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About The Rockdale banner. (Conyers, Ga.) 1888-1900 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 25, 1899)
7 The Banner Will Give aud You AH y jhe News of Conyers Rock dale County. VOL. XXIV OUR MR. GAILEY LEAVES FOR NEW YORK SEPT. 2nd. Where Me W ill Purchase For Cash, A Complete Line of Dry Moods, Clothing, Hats, Shoes, Etc. On His Return This Space Will Show To Yon How Cheap You Can Buy New Goods For Cash BY CALLING AT THE » * a GAIL EC Y’ 1>E!Y GOODS CO. cl FIVE ■ MEN INDICTED For the Murder of Si Smith In Hall County, Ga., Jail. THE CHARGE MADE IS MURDER Indictments Brought About By Confession | of Hamilton Taylor Before the Grand Jury—Sheriff Contradicts Confession. As a result of the confession of Taylor Hamilton, the Hall county, Ga., grand jury has returned six true bills for murder against men whom Hamilton implicates in the lynching of Si Smith in the jail at Gainesville. The men indicted are: Taylor Hamilton, of Maysville. Oliver Bell, traveling salesman for Greshon Bros. & Bosenfeld, of At¬ lanta. Mark Bell, a prominent farmer of Cleveland, White county, Ga. Tom Bryson, a harness-maker of Gainesville. Charles Tanner, an employe of the G., J. and S. B. B. Gainesville. Henry Towry, a tinner, Gainesville. Tom Bryson, Charles Tanner and Taylor Hamilton are under arrest, but the two Bell boys and Henry Towry have left the country and no trace of them has been discovered in the ener¬ getic search that has been instituted for them for the past week. The grand jury recommended that Tanner and Bryson, who have been confined in the Gainsville jail, be re¬ moved to Atlanta for safe keeping. Judge Estes, of the Hall superior court, issued un order to Sheriff Mon¬ day to take the prisoners to Atlanta. The order was at once complied with. The recommendation of the grand jury and the consequent order of Judge Estes regarding the prisoners added to the already tremendous sen¬ sation, as it has been openly asserted that Sheriff Monday has known of the entire affair of the lynching from the beginning in to the end, and that he was Taylor sympathy with the alleged lynchers. Hamilton, in his confession, vows that the sheriff knew of it, and ; many witnesses before the grand jury gave Ou testimony pointing that way. Monday the other hand, Sheriff states emphatically that the men under arrest were not in the mob on tho flight of the lynching. Oil this testi¬ mony the fate of the prisoners de¬ pends. There is undoubtedly a feeling of great sympathy in the county for the T ? e shocking murder of the ged head of the family aroused the captured, everybody felt that he should receive the full extent of the law for his crime w.s captured on the 12th of !£%“o.“K? °f July 35 m nL I he was shot to death in his cell by a mob. The killing of Smith caused the greatest surprise in the community, for those interested in his capture and crime had brought him many miles through a mountainous country to the jail without molesta¬ tion. Governor Candler had offered a re- j of $500 for the capture of Smith *ith evidence to convict. The cap tors made application for the reward, The Rockdale Banner. but the governor refused to pay until the prisoner had been convicted. It is said in Gainesville that the doitbts ex¬ pressed hv the governor as to the evi¬ dence against Smith hastened the lynching. A striking feature of the whole affair is the fact that every man against whom the grand jury returned true bills figured prominently in the six weeks chase and capture of Smith. The best people of Gainesville and the vicinity believe that the right par ties have been discovered. Many of the state house officials in Atlanta, including Governor Candler, place implicit confidence in the confes¬ sion of Hamilton, and since the crime of lynching in the state has become so prevalent, a confession from one of the perpetrators could not fail to have fascinating powers for those who are determined to put a stop to the mob violence. The governor is especially interested in bringing to justice the men who are responsible for the inhu¬ man death of Si Smith and the conse¬ quent blot on the morals of Hall coun¬ ty, the governor’s home. FREEMAN WAS A DEAD SHOT. Four Men “Ealil Out” as Result of a Des¬ perate Duel In Louisiana. News has reached Shreveport, La., from Lake End, sixty miles southeast, on Bed river, in Natchitoches parish, of the most desperate duel that was ever fought in the state. It was a duel to the death between Callie Brown, Bobert Lee Brown and Dr. W. H. Glover on one side aud B. G. Freeman on the other. Free man shot to kill and with his first shots Callie Brown and Dr. Glover fell dead upon the floor. The duel occurred in Freeman’s store. The third shot from Freeman’s re¬ volver felled Bobert Lee Brown, who pleaded with Freeman to spare his life. The latter allowed Brown to leave the store by the front door. Brown stepped to the rear door and, taking deliberate aim, fired on the man who had a moment before given him a chance of escape with his life. Freeman, seeing Brown in the act of firing, raised his revolver, aud -with the precision which marked his former shots, sent a bullet through Brown’s breast and ere the echo of the deadly weapons died out both expired, leav idg four dead men on the floor of the store, All the participants in the duel were men of high standing. The trouble grew out of an old grudge between Callie Brown and Freeman. WORK BEGINS ON NEW ROAD. First Kail Laid on the Tennessee Central. lf800 Me.. Employe,!. - \ Chattanooga. ° Tenu.,dispatch says: fi t u w a3 laid on the Tenues rae nrsi iuhy miles of the track have been delivered. - ford",* T «*««• ““ BATTLESHIP READY FOR TRIAL. Tested l I r irst . The Alabama Will 15e or Time Ry Builders. A Washington dispatch says, ihe navy department has been notified that the battleship Alabama is so far a >ong that the ™ ade Monday, when she: wiB leave Cramps ship yard for a trip down to the capes and back. CONYERS, GA.. FRIDAY, AUGUST 25 1899 JIMINEZ UNDER ARREST. Candidate For Dominican Throne Is Experiencing Great Trouble, A special from Havana says; In view of the fact that Colonel Bacallao, chief of the secret police, persisted in his declaration that General Juan Isidro Jiminez, the aspirant to the presidency of Santo Domingo, was in Havana, either not having left, or having returned, the military authori¬ ties telegraphed to Cienfuegos in¬ structing Capt. Stamper, collector of customs, to ascertain whether Jimi¬ nez was on the Meuedez steamer and to take him under arrest if that should be the case. Just as the steamer was about leav¬ ing Cienfuegos, Captain Stamper lo¬ cated Jiminez and arrested him. Jim¬ inez denounced the arrest as an out¬ rage. He said that he had broken no law and would not yield except to force. Captain Stamper replied that he was ready to use force if necessary and Jiminez then yielded, remarking that he did so only because he could not help himself. Senor Frias, mayor of Cienfuegos, refused to make the arrest, claiming that General Jiminez was an old per¬ sonal friend whom he had known in¬ timately for years. When Jeminez was taken into custody, Senor Frias was found with a police inspector, in close conversation with Jiminez and the latter’s secretary. It is believed the mayor was urging him to leave the steamer, to conceal himself and wait for a better opportunity. Captain Stamper informed Jiminez that he would make him as comfortable as possible, and after Jiminez aud his secretary had packed their trunks they were accompanied by the chief of police and Captain Stamper to the Union hotel, where two bedrooms aud a dining room were placed at their dis¬ posal. under General Jiminez will be kept police charge until further advices are received from the governor general. There is much excitement among the people of Ceinfuegos over the affair. The sentiment is generally expressed that the authorities had no right to ar¬ rest Jiminez, an unarmed citizen, go¬ ing apparently to Santiago de Cuba, and the point is even made that, even if he were going to San Domingo, he would only be returning to his native country. FAVORABLE TO DREYFUS. Colonel Picquart’s Evidence Showed That Prisoner Was Innocent. Advices from Rennes state that when the Dreyfus courtmartial was re¬ sumed Friday morning Colonel Pic quart, former chief of the intelligence department of the war office, was called, continuing his deposition, which was interrupted by the adjournment of Thursday. discussed the secret Colonel Pieqnart mainspring of the dossier as being the condemnation of Dreyfus. His evi i the prisoner’s m dence teud s to show nocence. He took up the documents STSi^JUb j , referring to the writers of the letter, as “A” j ; ,rg >> Among those present and in | rt were Generals Zurlinden former minist ers of war. ! Maitre Moru»rd, "ho tbe case in behalf of the Dreyfus family ( for the revision 0 f the prisoners sen- tence, before the court of cassation, was present to assist M. Demange, of counsel for the defense. NO OFFICE AT LAKE CITY. Mail Facilities Mot Yet Re* limed In l.itlle South Carolina Town. The disposition of the Lake City, S. C., postoffice controversy is still undecided, despite contrary reports. The suggestion to re-establish the office and appoint a white woman as , postmistress was a tentative one, and while that course may be pursued, uo decision has been reached. A new factor in the case is an ad¬ verse report of an inspector on re-es¬ tablishing the office. The case has been under discussion at Champlain between President Mc¬ Kinley and Postmaster General Smith, Tobacco Stemmers Quit Work, About 100 tobacco stemmers, in the employ of W. F. Smith fc Co., export¬ ers of leaf tobacco, at Winston, N. C., went out on a strike Friday. They demanded an increase in wages, which was refused. TESTIFIED AGAINST DREYFUS. Three French Army Officer* Appear a» 'Witnesses IJefore Court martini. The stage in the Dreyfus courtmar tial at Bennes, France, Saturday, was occupied successively by three Generals enemies of Dreyfus, Major Cuignet, De Boisedeffre and Gonz, who from 6:30 until 11 a. in. mainly devoted themselves to reiterating what they had previously said in evidence against the prisoner, who followed them with characteristic composure; but when the moment came to reply the pris¬ oner delivered one of those brief ut¬ terances of indignation which have had such a powerful effect upon his hear¬ ers. The long monologues delivered by the witnesses at the beginning are heard with a certain restlessness which settles into general drowsiness upon tbe part of the majority of the au¬ dience, who are unable to catch one out of ten words spoken in conse¬ quence of the deplorable acoustic properties of the courtroom, The reporters are at au equal disadvan¬ tage, as only a score of them, imme¬ diately beneath the stage, can follow the proceedings intelligently. REED RESIGNS AT LAST. Ex-Speaker Notifies Governor of Maine That He Will Retire. The resignation of Thomas B. Beed, representative in congress from the first Maine district, was received by Governor Powers at Augusta, Maine, Tuesday. New York Mr. Beed will move to to engage in the practice of law. Since his return from Europe it has been said that the ex-speaker would not re¬ sign from congress, but would remain on the floor as the republican leader against the McKinley expansion policy. resignation, therefore, sets at The rest various rumors. FEARFUL HEAT IN TEXAS. Water Famine Is Threatened in Region Around Dallas. Advices of Tuesday from Dallas, Texas, says: The weather continues fearfully hot. For ten days past the thermometer has daily gone to 103 aud 106 in the shade. No such long continued horribly hot weather has ever been experienced in Texas. Water is giving out everywhere. GREAT STORM IS REPORTED Red Bay, On Island of Andros, Totally Destroyed. CORPSES BY THE HUNDREDS. An Eye Witness Estimates That Six Hundred Lives Were Lost. According to a Miami, Fla., dispatch to The Jacksonville Times-Uniou and Citizen, Captain Dillon, of the steamer Cocoa, states that the town of lied Bay, on the island of Andros, twenty miles southwest of Nassau, was swept away in the recent tropical hurricane and about 300 lives lost. An eye witness of the storm esti¬ mated that the loss of life on the island was fully COO. Scattered through the wreck of houses at lied Bay after the storm subsided, he said, were hund¬ reds of corpses of persons of all ages and classes. Captain Dillion saps tbe wind blew at the rate of ninety miles an hour at Nassau, with occasional gusts which reached tho velocity of 105 miles an hour. WILL ARREST Will! FLAPS. Rif? Mamineetlng Hold lu Greenwood, S. C., uixl Action Taken. The mass meeting to consider out¬ rages recently perpetrated Greenwood. on negroes S. in that section met in C., Friday pursuant to adjournment on Wednesday. The committee made its report that no effort had been made to excuse, shield or whitewash any oue, but that diligent inquiry had failed to elicit information sufficient to recommend the arrest of any one. They had made the discovery, how ever, that the situation was not as bad as reported in the newspapers be. While it or as they thought it to Phoenix riot, was all the outgrowth of the it had no direct connection with it. The several whippings at as many dif¬ ferent times and places were probably due to as many causes. The meeting evidently thought tbe committee had not been as thorough as it might have been in the investiga tion and several of the negroes who had been whipped, and who were pres ent, were called for and questioned, first having been pledged unanimous protection by the white people by a vote, for any informa on ie Y ml 8 give that would lead to the arrest of at least some of the gui y par les. The tales they told were harrowing in the extreme. Especially is this true of old mail Jake Richardson, as he told how they dragged him from a 8 i c k bed, beat him and assaulted Ins wife No one who looked in his face dou bted the truth of his statement, b nt unfortunately he would not di vulge the names of any of hie assail Five other negro§§ gave evidence Official Organ of Rockdale Couii ty. Has Largest Circulation in The County. C Cw against Joe Jones, Jesse Cauiey, Wil¬ liam Wilson and Robert MoCaulan, all white men, sufficient to warrant their arrest, and the sheriff will execute pa¬ pers against them at once, All the evidence went to show that there was a dozen or more of the whitecappors and still others may he arrested. Feeling over the matter is very much wrought up, but no further trouble is apprehended. THOMPSON IHiLLSOUT. Tlie Augusta unit Weft Florida Railroad <:hauic«s llnnd*. An Augusta, Oa,, dispatch says: Mr. Jesse Thompson confirms the re¬ port that ho has given an option for the sale of his railroad, the Augusta and West Florida. He did not say at what price, but said $600 had been paid on the option by Mr. T. J. Jones. The purpose of the prospective new owners is (o run tlio road from Wadley to Keysville on the Tenniiio division of the Southern, or failing in that, to run to Augusta. The road as original ly projected was by way of Eastman into Florida. FILIBUSTERS ARE ACTIVE. American V«kk«I« Are Vigilantly Guarding the Cuban Coast. News from Santiago do Cuba is to tlnj effect that the Dominican agents are rapidly recruiting expeditions in that part of the island, particularly on the north coast. All trading schooners are closely watched. The tug Adonis was armed and sent to Guantanamo to patrol the coast. It is certain that several expeditions have been able able to get away witb out any interfereuce, but General Leonard Wood, the military governor, is determined to do all in his power in enforce neutrality. KRUGER SENDS ANSWER. HrikIb Reply to Brttlfth Agent at Pretoria Rut Contents Are Unknown. A cable dispatch from Cape Town, South Africa, states that the Transvaal government, it is reported, has hand¬ ed its reply to the British agent at Pretoria to be forwarded to Sir Alfred Milner, British high commissioner for South Africa aud governor of Cape Colony. Conflicting accounts are given as to its contents and it is possible that the report is premature and that the reply will be delayed owing to the trouble with Portugal about the transport of ammunition consigned to the Trans¬ vaal. RUSHING THE WORK. Miil'llv Tennessee anil Alabama Railway Will Soon Be Completed. A dispatch from Decatur, Ala., says: \y or lc on the Middle Tennessee and Alabflmft va ;i roa(]i projected from Fay etteviHe> TeQJ > M is being stea dily sbed . fbe roftJ ig now completed to L ax, a sma u place in Limestone county, fonrteen mi i es from Decatur. The « grade from that point is all made and ^ t for the rest of the track lay have been Jet Coa ( Conibluatiou Completed. Mith the exception of , turning , •_______ o er the properties, the Pittsbur a., ott ‘ compauy, e com n completed operators of the Ibe Pitt..-Jjje ^^OOMOO <j»tiet, ofpre- is !*7and fo1 and & the the comnanv company is is a a go go.