlng merely a flesh wound.
At the end five or six wore found
wonnded, two of whom may die.
Tbe others, while more or less se
riously hurt, are not thought to be
in danger.
Mr. Simmons sent fer tbe Sheriff
of Lee county, who arrived Sunday
morning, and plaoed four of the
combatanta In jail at Leesburg.
GOOD WORK.
Mr. H. T. Castleberry Buns Down a
Chisken Thief.
Yesterday The Recorder men
tioned the stealing of 16 ohlokens
from Mrs. W. W. Guerry.
To-day tbe thief rests In tbe
look-up.
The work was done by Mr. H. T.
Castleberry, Mrs. Guerry’s son.
It seems that Thursday night
Mr. Castleberry found some ohlok
ens, which he knew to be bis moth
ers, at Mr. Tom Gutce’s meat mar
ket. To be oertaln, however, he
brought his mother up, and she too
Identified the cblokens.
Mr. Guice told them from whom
he had bought them, describing
the negro, and saying that he work
ed down at Mr. Wheatley’s variety
shop. Mr. Castleberry went down
there yesterday and found a ne
gro answering tbe description, and
recognized him as a negro he bad
bonght.somc stolen chickens from
a few weeks back.
Tbs name of the negro was given
as Osborn Bullock.
He then came up town and saw
Mr. Guice. Mr. Guice, too, had
been on the lookout, and found out
that the name of the negro who
sold him the ohlokens was Jim
Sanders. Mr. Castleberry swore
out a warrant for Jim Sanders, and
the officer who went down to
Wheatley’s brought back the ne
gro whose name had been given as
Osborn Bollock.
He was landed in the lock-up to
await trial. Chicken stealing is
getting too common an occurrence,
and a few more arrests like this
will put an end to it.
The Grady Hospital.
Special to RxcouDin.
Atlanta, Deo. 23.—Just one
year ago Henry Grady died, and
the first anniversary of his death
was commemorated to-day by the
laying of the corner stone of the
Grady Hospital. A large crowd
waBln attendance, and the ee
mony was a very Impressive
:
cere-
