The Mercury. (Sandersville, Ga.) 1880-1???, January 11, 1887, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextTHE MERCURY. Entered as Second-class Matter at Sandersvlllo Vostoffice April 27, iSSO. gandersYllle, Washington County, 6a. PUBLISHED BY a. j. Proprietor and Publisher. Snbscription: $1.60 Per Yeai. THE MERCURY. A JXStflGAJT, Proprietor, DSVOKED TO IXrBB&TtJSm, AGRICULTURE AND OTOnatAT. rawrumanm smmmirrrox! 91.90 p»r THE MERCURY. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY. NOTICE! All Communications intended /hr this Paper must be accompanied by the full wo-mo of the \vrltcr—not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. We are in no way responsible far the views or opinions of correspond* ants. Mayor. J, N. Gilmore, Aldermen, W. R Thigpen, B. E. Rououton, J. B. Roberts, A. M. Mato. 8. G. Lang. Clerk. 0. 0. Brown. Treasurer J. A. Irwin. Marshal. J. E. Wbddon. A. C. WRIGHT, attorney at law, 105 Bay St., Savannah, Ga. (STwII.I, PRACTICE IN AT,I, THE OOURTB. E. S. LANGMADE, ATTORNEY AT LAW, SANDERSVILLE, Ga. B I). UvASfl. B, D. Kvaki, f% EYANS & EVANS ATTORNEYSAT LAW SANDERVILLE, GA. F. H. SAFFOLD, attorney at law, SANDERSVILLE, GA. Will practice in all the Courts of tlis Middle Circuit mid in the countici unwinding Washington. Spcoial at* tendon given to commercial law. i F. K. Hnris. O. 11. Roan rig. HINES & ROGERS, Attorneys at Law, SANDERSVILLE, GA. Will prac*lc> in tho counties of Washington, Jefferson, Johnston, Emanuel and Wilkinson, ind in ttie U. 8. Courts for tlio Southern Du- t-Irt of Georgia. Will actim agontu in buying, Bolling or ront- liiK lt-al E-itato. Offlco 011 West Bide of Public Square. Octll-tf 6. W. H. WHITAKER, DENTIST, SANDERSVILLE, GEORGIA. TERMS CASH.— tap Office a{ Ilia rcaidonce, on Harria street, Apr20-'80 H. S. HOLLIFIELD, Pliysiciaii & Surgeon, SANDERSVILLE. GA. Offico next door to Mrs. Iiaym ’B Millinory “tor,*, on Harris streot. HU Y YOU K FROM TE IR, IsTI O-jfiLlSr, (Non® genuine without our trado mark.) ON HAND AND FOR SALE SPECTACLES, NOSE GLASSES, Etc., Etc. Watches, Clocks JEWELRY HKPAIR1D BY JEi ristiq OUR department ■mpplieri with all tlio requisites for doing *'U kinds of Job nn.| Rook work in First Class blylo, Promptly and at Rea son aide Prices. wedding cards, VISITING CARDS, BUSINESS CARDS, BALL CARDL THE SOUTHERN STATES. NEWSY ITEM8 GATHERED UP IN PARAGRAPHS. ARKANSAS. The mill of the Truskwood Lumber company, Saline county, was burned Saturday night. Loss quite heavy with no insurance. Henry Adams, colored, was jailed in Pope county last week for murdering an infant supposed to bo his child bv a wbito woman. In a difficulty in Mississippi county on Saturday last Tom Catton was killed by a young planter named Lee Wilson, who shot his victim four times. Wilson sur rendered, A littlo hoy named Pink Mooro was enught by n revolving wheel in Hill’s gin near Clarksville, Johnston county, last week, and instantly killed, his hack and neck both being broken. POSTERS, handbills, PROGRAMMES, STATEMENTS, letter headings, dodgers, PAMPHLETS, arc.. n&. him John Karri-, in, of Lhiim, committed suicide ut Lampasas, by taking an over dose of morpAinc. The Purls News announces that the re port started hv one McPherson,thnt in an affray in Arthur City throe men were killed and one wounded, was a baseless canard. While a slaughtered beef was Doing hauled up the limb of a tree in Scotts- ville, Andrew Humphrey mounted tlio limb to guide the rope, when the limb bloke and Humphrey fell to the ground, striking on his head and breaking bis neck. Cliurlcs Green was shot at a saw mill on the Natchez river, near Burke, r few days ago, one bull taking effect ic his lu-cast, just below the left nipple, the other penetrating his back. The wounds are probably fatal. Green says he was shot by a man named Strikes, a Dutch man, once after he had fallen. The par ties seemed to have been drinking. Both are white. Three wagon* from tlio Choctaw na tion, filled with immigrants, arrived in Vermillion last Monday and will mako that parish their future home. Tlio ginhouso of Mr. Edmond Brous sard. living about eight miles above Ab- befillo, was burned down the early put of this week with ten or fifteen bales of cotton. It is supposed to be the work of an incendiary. Tlio glnhousc of Mr. L. I). Spears, of ward one, Claiborne Parish, was de stroyed by fire Inst Friday night. Several bales of cottou were lost belonging to different parties, who will suffer from the loss, ns there was no insurance on tlio property. A young man named Rate HIT, living several miles above Arcadia, was seriously if not fatally injurned last week by tlio explosion of 11 shell, which he was at tempting to drive into his gun with a pocket-knife, the brass end of the shell striking him in tlio forehead. A white man named Cornelius Coyne laic section hand on the Texas and Pa cific railroad, near Edgard, was 1 Dund dead on the Curio Plantation road at. 0 o’clock Sunday morning last. The coro ners jury rendered 11 verdict that he oa-nc to his death from an incised wound in tlio abdomen, causing fatal hemorrhage, sup posed to have, been inflicted by one Jo seph White, who is now in custody. On Saturday last Mr. Reese Poag was shot and killed at Oxford station, DeSoto parish, by Mr. B. B. Dickinson. Both were prominent young men, highly con nected. They hud had a trifling quarrel some days before, and Poag becamo crazed with whiskey and attacked his fo inor friend, who was compelled to shoot him. Mr. Dickinson surrendered himself to the sheriff, and upon a pre liminary examination by Judge Ilall was "discharged lrom custody upon tlio ground that he acted in self defeuso. SOOTH CAROLINA. Earthquake shocks were felt at many places throughout the Stato on Tuesday morning. At Charleston, Columbia, and Orangeburg the shocks were severest. Lee Gaston, who killed his son-in-lnw, Will Estes, made application before Judge Witherspoon, nt Chester, for bail on last Saturday. The judge, after hear ing the testimony offered at the coro ner’s inquest, signified liis willingness to grant him bail in the sum of $5,000. So far, only ninety-three persons, all told, have gone to Arkansas from the line of the Port Royal railroad, and they have gone, not from dissatisfaction with the eight box law or tlio priority lien law, but because of hard times and the desire for new things. If similar inducements were offered, it would he easy to get more white people to go than the colored people who have taken their departure. Tlie case of R. B or “Dick” Jacobs, charged with the killing of tenant Dock Hughes on Christmas day, was brought up before Judge Norton at Pickens, Thursday, on application for a writ of habeas corpus. After hearing the case, Judge Norton granted the petition and fixed the bond nt $2,500. Jacobs was re leased and returned to the city in the af ternoon. In view of tho evidence given at the inquest, and the verdict of the coroner’s jury rendered therefrom, the amount of the bond bus excited much surprise and unfavorable comment, 1 ho tide of public feeling is much against the defendant, and his release on slight se curity bus not tended to abate that senti ment. While Deputy Marshal J. B. Elkins was riding along in the road at the foot of Glassy mountain, twenty-five miles from Greenville, Wednesday morning, on his wav to join the raiding party of Deputy Collector Black, ho was fired on by a man who stepped into the road from the bushes behind him. The gun was loaded with No. 1 shot, and a dozen of them were lodged in the deputy’s back and shoulders. Captain Elkins returned the fire with a pistol, but with less success. His wounds are not serious,, and ho at once returned to tho city The would-be assassin was recognized as a veteran moonshiner, and probably a partner in one of the illicit stills destroyed by Colonsl Black on the same raid. Work is being rushed on the now hotel at Key West. Tho street, railway nt Fort Meade ha9 been completed. Many of the Lakeland streets are being paved with clay. RAILROAD DISASTERS. Odllrini Sitwui rusticsr nnd Frelckt Tralu. Tlio taxable property of the city of Ccdnr Keys lias increased $1)0,000 thi past year. Tho Spanish consul nt Koy West has agreed to clear tho steamers of the Tam pa and Ilavnna line at any hour of till night in order to expedite mails. Surveyors are laying out the new town of Hamilton Diston, called Florldelphio, on (lie west bank of Lake Kissimmee, it will have broad streets and nvenuoi and five parks. The gin house nnd contents, with tin i inn and appliances, belonging to Mr. K. T. Dickerson, at Grecngood, in Jack. : .". county, wut dealroyed on Thursday i-i -ht. of last weak. The incendiary, one i yu<- Wheeler, was cnuglit « day or two liner and confessed that lie had beet: hired by a white man to do the work. General G. W Dently, mmingcr of the Jacksonville, Tain pa and Key West rail- r-aid, has agreed that in consideration o) $5,01)0 guaranteed, lie will build a broad gauge railroad from the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key Wot road t (. DeLnnd, and have th*- same in operation by the Vi day 'if next January; providing that i free right of way he furnished him to town. ALABAMA. Montgomery is to have a stone factory. About $1)0,000 has been subscribed. About 105 ginhousos Imvo been destroy ed by fire in this state since September 1. Miss Addic Harris was fatally burned at Bcrncy by tier clot lies catching fire, on tlie 15th iust. Montgomery is said to have a man in its city prison thirty years of age who hoi been fifteen years in tlie walls of thnt in stitution for drunkenness on tlio streets, lie doesn’t want whisky while in tin prison, but lie gets drunk when turuec out. ASSIGNMENT OF A CATTLE FIRM, A Failure Which Omissi Ulcoh Narprlsstn Texas. Tho Dolores Land and Cattle company or Texas, which was chartered last year with a stated capital of $3,000,000, have made an assignment. The ranches and cattle belonging to the company are situ ated in Demmit, Kinney nnd adjoining counties, and were assessed last year at $250,000. Tho ranchos comprise over 200.000 acres, stocked nt present with 10.000 head of cattle. Tlie papers of as signment as filed here and signed by Messrs. Senbright nnd A. F. Robins,show in round figures liabilities of half a mi lion dollars, and the nssets float up ut about $510,000. The assignment creates great surprise and regret, on account of tho high standing of tlio persons con cerned in tho enterprise. Tho nssets, howover, as compared with the liabilities, indicate temporary embarnssmont, which, it is hoped, will he eventually overcome without much loss, if any, to the credit ors. A fast train on tho Baltimore and Ohio railroad at ati enrly hour Wednesday morning collided with a freight train nenr Tiffin, Ohio, wrecking both trains. Twenty-two bodies wero burned boyond recognition, and many moro injured se verely. It is a fearful sight and calls to ; mind tho Ashtabula horror of the winter of 1877. A BIG SALE. Tlie Largest Ever Mnde I* tfce leith, MORE EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS. illnrylaiidrra Experience Seven Hbecke, Ini' No Hamage. At Westminster, Frederick, Kinmota- burg, nnd other towns in Western Mary land, on Monday, the inhabitants were considerably excited over several violent shocks and loud rumblings which awoke them from sleep, and continued at inter vals from 11;8t) o'clock at night until early next morning. Ne damage was done, as far us can be learned, hut ns thnt country is mountainous the people are ap- prehensivo of grave trouble. Congress man Shaw, who Jivos at Westminster, says he was awakened by what sounded like tlie blasting of rocks, and pictures were shaken from tho walls in other houses, lie heard two distinct shocks in rapid succession, Tho mercury at West minster was four below zero this morn- THE WORST IN FIVE YEARS. Tho Weateri ltnllroad Blocked up With ttiiow. A VIRGINIA HUSBAND. A MASSACHUSETTS WRECK. A passenger train on the Boston and Albany railroad Was wrecked near West Springfield, Mass., by a collision with a freight train. The wreck caught fire and one passenger and one sleeping coach were burned nnd savcral person ssoriously injured, and one was killed, being burned so badly that no ono could recog nize him. Tho present storm on the railroads has been the worst in tho west in five years. Fortunately the weather is not very cold or tho railroads would be unable to move a train. There is over five feet of snow in a level in exposed places, while in tlie ravines it is six feet deep. Tho Michigan Central laid to abandon several of their passenger trains. One is at Nide’s, go ing west, and two east hound trains are nt Michigan City, Ind. Three westbound passenger trains became stalled in drifts five miles east of Michigan City, nnd it required nearly nil day with five locomo tives to bring them out. Tlie New York fast oxpress became caught near New Buffalo, and tho Grand Rapids train crashed into tlie rear, dam aging the sleeping car and injuring tho fireman und porter. Dr. Tnlinngo’e Daughter to Murry a Hand- «ome Richmond Alan. It has been announced thnt Miss Edith Talmage, daughter of Kev. Dr. DoWitt Talmage, of Brooklyn, will be married to Mr! Allen Donnan, of Richmond, in about two months. Tlie announcement will lie publicly mnde early in February, and the marriage will take place a month later. The prospective groom is an in telligent and handsome Virginian. Miss Talmage spent two seasons at the White Sulphur springs, and tlio next fall visited Richmond ns the guest of Mr. Janies B. Pace, Richmond’s millionaire. It was at Wliitc Sulphur that Mr. Donnan met Alias Tnlmnge. During her stay there she was a great belle. ANOTHER FAILUMU The failure of Lonnon Pels, a leading dry goods merchaut of Newport, is an nounced. The creditors are St. Louis, New Orleans, Memphis, Louisville, Cin cinnati, Boston, Chicago tied Philadel phia merchants and manufacturers. Lia- hi li ties will reach $40,500: assets. $80.- 000. ACCIDENTS IN ALABAMA. Near Livingston, on the lino of tho Alabama Great Southern rnilwny, Tues day night a construction train wns wrecked and Cnptnin Joe Lewis, an old passenger conductor, nnd a fireman named Fowler were killed. The wreck was caused by tho engine striking a cow and derailing tho train. A second accident occurred at Rees- ville, whero a freight train wns derailed, six cars demolished nnd two brakemon se verely injured. SOUTHERN REPUDIATED B0NDB. The Govortimout Urged (a Hue the Htntes to Enforce Their 1’iiymciit. Tlio United States government holds in trust for the benefit of tlie Indian tribes •r 1,710,000 of bonds issued by Southern States, on which default has been mndo. About $50,000,000 of tho same defaulted i uritics ure held by private parties in New York city. E. L. Andrews, attor ney for certain New York holders of re pudiated bonds, nas written to Secrotary l.iuunr, urging that the United States suo the defaulting States, claiming that the United States has power to bring an ac tion against tiny one of tlio repudiating States, while a private individual cannot. Secretary Lamar has referred the matter to Attorney-General Garland. If tho United States should bring tho dcsirod suits and win them, tlie individual hold ers of bonds would profit nlong with tho government, which annually now makes good to the Indians tho interest which the States refuso to pny. The rumors of the recent sale of the Woodstock Iron and Steel company, at Anniston, Ala., and tho Annistou Laud nnd Improvement company, of their property, to a syndicate, have been con firmed, tho trade having been consum mated. Tho ayndicate buys the prop erty for six million dollars, which is tho largest capital cash transaction that has ever occurred in the South. This property includes tho celebrated Wood- stock iron furnace, with its thousands of mincrnl nnd timbered lands,the renowned Annistsn Inn, the perfect system of waterworks and electric light and all other property previously owned by these corporations. Tho Woodstock Iron and Steel company will at once erect two large coke furnaces, costing about five hundred thousand dollars, which amount is provided for in tho treasury, and lias perfected arrangements for a standard gnugo road to Gadsden, Ain., to be known ns tho Anniston and Cincinnati railroad. This roud having made a traf fic arrangement for through business with the Cincinnati Southern railroad, will greatly add to tho shipping ficilities at reduced rates the product of tlie fur naces hero, tho Clifton Iron company in suring a heavy paying freight to this new road. because of TUBE. My Me has grown so dear to me Became el thnt My maiden with the eye* demure, And quiet mouth nnd forehead pure, Joy makes a Bummer in my heart Because thou art I . The very winds melodious b* Because of thoo I Tho rose is sweotor for thy sake, Tlie wnves la softer music break, On brighter wings the swallows dart Because thou art I My sky is swopt of shadows free Because of thee I Borrow and care have lost their sting, Tho blossoms glow, the linnet* sing, All things in my delight have part Because thou art! —Celia Thaxter. KT FBIEND THE BURGLAR. LOUISIANA ORANGE CROV But Oae-Tenth the Quantity «f Last Ynar Produced. AN ATROCIOUS CRIME. A Party of Sleeping Mexican. AIuril.mil by N.gross. The particulars of a most atrocious murder, committed on Saturday night, have been received. Four Mexicans wore employed on tho farm of Mr. Sim mons, 011‘the Cottonwood,in Guaduioupc county, to plow nrtd grub tho land. While in camp Saturday night thoy wero fired upon by a party of negroes and two of the Mexicans were instantly killed. Another of the party wns mortally wounded, nnd the. fourth was shot seven times, blit managed to crawl to a house some distance away. Before leaving tlio murderers poured kerosene oil over tlio body of ono of tho Mexicans und set fire to it, burning it to a crisp, They wero traced four miles towards Kings bury, and were then lost sight of. ’The Mexican xvlio is still nlivo slated that two of the men wero negroes and tho third was u mulatto or whito man. Tho orange crop of Louisiana is all har vested and in market. It is, as predicted, less than one-tenth of the average crop, and oranges are retailing row at thirty to fifty cents per dozen,against ten to thirty cents this timo last year, and scarco st these figures. There will be iiono for shipment north, as usual. In fact a grent many Florida oranges have been import ed and are for snlo this year, a decided novelty in New Orleans, which has hith erto been exporter; but while tho crop is a failure a more favorablo report comes from tlie Plaquemiue orange district, for the trees are not as severely injured and not as many of them killed by the cold of last January, as was imagined at first. THE DROUTH DISTRICT. Thirty Tbaasaad l’sspla la Wssl af Iks Nersssnrlss af Lift, Tlie Fort Worth Gazette publishes an official report of the convention of coun ty judges from the counties in tho drouth district of Texas, held at Albany, Texas. The total number of people in these counties now in need of food, c’.othing and fuel is placed at 80,000, while thou sands more are without seed to plant during the coming year. An appeal is made to tho stato and national legisla tures and to tho country at largo to fur nish at once $500,000 to relieve immedi ate wants. I A FEDERAL VETERAN'S SUICIDE. THE DEVIL’S RIVER ACCIDENT Tun or Twolve Lives liellovi-tl to Havo ISoi-n Lost. Tho officials and employes of the Southern Pacific railroad still refuse to give any information concerning the col lision, Friday evening, of a freight train nnd a construction train near Devil's river. It was learned that ten or fifteen lives were lost, nearly till the persons killed being Mexicans. Four or five dead bodies from the wreck have boon brought in, and several of the wounded have i-i- a taken to Columbus for treatment at t : railroad hospital When tlie trains col lided they caught fire, and two cars an I tlio locomotive were burned up. Most of the killed und wounded received their injuries by being burned. Caleb L. Bryant, of Belleville, Ohio, died at a restaurant in Birmingham Thursday, from un overdose of morphine. He took eighteen grains of the drug, it is supposed with suioidul intent. Among tho papers found in his pockets was a certificate of honorable scrvico in com pany I, seventh regiment of Ohio, which showed that lie enlisted June 10, 1801, and was discharged December 20, 1802. There was also found in his pockets u United States pension certificate,showing thnt he drew eight dollars per month from tlie government. Others papers showed that he wns n member of the Bellcvillu Masonic. Lodge, with all dueB paid up. SHEFFIELD BOOMING. SnOTTHBKE TIMES. Geo. Hill, one of the commissioners of LaSalle county, and a leading citizcu of Tuchig, was assnssinuted last Sun day. Hill wus an important witness at tlio coroners inquest on the recent killing of Sheriff McKinney. He was shot three times, but lived long enough tostnte that liis assassins were Captain Silas Hay and Frank R. Hall. Captain Hay wns father- in-law of the late Sheriff McKinney. Tlie State Ranger and local authorities are scouring tho country in search of the ns Hissin3, who fled immediately after firing oil their victim. Hill was a man of wealth and high standing, An interesting feature of Sheffield's boom was tho meeting of tho stockhold ers of the Sheffield and Tuscumbin street railway company Thursday. The capital stock of fifty thousand dollars wns nil represented, and n further subscription of twenty-five thousand dollars was re fused. Of the capital stock twenty per cent, or ten thousand dollars, was paid in. Tlie board of directors was organ ized with the election of F. D. McMillan, president; E. B. Almon, secretary, and John H. Nathan, treasurer. Tomorrow engineers will bo put to work surveying tlio routo and steps taken to prosecute tho work with dispatch. TEXAS QUAKING SNOW HALLS END IN BULLETS. A special to the Montgomery Adver tiser from Demopolis says that two white men, an ! good citizens, named Cochran nnd Chadwick, indulged in a snowball battle, which wound up in a serious dif ficulty. Cochran was shot by Chadwick nnd died almost instantly. The men were brothers-in-law. A slight shock of earthquake occurred at Paige, Tex., Wednesday morning which lastod two or three seconds. The colored servants at the Williams house wero greatly alarmed at tho rattling of dishes and pans in the kitchen. In ono store a number of cow-bolls, suspended from tlie coiling, chimed. In other store,tin-ware ana stove pipes around tho j caves of houses were shaken down. Scv- ' eral clocks stopped. Tho shock was felt 1 for several miles around, and evidently I jiaKsed from south to north. A few say they heard rumbling noises. No serious damage was done. DEATH FROM DRINKING WHI6KY. CoiiHcieuce-Stricken. “Ive eaten so much roast goose to-day that Pm ashamed to look a goose in the l**s,"—Fli*gsn<U BlasUsr. The four-ycar-old child of T. J. Gard- nrr, an employe of the Central railroad, at Oconee Station, got up before day with its father Thursday morning. The child being sick, was given a drink of whisky. During Gardner’s absence, while the others of tho family were asleep, it drank sufficient whisky from the ju" to produce instant death. It was found by its father lying by the jug. Th* coro ner’s verdict is not known. A VIRGINIA GOLD MINE. A Pennsylvania company has just be gun to work a gold mine in Oharlotte county, in Virginia. It is said that the yield of ore is very satisfactory. vim queen AND CRESCENT. H. F. Clark has been appointed super- ntendent of of the Vicksburg and Me- idiaii division of tho Queen and Orea- ent route. Insane. — A ten-year-old boy of Mari on, Ind., bus become insane, and physi cians ay that it is solely due to tobacco, which he has used since he was 0 years oia When I was a young man just start ing in the town of Dixon, I wns-appolut- ed counsel by the court for a notorious burglar, who, after having long been a terror to our county, had nt last been captured and was now awaiting trial. He wns supposed to bo ono of a hard gang, and as I entered the room where he was confined I expected to seo an abandoned-looking ruffian of middle age. Judge of my surprise, then, to find my self in tho proscnco of a mild-looking, blue-eyed, flaxcn-hiiircd youth of appar- rently not moro than two-and-twenty years, though I afterward learned that nt least a decade must be added to that. My much-studied repose of manner was rather shaken for a momont, but he at once enrao forward, offered me a chair, introduced himself as Mr. Brown, and asked for ray nnrao. I had previously known him as “Black Jack,’’ a sarcastic appellation, I suppose, on account of his extremo fairness. On being told that I was an attorney appointed for hisdofonso his wholojnan- nor changed. A look of crafty cunning crept into his face,tho cloak of good man ners dropped from his shoulders, and I saw before mo tho unmistakablo despera do whoso apprehension had delighted so many hearts. After a quarter of an hour of confi dential tnlk I plainly saw that the Stato would win its case against this man. .My client and I were beaten before wo began. He wns very guarded in all his ndinis- •ions. even under the snored soal of legal confidence, and so I was surprised to henr him say, ns I was leaving him that day: “Well, Mr. f lurkson, of course I prefer to bo cleared, and I shall try mv chances on that; but it really matters littlo in the end, If tho court convicts mo I shall not bo caged very long.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed I, Startled. “Only thnt I never have been long be hind the bnrs, and 1 never moan to bo. I have good friends outsido who will look after me.” I smiled incredulously. “You have never been in Blacktown Ftnte Prison, brought me a square, stylish-looking let ter, addressed in a neat, feminine hand. I opened k with somo surpriso, as my lady correspondent* were few, but had hardly read two lines when surprise be came astonishment, and that, in turn, amazement. This was tho missive: Mr. Obadiah Clarkson: Stn: You wonder liow I could have escaped from Blacktown prison. In tho same way, I reply, that 1 escaped from Dixon Jail. I uovor know n Prison Warden yet (nnd I have in my time come across a good many of t hem) that was bard-heartod enough to tnko away from mo my mother’s Bible. Well concealed between its double covers are the only implements I need to pick tho strong st lock that ever wns made or to file tho thickest bar that ever was forged. I should not toll you this now, except that I am oT for foreign parts, and never expect to seo this country again. But I liked you, and can’t resist tills parting word. When you dolond another burglar, find a worthier one than “Black Jack ’’ You sir, or perhaps your assumneo would be Tuce tnoi less. Once there, yeu are Bale to stny, I can assure you.” Ho laughed lightly nnd said good night, tliniiking me for my kindness in accepting his defense. In our subsequent meetings I took pains, to toll him thnt I believed in his guilt and that tho utmo-t I would under take would ho n mitigation of his sen tence. But he always accepted my asser tions with an airy pleasantry, and seemed iriendly in spito of me. determined to be iriendly Tlio trial came on, and, as I had ex pected, Brown was convicted and sen tenced to Stnte prison for fourtoen years. There were few redeeming circumstances in tho ca8o,and his sentence was a severe one. 1 looked for his composure to de sert him under this blow; hut, on the contrary, he bade me a cheerful good evening as he was marched off to spend his last night in our town jail. I went home with a very uncomforta ble feeling in my heart. Was it my duty as a man to warn the officers of tho jail of this fellou’s hints of escape? But what had I really to tell? Only vngue assertions about friends whoso powers I did not believe in; and even these made in confidential talks with his lawyer. No, I would say nothing. He would un doubtedly bo well guarded, and to-mor-' row tho doors of Blacktown prison would close securely upon him for ninny a long year. When I went to my office next morn ing I saw at once that something Unusual had taken place. Little knots of excited talkers had collected on the street cor ners; fierce gesticulations accompanied stealthy glances thrown over shoulders; and as I approached, room was made for me to enter the first of the bubbling springs of gossip. "Well, Clarkson,” said an old lawyer, who had long been my friend and patron, “it see,ns that‘Black Jack’is free, and no thanks to you, my boy!” I itarted, almost guiltily. “Free? What do you mean?” “I mean that, to nil appearances, ho was abed nnd asleep whenever the ward en looked in last night, but thnt when his break fast was taken to him this morn ing tho figure in bed turned out to be ouly the pillow well covered up, while our bird had flown through the window by means of tho neatest sawing on tho bars you ever saw.” “Sawing? Where could he have con cealed an instrument? Was he not thor oughly searched?” “Of course, and he had nothing. Everything was taken from him except a little, old well-thumbed Bible, that had ‘Jessie Brown’ faintly tracod in it in old- fashioned letters, lie said it had been his mother’s, aDd begged that he might keep it as the Inst tie to better days. Naturally, they hadn’t the heart or the conscience to refuse that. He must have bten helped from outside.” “Who is after him? For I suppose somebody is.” “I should say so! The Sheriff, and nil his posse, and half the town besides. They are wild at ‘Black Jack’s’ escape, but I don’t believe they will lay hands on him again very soon. He has had too good a start.” And so it proved. After a three days’ fruitless search tho hunters all relumed, giving up the game as too wily for them, the Sheriff fuming and fret ing at an escape ihat had virtually cost him his reputation. Just a week later the morning post "bwbb 18 *" " soe, the scamp was well edu cated, for his lottor boro every evidenco . of that, os did his conversation. He had evidently seen, hotter days, nnd tho traces of dead manhood in him were doubtloss what had attracted mo. Tho letter was, of course, post-mnrked from a distant town wlu-re ho had never scon, and was no help in tracing tlie lost clow. Well, I thought this was tho end of my ndventure. But tho queerest part was still to como. Tho cares of lifo accumulated rapidly upon mo soon after tlioso occurrences, and my constantly increasing practice, followed by my marriage, succeeded in so lllling my thoughts that “Bin k Juck" was driven almost from memory. Some five years after this episode my wife and I found oursclvos making a new homo in a Woslcrn State, and, in spito of somo unavoidable twinges of regret, wo soon scttlod into content ment and happiness in our unaccus tomed quarters. We had boon inhabitants of tlio thriv ing little town of N ouly a few months when our quiet lifo was rudoly aroused into excitement by a general alarm of burglurs. A half dozen houses were broken into in ono night; watches, silvor, jewels, everything valuablo and small enough to be easily carried off, and yet the oecupauts of tho various ransackod dwellings not once nrousod from their slumbers. It was in those days almost like magic, nnd wo hardly know how to protect ourselves. The burglars were certainly doing thoir work in the most professional und doft- fingered way. Our neighbor on tho right lmd been ono of the latest victims, and we feared that our turn might como. Double locks and bars wore employed, tho police guard doubled, and I slept nightly with a loaded pistol under my pillow, which ala nied my wifo almost as much as an anticipated burglary. But all our precautions were of no avail. We wake l one morning to find our- selvo - minus our small silver (ull that was solid), my wife's diamond earrings, her father’s wedding gift, and. greatest loss of all, my watch, a family heirloom, which I pri ed highly and whicli money could never replace. It bore amid the quaint engraving of its inner case the narao ofiiiv great gainlfathor. whicli was also my own, “Obadiah li. Clarkson.” Tho jowals and tho watch had been taken from what we ha i considered a safe hiding-place in our own room, and yet wc hail been conscious of no noise, nor oven au unpleasant dream. But a fuint. sickeniug odor in the room, com bined with headaches, of which we both complained, left no doubt that chloro form had been tho agent of this bur glary, as doubtloss in all tho others. Of course, I aid that we must accept our fate like the rest, as there seemed small chance of the rascals being caught. Mich a strict guard, however, was now put upon the whole town that our house was tho last on the list of tho victimized. Three days later, ns my wifo and I were sitting down to breakfast, whioit just now wo hn l to bo lontcnt to eat witli plated forks and teaspoons, there came u loud ring at the door-bell. Tho faithful Bridget answered tho summons, and returned after u short pirley with a small express package marked “Paid." “My shoes from New York,” said my wife. “No," said I; “it is addressed to me. The new books I sent to Boston for—’’ tearing off tho wrapper as I spoke. Imagine our sensations when, on re moving tho cover of a wooden box, our lost forks nnd spoons, the blue velvet, enso containing my wife’s earrings and my own beloved watch wero revealed to our amazed eyes. “Harry, ’ gasped my wifo “whero did thoy como from?” “I don’t know, ” I answerod, hel plessly. Just at that moment my ga e fell upon a small folded note at tho bottom of the box, and ns I looked memory began to stir and waken; for that peculiar, deli cate handwriting had certainly come un der my notice before. Mill struggling with thh faint and elusive remembrance, I unfolded the bit of paper and read its contents: J/r. Obadiah Clarkson: Beam Bir: You may thank your queer name for bringing the e things ba -k to yon again. It was alter wo had left your house und the town that I saw*the marking on your watch and knew that wo had robbed a limn that I have always felt was u friend. I vowed years ago that I’d do you a good turn some day, nnd now here it is. 1 have found out that you’re the same Obadiah who de fended mo nt Mi on, and you’re welcome to the ‘-swag.’’ I'll never rob you if I know it; for there is honor oven among thieves. “Bla"K Jack.” n O, Harry, Harry!” sobbed my wife (for I am happy to state that my middle name is llenrv), “I’ll never nbuso your ; poor old name again I I did think it was frightful, but see what it lias done for us—that nnd your kindness to that dreadful burglar." I smiled rather wearily, remembering the sentence in the note about “ijonor among thieves,” and almost felt that I had been included under that appella tion! But from that da- to this we have heard no more of “Black Jack,” and have concluded that, in any event, the Obadiah Clnrksons are safe from his gentlemanly depredations. Ho is known in the family as “my friend the burg lar,” and his preference for me is rather asore subject.—Q. U. Undericoo l, in Oo»- mopolitan. Glendower Evans Brown, of Campo- bello, New Brunswick, lias not only a fine name but a tine lot of living ances tors. His futlier’s father and mother and grandfather and grandmother are alive, end so are his mother’s father and mother and grandmother and her father and mother. A -H* a

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Mercury. (Sandersville, Ga.) 1880-1???, January 11, 1887, Image 1