Newspaper Page Text
THE FITZGERALD LEADER.
Official Oniolai Newspapcrofliwin County. tXtztfevaUi, Georgia.
Newspaper ot City ot Oft.
pcBt.isnzur.vEBV Thursday by
j’g’ UnaI*i>! fE ditors and Pcbiasheps.
^Joband'advertlsIntf^raRi^niade Your patronage aoheited.____ known on
application.
COUNTY OFFICIALS.
l k ;;
K, V. Handle}-, Sheriff, Fitzgerald,
f!. L. Royal, Tax Receiver, Sycamore, Ocilla,
J. K. Faulk,Tax Collector, lrwinxtile,
.lames Walker, Co. Treasurer _
E. J. Hotran, Co. Surveyor, Minnie,
Marion Dixon, School Corn., „
M. Henderson, Co. Commissioner, Ocilla,
TIFTON AND NORTHEASTERN R. R.
•‘SOLDIERS’ COLONY ROUTE."
General Offices, Tifton, Georgia-
Not. Feb. 0,1897. No. 2. No. 4.
P. M. P. M. p. M.
A. M.
7:55 8:31 8:43 7:30 7;45 8:15 0:00 4:13 4.00 4:22 4:42 5:00 5:15 1:1- f Lv. f f r Ar. Tifton, vity.gevald.Lv. Brighton Harding. Pinetta. Fletcher. Irwin, Ga. Ar. 11:36 10:4 12:00 11545 11:10 11:16 d aiai as cs SSSSSSS
Trains Nos. 1, 2.3 and 4 run dnily except
5 Tratns 7 and 8 run on Sunday only.
vsasss&p&jggjsBt Nos.
and G. S. & F. railroads, and Georgia and Ala
bama at, Fitzgerald. President.
. H. H.Tift, j|® ;^^ ent.
W. O. TU T ; V e Traffic Manager.
c HT .
GEORGIA A ALABAMA RAILWAY,
••THE savannah SHORT line.”
Passenger Schedule, Effective Sept. ■.
P. M l A. M Ar. | 10 A. 15 M. 4 P. 35 M.
6 30 11 25 Lv. Abbeville, Fitzgerald Lv. 8 Jo 3 35
8 30 [12 25 Ar.
m A. M us P. M. Cordeie ! (is 1 45 | 3 28
Americas 35 2 20
P. M. I ! A. A .
7 40 | 8 40 Montgomery 8 40 7 40
3 55 6 35 Halena 11 35 111 48
8 10 | 0 40 Ar. Savannah Lv, 7 25 ; 7 25
Ulose connections at all junctions and ter-
Crxm Ga VlcxPre^ A-G^. Mgr. ^
Postofflce.
JlSii closes # even
a. m.
CITY COUNTY.
Mr. Sam Brown, the tax receiver of
Wilcox county, will be at Abbeville on
June Vi, IB and 10.
A. A. Murphy, southern agent of the
.
American Book Co., of New York, was
in the city Tue sday.
Florida melons have been on the
market for some time. Georgia melons
will be here about the 20th.
The excursion to Andersonville last
Saturday had five coach loads of Fitz-
gerald people. All report an enjoyable
time. _
Landlord Dempsey of the Commer-
cial hotel has had a new sidewalk laid
and tho large veranaa in front of the
hotel repaired.___
A dozen of our young men left Mon¬
day for the big peach farm near Tifton
where they have been engaged to work
gathering peaches.
Mayor Goodnow was called to Atlanta
last Friday on business matters con¬
nected with the city. He returned
home Sunday morning.
Mr. and Mrs Sidney Lascelles spent
the latter part of last week at Atlanta.
They returned home last Sunday morn-
ing after a delightful trip.
The county seat fight promises to be
big thing this fall. For the interest
of every tax payer Jin Irwin County,
Fitzgerald shou ld be ch osen.
Mr. Lyle, of Bartow, Fla., head of
the Lyle Ice Co., of this city, arrived
laBt week for a two days visit. He re¬
turned home S unday mo rning.
Well, let us celebrate the Glorious 4th
of July. Everybody attend the meeting
at the Council rooom in the Fitzgerald
block. Every business man should be
present. _
Ed Mahan who was hurt from falling
from a scaffold while working on a
bridge near Ocilla some three weeks
ago is now much improved and is feel¬
ing himself again.
Judge J. B. Clements and Col. J. H
Buchanan, of Irwinville, and Hon.
Thos. B. Young, of Sycamore,
permitted their genial counte-
tenances to shine in upon Fitzgerald
last Saturday.___
There will be a meeting of the five-
acre tract people at the Exchange build¬
ing on N. Grant street on Monday even-
ing, June 7th, on important business.
By order of committee.
S. M. Cohen on Pine street is en¬
gaged in buying wool. He is paying
the highest market price and pays
cash. Farmers having any wool for
sale should call and see him.
A number of new side walks now
adorn the front of the business houses
on Pine street. E. W. Ryman pu'
down one Monday. The Dempsey hotel
has an 80 foot walk built. Keep up the
good work, bu siness men .
L. F. Thompson has been busy the
past ten days in fixing up the hall over
his store on Central avenue to be used
as living rooms for his family. expected Mrs.
Thompson and children are
to arrive from Thomasville this week.
J. C. Luke, M. D., of Ocilla, was in
the city last Tuesday and had his name
enrolled on The Leader’s increasing
subscription list. Mr. Luke says that
when the county seat fight comes he
wants to register a big vote for
Fitzgerald. _
The city was filled with pretty school
marm’s last Saturday—it being county
examination day. Over sixty took the
examination, sixteen of whom were
colored. Superintendent Dickson was
ably assisted by Paulk and Whitley of
the county board.
John’ Kellish rented the Chicago
restaurant from A. W. Reynolds last
Monday and is in charge. Mr.
Reynolds and wife leave next Tuesday
for Nashville where they are interested
in a large restuarant on the fair
grounds. They-- will return again to
Fitzgerald about October 1st.
If the following short lines of poetry
are anything to go by, then they must
have some terribly wicked people at
Henderson, Iowa, as we glean from the
Herald:
TOO “TROOLY.”
Here’s to the man who loves his wile,
Who loves his wife alone,
For many a man love another man’s wife,
And leaves his own wife at home.
Here's to the man who rocks his babe,
Who rooks his babe alone,
For many a man rocks another man's babe.
Wlieatfne thinks he is rocking his own.
T. R. Way living on 5 acre tract No.
1468, east of the city left at this office
last Saturday a monster shock ot oats
that was planted last November. He
only sowed about one acre but the yield
will be about 50 bushels. The ground
was broke up in the spring of 1896 and
the stumps and roots taken out during
the summer. He used about two-thirds
of a sack of Guano to the acre planted.
On the 24th of June the Masons will
have a picnic on the west bank of the
Alapaha at the T. & N. E. crossing.
All Masons and their wives, families,
sweethearts and girls are inyited. So
is everybody else. Bring a well filled
lunch basket, come early end stay late.
The T. & N. E.Nvill make a special rate
of 25 cents for the round trip from Fitz¬
gerald points. and Everybody Tiftoti and all intermediate
come.
The Board of Education met last
Wednesday afternoon with Way,
Stevens, Paulk, Marston and Knapp,
present. The city examination for the
purpose of securing license to teach in
the public schools of Fitzgerald will be
held at the Third Ward school build¬
ing on Saturday June 12th. Prof. J. T.
Saunders, Rev. J. W. Turner and
Isidore Gelders have been selected as
the board of examiners.
Elder J. W. Ingram.,of Denver. Col.,
will preach in the Christian church
next Lords’ day at 11 a m. He will
commence a series of meetings on Mon¬
day evening at 7:30. He comes to us
very highly recommended. The fact
that he has been pastor in some of the
larger cities and lately from Denver,
Col., and Memphis, Tenn., shows that
he is an able speaker. Bible school at
10 a. m., and Y. P. S. C. E. at 6 p. m.
every Lords’ day. Every one cordially
invited.
_
Commissioners M. E. McAnnaly and
Dan’l McDuffy. of Wilcox county met
in joint session with Commissioner
Henderson, of Irwin county, at THE
Leader office last Friday, and let the
contract ior building a bridge on Otter
creek near theOcmulgee river to Wm.
B. Fussell, whose bid was $1.05 per foot.
The contractor has until September 1st
to have the bridge completed. The
cost is stood equally between Wilcox
and Irwin county. The cost of the
bridge will be about $500.
The old reliable peddler, Jake Davis,
who has traveled over more ground
in Irwin county than any one man in it,
was in the city last Wednesday with
a bran new wagon ail painted up in
bright colors and the best pair of black
mules we ever “sot” eyes on. His
wagon hadj the following inscription
painted on the sides. “Jacob Davis,
private Co. B. 2nd Georgia Battallion,
Wrights Brigade, Army of Northern
Virginia.” At the time Lee surrend¬
ered to Grant at Gettysburg, and
Grant giving back to Lee all the
mules, hoases, wagons, etc., besides
several days’ rations, Jake said
said he could have hugged Grant for
his noble deed. Jake is a first-class
citizen and we are proud of him.
The annual examination of teachers
Irwin county was held in the 3d ward
school building in this city on last Sat¬
urday, by County School Commissioner
Dickson, assisted by Superintendent of
City schools Saunders and several
members of the County Board of Edu¬
cation. Forty-nine white teachers and
sixteen colored teachers took the
examination, but it is not yet known
which of these teachers secured license
to teach as it will take the Commis¬
sioner a week or ten days to go over
and correct the examination papers.
It was a matter of remark among those
teachers who were present at the ex¬
amination last year, that the surround¬
ing this year were so much more
conducive to good work—each teacher
having a separate desk at which to
write—and that there was a marked
absence of any attempt to assist
teachers in the preparation of their
papers. No one was admitted to the
room while the examination was in
progress except those conducting the
examination and those taking it. Out
of the the forty-nine white teachers
taking this examination, thirty-nine of
these were from Fitzgerald.
FIRST ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT.
Bulhlingr Was Crowded and an Excellent
Programme.
Friday, May the 28tb, witnessed the
closing of the first year of the Fitz¬
gerald schools. Taking everything
into consideration, it has been a very
successful one. The obstacles that con¬
fronted Superintendent Saunders and
his able corps of assistants were many
and varied, but patience and care have
done wonders towards bringing order
out of chaos.
Commencing last September with
nearly 600 pupils from at least thirty-
five states and two territories, the
schools have made rapid advances
towards success.
The beginning of the scholastic year
witnessed the beginning of a work of
almost unparalleled magnitude. The
pupils had first to be properly graded.
This moved to be an herculian task, as
the pupils came from as many different
states and schools, in each of which a
different course of study was pursued.
The patrons of the schools have a very
slight conception of the amount of
labor and time required to properly
accomplish this- object.
The grades are not thoroughly estab¬
lished as yet, but by the beginning of
another school year, they will have
reached a degree of perfection, that
will meet the appreciation of all.
Taken altogether, the year has been
a glorious one, and the people of the
city of Fitzgerald ought to be justly
proud of the schools, which the industry
and patience of a single year have built
up in their midst.
They are second to none in the whole
State of Georgia.
The term examinations, which com¬
menced two weeks prior to the close
of school, disclosed the pleasing fact
that the majority of the pupils had
made a creditable showing.
The banner class oi the school, the
ninth or first high school grade, made
phenonenal advancement.
The honors of this class and of the
entire school, belong to Miss Mina
Emery, who passed the very rigid
examination, given with a general
average of over 93 percent of all quest¬
ions asked, out of a possible 100 per cent.
Her class record for the entire year
shows 97 percent.
The honors of the eight grade belong
to Miss Clara Ashby, with a percentage
of over 89 per cent.
The other grades did equally as well.
The closing exercises of the schools
were held in the ne w Grand Army Hall
last Friday evening. The hall and stage
were tastily and be'autiiully decorated
by the pupils under the able supervision
of the lady teachers.
We must not forget to mention one
item of this decoration. There were
the paper chains, suspended in graceful
loops from various ports of the walls
and ceilings. This was the work of
Miss Reibsam’s pupils, of the primary
department of the third ward.
By seven o’clock the hall was filled to
completion, and still the people came.
At eight o’clock, sharp, Superintendent
Saunders advanced to the front of the
stage and announced the beginning of
the programme, which was as follows:
1. Invocation—Rev. Turner.
2. Address—Mayor Good now.
3. Address—Col. Way, Pres. School
Board.
1. Chorus, “Georgia Flowers’’.
5. Recitation, “Things Beautiful,”—
by Little Girls.
6. Trio, “Welcome to Spring,” —
Marion Goodnow, Fannie Bage-
man and Mary Hower.
OO.-J Flag Drill.
Chorus, “Papa, what would you
take for me?”
occ Violet Exercise—Primary Pbpils.
M-i Dialogue, “Excitement at Kettle-
ville.”
cojtfij— Violin Solo—Clifton Bidwell.
‘ Doll Drill—Primary Pupils.
t—* Vocal Solo, “Lullaby,” — Maud
Smith.
‘MM ^ Chorus, “Fitzgerald Children.”
Ot Dialogue, “Hiring a Cook.”
P Chorus, “Vacation Song ”
M-* Trio, “Good night, but not goed
bye.” Announcements—Prof. Saunders.
MM poo Illustrated Ballads—Second Pri¬
mary Pupils.
Some little difficulty was experienced
in getting the pupils forward to perform
their respective parts, owing to the
crowded condition of the hall. But this
was thoroughly understood by the
audience. The singing was superb,
especially that of the younger pupils.
We will call particular attention to the
opening cantata “Welcome to Georgia”,
which was written by Mrs. G. A. K.
Stevens, wife of the genial secretary of
the Board of Education. It was received
with vigorous applause.
The address of President Way on be¬
half of the board of education was a
masterpiece of oratory, and left much
food for thought to the patrons of the
school.
The chorus "Fitzgerald Children”
was very highly appreciated The words
of this chorus were composed by Miss
Cora Gardner of the First Ward school.
One of the most beautiful renderings
of the evening was the trio, by little
Marion Goodnow, Mary Hower and
Fannie Hageman.
The dialogues were rendered highly
effective by the excellent training the
participants recetved at the hands of
MUs Maud Stewart of the High School
Department of the Thud Ward.
The crowning feature of the enter¬
tainment was the “Illustrated Ballads”
by Miss Goodnow’s pupils. They were
grandly beautiful, and were highly
pleasing to the audience.
Miss Maudij Stewart presided at the
piano with her usual skill and ability,
which is so well.known by the people
of Fitzgerald.
Though thehallwas thickly crowded,
and the heat very oppressive, the best
of order was maintained throughout the
whole of th > exercises. It was an oc¬
casion long ,o be remembered and often
taliced about * All honor to Supt. Saun¬
ders and his noble, whole-hearted
assistants. We all join in hearty con¬
gratulations for the noble work they
have accomplished. Mar they continue
on in the good work, and may they
always attain the great success that has
clothed their labors in the public
schools of Fitzgerald during the past
year.
__
FITZGERALD WILL CELEBRATE.
The Glorious 4th of July-The Engle
H ill Scream at Sunrise.
Fitzgerald, the liveliest and best
town in this section of the wiregrass
region, will celebrate the Glorious 4th
of July in a mannner that will make a
Northern town green with envy.
Enough money has been raised to pull
every tail feather from the grand old
bird to such an extent that she will
neyer recuperate for another year.
A soliciting cemmittee consisting of
Fred J. Clark and Isidore Gelders were
out last Monday and secured nearly
$200 towards the expenses.
A meeting of the business men and
citizens is called to meet at the Council
Chamber next Monday afternoon at
3:00 sharp, for the purpose of appoint¬
ing the different committees and
making the necessary arrangements.
Every business man should by all means
attend the meeting.
Letters have already been written to
Gen. John B. Gordon and Hon. Flem¬
ing du Bingon, to come and help us
celebrate. If they have not already
been engaged one of these gentlemen
will deliver the 4th of July oration.
The amusements throughout the day
will consist of everything that goes to
make up a big celebration. A barrel
of ice water will be found on every
corner of the business district and
those wishing any thing stronger will
of course find out where it is kept.
Every business man should not forget
the meeting as ft will take about $400
to have a bang-up good day. The 4th
of July coming on Sunday this year the
day will be celebrated on the 3rd.
Watch for the big program of the
coming day Save your nickels and
dimes tend' buy red-lemonade at
Fitzgerald.
WILL TAKE A TOTE THIS FALL
On the Court House Question—It Was So
Decided Last Saturday.
A large number of the native iarmers
of Irwin county met in Fitzgerald last
Saturday for the purpose of talking
over the advisibility of petitioning the
Ordinary to call an election of the
legal voters of Irwin county this fall to
vote on the court house question. A
number oi good speeches was made by
those present and the general drift of
the speakers were that an election
should be called for the purpose of
moving the county seat to some point
on the railroad.
A Jcentral committee consisting of
six from each militia district was ap¬
pointed to circulate the petition for the
purpose of calling the election.
From present indication there will
be a number of towns in the race includ¬
ing Irwinville, Mystic, Ocilla and
Fitzgerald. These towns will make a
hot race, but it is thought that some of
them will drop out before the time
comes to vote. If the election takes
place this fall Fitzgerald will cast be¬
tween 1000 and 1200 votes.
Fitzgerald S. S. Convention.
The fifth quarterly convention of the
Fitzgerald Sunday school union will be
held in the U. B. church on Saturday
and Sunday, June 19 and 20, beginning
at 10 a. m. on Saturday, June 19. All
those having practical Sundav school
questions they would like to have dis¬
cussed by the convention, will please
send them to the program committee,
consisting oi Messrs. C. J. Es y, J. B.
Denniston, O. H. Johnson for consider¬
ation.
The pa9tor of each church in our city
and the Sunday school officers are re¬
quested to act as a committee of enter¬
tainment in securing the names of such
as will care for members ot visiting
Sunday schools. The reputation of
hese gatherings has gone abroad. Let
us use every effort to still further ad¬
vance the interests of our Sunday
school work by striving to make every
gathering as much of an advance of its
predecessor as each one has been here¬
tofore. The full program may be ex
peeled next week. The hearty co-op¬
eration of all churches and Sunday
schools and Sunday school workers Is
earnestly solicited, as only by this
means can success be secureu.
C. E Becker, President.
Mrs VanOsdoi.. .Secretary.
Wauled to Trade.
I have a number of excellent pieces
of Florida land that I wish to trade for
Filzgerald property Whn has some
to trade? Call and see me at the ice
factory. J. F. STANSBEUUGH.
COMMITTEE MAKES REPORT.
Result of the Mass Meeting May 8th in
Regard to Directors.
An enthusiastic meeting oi colony
members was held at the M. E. church
south, Wednesday afternoon, to hear
the report of the committee that was
appointed to consult with Mr. Fitzger¬
ald in reference to holding an election
for colony directors.
The meeting was call 9d to order by
the chairman of the committee, Ira B.
AUen, and subsequently Mr. Allen was
chosen as permanent chairman and C.
M. Dinsmore secretary. Capt. D. C.
McCollum submitted the following re¬
port of the committee. After some
friendly discussion the report was unan¬
imously adopted:
Fitzgerald, Ga., May 22, ’97.
We, the committee appointed R. hall at a
mass meeting held at Fitzgerald, the G. A. Ga.,
May the 8th, 1897, Fitzgerald the to
consult with Mr. on
question of holding a general election
to elect colony directors, beg leave to
submit the following report:
A majority of the committee met Mr.
Fitzgerald at colony headquarters in
the afternoon of May 18th, and having
heard a full and complete explanation
of the affairs of the colony as making explained
by him, and the effort he is of all to
effect a general Settlement mat¬
ters pertaining practicable. to the colony We as soon believe as
possible and and important
it to be both advisable
that no election be held for directors
at this time, and that the matter be
intrusted, as in the past, to the present
management until the colony affairs
are in a better financial condition, when
Mr. Fitzgerald assures us that an elec¬
tion lor directors will receive his hearty
There are now many thifigsconnected
with the colony questljn of finance for
which Mr. Fitzgerald has had to be¬
come personally responsible and bor¬
row money on his own personal security colony,
to carry on the workings of the do
which he could not afford to unless
he held the general management. his
We therefore fully concur in
statement that it is best to let the pres¬
ent management rest where it is.
The duties of the directors are grow¬
ing less each month, and Mr. Fitzger¬
ald believes that five directors are suf¬
ficient to secure good, harmonious man¬
agement, and he assures us that the
managers will, at all times, keep a suf¬
ficient number of directors appointed
to transact the business. Your com¬
mittee desire to say that they have the
utmost confidence in Mr. Fitzgerald,
the originator and the founder of the
colony, and know that his wholi heart
is in its success, and we believe that the
general management should still be left
to him until he would favor an election
for directors.
We are pleased to know that all ex¬
penses of the colony have been reduced
to a small working force.
Salaries are only paid to three while men
which aggregate $140 per month,
there is a great deal of clerical work
yet connected with the colony.
There are now but five directors, of
which Mr. Fitzgerald practical is one, the business other
four are well known
men and residents of the colony, none
of whom receive pay for their services
as directors, while they devote much of
their time to the affairs of the colony.
In conclusion, we firmly believe, for the
good of vhe colony company, and all its
members, that the present manage¬
ment should rest as it is.
Ira B. Allen, 1
E. S. CHILD,
D. C. McCollum, i Com.
Milo Porter, ;
auken B. Hulit, j
Thos. C. Davis. J
The following communication from
Mr. Fitzgerald was also read:
Fitzgerald, Ga., May 17, 1897.
To the Committee Appointed at Mass Meeting
Held May 8th, 1897:
Gentlemen —In reply to your of ad¬ re¬
quest touching the appointment
ditional members of the board ol di¬
rectors of the colony company, I would
be pleased to state that I am pleased to
meet you as friends and members of the
colony company, but I am sorry to meet
you on such a mission as this, for the
reason that I believe it to be out of or¬
der and can result in no good to the
colony company. remember that I acting
You must am
under an appointment the same as the
board of directors. When the colony
company was first undertaken it re¬
quired two parties to its formation.
The American Tribune Co., of Indian¬
apolis, Iud., was chosen as the com¬
pany organ to promote and further the
interests of such a movement. They
entered into an article of agreement
with the promoters of the colony, to
take the management and control of the
matter. This article of agreement pro¬
vided for the number of the manage¬
ment of the colony until such times
when it had reached a point when it
could not be made a failure by rea¬
son of any mismanagement. That
time has not yet arrived. The colony
company has been greatly injured by
idle talk and such meetings, which go
to impair and injure its credit, impossi¬ both at
home and abroad, so that it is
ble to sell its stock or bonds, nor can
she borrow money from any source. I
have had to go into the bank and bor¬
row money from time to time to carry
on the orkings of the colony. This
puts me in a position that I must know
the board of managers under whom I
work or I could not afford to lend my
aid in this man er. I believe they are
sufficient to do all that is to be done at
this time. All members of the board
who failed to come to the colony were
removed. Mr. Majors and Mr. Good¬
now resigned. Mr. Goodnow’s resigna¬
tion was based upon the grounds that
he had been elected mayor of the city ,
and as the two bodies, the city and the
colony, had important business it to
transact between each other, was not
proper for a city officer to be an officer
of the colony; this being proper Mr.
Goodnow resigned Under the articles
of agreement entered into by the Amer¬
ican Tribune, she alone has the power
to fill these vacancies or appoint a
board which she believes sufficient to
carry on the business of Ibe colony
company. Haying worked with the
present memhers, who have taken time
and become so wtlll acquainted with the
details of the colony affairs, they are
better able and can be of more aid to
the colony management ask than kindly new ones lut
could be. I must you to t
the management alone until a later
date, when a full and complete report
will be made and all colony affairs duly
turned over. With a large body of di¬
rectors to deal with I do not think I
would wish to borrow money or endorse
paper to aid the colony. However, I
thank you for your appearance and will
submit the matter to the general man¬ and
agers, the American Tribune Co.,
request them to answer you in a further
manner, touching the question of add¬
ing additions to the board. It Is the
intention at all times to keep a board
sufficient in number to do the businessof
the colony company. Very truly
yours,
P. H. Fitzgerald,
President of Colony Company.
On motion a new committee was ap¬
pointed consisting of Ira B. Allen,
Capt. D. C. McCollum, A. B. Hulit,
Thos. C. Davis and C. M. Dinsmore,
whose duty it shall be to call a meeting
occasionally for the interchange of
ideas and such o’her duties as they may
be called on to perform, which will be
a sort of bureau for information. Capt:
D. C. McCollum was made secretary of
the committee.
Chairman-Allen suggested the pro¬
priety of calling or getting up a public
picnic to be held in the near future, at
which time we would have Mr. Fitz¬
gerald with us, in order that we may
become better acquainted and more so¬
cial. The suggestion met the hearty
approval of all, and the committee may
get up the picnic.
Upon the whole the meeting was very
harmonious and nothing but words of
commendation were expressed for Mr.
Fitzgerald. On motion the city papers
were requested to print the proceedings
of the meeting.
• C. M. Dinsmore, Secretary.
THE FIRST MURDER.
James Herrington Killed and Edward
Srnyrle Mortally Wounded by ,
Henry Nesbitt.
Last Monday evening between 9 and
10 o’clock at a colored restaurant on N,
Grant street, was the, scene oi a cold
blooded murder—the first ever com¬
mitted in Fitzgerald—which resulted
in the death of James Harrington from
a pistol shot in the hands of Henry
Nesbitt, who also mortally wounded Ed
Srnyrle in the arm and leg, all of the
parties being' colored.
It seems from all reports obtainable
that Harrington and Nesbitt were both
suitors for the hand of a dusky dam¬
sel, who had thrown her love to Har¬
rington which caused the blood in the
veins of Nesbitt to boil with rage. At
the time stated above he went to the
restaurant where Harrington was
boarding, and walking in the rear door
he found his victim sitting at a table
with his lady-love at his side. Without
a bit of hesitancy he pulled a 44 calibre
revolver from bin pocket and shot Har¬
rington through the neck, the ball
severing the jugular vein. Ed Srnyrle,
who was sitting in the same room
started to get up. but was stopped by a
bullet crashing through his arm which
lodged in his leg. With all the noise
and racket going on the girl hid under
the table. Nesbitt cooly walked out
the door, and at last accounts has not
been seen. Sheriff
Chief Jones, together with
Hanley, were out all night after the
murderer, but he could not be found.
Owing to the fact that no reward was
offered the murderer will probably cs-
cape. coroner’s inquest held Tues¬
At the
day morning before Justice Moore, act¬
ing coroner, who empaneled examined, a jury, a
number of witnesses were tell
who seemed to be afraid they would
on some one. Two or three of the wit-
nesses were put under $200 bonds to ap¬
pear f.t the next term of the superior
court. The verdict ef the jury was to
the effect that James Harrington came
to his death from a pistol shot fired by
Henry Nesbitt.
Memorial Day Exercises.
Memorial day was observed in Fitz¬
gerald last Saturday in obedience to the
general orders issued 5rom head¬
quarters.
The services were held in the Grand
Army hall with Comrade Johnson as
the presiding officer. Prayer was ol-
fered by Rev. Stoney. General orders
were read by Prot. J. T. Saunders, fol¬
lowed by a song by the school children,
entitled the “Soldiers Chorus.” S. V.
Commander Johnson addressed the au¬
dience, which was followed by a recita¬
tion by Miss Grace Chapel, entitled
“ The Blue and the Gray.” A song by
the children entitled “ Model Repub¬
lic” was appropriately rendered. Miss
Bertha Chopin recited “ Blossoms and
Flowers” in a highly creditable manner.
Mr. T. F. Powers, orator oi the day,
delivered a very impressive address
who gave a short resume of the causes
which led to the war and the sacrifices
of so many precious lives, and closed by
saying that we are now a united coun¬
try, with no north, no south, no east
and no west, with the loyalty of our
southern brothers unquestioned and
peace reigning supreme throughoutthe
land.
Comrade W. H. Marston was the next
speaker, who delivered an able address
on “Memorial Day.” He was followed
ny Rev. J. H. Nor.-is, wno spoke lor a
few minutes ou “The Blue and the
Gray,” the and verdict a very of commendable all who heard address
was it.
Benediction was prpnounced by Rev.
Norris, after which the school children
together with the G. A. R. and mem-
tiers of the W. R. C. and Ladies ol the
G. A. R. proceeded to the cemetery
where the G. A. R. conducted the
beautiful service from the ritual and
the children, lovingly decorated the
graves of the soldier dead.