Newspaper Page Text
• U ’ >iy : •
Z THE ATLANTA COMMERCIAL
Vol. 3. No. 216.
Ha Gives the Democratic Chairman
a Plain Lecture.
A STRONG PLEA FOR FAIR ELECTIONS.
The Great Revivalist Wants a Free Ballot
and a Fair Count at the Approach
ing Flections—promises Some
Kicking; if it Can't bo Had.
As predicted in The Commercial
Monday your Uncle Sam Jones has i
written a letter giving Chairman Clay
a piece of his mind for not agreeing to
Chairman Cunningham’s proposition
to pledge the Democratic and Popu
list parties to an equal division of
managers and clerks at the coming
* elections.
The Keverend Samuel “speaks out in
meetin” as he usually does, so far as
Chairman Clay is concerned, but the
scope of his utterances will be disap
pointing to the public in as much as he
declares that he is going to try Atkin
son one more time.
This was not expected of Mr. Jones.
He reformer to the backbone and
one who is able to detect a corrupt
demagogue at sight, and the fact that
he failed to declare for Wright may be
disappointing to the non-thinking, but
just wait. Your uncle Jones will get
there with both feet.it is said.
Here is the letter :
Cartersville, Ga., Sept. Btli, 1806.
Hon. A. S. Clay. Chairman of t he State
Democratic Elective Committee. At
lanta, Ga. :
Dear Sir—l have before me the cor
respondence between yourself and Mr.
J. D. Cunningham, chairman of the
People’s Party executive committee.
I have read the same with interest, as
the correspondence has to do with the
most important question before the
people of this state; for lam dealing
candidly with you when I say that the
issues between the Populist and Demo
cratic parties of this slate and nation
are so nearly wiped out by the similari
ty of the platforms of the two parties,
that really we only have left in Geor-s
gia today the two wings of the Popu- ■
list party instead of candidates with ;
platforms differing as Populists and !
Democrats once differed. Ln this cor
respondence you' give Mr. Cunning
ham notice, in your short letter of
September 3d, that the correspondence
between you and him is at an end.
You have ridded yourself of .Mr.
Cunningham so far as he is concerned,
but there are trainloads of fellows
in Georgia like myself who think hon
estly that you dodge the issue and beg
the question in your correspondence
with Mr. Cunningham. I am not writ
ing this article to you to impugn your
motives or to take issue, with you on
any point in either of your letters to
Mr. Cunningham. You agree to every
thing. Your opinions are all r
Your vietva’are all right as to an Iran-'
est election; but you kick clear out of
the traces when Mr. Cunningham
brings you to the point as to the meth
ods by which an honest ballot can be
bad, and it is on tliis point that I
would bring you to the taw-line, as we
boys used to say. It avails but little
for you to say that you need no in
struction in morals or honesty, or that
you have gone to the limit of your au
thority ns chairman of the Democratic
executive committee, or to talk to us
about what you are willing to do. In
this day of rings and rascality in. poli
tics the time lias come when a free bal
lot and a fair count is the only hope of
this country and the only bulwark that
lies between us and revolution.
Men who are honest and upright in
their business relations, men who
would disdain a dishonest act in pri
vate life,’are up to the tricks of trade
in politics. -There are many of us in
this state who believe that the Demo
cratic party of Georgia is no bitter in
life or at heart than the Democratic
party in Alabama or Louisiana; and
the angeis have not known in ten years
who was elected in those states to any
office. I doubt if there is an angel in
heaven who knows just how the elec
tion went in Georgia two years ago.
You Democrats admitted that your
majority was cut down from 80,000 tq
20,000—a big admission on your part.
The time is past for dallying w’th this
question. ll’ you would be fairly
treated at the bands of the people you
must tote fairly with the people, The
- worst outlawed thing in the United
States today is a prize fight, and yet as
low down as it is they demand fair
play in the ring, and if one slugger
hits the other below the belt, time is
■ailed, the lick declared a foul, and the
other fellow gets the victory and the
cash.
Negroes will sit down peaceably and
shoot craps all day until they find that
one of their crowd has run a loaded
dice on them. Then the devil’s to pay.
If fair dealing is demanded in a low
down negro game of craps or a prize
fight, when it comes to the ballot box,
the most sacred thing a freeman has to
do with, then we must have a free bal
lot and a fair count. Fouls and frauds
must not enter there, I know it lias
been tlie cry of Democratic politicians
that a free ballot and a fair count
means negro domination. IVo never
bad negro*domination in the South but
once and that but for a short time.
When the federal bayonets were be
hind the negro and the scalawags were ’
in front of him he reigned supreme for
a few short weeks; but so soon as the
federal bayonets were removed from
behind him he dropped to his level and
has remained there ever since. You
know and I know that the federal bay
ynents will not be behind him again,
»nd that negro domination in the
South can never be until in character,
history, science, art, literature, wealth,
md manhood the negro shall be at
home above us.
You know me well enough to know
(hat I am no sore-headed politician.
You know me well enough ‘to know
that I am buntiog for no office in the
gift of the people of Georgia, now or
hereafter. You know that the people,
of Georgia cannot now, or in any fu-l
tore day, give me a postof honor high- I
er than the one I now have as a plain
minister of the gospel. You know they ;
can give me a place no more promi
nent than the one I have, or where the I
salary could be augmented. Hut lam |
candid when 1 say to you that I voice ;
(lie sentiment of every honest man in
Georgia when I say that candidates!
and platforms dwindle into insignifi-;
entice before <he question at is,u-be
tween you and Chairman Cunni ogham.i
When Mr. Cunningham, as chairman j
of the Populist party, asked at your
hands that you pledge the chairman of
the Democratic executive committee
of every county in this state upon bis
honor to exert his utmost influence
that both parties shall be represented
jon the boarcLof electors and clerks at
both state atiu national elections, and
;so on, you seem to fly the track and;
say it is a reflection on the Democratic I
party. The Democratic party in toto
in Georgia cannot be trusted as to
everything. 'There are good men in
the Democratic party in Georgia, but |
they are not all good men by a jug full, j
You remember the Tenth district, 1
reckon, in Black and Watson’s day. It ;
makes me laugh today to think of dear,
; good Brother Black when they got him
on tlie Democratic train in the tenth I
district; and when it started off whiz
zing around the curves, the dear, good
brother sat in the rear coach and held
■ his seat and held his breath, lie was I
afraid even to go into tire aisle of the |
car or go on the platform. The thing I
was running too fast for him; and you
remember that as soon as the train ;
stopped be got off and gave them to
understand: “Boys, that is the fastest,
riding I "ever did in my life.” Ho has
got so now he won’t go to the depot to :
seethe trains pass.
The Democrats unfortunately have,
always had in th® South the thugs of 1
the saloons with them, the town, wire- :
puller or ward heeler. Maybe you fel- ;
lows at the top don’t know what’s going
on at the bottom. Maybe you are pow
erless to regulate the bottom; but ray
dear Steve, wo must have an honest
election in Georgia this time. As. I have
said before, you and Mr. Cunningham
aeree in opinions, views and notions
about an honest election, but you re
mind me of the preachers in some of
the cities I have visited. They would
hold a preachers’ meeting and agree
that the devil was in town and agree
that he ought to be run out, but when
they come to discussing the method by
which it was done, the whole thing
broke up in a row. I believe you are
honest when you say you want a fair
election; bet, my- dear Steve, you will
have to lino your crowd up, corral them
and put halters on them and tie some of
them to a stob in order to haw? it.
I am candid when I say to you that
I never have dabbled in the politics of
this state since 1 was converted to God
twenty-four years ago. I had chewed
up a few ballots after midnight before
that date. I have never meddled with
the politics of this state, and you know
jit. lam not championing the cause
;of Seab Wright and the Pops, nor
shall I canvass or take the stump in
! this canvass. lam no Pop, nor the
| son of a Pop, nor the daddy of a Pop.
I didn’t attend the big Pop meeting
in 200 yards of my home tlie other
day. I sat down and watched the pro
cession go and come, but I didn’t go to
it. lam not near as much of a Pop as
you are, and the gang you are going
with is, because in my honest judg
ment the only difference between the
present so-called Democrats of Geor
gia and Populists is that one ishigls
cock-a-lorum and the other is low
cock-a-liiram. But Steve, we must !
have a fair election.' There is a whole i
train load of us fellows who want you
J.to do. xqur tv-st. »i'inl we won't-be
lieve you have done your best
till you have both parties, repre
sented by the chairman of each county
executive committee,. sign a pledge
that his county shall have each party
represented on the board of election
managers and clerks. If the Pops act
the dog you can catch them by that
rule, and if the Democrats act the dog
the Pops can catch them. From the
record of the part ies in the Tenth dis
trict 1 think both parties will bear
watching. What do you think?
I am nut talking on the merits of the
two parties or the two candidates. . I
am talking about a fair election. Gov
ernor Atkinson has made a splendid
governor. lam his friend in every
sense. Seab Wright would make a
good governor. He is a clever fellow,
and no more of a Pop than Atkinson
is, to take the platforms of the two par
ties into consideration. It is not a
question of. fitness or unfitness, good
ness or badness, planks nor platform of
either party. 1 tell you, Steve, we
want an honest election —a free ballot
and a fair count from Cumberland
Island to the north edge of Dade, from
the Savannah river to the Alabama
line—a free ballot and a fair count
now and forever in Georgia.
Don’t yon tell me that my insinuations
in this letter about the Democratic par
ty are unworthy of reply. Remember, I
have been a Democrat. In sections y<>n .
are all right. You don’t have to do any- !
thing wrong. I believe a majority of i
the Democrats want to do the clean
thing, and they will do it unless ■it is I
tremendously necessary that they do the I
dirty thing. You say you cannot do any
more than you have done. There is one
thing lam sure you can do. if you can
not control your crowd to the under
standing and settlement of a method by
which this election can be conducted
fairly, you can resign and let some other
fellow try it. 1 wouldn’t bo the chair
man of a dog kennel if I couldn’t man
age my dogs.
I believe, Mr. Clay, that you can
enter into an agreement with the
chairman of the Populist party and
have the managers of the election of
this state pledge themselves to see to
it that the other parties are repre
sented in managers and clerks in this
election. You say you have no
authority to force them to do it. You
can sign an agreement with Mr. Cun
ningham that you will do your best to
line up your crowd and you had better |
doit. 1 don’t know whether you are |
familiar with the rules of apostolic |
j succession or not, as taught by the I
Episcopal church, but if you fellows at '
the head of the Democratic party don’t ,
come to time on this election then I '
want to say to you as one citizen of j
this state I shall be on hand, I’rovi- j
dence permitting, in any future elec
tion in this state to take the stump I
and I shall take pleasure in reproduc- !
ing this correspondence and bringing;
the charges on you boys from the wire- ’
grass regionsof the South to tlie moan- !
tains of northeast Georgia, where the
wbangdoodle mournetli. If you do not j
do your best—and I don’t believe you
have done your best —to have a fair ;
election in this state on October 6th, |
I or resign your position, then 1 am can- '
; <!id when I say your name ij Dennis in
j Georgia. You are the head of the
' whole business of the Democratic party j
■in this state. I keep tellingyou that.
'lf any living man can Jim? them up j
I and ring them up you are the fellow. ;
i Make them come to time, Steve, and I
j let’s have a fair election. You will do :
; honor to yourself and honor to your
state, and if the Democrats as you call |
, them roll up a majority cf 100,000 it is
\ all right with me.
You can not answer this letter by
i saying you have done so and so, unless •
; you have settled on a method by which !
ATLANTA, GA.. THURSDAY AFTERNO'ON, SEP lEMBEK 10, 1896.
A
| you will make your gang come to time. :
, And don’t forget the issue between |
! yourself and your humble servant, that ;
ail this don’t amount to anything tin- ‘
less you shall settle upon a method by i
which an honest election in Georgia [
| can be held. Your sending out re- ■
' quests and instructions, and so on, to 1
i your crowd won’t do,Steve. Some peo- j
; pie think already they see a negro in I
the wood pile. Your grand old party I
is lining up the negroes so your papers
. say; and to be candid with you I fear i
; that it is down in the black belt of the ;
I state that the big majority is coming I
from and I fear there is where the '
trouble is going to be with a
free ballot and a fair count, i
!That is where Alabama got her
j big Democratic majority, ts you .re-j
; member. That is where Louisiana
rolled them up mountain high. If
i Louisiana and Alabama Democrats are
; any worse than Georgia Democrats
| they just had to be. You know there
|is a heap in having to do a thing.
Steve. I keep on telling you you must
! not getaway from the issue. You must
agree upon a method by which this
election can be held fairly. You have
; got to do this, Steve, or do worse. You
: say you can’t make your crowd doauy
j thing, you have not got the authority.
I You seem to have no more authority
and influence with your crowd than
j Cunningham has with you. It seems
j that Cunningham has not been able to
make you do anything yet, but he has
done you like you have done your
crowd—lie has recommended some
things.
Don’t get mad, Steve, but let’s have a j
fair election one time, and when it is!
over lot’s know it is fair. I know you !
will feel good then. We ■.on’t have to
have any other sort of elections in Geor
gia. If the party you have the honor to
be the bead of in this state keeps
broadening its platform it will soon take
in all the other parties, and really we
will then only have oue party iu Georgia
and thero will ba no necessity for any
thing going wrong.
But will you, or will you not, join
the chairmen of the Populist and Re
publican executive committees in a
supreme effort to have'tlie managers in
each county pledge themselves over
their own signatures to give each party
representation as manager and clerk
at every voting precinct in Georgia?
Not whelheryou can get them to do it,
but will you honestly endeavor, coun
sel and advise them to do such a thing?
You know all I want is a lair elec
tion. You say you want it. Now
pitch in and let’s have it.
Yours truly, Sam P. Jones. •
JIM THE PENMAN NEXT.
A Strong Sensational llrama Will be Fol
lowed by
The theatre goers of Atlanta will be
more than pleased that we will have
with us at the Lyceum Friday and
Saturday that very sensational drama,
“Jim The Penman . ”
Mr. Frank C. Rango, as the star, is
well known to Atlantians, from bis in
! terpretation of the part of the “Silver
; King.”
Miss Marie Edilli Rice, the leading
l-vlv of »,hi«,<am.uie./‘-.1-o-.-is not
talented, bub one of the most beautiful
actresses in America. She was for
about three years a leading figure on
the operatic stage.
Miss Rice is bright and witty- as
well as beautiful.
There have been a great many
changes for the better at the Lyceum.
The new orchestra has proven Io be of
the very best with Mr. Frank Lilly at
the head.
With a hustling manager and com
petent employes, we predict a bright
and successful’future for the Lyceum.
“Jim the Penman” will he followed
by that very funny comedy “A Gay
Old Boy” with Joseph Hart about
whom so many pleasant things have
been said by the press in the different
cities where he appeared last season.
Mr. Hart, we have looked on for some
time past as a comedian of great prom
ise. lie lias all the elements that go
to make the succes :ful actor in the line
he has chosen,
He has a good conception of the
ludicrous, versatile powers an an imi
tator. A voice that provokes a smile
of itself, and a manner well adapted to
the presentation of the comicalities of
life. Tlie management claim to have
surrounded Mr . Hart with the strong
est company of players ever organized
in support of a musical farce star,
among whom are Carrie de Mar, the
j great “Fleurette” from Rice’s 1192 Co.,
j Leona Arnrose, Nellie Hartley, Miram
j Martell. Al. Leech, Frank Gardner,
| Robert Evans, Donald Harold.
’’LACED IN JAIL.
A Boy Was Out on Bail Turned
< jr by Ills BqntMtnen.
Ernes' Gandy, a 17-year-old white
boy was placed in jail at the instance
of his bondsmen this morning.
Sometime ago young Gandy was ar
rested for stealing four dollars from
his mother, Mis. Rube Dickey, lie
had a commitment trial and was put
under bond.
While enjoying liberty it seems that
lie was attracted by a very costly pis
tol belonging to his stepfarther, Rube
Dickey, and took it.
Later on be sold the pistol to Jailor
Eubanks for the small sum of one dol
lar. Captain Eubanks had no idea
that the pistol was stolen.
The loss of the pistol, however, was
| discovered, and the owner had the boy
arrested When this fact reached the
I ears of Gaudy’s bondsmen t hey decided
! to turn him over to the authorities.
INDICTED CLARK.
Grand Jury Find** 'lrin. Bill Against Him
for .Murder.
J.C.Clark, who shot and killed If. j
j R. Duckworth in a Broad street saloon ;
last June has been indicted for murder J
: by the grand jury.
Both of the men were negroes and
good friends. Before dying Duek
' wort!) stated the killing was purely ac
j cidentaL The coroner’s jury ton nd a
j verdict of manslaughter but Clark was
; dismissed when tried before a justice
. of the peace.
Clark has been arrested mil will be
kept in jail to await trial at the Octo- I
- ber term of the superior court.
' -
A War V«t«ri>n C inked »o Death.
New Brunswick, N. J., September ;
i 10.—William W. Alston,aged 60 years,
; of this city, was eat ing dinner with his
■ family at his home in Sommei'set street I
when a piece of food became wedged i
injiis throat. He gave a Jong look ac |
| his daughter, who was seated opposite
him, and fell from his chair. Efforts
Ito dislodge the food wit • futile, and
Alston was choked to death. He was a
veteran of the war, having served iu j
J theTirst Cavalry )
BODY FAST TO THE ENGINE.
. She aim! Iler Brother-In-Law Killed
HoriM Stripped of-hiirnMi and Unhurt.
Middletown, N. Y t ‘, September 10. —
James Cunningham and tiis sister-in
law, Margaret CUn'ninghatn, while
i driving across the Ontario and Wes
‘ tern tracks at Crawford junction at
? four o’clock yesterday afternoon were
, struck by a train rtirt ning sixty miles
ian hour, and were killed instantly.
I I he harness was stripped completely
| Goin the horses, which escaped unin
jured. The wagon was splintered to
I kindling wood. The woman was
; thrown on the cowcatcher of the eu
i gine, and she remained there until the
train was stooped half a mile from
where the accident if curred. The body
was wedged in so t eat it could be re
moved only withthe greatest difficulty.
Engineer Harvey Moore was so
overcome that he. was compelled to
leave his engine on arriving at this
city. A baby’s ci»p was found near
wheqe the accident, occurred, but a
search has failed ‘to reveal that a
child was killed.
The couple came to this city with a
load of produce, an-.f Cunningham, be
fore starting for home, became drunk.
When killed he was running his
horses in an attempt to pass in front
of the train. He witS'a well-to-do far
mer.
IT IS TOR BRYAN.
The American R ill-way Union will
Support the Nebraskan.
HE REPRESENTS THEIR VIEWS.
A Rullroxtl Pre«l<le»t (Trlea to Correa Ills
FuiployerM lut«» Sjupporth>K Sound
Money CautiitlMoCS—They Ke*
Rt*nt the JnierCerance.
Terre Haute, Ind., September 10.—
The directors of thd American Rail
way Union last night, issued an ad
dress to all member^of the American
Railway Union andt-oall railway em
ployes iu the denounc
ing the coercion of railway employes
to join McKinley “s.iund money" clubs
and calling on all w!&e earners to Vote
for Bryan. The address is signed by
Eugene V. Dobs, Janies IL Egan, Sil
vester Kelihor, William E. Burns, R.
Goodwin and M. J. Elliott.
The address says the coercion prac
ticed is of monstrous importance, de
scribes the methods practiced as
“astounding,” says She round bouses,
depots and shops have temporarily
been converted in political wigwams
and that employes are intimidated by
the railway managers.
“We know of many instances,” con
<i;imw tl:o addrv,“.vlioro employes
are plainly given tq understand that
their continuance in service depends
upon their supportir g the gold .stand
ard candidates. The country stands
amazed at such bold and shameless in
timidation.”
The address declares that it is not
free silver alone that lias enraged the
railroad moloch, but the attack in the
Democratic platform on government
by injunction. This, it snys, is the
milk in the cocoanut. The injunction
history of Hie Toledo, Ann Arbor and
North Michigan road, and the Jenkins
injunction restraining employes from
quitting the serVice of the Northern
I’acific because of a reduction of wages
under a penalty of being committed to
jail are reviewed. The election of
McKinley, the circular says, would
mean the perpetration of government
by injunction, the supremacy of the
corporations and the helpless subjec -
tion of employes.
The Democratic platform is com
mended.
In conclusion the address says:
“We pledge our united and unwav
ering support to William J. Bryan and
appeal to all railway employes and all
workingmen to join with us in rebuk
ing corporate tyranny.”
Judge CaldwellJs . designation of
Bryan’s nomination as the greatest
since Lincoln was heartily concurred
in.
Sedalia, Mo., September 10.—Unus
ual efforts to enforce the vote of rail
way employes are beiifg used through
out the southwest. Ipjndreds of cir
cular letters have been received at the
Sedalia postofllce for railway men.
The latest is a circular sent out by
The Railway Ag“. Following is the
tit le page:
“Free coinage—the effect it would
have on railways and railway men,
being a letter from Henry G. Rouse,
president of t he M issouri, Kansas and
Texas railway company, published by
request, from the Railway Age, Chi
cago.”
The circular is dated 45 Wall street,
New York, July 31st, and contains
about 2,')00 words.
President Rouse declares in his let
ter that the hard times are due to sil
ver agitation, and after discussing the
silver qqestion at length, says:
“The effect of this upon the wage
earner and all railway employes is self
evident, for unless wages double he
will be a poorer man than he was be
fore. The purchasing power of the
so-called dollar is to be cut in half; to
this extent he will be impoverished
unless bis wages advance proportion
i ately. But all in the net revenues of
the railway companies are already ex
! pended ill the, psyni'iil of existing
wages and other expenses, and there is
nothing lefl'to nn*t any fresh de
mand.”
He says disaster to the railroads
would follow free coinage,because they
could receive revenue from traffic in
silver and would have to pay interest
on their mortgages in gold.
President Rouse informs his thous
j nnds of employees that they would get
I but 53 cents for every dollar they have
lin savings banks. He concludes by
saying:
“Leaving the higher motive of hon
esly and patriotism out of considera
i tiou, self-interest should prompt every
; workingman to annotiuce by his vote
!in November for the ‘sound money’
' standard.”
The employes of the railway shops
here have received these circulars.
; Some of tile men became so indignant
that they stamped these missives under
' their feet, while others dare uol uiaui-
J lest their indignaUuti.
,| NOT FOUND VET. ”
- The Effort to Recover Delbridgo’s
Body Unsuccessful.
3 1
; SOKE CLAIM HE. IS STILL ALIVE.
' Tiio Mlsslne Man Had Fifty Thousand
Dollars Worlli ot lusnrauce on Ills
. Life—The .Sloat of It Taken
Out a Mouth Ago.
1 The body of Mr. Thomas J.Delbridge
. who is supposed to have been drowned
■ while bathing in the pond at Lakewood
j park on Monday evening, has not yet
been recovered.
The search for the body begun night
before last within an hour or two after,
1 the empty boat was fotitiii drifting on
the lake.
Early yesterday morning vastcrowds
repaired to the lake and nearly every
one who could swim or row a boat
joined in the effort to recover the body.
The work of dragging the bottom of
, the lake was at first .very imperfect
because of the absence of the right
kind of drags.
Yesterday morning, however, several
blacksmiths in the city were put to
work and by an early hour a number
of drags were made and sent out to the
lake. These were at once put into tlio
hands of competent men and every
1 part ol the lake’s bottom, where it was
thought, probable that the body might
be located, was raked over. >
The offer ot'the SSG reward by Mr.
C. IV. Motes, the father-in-law of the
missing man stimulated extraordinary
exertions on the part of many to find
’j the body who would have otherwise
been only spectators.
In the afternoon dynamite was em
ployed and the water was literally
clinrtieu by explosions, but the only
iliings that were brought to tlie siir
lace were a lot of dead ilsh and muddy
" sediment.
It was nearly eleven o’clock last
night when those who had been ex
ploring the mysterious depths of the
big lakh, relaxed their efforts and went
to their homes tired and discouraged,
i Among those who took part in the
. search for I lie body were several of the
relatives of the missing man.
Mr. C. W. Motes, the father-in-law,
f worked like a Turk all day. Captain
■ Hollis wns equally as active. Lie bad
charge of the dynamite explosions and
did very effective work.
The scene at the home of t he missing
■ man yesterday was oue that beggars
- discription.
, Mrs. Delbridge was prostrated by
the terrible osdeal and her condition
was such as to excite alarm.
f All through ttie day the bei'il iful
s lit! le home of Air. Delbridge on Wliite
y hall street was crowded with sympa
’ t bizing friends. They went there to
offer such consolation as they could to
- those who watphed and wailed for
s tidings whiijii jtii y kiietv in their
t hearts could not bring a surcease of
suffering.
3 One of the most pathetic spectacles
- was the grief of Dr. G. W. Delhi idge,
s the old gray haired lather ol' the miss
ing mail. He could not refer to the
disappearanee of his son witnout
t weeping bitterly. It was easy to be
seen that he tried to cuntrol bis emo
,, tions, hut the paternal i. ve that in
. vested the memory of the absent boy,
( , was too great to bo kept in restraint,
, and he yielded the tribute of his
I stricken heart in tears.
s The crowd at the hike this morning
, was as large as it was yesterday and
j there were twenty boats with from
s one to ten drags each, employed all
, the morning.
t There was no dynamite used this
I morning but it will be employed this
t afternoon.
~ | This may be rendered unnecessary,
however, for a novel scheme was hit
upon by some genius in the crowd
. this morning by which every foot of
the lake’s bottom will be touched by
the drags.
_ He stretched a rope across the lake
I and then plneed the twenty boats
j alongside and had them to proceed
slowly down the rope until the oppo-'
site bank was reached. On each suc
f Cessive trip the rope is to be changed
t until the entire lake is covered.
j It was suggested yesterday that the
lake be drained but this will hardly be
done until sufficient time shall have
been given the body to rise to the sur
face from natural causes
- The relatives of the missing man are
- firm in the belief that the body is on
- tlie bottom of the lake and resent the
' dual ideas advanced that Delbridge
eit her committed suicide or is not dead
f at all.
s Hi nee the lake has been so thorough
ly dredged it has become open talk that
1 Delbridge is still alive. This theory
> was strengthened when it. became
. known that the missing man had in
! suraine on his life to the amount of
r $50,000.
A great many Bold to the belief that
the young man went to the lake with
> the set purpose to convey the idea that
9 he met death while bathing, and ar
ranged all the details so that they
- would suggest such a theory. They
- think lie left the sixty dollars in the
- clothes ho took off so as to disarm sus
picion, and after donning the battling
- suit, rowed to another parr, of the lake,
f where he had other clothes concealed.
* Their theory is that Delbridge then
. dressed himself in the concealed
• clothing and left the country, believ-
> ing the public would consider him
1 drowned, nnd t hat the insurance coin-
- panies wilt) which lie held policies
f w'ould pay over the money to his es-
- tate.
f The companies with which the miss
s ing man was insured are almost un-
- animous in this theory and their
agents declare they will not pay out
s any money until tangible evidence is
t produced that the benificiary is really
i dead. For this reason they demand
I that the bike be drained or the dead
I body of Delbridge be otherwise pro-
- j duced.
t i A suspicious circumstance combat
i ting the theory that Delbridge was
f i accidentally drowned is the vast
I amount of insurance liikpiled upon his
- i life just a few weeks before lie disap
-1 peared. Up to a year ago lie had only
j two or three thousand dollars on ills
f life. Most of the insurance was taken
’ out during the month of August and
(on some of the policies the first pay
s i ments had not been made except by
i. note.
t 11 whs reported tliis morning that
r Delbridge tried to secure a ten thous
and dollar policy With tlie Fidelity
Mutual, of I‘biiidelpbia, only a tew
days ago, but was turned down by Mr.
Charles Beck, the local agent, because
he wanted to give his mile for the first
payment.
, The following are the companies he ]
was insured in at tlie time of his dis
appearance :
Mutual Life, R. F. Sheddon, general
agent, SIO,OOO |
‘ New York Life, Livingston Mims
general Southern agent. SIO,OOO.
i Preferred Accident, John It. Thorn- i
ton agent, SS,O(H).
Aetna Life, William H. Bone agent,
$5,000.
German-Amerionn, J. G.West agent.
$5,000.
Connncticut Mutual, $2,000.
Massachusetts Benefit, A. E. Choate. 1
agent, $5,000. .
Golden Chain, secret order, $3,000.
Royal Arcanum,Secret order, $3,000. '
Home Forum, secret order, $2,000. '
FIRE AT STONE MOUNTAIN.
Venable Hrothers Lose » Hern and Stable 1
Thin Morning. *
A stable and barn belonging to Vena- 1
ble Bros., was burned at Stone Motin- j
tain at 3 o’clock this morning. ) 1
One mule was slighily buyned and
two horses narrowly escaped death
from Hie flames. The loss will amount 1
to $1,200. There was no insurance.
FARMER ON TRIAL..
The Fort Gains|Merchnnt Arraigned
i in the City Court.
S ENSATIONAL CHARGES AGAINST HIM.
WltneNgc* Testify Ho Made Folse Kepre
seiHatlonN iu Order to Obtain Credit
uud Miitltt ho AMsigtiment
• to Ills Wife.
T. L. Farmer, of Fort Gaines, wa*
placed on trial in tlie criminal branch
of the city court, tills morning.
Farmer is tlie merchant who is
charged with swindling the Coleman
Burden and Warthen company, a
wholesale shoe concern of this city.
Farmer was arrested in December,
1895, and brought to Atlanta for a
commitment trial. Judge Bloodworth
' compelled him'to give bond and bound
hint over to the city court.
For various reasons tlie case was
postponed from mouth to month until
, it was finally called fortrial yesterday.
The state wanted to introduce Mrs.
Farmer as a witness and asked for de
lay in order that she might be brought
from Fort Gaines.
When Hie court reconvened tliis
- morning it was reported to Judge
> Berry that. Mrs. Farmer was ill and
> could not leave her home. The judge
r I ordered the trial to go on without Mrs.
!• harm.-1.
f The prosecution is represented by
Attorneys Glenn A Rountree and J.
i W. Moyes who assisted Col. J. J l ’.
, O’Neill. Judge James A. Anderson, of
■ this city, Messrs. Clarnnce Wilson and
• j John I). Fambeau, of Fort Gaines, are
, ; defend i ng Farmer .
■ I Judge Anderson presented a <lemur-
■ | rer and asked that the case be ilismissed ,
- on occounv of alleged defects in the ,
,! warrant under which Farmer was held,
, The demurrer was overruled by Judge
i Berry and the trial ot the case was
begun.
; Several witnesses for the state were
examined who gave very damaging
i evidence against l he’accused.
The evidence will not be concluded
until a late hour this afternoon ami the
i verdict may notin' reached until night,
i There a large number of witnesses to
be examined. Six have come from
Fort Gaines The expenses of the
. I trial will be very heavy, probably
! amounting to as much as SSOO.
| Farmer is an aged man who has lived
in and upoiind Fort Gains all of his life. .
He was never considered wealthy, hut ,
. several years ago opened a dry goods
; and furniture store there. He had ,
previously married Mrs. Rosa Loney,
a widow with a neat little fortune of ,
• her own. ,
1n J line, 1995, Farmer came to At-
lanta to purchase some goads from the ;
i Coleman, Burden, Warthen Company. ,
■ Ills bill amounted tea little more than
SSOO. The goods were shipped to him ,
with the understanding he would pay ,
for them October Ist.
■ Business did not. prove good and in !
Sentember tlie Fort Gaines inerciianl
■ failed. Ilis Atlanta creditors got noth-L
irig and brought suit against him for ,
cheating and swindling. They claimed (
lie obtained the goods liy making false ,
representations and had him bound
. over by a justice of the peace,
The Atlanta firm alleges Farmer
■ pretended to be a wealthy planter who
expected to make 150 or 209 bates of
cotton in the fall. It is claimed
he said lie did a cash business,;.
. supplying goods on credit only to i
the hands on his own team. The ,
, creditors say all these representations
were false and made for tlie purpose of
deceiving and defrauding them.
People in Fort Gaines are very much ,
stirred up over Hie case, most of the
people being inclined to sympathize
with Farmer.
i
JONES AVENUE BRIDGE.
Work Hill fleeii Flnlslie'l unit It Is Huw
Itamljr Fur Traffic.
Jones avenue bridge lias been open- ;
ed to the public. ; i
The bridge has been in process of j ,
construction during tlie past six i
months by the Toledo Bridge -compa- |
ny, of Toledo, Ohio.
Iron and steel are the materials used 1
and tlie structure is said io be one of
tlie best in tire city. <
People in West Atlanta are delight- i
led with tlie bridge which will afford <
! them safer means of coming into the
; business portion. <
j ,
AN INDOOR TRACK. ' I
Oue Will be Located Mt Piedmont Patk
fur CyclUta.
At a meeting of tlie bicycle dealers
anil riders held iu tlie Y. M. U. A.
i building yesterday afternoon it was
i decided to build a bicycle track at i
I Piedmont park.
Tlie track will be located in the l
liberal arts building, and will be a11
splendid place for riding during cold <
:! nnd rainy weather. It is estimated
the track will cost $1,500 winch is to!
be paid for iu menib;*rslnp fees of $5 a '
r !jf ea JL K J
P lit OST'7O CENTS,
lbcAi7mnn rates
Railroad Commissioners 3-y They
Must Bo Equalized.
HEARING TODAY IN SENATE CHAM
llußlucHM Men From n<‘Org;la
Tuivuc Make O»'.iplaints— ('<»). Trii’.n
nisdl Snyn the Stat*fudv^trieg
Must Be Frotccced—OGi< ials Talk.
Railroad officials and business m»n
throughout the country are anxiously
awaiting the action of the railroad
commissioners of, Mie different South
ern states.
The decisions of the cpminissiont
will probably determine whether ths
reduced rates brought on by the pres
ent war will be made to apply equally
to all points in the South.
The G O’gi.i commission is investi
gating the matter today. Chairman
L. N. Trammell, Judge Allen Fort, and
Mr. T. C. Crenshaw, tlie three comniis
sinners, were present this morning
when the investigation began.
Owing to the large nismber of people
in attendance at the meeting it was
held in the senate chamber. Commis
sioners J. W. Wilson, of North Caro
lina and D.W. Evans, of South Caro
lina, occupied seats upon the platform
with the Georgia commissioners.
Arming the prominent railroad men
present, were Commissioner Haines, of
the Freight association ; Masers. 11. M.
Comer and W. A. Winburn, of the Cen
tral of Georgia Railway; J. S. B.
Thompson and J. M. Culp, o' the South
ern Railway ; A. G. Jackson and T. K.
Scott, of the Georgia Railrowd; R. G.
Stone and J. Lane, of the Georgia
Southern and Florida; S. B. Capy, ot
the Plant system; J. M. Brown, of the
Western and Atlantic; E. St. John, V.
E. Mcßee, J. B. Glover at»d R. J.
Cheatham, of the Senboyrd Air Line.
The boards of trade of Savannah,
Columbus, Macon and Griffin were rep
resented by delegations.
At 10:12 a. m. Commissioner Tram
mel called the meeting to order. Ha
said the first, thing tho commission de
sired was to learn what rates would ba
fixed for the different towns in tha
state.
Col. Trammel said the impression
had gotten abroad that tin? commission
wanted to retaliate upon the railroads
for cutting the rates, but tliis was un
true. He feared for the manufactur
ing interests of the different towns of
the state and thought it was the duty
of tliii commission to protect them. Ho
hoped the railroads would bo able to
agree upon satisfactory rates. If they
did not the commission take a
hand and force them to do so.
Commissioner J. W.Wilson, of North
Carolina, said he hoped the war might
soon end ns it was detrimental to all
business interests. He believed one or
tlie other of two big
would he forced to the wall. To avoisi
sueli a calamity he thought it would be
well to leave the whole matter to arbi
trators selected from Northern rait
rond men of undoubted ability nod in
tegrity. Ila advised that tho cut rates
be withdrawn until the arbitrators
made a report.
Commissioner Haines, of the South
ern States Freight association, was
called upon to furnish the new rates
for the different places in the state.
He explained that the rate sheet had
not yet been prepared but would be
made up by adding the old local rate
to the new Atlanta rates. For instance,
the rate to Rome from New York
would be Hie rate from New York to
Atlanta plus the percentage of
the old rate from New York which
formerly went to the line between At
lanta and Rome.
Mr. Haines said the roads in the as
sociation were anxious to protect tha
industries on their lines and would
make special rates for them. He
thought t he railroads ought to bo given*
an opportunity to fix rates before the
commission interfered.
‘lf there is any discrimination
againstsome points in the state,” con
tinued Mr. flaiines, “there is no way it
can ti • remedied except by a re.-itoration
of llieistnte of things that existed be
fore the rate war began. 1 believe tbit
to be, under the circumstaiicos, impos
sible ”
Repre/; itatives from Savannah, Ma
con, and Griffin asked Mr. Haines ques
tions about the rates to those cities.
* .’apt. D. G. !’urse,of Savannah, in be
half of the businessmen of that city
protested against the existing rates
and asked the commissioners to pul a
stop to the rat<* war if they could.
Complaints were also made by repre*
sentatlves ot the boards of trade of
several other cities.
Mr. Glover, of the Seaboard Air
Line, furnished tin' commissioners
with tlie rates now in force on that
line. A short address was made by
Mr. Jos’phM. Brown, of tlie Western
and Atlantic railroad. At 12:15 p. m.,
the meeting adjourned until 2 :,kl
o'clock.
STATE TAX RETURNS.
A Decrease <>t 8700.000 1 rom tbu Figaret
Ol Last Year.
Tlie total tax returns of the stats
show a comparatively small decrease.
in 1895 there was a general decrease
in the returns, making "a difference of
sl2,ooo,ooobetween tin? returns of that
year and those ot 1895.
Ibis year the falling off is only
$648,423 from the returns of 1895. Most
ni the counties in which the larger
cities are located show losses. The re
turns from country counties show
gains.
Tho following counties, which
large tax returns, show decreases:
Fulton, $637,795; Bibb. $534,235; Mus
cogee, $923,622; Richmond, $1,870.
Chatham county Ims an increase of
$181,898 over last year.
Tlie greatest increase is in Irwin
county, where the new town of Fitz
gerald is located. The returns from
that county show a gain of $1,731,854.
WON HER SUIT.
Aunle Dlu»u Kecnwys Property
Httebens—A BaCeb of Divorces.
A verdict was reached this afternoon
in the case cf Dixon against Hitchens.
The suit was to recover
apiece of property which Annie Dixou,
a negro woman, claimed she bad been
defrauded of by F. L. Hitchens. Tber
judge’s verdict was in favor of the
wniiisn.
Five divorces were granted by the
court this afternoon.
i