Newspaper Page Text
CLAY, ABOUT TO DIE, ADMITS SANITY
THE WEATHER
Forecast: Fair and colder tonight
and tomorrow. Temperatures: 8 a.
in., 29: 10 a m " 30> 12 noon, 32; 2
p. m., 34.
VOL. XL NO. 112.
USE LUSH ON
HALF-BREED
IN OALTON
John Watkins Is Ordered to
Leave Georgia City in Three
Days or Be Hanged.
MOB GOES ABOUT ITS WORK
QUIETLY. BUT DETERMINED
Victim of Cowhiding Confesses
to Intimacy With Question
role White Women.
i.'Ai.'f' 1 GA., Dec. 13.—A band of !
r .and 30 heavily masked and!
■.lu. k-i.ib, , men. at 2 o'clock this l
■ nriihig. administered a severe whip-
. John Watkins, a half breed, at
'r irnt'iu avenue and Hav thorne street,
venter of one of the city’s most
....H.;ar residential sections. After the
..hipping they gave him three days In
v l-.ich to leave 1 'alton, warning him
that if In- did not leave they would re
turn and hang him.
- <l iletly and orderly did the mob
. 1,.,nt its task that this morning less
, ncople knew of what had taken
■■■ hr. t person visited by the inask
,men was Mat Nations in North Dal-
They commanded him to dress
■m<l accompany them.
Half Breed Whipped
After Confession.
ding to Watkins home in the
•vt ,t. part of the city, the mob ■
ured him. Before applying the lash
ed him as to the truth of a
that he was intimate with a
n:::nbv; of questionable white women,
. -..lthoiit hesitation he confessed to
Ti n, with men holding him se-
.. \ ■■ t’r.v- ground, a sound whipping i
nlnistered, followed by the
. tiling to leave.
.its is tlx- fourth time masked bands
... ..perated here within the past five]
first time Doc Posey, a self-
■ -e, . nit- assailant, was hanged j
during .- period when numerous,
• .Pl.ary fires were taking place here.
>tske- left conspicuous warn-
.-. vhich resulted in <■ cesation of
H-k of the firebugs.
Vatklns this morning promisee to
■ ■ ~ iout accepting the three days ]
in ■ hi. h to prepare for ills movt.
GIRL TURNS IN FIRE
ALARM WHEN TOLD
GRANDPA IS DYING
H'I.ME. GA.. Dec. 13.—When her fil
'd .1. Williford, faint-.1 in the
ifter chasing a turkey gob-
Mrs-. Fletcher Smith, who lives
tl - Summerville pike, became
and telephoned to her little
ussier .t the residence of her sister
g'■ ndfattu-r was dying.
iiitle girl misunderstood the
md. thinking the house was
‘i>- . turned in a fire alarm. Four
'r.|..'-r.iv.- rushed to the scene to llnd
I " llliford safe under the bed cov-
VITAL organs of
MAN TRANSPOSED;
HEART RIGHT SIDE
YORK, Dee. 13. A retnarkab’e
•: the transposition of the human
was discovered bj Dr. C. W. Flel 1,
• ant brofessor of pathology in Be’l -
•spitai, when he performed an au
; >n the body of Michael Manning.
■ auiopsy showed the heart on the
s !»• the large, or cardiac part of,
iiach. on the right side; the liver
" r ' left, and the spleen on the right
while the lungs, which normally
' - ain three lobes in the right and two;
'■* left, had two lobes in each.
SUPREME COURT REVERSES
JUDGE FITE IN DALTON SUIT
'll TON GA.. Dec. 13.—The supreme
, nas reversed the decision ofJudge
■ I'it- . of the superior court, in
myrnng -.i, injunction restraining the
■ from wiring houses, at cost, to en
th- use of electricity for light*
- -ri'i power purposes.
1 Mood and others tiled the suit
gV'.unds that the city had no
enter the business, and also
-rs.-red with the rights of th.
“J electric-lung jn business here, j
The Atlanta Georgian
Read For Profit--GEORGIAN WANT ADS—Uss For Results.
‘Santa Claus/ Taking
Toys Home to Tots, Is
Shot by Highwaymen
Arms Filled With Bundles, Farm
, er Couldn’t Throw Up
Hands Soon Enough.
PITTSBURG, Dec. 13.—James Ken
nedy’s little tots at home will find their
stockings filled with candy‘and presents
on Christmas morning, but Santa Claus
may die a martyr for his children’s
happiness.
Kennedy, who is a farmer, alighted
from a ear near his home, his arms
filled with toys for his children. He
had purposely walteo until after dark
so he could enter the house and hide
the presents so the tots at home would
. not find them until Christmas. Two
i highwaymen suddenly stepped from a
I shadow and ordered him to throw up
' his hands. Hampered by the packages,
I the farmer was unable to comply qulck
| ly and one of the men fired.
Kennedy fell. The men fled. Bleed
. ing profusely, he picked up the Chrlst
j mas- presents and walked a mile and
| half to his home. He was found to be
dangerously wounded and was hurried
ly removed to a Pittsburg hospital,
where his condition today was said to
be critical.
COW’S REPUTATION IS
ATTACKED IN COURT;
WAS “BEAUTY” BAD?
Was “Beauty” a mild and good-look-
I ing cow. worthy of her name, or was
she an ugly, vicious and obnoxious
beast? It was Judge Andy Calhoun who
had to decide “Beauty's” character in
the city court yesterday, this being the
first time he ever delved into the mys
teries of bovine reputations.
J. S. Galaniore claimed that he shot
“Beauty" in self-defense, and Mrs. T.
E. Parker, 796 Edgewood avenue,
brought in many witnesses to prove
that “Beauty” was so gentle she even
hated to bite grass. J. T. Williams
said he had owned the cow from the
date of her birth, and even when she
was a calf "Beauty” was so gentle her
mother thought she was sick all the
time.
Galaniore said "Beauty” might he all
they claimed for her, but that she
chased him clear across his yard and
into his porch. Mrs. Parker said it
was “cussedness” vthlch caused him
to shoot the poor beastie, and that its
efficiency as a milk-producer has been
permanently impaired.
The cow may be brought into court
today to testify in its own behalf, a.~.
i the case was continued until this mom-
I ing. The question still remains: How
good was "Beauty”?
AUDITOR SETTLES
SHORTER COLLEGE
SUIT WITH SIMMONS
HUME. GA.. Dec. 13.—Litigation that
has been pending for two years was
I practically ended when Auditor C. A.
| Thornwell settled the dispute between
I tin- trustees of Shorter college and for-
I tnt-i Pre orient T. J. Simmons and wife,
i Dr. and Mrs. Simmons are now both
I prominently connected with Brenau col.
| lege for girls at Gainesville.
Dr. Simmons and the trustees bad
I a disagreement ami lie quit as president
of Shorter and went to Brenau. The
trustees brought suit against him for
piano rentals ami practice tees, for al
leged unjust rent on two of the college
buildings and furniture and also charg
ed that he had violated his salary con
tract with them. A counter suit was
tiled by Dr. Simmons for back salary
1 ami rent.
Sen sational :'narg< er< nade
’against Dr. Simmons and considerable
feeling was manifested. The auditor
decided that Dr. Simmon.- as entitled
I to his salary, but that he b. I no right
Ito charge rent on the pianos i build-
I ing- The verdict amounted i • s4l hi
i favor of the trustees. Th. figln will
| now be carried befo,- Judg. Maddox
I Au’ revi** v.
CLOTHING OF CHILD
IGNITED BY GRATE:
BURNS CAUSE DEATH
One hour after little four-yeai -old
I William Hogan, who was burned to
I death Wednesday night, was buried
vesterdav afternoon. Ralph .Mullins, tile
! four-vear-old son of Mr. and Mrs. C.
| H Mullins, caught fin whib- playing
' near an open grate and died a few mln
! utvs later.
Just :->• in the case of William Hogan.
! the mother had left the room. Another
i woman heard th< child’s screams and
i found him, wrapped in flames. trying
Ito break through a window. Ry the
i time 'm smothered the flames Ralph
I W!IH so badly burned there wn.- tio hope
j for recov. ry. The child had just come
[into the house on Ge-manla avenue, in
I Decatur, ind had taken off his shoes to
i virm his feet. How his clothes be
i is not Kno’wn.
Tin funeral will be held at t.-rn resi
dence this afternoon at 2 o'clock. In
terment will be at Coilins Springs
LAST PHOTOGRAPH OF CLAY
! /
w wKiSB . f ■; M - /
MR, raHH
W <:"■ i ■ ' W
- ■■ O
I
MHH i
Robert L. ( lay, wife slayer, who pays the penalty for his crime on gallows in the Tower today.
FATHER, WHO SLEW
SON. REPENTS WHEN
HE SEES CHILDREN
DALTON. GA.. Dec. 13.--With his
spirit »«f defiance maintained since the
killing of his son broken at last. A. 11.
Davis now expresses ."•orrow for having
committed tiiQ deed.
“If it was io go over again,” he said,
“J would rather giv the gun to my boy
and tell him to Hhoot me.”
When brought here and confined in
jail .Monday night after the tragedy the
r.ged man « xpres i«d only defiance, re
peating over and ov» r again the state
iji'-nt that he “would do It again under
tio* circumstances.”
'l'he first sign of repentance mani
fested came vvh» n four of his sons and
daughters went to the jail to see him.
They »cnt word to him that they would
enter if ho would see them. A look of
eagerness <amo to his face and he
begged Sheriff Gilbert to “bring them
in.”
MORGAN REFUSES TO AID
THE PEACE MOVEMENT
NICW YORK, Dec. 13. At (he C’arneg *
peace dinner at the Hotel Astor the
Baroness Bertha V'on Suttner stated that
J. Pierpont Morgan r. ently told her he
was no* intere -••*! in .nA> rsa! o»eare and
refused to contribute i • the cause. When
Mr. < ’arnegie was aUed what he thought
of Mr. Morgan’s attitude he replied sharp
ly; I am not thinking. ‘
\TLANTA. GA.. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1912.
• •
• Americans Import •
: Luxuries at Rate of •
: $ LOGO,OOO a Day-
• •
• WASHINGTON. Dec. 13.—“Lux- •
• uries’’ at the cate <>f a million do!- •
• lars .i day are being imported into «
• the (’nited States, according to»
• figures given out in a report of •
• th- h ji.artrm-nt of < ommerc’e and •
• labor toda' •
• During th« month of October the •
*» amount of luxuries amounted to •
• $14,000,000 worth of art works, •
• $5,000,000 of tobacco and smoker’s •
• materials, $4,000,000 >f precious •
• stones. $4,000,000 of laces and em- •
• hrobi rL a:r.l about 1.H00.00u o
• each of feathers, decorated china, •
• toys, chain; ign* and li<iuor and •
• cabinet woods. •
• At the importation of art works •
• the repoit points ou; that last (_)c- •
• tober was a banner month. •
*» Against the $14."00,000 record •
• thl yea but sl’ 00 000 wortl wag •
• imported in October, 1911. •
• •
TO AUDIT MUSCOGEE BOOKS.
(’OLUMBLS. GA la-., 13. Begin
ning first of th< n« v year all the
books of Muscogee - aunty officials will
b” audited at i«-a>t on- < each year, and
tii<- result <>f the auditor’s findings pub
lished, according to a decision reached
bv the county commissioners
CONGRESS REFUSES
TO PURCHASE HOME
OF THOS. JEFFERSON
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13. —Mrs. Martin
W. Littleton’s pet project for the ap
pointment of a committee to consider
the advisability of the acquisition by the
government of Monticello, the home of
Thomas .Jefferson, now owned by Repre
tentative Jefferson Ixivy, of New York,
has been rejected in the house by a vote
of 141 to 101. The senate passed the
resolution unanimously
Representative Dalzell. <»i Lennsylvanla,
led the opposition to the resolution on
the ground that there should be no con
fiscation of personal property without
governmental need or necessity. Repre
sentative Moore, <»f Philadelphia, sug
gested that If the government took over
Monticello It should also acquire Inde
pendence Hall, the Betsy Ross home.
Mount Vernon, the Hermitage. Appomat
tox and other hlstoiic buildings and
gr< unds.
A. SMITH IRVINE DIES
AT HOME IN AUGUSTA
Ai’GI’STA, GA , Dee. 13,- A. Smith
Irvine, secretary and treasurer of the
Georgia Ghemieal works, a branch of
the Vlrglni i-<’aro’ina Chemical Corn
psny, died hero y< Htorday. Mr. Irvine
was a deacon in the First Baptist
church, and was very prominent In
church, social and financial circles. He
leaves a widow and four <*hildren He
Mas 29 year> old.
P BREAKS SILENCE;
ihmsjustshming;
SINGSASGALLOWSNEAiI
“I Was Just Trying to Save My Neck;
Tell Everyone That I’m Not Insane,” !
Says Wife Slayer With But an Hour I
to Live.
Assures Kin He Has Made Peace With His
Maker and, Holding Sister’s Hand, Offers
Last Prayer; Tells of a Struggle to Keep From
lalking; Begs to See Little Son Again.
V-
With death on the gallows hardly an hour away. Robert L ;
Clay, wife slayer; broke the silenee which has bound his lips fc-°
seven months, and declared that, he was sane, and had alw.ieid
been so. He‘will be hanged i n the Atlanta jail het ween 11 * f ,’ s l I
12 o’clock today. j t 8 S ”
I am sane and at myself, ’ Clay declared, with a Srk
his lips. “I have been playing a desperate game to sav-e
neck. I know I have lost, and I am readv 1,0 go. I havm
fears. ” ’ !
Then, to his attorney, the jailer and a relative or two w.
stood outside the bars of the death cell, Clay recited the details :
of his crime.
“l had not intended to kill my
wife,” he said. “We had quar
reled and separated. 1 felt that
she had turned against me and
her family had helped to keep
her against me. But I went to
her home in Lee street on the
night of May 12 just to talk to
her and see my baby boy.
“I knelt down to play with the little
boy—he was just two years old—and he
pushed me away. My baby pushed his
own daddy away.
"’Go away, papa; go on back home,’
the little fellow told me. I went crazy
for a moment, I guess. I sprang to my
feet. My wife was coming toward mo
and I shot her down—shot her twice.
That’s all.”
Visit of Brother
Breaks Long Silence
Clay's long silence had lasted since i
the moment of his arrest until today, |
except for an Inadvertent moment a !
few weeks afro, when ho complained I
that his coffee was cold, and then re- !
lapsed Into silence again. It was the i
visit of his brother, Julius Clay, that |
caused him to speak again today. He i
was sitting cn his bunk, his head in his -
hands, when the brother spoke to him
through the bars.
“Bob. it’s all over, old man," said
Julius Clay. “There’s no hope. Your
last chance is gone.”
Robert Clay raised his head and
smiled faintly. The color rushed hack
to his pale cheeks and his lips opened
slowly. Then, with an effort as though
his vocal organs had partly been
paralyzed by long disuse, he surprised
the attendants by speaking slowly and
distinctly.
“That’s All Right, I’m
Ready to Go, ’ ’ He Says.
"That’s all right. I’m ready to go.
I’ve been ready for three months,” he
said.
He rose from his bunk and stepped
to the grating. His sister-in-law and
another woman, with Clay’s tiny ne
phew, had come to the corridor then
and the condemned man extended a
thin, white hand through the bars and
placed It tenderly on the head of the
child.
"I’ve made my peace with God." he
said, gently and without a trace of ex
citement. “I will go to him like a little
child. 1 am going to heaven to join
my wife. I am confident of that. I
want to be burled beside her.”
Begs to See His
Little Boy Again.
He was silent for a moment, and
then, as though he wished to make up
for his seven-months silence, broke Into
a torrent of conversation, speaking to
jailers, visitors, attendants, talking as
rapidly as he could.
"Won’t you bring my little boy to
see me before I die?” he begged. "1
want to see him again.”
Jailer Golden promised to send at
once and try to locate the child before
the hour of execution. Clay contin
ued his conversation.
“You were good to me, Mr. Golden.”
he said. “I remember something you
did. When I was taken up to be re
sentenced a month ago 1 was so cold
extra
2 CENTS EVERYWHERE P ,£J H T
I thought I would freeze, and you took 1
oft' your overcoat and put it around |
my sjwulders. J haven't forgotten."
Sings Old Hymn
As Aged Father Calls.
Shortly after Clay had broken his si
lence, his old father, Johnson Clay, of ■
116 Piedmont avenue, and his sister,
Mrs. W. H. Whitaker, called at the I
Tower and were taken up to the cor- i
ridor outside the death cell. As they I
entered the hall they heard Clay sing- :
ing loudly, his voice filled with emo- !
tion. The prisoner had chosen an old
camp-meeting hymn:
Tm going home. I'm going home,
I'm going home to die no ore.”
As the last words died away. Mrs.
" hitaker collapsed and sank to tho i
floor. Her father caught her in his
ars and comforted her. and in a few
moments she was led up to the grating
of the cell. Clay reached his hands
through the bars and clasped hers be
tween them.
Doomed Man Prays
As He Holds Sister’s Hand.
"Don’t cry. sister," he said, tenderly
"I'm just going home to mother. We’ll
all meet there some day."
Mrs. Whitaker sank to her knees out
side the cell and wept. And, then, J
clasping her hands in his own, Clay 1
began to pray.
"It is the first prayer 1 ever heard
him utter." his sister said afterward.
"May It mean the turning point In Ills
destiny.”
Then, while the clock ticked off the
few minutes remaining of his life, Rob
ert Clay talked to a reporter of his at
tempt. to feign insanity by playing
dumb and keeping Ids head bowed or
his breast.
Often Bit Lips to
Keep From Talking.
"It was awfully hard,” he said.
"Sometimes I thought 1 couldn’t stand
It. There were times when I wanted to
talk so much that 1 thought I'd go real
ly crazy, ami 1 had to bite my lips to
keep back the words. And holding my
head in that one position nearly killed
tin. I thought sometimes my neck
would crack before it reached the gal
lows. But I got more used to it in
time, and decided to stick it out to the
end. But I never hud much hope.
Kept Track of
Time By Whistles.
Then Clay spoke with evident pride
of the manner in which he had kept
trace of the passing days without read
ing a newspaper or conversing with
anybody or seeming to show Interest in
the world outside
"The big whistle of the Atlanta Mill
ing Company just outside the Tower
has been my calendar," he said. "The
whistle blows three times every day.
When it does not blow 1 know it is
Sunday.
"I began figuring by the whistle when
1 first came. I counted four Sundays to
a month, and tilled in the other days, so
I kept track of the dates. 1 knew that
I was sentenced on November 9. and t
heard Judge Roan fix Friday, December
13. as the date of execution. T made no
sigti. but I had felt that this would be
the day of my death. I had dreamed
that I would die on the 13tn, some day,
and I knew that a Friday would be