Newspaper Page Text
Epromcli anb grofmcl
WEDNESDAY.. BEPTBER 22, 1875.
COMMON SENSE ABOUT GEOR
GIA..”
Under this heading we find an edito
rial in a recent number of the Philadel
phia Times, which shows our industrial
condition to be infinitely worse than that
of the people of any of the Southern
States. This comes of the inexcusable,
pig-headed ignorance of Mr. Nobdhofp,
of the New York Herald, whose letter
we published last week. Mr. Nobdhofp
had no intention of doing our State in
justice by representing our lands as
worn out, our labor system disorganized,
our industries broken down and our peo
ple and our State bankrupt. Hell is
said to be payed with good intentions,
and so is the correspondent of the Her
ald. His article is going the rounds
and is calculated to do our State and
our people great injustice. If Mr.
Nobdhofp does not make haste to re
pair the injury done to the State of
Georgia, he will have much to accuse
himself of hereafter. Here is the arti
cle from the Times :
The f allure of the politicians to make capital
out of the recent race troubles in Georgia in
something which few will be disposed to de
plore. Whatever the folly of their ambition
it appears to be pretty generally acknowledged
that injustice or ill treatment on the part of
the whites was not amoug the causes which ex
cited the negroes in their riotous demonstra
tions. and mere political prejudice seems to
have had no sort of connection with the diffi
culty. The excitement having died out, we do
not hear that the relations which have existed
between the two races are in any way altered
by recent events, or that they are likely to be.
The Georgia planters are fnlly aware that it is
for their interest to keep their labor at home
so far as it is possible, and as they aro familiar
with the disastrous character of the emigra
tion which has been steadily going on in Geor
gia since the war, they may be trusted to deal
both justly and kindly with the negro. In fact,
the eondact of a few ignorant darkies is a sub
ject of trifling importance comparer] with that of
the prosperity of the people generally. Georgia,
it is to be obsereved, has been one of the most
nnfortunate of all the Sonthern States. At the
close of the war she was not only reduced to
poverty, but she was in a great measure de
prived of the sources whence she might have
been expocted to replace her losses. Her
lands were poorer than those of neighboring
Htates, her citizens mere unaccustomed to
wprk and her credit at the lowest ebb. By an
unhappy law, framed for slave holding times,
the incentive to great exertion had been takon
away from her laud owners, in the means
which it afforded them of borrowing money on
their unplanted crops, and instead of steadily
regaining their former prosperity they found
it easier to live in a state of continuous semi
bankruptcy. It has happened, through such
causes as these, that the condition of Georgia
s the worst financially of all the Southern
States, with the single exception of Soutji
Carolina. Her liabilities are, in fact, equal to
thoso of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louis
iana, North Carolina and Tennessee taken 001-1
1 actively, and more than ten timos those of
Arkansas. What has boeu wanting to the
planters of tha State has boon necessity. The
repeal of the lien law by the last Legislature,
which leaves them without credit, is likely to
furnish that in abundance, and its good points
aro shown by the fact, that this year, being
compelled to furnish their own supplies, they
have raised more corn than ever before. A
happy exception to thiß unprosperous state of
things is afforded in the success which has at
tended the milling interest. Mr. Nobiiuoff, in
alluding te the fact sets the profits of the cot
ton mills at Augusta, Columbus and Granite
ville at a very high figuro, and their thrift ap
pears to have been continuous from the start.
It is not difficult to realize, with a knowledge
of these facts, that the future of Georgia,
while it is not likely to be jeopardized by the
existence of a hostilefeeling botwoon tho racoß,
will have to be worked out by tho industry of
tho planters themselvos. For them the less of
politics they havo the better. What they
want is capital with which to avail themselves
of water powers that are now unemployed,
rather than domagogues and campaign tracts.
The State neods men of enterprise to mine
her coal and iron and light her furnaces,
rather than political influence at Washington.
In brief, it is general improvements that should
now bo marching through Georgia.
It tuxes our patienoe beyond endur
ance to boo suoh inexcusable ignorance
in two of the leading papers of this
country. The Herald and the Times
oould allow theiroorrespondents or their
editors to say what they please about
the financial condition of China or Ja
pan. If they made stupendous mis
takes it would not make much difference,
and would bo excusable on the ground
of ignorance, but when these respect
able journals aver that the financial con
dition of Georgia is worse than that of
all the Southern States, with the single
exception of South Carolina, the caloric
rises in us so high that we are tempted
to think aiul almost to say, “damn such
ignorance of tho real condition of a sis
ter State. There is no exouse for it, and
it comes of a mau writing upon a subject
of which he knows nothing about.”
The liabilities of Georgia aro repre
seuted as equal to those of Alabama, Ar
kansas, Florida, Louisiana, North Caro
linaaml Tennessee ! This will be as
tounding information to the tax payers of
Georgia, but it will be a difficult mattor
to make them believe that their State is
so badly iu debt.
The newspapers referred to have been
badly imposed upon. The total public
debt (not yet due) of the State of Geor
gia on the Ist day of January, 1875, was
$8,105,600. This represents every dol
lar of the liabilities of the State. Its
assets consist of the Western and At
lantic Railroad, worth between five and
six million dollars, and other property,
which if put on the market would re
lieve the State from every dollar of its
indebtedness. In truth, Georgia is im
measurably better off in this and other
respects than any of her sister States of
the South. Eight million represents
the publie debt of Georgia, and her as
sets are ample to pay her liabilities.
Mr. Nordhoff and others have fallen
into the mistake of charging the State
with private indebtedness created and
caused perhaps by failures in the con
duct of regular mercantile business.
This is as manifestly unjust as it would
be to charge the State of New York with
the indebtedness of DrscAN, Shkrman
& Cos. and the indebtedness of hundreds
of other firms who have failed in the
city and State of New York within the
last two years. This is precisely what
Mr. Nordhoff has done to the State of
Georgia, and the Timex, relying upon
the figures of the HertUd correspond
' ent, has fallen into the sjttne stupid mis
take. If the State of New York is to be
charged with the amount of money for
which bankers, merchants and con
tractors and others failed in the city
of New York within the last two years
its public debt will never be paid. Its
indebtedness would be greater than that
of all the States in the Union. Bnt
there is no sense iu this proposition,
and it is just by such absurd and ridicu
lous reasoning that Mr. Nordhoff and
the Philadelphia Twines make the in
debtedness of Georgia equal to that of
the six Southern States named and the
worst financially of all the Southern
States with the single exception of South
Carolina.
The absurdity of Mr. Nordhoff’s
statement respecting the financial con
dition of Georgia, in making the in
debtedness of our people equal to that of
six of the Southern States, is illustrated
by reference to the unfortunate condi
tion of Alabama. A dispatch from
Montgomery, published yesterday,states
that the Committee on Finance and
Taxation report to the Constitutional
Convention now in session the total in
debtedness of Alabama abont §29,000,-
000, and the total value of taxable prop
erty in the State about $159,000,000; and
further, that it would take nearly twenty
per cent of the entire taxable property
to liquidate the debt And this is the
sad condition of one of the six States
named by Mr. Nordhoff and the
and yet the debt of Georgia
is made to equal that of Alabama
fed five other States. It would
have been more methodical for
our guessing friends to have put the in
debtedness of Georgia in round num
bers at $100,000,000. We oould have
quoted from the last report of Comp
troller Goldsmith showing the debt of
Georgia to be $8,105,500, and the taxa
ble property for 1874 to be $273,092,-
999—(8124,000,000 more than Alabama);
but Mr. Nobdhoff might fail to bacon
vinced by the official figures from the
annual report of the Comptroller-Gen
eral. It is not always convenient nor is it
necessary, perhaps, for newspaper cor
respondents to obtain accurate statistics
in reference to the industrial condition
of the people of China and Japan; but
when these veracious correspondents
write about the public debt of Georgia
and the condition of its people, it would
be well for them to have some regard
for facts. We would take pleasure in
furnishing the Herald and Times with
copies of the annual reports of the Gov
vernor and the State House officials.
The State of Georgia is able to pay
her hoDest debts. Her people are re
covering from their embarrassments.
They aro working hard to make bread
and meat and the prospect is fair to do
this and have something to spare. Law
and order reign throughout the State.
The Courts are open to all, and justice
is dealt out without regard to color or
previous condition. The laws are faith
fully administered. Our condition
financially could be improved. Wo need
money; thero is no doubt of it. We are
not ashamed of our poverty; but we do
protest against having our condition as
a people magnified and misrepresented.
And this the Herald and Times have
done through the columns of their
widely circulated journals.
THE CREDIT OF GEORGIA.
The New York Herald, in publishing
another communication from its cor
respondent, Mr. Nobdhoff, calls atten
teution to “the fact that Georgiuhas had,
under Democratic auspices, an econom
'ical and excellent administration, show
ing that the is trifling, tho
State credit high, the taxes low, and the
counties almost exempt from debt.”
This is true. The credit of Georgia is
high and stands well in New York." Her
bonds are above par, The NtrrrtNO
bonds cannot be purchased in this mar
ket for less than 8106, and 8108 is being
asked. Georgia sevens readily command
par. This speaks well for the credit of
Georgia.
THE CLINTON RIOT.
The particulars of the riot and butch
ery at Clinton, Mississippi, are horrible
beyond conception. We care not wheth
er the whites or blacks brought on the
trouble which led to tl#s fearful slaugh
ter. The evil results and sacrifice of
human life are fearful. The brutal con
duct and uncontrollably savage thirst of
the negroes for blood are shockingly
illustrated in this massacre. Tho par
ticulars of the riot are given by a mem
ber of the Conservative Executive Com
mittee of tho county in which it oc
curred, and they will be accepted as
correct by the white people of the South.
The people of Georgia have passed
through tho bloody ordeal, and such
scenes as took place at or near Clinton,
MiBS., wore not unfamiliar to them
during tho process of reconstruction.
Happily our troubles are over, but not
without the shedding of blood and the
sacrifice of life. We do not now and
never have held the simple and credul
ous negroes responsible for tho sad con
dition of affairs at one time existing in
this State, which resulted from the in
fluence and pernicious advioe of un
principled white men. And the same is
true as to Mississippi and every South
ern State that has been ciyped by race
•conflicts since tho adoption of an in
famous polioy and the application of
more infamous measures inaugurated
to'provoke conflict and involve the
races in soenes of riot and bloodshed.
The fruits of this accursed policy are
being reaped by the people of Missis
sippi, and we are apprehensive that the
end is not yet. The truth is there can
be no permanent peace until the white
people havo the political ascendancy and
control the government of the State.
There havo been corruption and frand
and misrulo in all the mongrel govern
ments in the South, and no protection
for property. This must be changed,
not only in Missississippi, but in Lou
isiana and South Carolina, before these
scenes of riot and savage butchery shall
have terminated.
The only effectual remedy for these
troubles is white supremacy; and by this
we do not mean supremacy to deprive
the negro of any of the rights and privi
leges accorded him under Congressional
enactments, but to protect the white
man and the black in all the rights of
person and property. This protection
can only bo secured by the overthrow of
mongrel governments, and the election
of intelligent and honest men to office,
whose purpose it will bo to administer
tho laws faithfully and do equal and ex
act justice to the white man und the
black. We do not know that the color
ed people have anything to complain of
in Georgia, and the same would be true
as to Mississippi if the government were
in the hands of its virtuous and intelli
gent citizens. When that day comes
there will be peace in Mississippi, but
not before.
THE MAINE ELECTION.
The Chicago Tribune said on the eve
of the Maine election that it was the first
gun of the campaign “of 1876, and its
report would show whether the Repub
licans of 1876 were awake or asleep.”
If the Tribune expected that report to
terrify tho Democracy of the conn
try) it signally failed. riotwith
standing the fact that Maine
has been hitherto overwhelmingly Re
publican, the party managers in that
State sought and obtained influence and
support from outside. The patronage
and power of the State and Federal
Governments were exerted to the utmost
to crush the Democracy and increase the
Republican majority. But the result
shows a heavy Republican loss in the
popular vote. As compared with the last
election the Democrats show a gain of
abont five thousand votes, reducing the
Republican majority from ten to five
thousand. This year it was a square
race between the Republicans and Dem
ocrats, there being neither Independent
nor Prohibitionist candidates in the
field.
The leading members of the party,
snoh as Mobton, Blaine and Mobrill,
canvassed the State vigorously, bitterly
ass&ling the Democracy and howling
out innumerable lies about tbe South and
Sonthern people whom they denounced
as traitors, and rebels preparing to make
another effort to destroy the Union.
But their misrepresentation and false
hood failed to fire the loyal heart of
Maine. The people are tired of this
partisan cant and lying hypocrisy; and
the result of the election is a rebuke to
the leaders of the Republican party.
The people are sick of this everlasting
misrepresentation of the South, and they
are determined that the policy of injns
tic and hate must give way. If the resalt
in Maine means anything it means a more
liberal policy for the South. It is more
over a severe rebuke to the extravagance
and corruption of the Republican party.
The people are fast finding out that the
only hope of the country is in the elec
tion of a Democratic President in 1876 L
Thh Cincinnati Commercial, which
has been trying hard to swallow the Re
publican. ticket in Ohio, for the fancied
reason that the party is sounder than
the Democracy on the money question,
is getting discouraged. It finds shuf
fling Radicalism does not mean bard
money by a long ways, and adds : “A
farther danger is that the Republican
leaders are too cowardly to make a
square fight on the great issne. The
talk that the President is a hard-money
man is a delusion. He has very crude
theories abont the finances, has repeat
edly and snddenly changed his views,
and may do so again; and with Mobton,
Oglesby, Febby, Logan and the rest,
the uncertainty of the position of the
Republican party is to be taken into
consideration.”
THE FALL TRADE.
Referring to tho Fall trade the Balti
more American says: “Whether the
expectations which have been entertain
ed of an improved condition of trade for
the present year are to be realized or
not, the next ninety days will determine.
That these hopes of revival have not
been sanguine ia true, bat tbe disap
, pointment which may follow their non
fulfillment will be none the less serious.
With the exception of a few unimport
ant localities, the agricultural produc
tion has been nnnsnally large, and the
favorable prices that prevail for several
leading products ought to stimulate an
early realization. The movement of
crops is the old-fashioned legitimate
machinery by which to get money into
circulation, and thus increase the pur
chasing and debt-paying power of the
people, especially in the agricultural
localities. The American Grocer re
marks that this would unquestionably
be a vital step toward improvement in
trade, following, as it does, two years
of great economy, and in view also of
small stocks of merchandise and excep
tionally low prices for all staples; great
manufacturing centres and important
importing interests ought to be bene
fitted by the absorption of accumulated
stocks of goods, and the whole country
would feel the thrill of new life m busi
ness. A few weeks will determine
whether this will be the effect of an
immense increase in the wealth of a vast
producing class; and thongli it will un
doubtedly take many months to realize
this wealth, the operation by which that
reab'zation will be carried forward ought
soon to be manifest, and the probuble
result pretty definitely anticipated. We
are, therefore, on the eve of a most im
portant and critical season in tho com
mercial history of the country, and close
observers will watch with some anxiety
the indications which the next few weeks
will afford.” ,
IS IT REPUDIATION ?
The New York World does not relish
the financial plank in the platform of
the party in Ohio and Pennsylvania. It
is working hard to bring defeat on the
party. It says :
Thomas Ewing is the most prominent
Democratic politician in Ohio. He is the
author of the repudiation platform. In
one of his speeches in the present can
vass he said :
“Shall this Kesumption act be executed ?
Will the p/eople suffer the money lords here,
by the. false cry of public honor, to make the
fortunes of their families and ruin their coun
try? Never! Let Ohio, standing in the cen
tre, cry out, Itepeal! Pennsylvania and Vir
ginia will answer back, Itepeal! And from
evevy State whore the Mississippi gathers its
waters will come theory. Repeal! Itepeal ! .
Be peal! ! ! The Ohio Democracy demand that
this whole plan of resumption be abandoned.'
This is the spirit of the demagogues
who have got control of the Democratic
party in Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylva
nia. They count on the sympathy and
help of all Democratic States. They
propose to arouse the prejudices of the
ignoraut and the passions of the vicious
against those who have earned money,
saved it, and lent it to the Government.
Every man who has a dollar’s interest in
seeing honest savings safe from the rob
bery which is the legitimate consequence
of suoh teachings will have to give his
vote against the party that proclaims
them.
The World has permitted its passion
to get the better of its judgment, and it
is just such utterances as the above that
will bring defeat on the party. There is
neither repudiation nor robbery in the
platform of tho Democrats of Ohio or
Pennsylvania. The people have to dis
cuss this question of resumption, and
Mr. Ewing has as much right as the
World to express liis views on the
question. If Mr. Ewing and the Demo
crats of Ohio are repudiators, how
comes it that the Republicans of the
West hold similar views ? The ' World
and Baltimore Gazette have formed a
league, offensive and defensive, and
they seem to be disposed to read every
person out of the Democratic party who
does not accept their .opinions on the
currency question. They. are like the
three tailors of London, who wrote
themselves down, “ We, tho people of
Epglaml.” The World and Gazette
have but a small following, and unless
they conduct themselves with propriety
and respect, it may be necessary for the
members of tho party to look upon their
future utterances with suspicion. Wo hold
that the triumph of Democracy in 1870
is of the first consideration, and that all
minor or collateral issues must be made
subservient to that end. When the
party obtains control of tho Government
it will be ample time to grapple with the
financial problem. Is it the part of wis
dom to sow dissension and breed dis
cord in the ranks of a party on the eve
of a great national contest? United,
the Democracy will march to victory.
Divided, it will march to defeat.
FIE t MR. BLAINE.
Mr. James Blaine, ex-Speaker of the
House of Representatives, has hoisted
the “bloody shirt.” In the canvas just
closed in Maine, Mr. Blaine unfurled
the ensanguined rag on his own dung
hill. This was not expocted of Mr.
Blaine, but he tnrns out to be as vin
dictive and mean as either Morton or
Logan. Commenting ou this dirty busi
ness on tho part of the ex-Speaker the
New York Herald says : ' “It seems a
pity—but Mr. Blaine has done it. At
this late date, in full view of recent oc
currences in Georgia and Mississippi,
when even the President for the first
time hesitates and refuses Governor
Ames the nse of federal troops ; when
Spencer has become a laughing stock
in Alabama and Kellogg goes abont in
the North assorting that ‘the adjust
ment’—which means a Democratic ma
jority in the Legislature of Louisiana —
has quieted State ; when Arkansas
is at peace, though Brooks is only a
postmaster ; when the ‘bloody shirt’ has
become ridiculous and hateful to all
sensible men, behold Mr. Blaine
hoists that faded and rag
ged garment. Perrin, in Alabama,
shot a hole through his own hat and
thereupon shouted Kn-Klux. It is too
bad to see Mr. Blaine performing the
same stale trick. Senator Mobton go
ing about the country crying “Murder !
murder 1” was not nice ; bnt one could
langh at that spectacle. Bnt the ex-
Speaker, a man thought to possess judg
ment, insight, knowledge, held up by
his friends and admirers as the model
politician of the country ! It is too
bad. He at least was supposed to know
that the war is over. And here he stands
np in Maine, a kind of unblushing Rip
Van Winkle, to talk abont issues aud
revive recollections which are as dead as
bis own chances for the Presidency will
be unless he reads the newspapers and
gathers liis wits sufficiently to talk about
living issnos. If the late Mr. Colfax or
Mr. ex-Corporation Counsel Delafikld
Smith were making a public harangue
in Maine abont these days, we should
expect them to go on at great length
abont tbe war and the blunders of the
Democratic party some time in the last
century, and we should confidently ex
pect to see the ‘bloody shirt’ hoisted and
even nailed to the masthead. Bnt Mr.
Blaine ! we blush when we think of
him. It is a sad joke.”
The New York Tribune sent a special
correspondent all the way to Georgia to
“write np” the history ot the recent at
tempted insnrrection and the judicial in
vestigation of it, and that correspondent
did write a sdties of letters on the affair,
and discharged his duties welL How
closely his letters were read by the edi
tor of the Tribune will appear from the
following extract from that paper:
Judge Heesckel V. Johnson ia the latest
candidate for Governor of Georgia. His ad
mirable management of the Clinton riot cases
shows that he would make the right sort of a
Governor, but it also gives rise to a doubt
whether such a rare J odge can be spared from
the bench at this tune.
Admitting that Jndge Johnson did
manage the Clinton riot, why the
management of a riot in Mis
sissippi should constitute a claim to
the Governorship of Georgia is what
perhaps neither Georgians nor Missis
sippi&na can see.
THE CLISITOY MASSACRE.
AN EYE-WITNESS OF THE BLOODY
CONFLICT DESCRIBES THE TER
RIBLE SCENES.
The Nejrroes to Blame for It All.
[ Correspondence of the Courier-Journal ]
Raymond, Miss., Sept. 10, 1875.
I propose, as briefly as possible, to
give an account of the Clinton difficulty.
Occupying the position I do as one of
the Executive Committee of the Demo
cratic Conservative party of thi3 county,
through whom the arrangements were
perfected for the joint discussion at that
place, and having been present on the
occasion and witnessed as mnch as any
man conld see of what transpired, and
having taken the pains and trouble of
learning from others present what they
saw and knew of it, and having under
taken to get what information I could
in the few brief days since the occur
rence whether or not the negroes went
there with the intention of killing the
whites, I feel that with these means of
information at hand I am prepared to
give a full and complete version of the
whole matter. And what I give will be
facts, either what I saw anil know my
self, or what I have ascertained and can
prove to be true.
The Beginning of the Row.
In the early part of the week hand
bills were posted up in various parts of
the county, that a grand Republican
barbecue would, be given on Saturday,
the 4th of September, by the “Clinton
Republican Club,” that H. T. Fisher,
A. Ames, and James Hill (Republican
candidates for Congress) would address
the meeting, and that all persons were
invited to be present. On Friday, 3d,
about 11 o’clock, a. m., the Chairman
of the Democratic and Conservative Ex
ecutive Committee of Hines county re
ceived a communication from the Clin
ton Democratic Club, informing him
that a joint discussion had been pro
posed by the Radicals for the next day,
and requiring speakers to be sent. He
handed me the letter, with instructions
to notify Judge Amos li. Johnston,
Judge Geo. L. Potter, at Jackson, and
Marye Dabney, at Edmunds, to go to
Clinton. I wrote and telegraphed to
these gentlemen to be sure and be pres
ent. The Democratic Club at Raymond,
to which both Hte Chairman ana my
self belonged, was called together that
evening, and it was announced that an
invitation had been received to be pres
ent at the joint discussion at Clinton,
and a similar invitation having been re
ceived from Utica, there was considera
ble discussion as to which invitation
should be accepted. It was finally de
termined to accept the invitation from
Clinton, with leave to any particular in
dividuals to go to Utica. Accordingly,
early Saturday morning quite a number
of the members of the Democratic Club
from Raymond, including old, young,
and middle-aged men, went to Clinton
to hear the joint discussion, having no
intimation whatever of a difficulty, and
only a very few, say ten or twelve, who
were armed, and they were men who
were accustomed to carry pistols. That
morning the writer heard of several ne
groes purchasing ammunition in Ray
mond, and heard of one who seemed a
little agitated when he asked for it; bat,
as the colored people use a great deal of
ammunition, he thought nothing of it.
Tt may be well here to state that Clinton
is ten miles west of Jackson, on the
Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad, has
some two or three hundred inhabitants,
and Raymond, the county seat ot Hinds
county, is eight miles southwest of Clin
ton, and Utica, a little town eighteen
miles southwest of Raymond.
On the Grounds.
On arriving at Clinton the writer
sought the committee who had been ap
pointed by the Clinton Democratic Club
to arrange the discussion, to ascertain
what arrangements had been made.—
One of the committee informed the
writer that tho Republican Club had
had a meeting and rescinded the invita
tion, but that Chas. Caldwell and Mr.
John Clinton, who constituted the Re
publican Committee to extend the invi
tation and arrange the discussion, were
not present when the Republican Club
had rescinded the invitation, and were
mortified ut their action, and felt deter
mined to still have the joint 1 discussion.
About 11 o’clock the Republican Clubs
marched through the town with music
and banners, some six hundred strong,
but displayed, as the writer then re
marked, very little enthusiasm, and
passed out to the east, and after they
had gone through most of the white
men who were at the barbecue went out
to the grounds before the procession re
turned through town, and were on the
ground when they . arrived. About 12
or 1 o'clock the committee agreed on tho
terms of tho discussion, which were
these: Judge Amos R. Johnson, Demo
cratic and Conservative candidate for
State Senate, should open with a speech
of one hour; Mr. H. T. Fisher, associate
editor of the Jackson Times, Republi
liean, should respond with a speech of
one hour and a quarter, anil then Judge
Johnston should respond with a fifteen
minnte speech. The placo selected for
the speaking was three-quarters of a
mile from Clinton, in a grove bounded
on the north by tho residence of Charles
Clinton, on the south by the Vicksburg
and Meridian Railroad, on the east by
the Brownsville and Clinton Road, and
on the west by a deep ravine, through
which ran a small branch fed by springs,
and which afforded water for the occa
sion; the whole grove being in length,
north and south, some seven hundred
yards, and from three to four hundred
yards wide. The stcupd was near the
railroad on the south, nud about one
hundred yards from the little branch
which bounded the grounds on the west.
Bad Whisky Ebullitions.
Judge Johnston opened the discussion
with a one honr speech, and, as he is ex
tremely Conservative, made a very con
servative speech, that was entirely sat
isfactory to his own party and listened
to with respectful attention by the ne
groes. There was considerable conver
sation going on, so that the Judge could
not be heard very well except by those
very near him. Captain Fisher com
menced his address, and proceeded un
disturbed by anything until the circum
stances which led to the conflict occur
red. While Captain Fisher was speak
ing I took my position some twenty or
twenty-five steps from the stand and a
little way out of the audience. While
Johnston was speaking I was in the
crowd, near the stand. As I came out. I
observed, abont one hundred yards dis
tant, a young man from Raymond who
seemed to be intoxicated, who was being
taken care of by two other young men
from Raymond, but they were making
no noise and creating no disturbance. I
was between the stand and these young
men and could not hear a word they
said, and I know that they were not dis
turbing the audience, and that they
conld not be heard by the audience. In
a few minutes Charles Caldwell, a ne
gro, assuming the authority to stop the
difficulties, went to where these yonng
men were, and one of them meeting him
some ten steps from where the other two
stood, asked him to go back, that he and
his friends conld keep the intoxicated
man quiet. While this conversation
was going on, some four or five other
yonng men and Captain B. 8. White, a
middle aged man of excellent standing
in the community, went to where these
two yonng men were. Several negroes,
seeing Charles Caldwell go down, and
having seen the intoxicated man there
before, followed on down, and, when
these started, others began to go down
and gather around them. Caldwell ask
ed the negroes to go back. Captain
White mounted the wagon and insisted
on their going back and leaving the
white men, but in one minute there
were someone hnndred or one hundred
and fifty negro men crowding upon the
whites with their pistols drawn. The
whites then retreated baek some ten
steps and the negroes pressed forward
and surrounded them.
The Fight.
At this moment the drums and the
bugle gave the signal, and the com
panies of negroes rallied to the : host al
ready aronnd the whites, and with loud
imprecations cried “ Let’s whip the
damn rascals,” “ Rill the sons-of
b-h’s,” “ Go for them,” “ Go for the
Raymond boys,” “Kill the Democrats.”
They had already crowded so near the
whites they had not room scarcely to
use the pistols. The drums beat but
few taps until the firing commenced.
The'negroes waved their pistols, and
those who had room poured a volley
into the ranks of the negroes while some
struck down the negroes with their pis
tols to make room to shoot. One or two
shots from the whites drove back the
solid body of negroes to the brow of the
hill, and' the whites advancing upon
them, they rallied and turned upon
.them, and again the volley from the
handful of whites drove them back.
But the trouble with the whites was
their pistols were nearly empty, and
when emptied they would be at the
merev of fiends. Each man then began
to make his wav out the best he could,
reserving his 'loads to defend against
any personal assault How each es
caped with some twenty to fifty negroes
following him, shooting at every tarn,
God only knows. Every man tells for
himself his own tale. Some were saved
by the assistance of colored friends who
lived in Raymond, while others fonght
it and ran all the way out. There were
someone thousand negro men on the
gronnd and not over one hundred
whites, not more than twenty of whom
had aims. There were some twenty
white men who engaged in the fight, the
rest escaping as rapidly as possible.—
Such a stampede of horses, people and
wagons in every direction, ainid screams
and pistols firing, made the most terrify
ing spectacle I ever beheld. The ne
groes were cowardly, never attempting
a conflict nnless they numbered at least
two to one; and then if a white man
brought his pistol to bear on them they
would run with all their might. When
some of the pistols of the whites had
been exhausted the negroes cdfapelled
them to give them npq and after they
had surrendered the negroes beat their
brains ont with pistols, rails and clubs.
Some seeing this, even after their
charges were exhausted, refused to sur
render, and fought until they had es
caped. The writer started to his buggy,
and finding a wounded friend took nim
to the house of Mr. Charles Chilton,
who lives north of the grounds, and left
him there. Mr. Chilton was standing at
his gate, and was telling the negro wo
men to go into his house, where they
would be protected. I tnrned to go to
Clinton, and left Mr. Chilton at his
gate, and am told that he was shot in
hie own yard, a few moments afterward,
by some negroes who rode up to the
fence and fired.
A Personal Encounter.
I rode rapidly south on the road
which bounded the grounds on the east
to where the dirt road crosses the rail
road, on a little bridge. When I came
in sight I saw some eight or a dozen ne
groes on the bridge beating Captain
White. I called to them to desist, but
they knocked him down and beat him,
he having before that time surrendered
his pistol, and to finish him while he
was down a lafge black negro strnck
him a terrible blow on the top of the
head, and rolled him over the embank
ment. At this moment I dashed up to
the bridge, and a uegro jumped to my
horse’s head, seized the lines and began
firing at me. At that same moment the
negro who had strnck Captain White on
the head raised his cudgel, jumped at
me, and as he was dealing a blow at my
forehead, I gave him a ball from my
“navy six-shooter,” which caused him
to leave me. Stunned by the blow, it
took me a few seconds to recover, and,
when I did so, I was leveling my pistol
at the negro who was holding my horse
and shooting at !)he. My pistol was on
ly half cocked, and I conld not bring it
down, but the tfijvardly scoundrel could
Et atajiil it, and fled. All
3 wTuld'^fasfflfW'Wfe theft; two, two
others were standing within a distance of
twenty feot, shooting at me. Luckily I
received only slight wounds, and my
horse took me rapidly out of danger.
As my horse ran, some fifty negroes (as
I was afterwards told), fired as fast as
they conld. Some ran their horses after
me, but Captain Montgomery came up
abont that time, and poured the con
tents of a double-barrel shot-gun into
their faces, and caused them to desist.
Bloody Episodes.
Martin H. Sibley, a brave, generous,
high-toned gentleman, who fonght them
gallantly, finally, on their demand, sur
rendered, and as one man reached out to
receive his pistol another knocked him
down. He arose and endeavored to get
away from them, but these followed him
and beat his brains ont, and after they
had killed him, beat and mangled his
corpse; and, worse still, they robbed
him of everything he hail, even taking
his shoes off' his feet. A young lawyer,
G. F. F. Thompson, was one of the few
who first were assaulted, and after he
had emptied his pistols and received a
wound in the leg, he mounted a horse
and mado off; but twenty negroes fol
lowed him, and, after pursuing him
about one and a half miles, they over
took and shot kim through the head,
and after he was down beat his head
with guns and rails until his faco was
mashed to a jelly. ,1 give these in
stances to show how cowardly and savage
the scoundrels were. Capt. Montgomery,
with a few men on horseback, scattered
and routed the few who had not desert
ed the grounds and fled when they came
up, which was a quarter of an hour per
haps after the firing commenced. Tele
grams were sent in every direction, and
soon tho place had ample troops to hunt
down the black villains.
The Affair Premeditated.
Saturday morning, the morning of the
day the fight began, the negro women
in some parts of the county became rest
less, and told that the negro men had
gone to Clinton armed to kill the whites.
But the whites of the South have heard
so often of insurrection of negroes and
so little ever came of it that they
thought nothing of what was told them.
One lady overheard a negro man the
night before say “that he was going to
Clinton the next day, when the thing
would commence, that they didn’t in
tend to spare any except the young
women, but they would kill every one
else.” We have abundant proof to show
that it was well understood beforehand
the negroes intended to undertake the
massacre at the time the Clinton difficul
ty occurred. Their clubs were armed
to a man, and every one who was present
saw how quickly they flew together
when the drums beat and the bugle
blew. Had they not run, but fonght
with the bravery and determination
which was displayed by the whites,
every white mau would have been killed,
and then the work of extermination
would havo gone on. God only knows
where it would have stopped. But they
were too cowardly to carry out their
purposes. They were scattered to the
winds, many of the leaders taking re
fuge in Jackson, where they conld hide
behind United States troops, and left
the poor ignorant negro, whom they had
duped into taking part in the affair, to
be slaughtered by the whites. There
were only three whites killed and eight
or ten wounded. How many negroes,
will never be known. They were iu such
crowds almost every ball from the pis
tols of the whites took effect. The ne
groes now admit that they were the
cause of the whole affair, and blame
their leaders for it.
The reports that have gone out, that
the young white men brought on the
difficulty, are totally false. They had no
whisky on the grounds ; did not send
after any, and had only taken a drink
apiece, given to them by friends in Clin
ton, and all were perfectly sober except
one, and he took perhaps too much be
fore he left home. The whites did not
draw their pistols first, and, from what
I can learn, did not fire first, bnt they
all say they would have been compelled
to fire in a moment more, any way. It
has also been reported that a fight oc
curred between a negro and one of the
whites at the stand, but the report is
wholly without foundation. The truth
about the whole matter is just this: The
negroes made up their mind they would
commence killing the whites that day,
and invited them there so as to put
them off their guard, and the signal for
beginning the work was the drum-beat.
W. Calvin Wells.
WIND AND WATER.
From Memphis and the Gulf Coast.
New York, September 18.—Telegrams
from Pascagoula, Ocean Springs, Biloxi,
Mississippi City, Pass Christian and Bay
St. Louis report heavy winds prevailing
since Wednesday, but doing no serious
damage.
There has been no communication for
sixty-four hours with Galveston.
Memphis, September 18.—Tho rain
which set in Friday night continned un
til noon to-day. Sun set clear.
Storm in Texas—Snow Storm in New
Hampshire.
Corsicana, Texas, September 18.—A
wind and rain storm from the north set
in here at 10 o’clock on Thursday night,
lasting until dark yesterday. The rain
extended from south of Dallas to the
coast. Some little cotton blown out
but no great damage done to the crop in
this section. Telegraphic communica
tion with Houston both by the Central
and Great Northern roads is broken,
bnt Honston Friday evening papers, re
ceived here this evening reported the
storm still raging there, and at Galves
ton at 10 o’clock on Wednesday night,
when the last wire broke on the bridge.
The velocity of the wind was reported
there at 50 miles an honr and increasing.
The Galveston and Santa Fe bridge is
washed away and the Galveston and
Houston bridge broken, bat part of it
is still seen extending from the main
land. The water extends three miles
inland, being higher than in 1867, and
the latest from Highland station at 4
p. m. on Thursday reports the wind a
hurricane and doing a great deal of
damage in Houston, and at Harrisburg
the water was within twenty inches of the
top of navigation at the company’s
wharf on Thursday morning and rising
an inch an hour. Grave apprehension
exists in Honston of serious disasters in
Galveston. A night train broke through
a bridge thirty miles above Corsicana
last night destroying 13 loaded cars and
stopping traffic. The bridge and track
will be repaired and communication
opened to-morrow, Sunday evening.
Mocst Washington, N. H., Septem
ber 18.—A snow storm prevailed on the
mountain last night, continuing all day.
No trains or stages np or down.
F*U River Factories.
Fall Riyeb, Mass., September 18.—
The manufacturers have been in in ses
sion a good part of to-day diseausing
the question of resuming work. It is
reported on the best authority that they
have decided to open the mills", on the
27th instant, at the reduced prices
offered when the vacation was inaugu
rated. There are other conditions to be
imposed on the operatives.
The Chicago Inter-Ocean distinctly
declares that “peace and reconciliation
is a cry as senseless and nauseating as
anything of the kind oould well be.”
SHOCKING ACCIDENT.
BREAKING OP A ROTTEN AERIAL
FIRE LADDER.
Three Men Killed—Miraculous Escape
of Others on the Machine —Melan-
choly Ending of the Seott-Uda Ladder
Job.
[JVeio Tork Herald, 15ft ]
A shocking accident occurred yester
day morning at a public experiment with
the Scott-Uda aerial ladder at Rutgers
square, on the plaza formed by the
junction of East Broadway and Canal
street, which ended in the cruel death
of three men.
It will be remembered that this aerial
ladder, originally the invention of an
Italian, who conveyed the right to Mrs.
Uda, has somewhat frequently figured
in the newspapers in connection with
the notorious corrupt jobbery by which
the Fire Department acquired the title
to the patent from the lady; that the
late Secretary of the Department, Mr.
White, was dismissed on proof being
furnished that he received SIO,OOO of the
$25,000 which the city paid her for the
patent, and that the Fire Commissioners
were also mixed up with the job in a
manner which has created great sus
picion and distrust in the public mind.
In fact, tho public did not need this
last crowning proof to know that this
wonderful ladder was simply a corrupt
job. Its whole history is concrete
enough. It began in shame and corrup
tion and jobbery, and it ended in death.
“It was not enough to take the people’s
money, but the lives of the people’s
servants must be sacrificed tod'!” This
seems to be tho public verdict in regard
to the accident which shocked this com
munity yesterday.
. The Experiments.
It appears that this aerial ladder, for
which most wonderful qualities have
been claimed, while many competent
persons have denounced it openly, has
for some jnonths been the object of con
stant experiments. The Chief of the
Department, Mr. Eli Bates, had given
orders to select men from each company,
in order that they might acquire thorough
knowledge of the proper handling of the
ladder.
The experiment yesterday morning
had also been ordered by the Chief, and
the following men were detajkjd to as
cend the ladder: William H. Nash,
Chief of the Fourth Battalion; Phillipp
Nans, of truck No. 6; William Hughes,
of Engine Company No. 9; Robert J.
Gonld, of Engine No. 15; Thomas C.
Lea, of Hook and Ladder No. 9; Corne
lius J. Kingsby, of Engine Company
No. 11; Cusick, assistant fireman ot the
chemical engine, and Jessie Patten, of
Engine No. 15—eight in all. As these
experiments always attract great crowds,
word was sent to Captain McElwaine, of
the Madison street station, to send some
of his officers to keep tle crowd,in or
der. It is to the great credit of this
captain, and he should be substantially
commended for it, that the manner in
which he did his duty on this oceasion
was no doubt instrumental in saving
many lives.
A Great Crowd Present.
There was a large crowd in attend
ance as early as eight o’clock. Nash,
the chief of the battalion, and a very
daring, reokless man, who never seems
to have thought of danger, had, by way
of a previous informal experiment, al
ready raised the ladder at six o’clock in
the morning and ascended to the top.
When the hour for holding this little
exhibition arrived the square bounded
by Canal street, East Broadway and
liutgers street was uncomfortably
crowded. Among the more prominent
spectators was Mrs. Uda herself and
Mr. White, the former Secretary of the
Fire Department, who little thought
that they were to witness the death of
three human beings by means which
they had kindly provided for the city,
and after having made a comfortable
pile of money out of the operation.
When the ladder was put together and
raised to a height of ninety-eight feet
Captain McElwaine noticed that it
would fall upon the spectators in case
of an accident, and therefore ordered
his meii to push the crowd back, re
moving them all from the possibility of
bodily danger. Had this not been done,
and the crowd been allowed to remain
within falling space, the loss of life
might have been terrible, as the number
of women and children was considerable.
The Order to Ascend.
Nash, the chief of the fourth battal
ion, gave the order to ascend at a quar
ter to eleven o’clock, the putting togeth
er of the eight sections and raising of
the ladder having consumed much time.
The men, however, were somewhat un
easy, and seemed to be unwilling to exe
cute the order. “Why, there’s no dan
ger 1” exclaimed Nash, and he lightly
mounted the ladder and began to ascend
it with great rapidity. The others,
whose names have already been given
above, were sufficiently encouraged to
follow him. Alas ! it was their courage
and pluck which plunged them into
destruction, for it was only the first two
who followed him quickly who met
Nash’s cruel fate. These two were Maus
and Hughes. When tho latter two had
passed above the third section Nash,
who was a wonderfully rapid climber,
was already on the top of the ladder and
calmly looking down upon the specta
tors from the giddy height of ninety
eight feet, and the five others were aWay
behind below the third section.
The Break.
It was just above this section of the
aerial ladder that the break occurred.
The spectators were admiring Nash’s
coolness and skill on the top of the lad
der when, to their great horror, they
suddenly noticed a dangerous swaying
to and fro of the light wooden structure
that was standing there ninety-eight
feet high and without any support what
ever to insure the safety of the eight
precious lives upon it. Several women,
presumably the wives or other relatives
of the men ou tho ladder, gave a loud
shriek, and Chief Bates, taking in at a
glance the perilous situation, instantly
shouted the order, “Come down !” The
men started to execute this order, and
their pale faces and trembling figures
were easily discernible from the ground.
But it was too late. There.was sudden
ly a loud snap, the ladder broke at the
third section and precipitated tho three
men who were still above it down to the
ground and into eternity. It was an
awful spectacle, and for a moment every
body stood aghast, almost petrified, as
though they could not realize this sud
den disaster. It had come so suddenly,
so utterly without any warning, and
everybody was so unprepared for it, that
the perfect and awful stillness which
reigned for some seconds was easily to
be explained.
The Results.
It is stated that the two distinguished
spectators, Mrs. Uda and Mr. White,
immediately upon seeing the ladder fall,
left the scene in great haste. While
they hurried away the terribly mangled
bodies were put upon stretchers and
promptly conveyed to the Madison
street police station, followed, of course,
by a large and curious ero#d. What is
remarkable is that the men below the
third section clung with sufficient
strength to the ladder to escape being
thrown down, and, after some difficulty,
accomplished the descent. One oif two
are said to have fallen, but this does not
appear to be true, for they all walked
away considerably weakened by the
shock, but without any injuries. Nash
and Maus had died instantaneously, but
Hughes still lived when the stretcher
arrived at the police station. Maus had
fallen on his left side and his injuries
appeared to be the worst of all. Both
his arms and his left leg were broken,
his nose was cut clean off, his teeth
knocked tbrongh his cheeks and his
skull fractured. Hughes’ skull was also
fractured, he having fallen on his head.
His arms, one leg, his neck and his col
► lar bone were broken. He lingered at
the police station in great agony for
about fifteen minutes, and then expired.
Action of the Authorities.
Commissioners Brennan and Cox were
quickly at the police station, and per
sonally ordered the ambulance wagons.
Coroner Croker gave permission to re
move the bodies to the respective homes
of the men. This was done after many
heartrending scenes had been witnessed
at the station house. Mrs. Nash was
the first to arrive, and on seeing the re
mains of her husband, mangled beyond
all recognition, fainted, and had to be
carried away. Other scenes of this kind
followed, too painful to be separately
dwelt upon. At three o’clock in the af
ternoon Coroner Croker arrived with his
Deputy, Dr. McWhinnie, and empan
elled a jury. The inquest will not be
held until next week.
Sketches of the Dead.
Nash, who was the best known of the
three victims, resided with his family at
149 Clinton street. He was a tall, ath
letic man of forty, who bore all the in
dications of strong health and the prom
ise of a long life. He was a member of
the Boyal Arch Masonic Order, and be
longed to Ancient Chapter, No. 11. He
served all during the war in Berden’s
corps of sharpshooters, and attained the
rank of Assistant Adjutant General. He
has been connected with the department
for seven years, and leaves a widow and
three children. ...
Mans was also a fine looking man,
about thirty-Bix old, a Germau by
birth and a carpenter by trade. He was
only connected with the department for
a year, but has done good service. He
leaves a widow and two children.
Hughes was a yonng man of twenty
eight, American by birth, who had been
connected with the department five
years. He had only been married a few
m ° nt , h aU widow
was perfectly her
and °
donee cri deep &
The
iJ„ he S 6r *ni^ nr^ bioh had
ttt . N. H., by the
Abbott Downing Cos ’ f ; £ m
ea ° V c T t 'ieted out if the
very lightest pine t.m e A „ and
terSay splinters of tlij.j *
ned about by people Clj libited ftg
mark of the preposMjL ~
with which these lndd^MfL C f‘® S ,3f
Chief Bates declines tflPjHßv '
and that the acci
dent was in no to careless
ness on the part ■LJ’ Tf -
probable that none:Hljkdders win
made h £
ladder, and it
thetic interest at t( f read £ IS
report ou these expejflKx
Nash’s
linent
W;l 1 1'
met his cruel "
an " uic
No. tl] ;,
truck being (> y
square, in which posit^^^^R and over
passing the railroad
track with perfect
Then her
of sixty-seven degrces!j^^^Bft“ and :
in various directions f
the top, at an feet
and made a complete circleTHr! “ ’
%vith apparent safety. repeat
ed on several different days !sA\x o same
place.”
The next experiment wa^^^i] er > B
sugar refinery, at South
ry where l u ‘
man
to , U ' |
elevation j' us
wi on top 1 m.
nV'
ing.” He
cantf words: JbhSd?s;^itAl.,i.
gny ropes,
To Be Too Dangerous 10 be Repeated
For experimental purposes.” At an ex
periment in Delancey slip lie had thir
teen men on tho ladder, but the ladder
was resting against a roof. At the next
trial, in Attorney street, six men were
on the ladder, and he says that “it bent
and twisted like a monster fishing pole,”
but still seemed to have no suspicion of
its unsafely. The report concludes as
follows: “The quickest time thus far is
about six seconds per foot, which is,
when height and the weight which these
experiments have shown her to be capa
ble of bearing is taken into considera
tion, I think pretty rapid transit in an
upward direction for any portable lad
der to make, and, with officers and "men
drilled and disciplined for this especial
service, 1 feel quite confident could be
very greatly improved upon.”
The victims will probably be buried
together tO-morrow. Their families will
receive SI,OOO cash from the aid fund
and a pension of $l5O per annum.
History of the Ladder.
In the year 1872 Mrs. Mary Belle
Scott-Uda applied to the Department to
introduce her new invention of the
“aerial ladder.” The ladder was on
feur wheels, and by using a crank the
hind wheels were brought forward, each
movement raising the height of the lad
der. When the two hind wheels were
brought forward to the fore wheels, the
height of the ladder increased to about
100 feet, and then a “fly” was added of
about twenty-five feet. At the first ex
hibition of the ladder in 1873, in the
City Hall Park, a fireman named Leary,
attached to engine No. 31, was severely
injured by falling from the “fly.” Leary
is now a member of No. 6 truck, one its
members being ccidentaally killed yes
terday.
In course of time the “aerial ladder”
was adopted by the Fire Department,
and the sum of $25,000 was paid to Mrs.
Scott-Uda for the privilege of building
the ladder. Each ladder cost about
$5,000, and one was built at the old
Fire Department shops ou Elizabeth
street. In the begining of the present
year it was ascertained that tho Secre
tary of the Department, W. B. White,
had a hand in the sale of the ladder to
the Fire Department. The Herald first
called attention to this affair, and the
consequence was that Secretary White
was dismissed.
When four ladders had been built and
were ready for service it was found that
they were too large for the engine
houses, and therefore if the aerial lad
ders were to be adopted new houses
would have to be erected. This would
cause an additional expense of from
SI,OOO to $50,000 to alter or build tho
new hoiises.
Mrs. Seott-Uda’s maiden name was
Mary Belle Scott. She was formerly a
music teacher in Chicago, and went to
Florence, Italy, to finish her musical
education. In Florence she met Signor
Uda. Then came marriage and a return
to the United States. She personally
attended to the “aerial ladder.”
A visit was paid yesterday to the fire
men and members of the hook and lad
der companies in tho city. Each and all
were severe their condemnation of
such aerial flights. They recalled the
first trial in the City Hall Park, when
Leary, of Engine No. 31, now of Hook
and Ladder No. 6, nearly lost his life
by falling from the “fly.” The firemen
protested against the adoption of such a
ladder, knowing that it was unsafe, and
yet, if under orders, would mount it to
the very end in pursuance of their duty.
The excitement among the firemen was
very great, and if the inventor or Mr.
ex-Secretary White was recongnized
throughout the city some rough times
would ensue. The men now aro deter
mined not to recognize the matchwood
ladder, and will not ascend it except
under orders.
The families of the deceased firemen
will soon commence suits against the
city for the loss of their husbands and
fathers.
A Touching Scene.
In the parade of the veterans of the
Mexican war yesterday was an old man
named Hughes. He left his home joy
fully in the morning in anticipation of
the day’s parade. Down Broadway the
procession marched, amidst cheers, Ac.,
of the sidewalk spectators. Mr. Hughes
felt glad and joyful, and his step was
young and buoyant, notwithstanding
his years. To the lively music of the
Governor’s Island Band tho procession
entered the City Hall Park. Suddenly
a youth who had been watching the
parade jumped out of the crowd and ap
proaching Mr. Hughes Baid, “Your son
is dead.” Mr. Hughes left the parade
to find out the particulars. In a few mo
ments he was informed of the terrible
ladder disaster and that his sou was
among the dead. The old soldier wiped
a tear from his eye and then went
straight to his home, No. 131 Madison
street. His day of joyment was over
and he returned home to weep over his
dead son.
FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL.
Customs, Internal Revenue, National
Currency, Bonds, &c. —The London
Times’ Financial Article Recent
Failures.
Washington, September 18. Cus
toms receipts to-day, $505,931 74 ; for
the month, $7,904,598 08 ; for the fiscal
year to date, $37,984,716 99. Internal
revenue receipts to-day, $490,411 68; for
the month, $5,898,559 04; for tho fiscal
year, $24,799,540 63. National Bank
notes received for redemption during
the week ending to-day, $2,633,915; Na
tional Bank notes outstanding, $347,-
578,483, of which $2,640,000 are in Na
tional gold bank notes. Bonds held by
the United States Treasurer as security
for National Bank circulation, $373,-
077,762, and for deposits of public
monies, $18,792,200. Legal tenders
shipped during the week, $2,821,180.
New York, September 18.—The as
sets of L. Shepard & Dillingham are
$93,011 82; liabilities, $85,259 55. The
cieditors agree to take 70 per cent., at
12, 16 and 18 months, without interest.
White & Douglass, commission mer
chants, principally dealers in hops, have
London, September 18.—The Times,
in its financial article this morning, has
the following: The harvest is nearly at
an end. Reports as to the quality of the
new wheat are generally good. Markets
in Mincing Lane continue quiet. Sugar
depressed. Prices favor buyer. James
Caird, whom the Times considers high
authority, writes that journal that the
publication of the returns of acreage
exhibits the smallest breadth of wheat
we have had since the returns have been
taken, and a half million acres less than
the average extent previous to 1860,
when we had four millions fewer peo
ple; The decrease in Ireland has been
fourteen per cent, from 1874, and in
Great Britain the decrease has been
nearly eight per cent. He estimates the
amount of wheat required from abroad
at eleven million quarters.
M. Buffet says that the French Gov
ernment and the press are on the same
terms as Moliere was with his doctor.
Moiiere never took the medicine and
always got well ; so the editors are so
many doctors, who prescribe for dis
orders they find in the Government;
bat “ we throw the medicine ont of the
window, and when we suspend a jour
nal it is only a prescription torn up,”
TIIE CONDITION OF COTTON.
Report of tire Department of Agricul
ture.
Washington, September 15.— The De
partment of Agriculture reports tho con
dition of cotton better in September
than in August in Mississippi, Louis
iana and Arkansas, and worse on the
Atlantic coast, in Alabama and in Texas.
The prevalent drouths in July were suc
ceeded by rains in August too copious
for the best results in the Mississippi
Valley and quite injurious in the heavy
soils of the eastern belt, causing rust,
shedding of leaves and fruit, and to
some extent rotting of the lower bolls.
There is a rank recent growth, which
will yield largely with a favorable and
long Autumn season, or prove a disap
pointment in case of an early killing
frost. In some parts of Texas the
drouth continued for nine weeks, but
seasonable rains since the middle of
August have placed the fields in high
condition in all except the most severe
ly parched localities. The losses from
the prevalence of insects will scarcely
be a factor in calculating the product of
the present year. A few counties in
Florida and Lower Georgia report the
caterpillar. The boll worm is more nu
merous in Lowndes county, Miss., and
heard from in a few other counties.
Lice are mentioned by some correspon
dents, and in Covington, Ala., the cor
respondent reports anew enemy, which
he calls a minute gnat, which harbor on
leaves like lice, producing wide-spread
and serious injury. As compared with
September, 1874, the only now
reporting a lower condition are South
Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and in
the Mississippi Valley the improvement
is very marked, especially in Tennessee
and Arkansas, in which tho averages
were very low in 1874. A large propor
tion of the cotton area of the country is
represented iu the September returns,
which include no less than sixty cotton
counties in Texas and seventy-six in
Georgia. The averages of condition are
as follows: North Carolina, 90; South
Carolina, 80; Georgia, 70; Florida, 75;
Alabama, 87; Mississippi, 98; Louisiana,
88. Texas, 94f Arkansas, 99; Tennessee,
’ 90.
The Crops of 1874-’75.
fkjm-y* Oiwanum; tgCpimiAuelTf 17.- TllG
Drop Committee of the National 00ti...
Exchange issued their report to-day,
making the total crop for the year end
ing September Ist, 1875,3,827,845 bales,
of which 2,674,448 were exported to
foreign ports and 1,200,473 were taken
by bane spinners, including 126,550 net
for Southern* consumption. The Sea
Island crop was 16,687 bales, including
8,139 in Florida, 1,074 in Georgia, 7,308
in South Carolina, and 166 in Texas.
The average weight of tho crop was 468
pounds per bale, and of the Sea Island
cotton 392. pounds per bale.
The overland movements of cotton by
Northern routes were 456,952 bales.
The following shows the production
of cotton by States: Louisiana, Missis
sippi, Arkansas, 993,482; Alabama, 320,-
822; Texas, 368,245; Florida, 37,467;
Georgia, 576,684; South Carolina, 439,-
550; North Carolina, 101,161; Virginia,
419,674; Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri,
&c., 444,220. Exported during the year,
2,673,448; sent to Canada, 3,383; burnt,
2,139; takings of spinners in the United
Statets, 1,200,473; taken by spiuners iu
the Southern States, 129,613; total tak
ings by Northern spinners, 1,070,860.
Another Statement from the Depart
ment of Agriculture.
Washington, September 18.—The
Statistician of the Department of Agri
culture furnishes the following state
ment in reply to a private communica
tion that doubts had been ‘expressed as
to the correctness of several statements
in the cotton report from that Depart
ment published on the 16th instant:
Alabama, 87; Mississippi, 98, Louisiana,
88; Texas, 94; Arkansas, 99; Tennesse,
96, 1874; North Carolina, 87; South
Carolina, 86; Georgia, 77; Florida, 77;
Alabama, 81; Mississippi, 74; Louisiana,
62; Texas, 65; Arkansas, 47; Tennessee,
52. The cotton figures are right, but
the favorable comparison of conditions
in Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas
is with September of last year, and not
with August. The figures for South
Carolina, Georgia and Florida are
' slightly less than last year, and those
for all the States west* of the Atlantio
coast are greater. The September aver
ages of the two seasons are as follows:
1875—North Carolina, 90; South Caro
lina, 80; Georgia, 76; Florida, 75.
CROPS IN GEORGIA.
LETTER FROM THE G. M. STATE
GRANGE.
Plant Small Grain and Turnips—Pro
gress and Influence of the Grange-
Direct Trade—Appointments of Dr.
Worrall.
Editors Macon Telegraph and Mes
senger:
My recent travels over many parts of
Georgia have convinced me that the
crops are materially curtailed by the
hot sun and dry weather, not only of
July, but also of this month. The rust
has added much to the disaster of cot
ton. We had the promise that late cot
ton, after the hot and dry weather so
materially cutting off the early crop,
would make a good yield; but the recent
drouth and excessive heat has been ful
ly as destructive to the late crop as the
July weather was to the early.
The crop of peas, turnips, potatoes,
etc., has suffered much from the pres
ent drouth; but I trust our farmers will
not be discouraged with the loss of
many turnips, but renew the planting—
good crops can yet be made by liberal
fertilizing, which should always be done
to make turnips.
As stated iu my last, I reiterate, the
great, the indispensible necessity of the
farmers and planters planting largely
this Fall of small grain.
Don’t let it be said by a single mem
ber of the Grange, or outsiders that
plants, that they have not land or seed
to sow. This will boa shame to any
member. And let every one cast about
at once, looking after land, looking after
seed, looking after time to do this work.
It is gratifying that the subordinate
Granges are taking this important move
in hand, and proposing to inspect, dur
ing next season, the crops of their mem
bers, either by committee of a few, or
of their whole Grange. This is a favor
able omen, and let no member be caught
without a good portion of his land sow
ed down in small grain, and planting
quite as largely in corn—an abundance
to make our farms self-sustaining, and
supply those of our fellow-citizens not
producers, but engaged in other callings.
The Grange organization is spreading
its influence widely over the country,
and sinking its roots deep into the good
opinion of good men of all classes. Its
efforts to establish direct trade with Eu
rope surely has the endorsement of all
classes. All are deeply interested, and
let us link onr shields together for the
accomplishment of this, the grandest en
terprise of the nineteenth century.
We have now Dr. Worrall, a commis
sioner from an English society of great
wealth and large numbers, canvassing
our State and our section in the interest
of this great, move. He has now ap
pointments in our State, as follows: La-
Grange, 13th ; Griffin, 15th ; Hawkins
ville, 18th; Albany, 20th ; Thomasville,
22d ; Savannah, 24th ; Augusta, 25th;
Thomson, 27th; Gonyors, 28th; Gaines
ville, 30th ; October the Ist, Marietta,
and the 2d, Dalton. These three last
appointments are changed to suit the
convenience of Dr. Worrall, who did
not wish tho appointments so far dis
tant. Notice did not reach him in time.
I presume there is no paper in onr
State that will not advocate direct trade
with Europe—when they know that
propositions come to us from such sour
ces as is now presented by the English
commissioner who is the director of the
Mississippi Valley Association, with
twelve American directors, the head
quarters of which is at Louisville, Ky.,
who co-operate with an equal number in
England, with twelve directors there of
Englishmen and one American. They
do not propose to handle any of the
money or stock subscribed on this side
of the Atlantic, and we do not claim to
manage their stock. They propose, so
soon as two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars are subscribed on'each side, to
invest their two hundred and fifty thou
sand in ships. The investment of our
stock is entirely under the control and
management of our board. Seven stock
holders suggest tho building of depots
with part of our stock for the reception
and storage of all goods consigned to
them by manufacturers, eto., and some
to be reserved to advance on cotton to
be shipped.
There is a foolish idea that has gained
some credence by croakers that the
money we put in as stock is in hazard.
Well, all I have to say, if the South
can’t find London directors to manage
its interest, it is in a lamentable state of
things. But I will not pretend to dis
enss the great question.
I trust that gli interested in this
great move will attend someone of the
meetings advertised, when Dr. Worrall
with prominent members of the Grange
will address the people.
I trust all papers m Georgia that sym
pathise with the movement of Direct
Trade will at least contribute as much
as advertising the meetinging through
out the State as stated above.
Yours, truly, etc.,
. T. J. Smith,
Master of Georgia State Grange.
Sharkey, the escaped mnrderer, sail
ed from Havana yesterday for Kingston, 1
on the Spanish steamer Alicanti.
A REMARKABLE CHARACTER.
TRIBUTE TO A FAMOUS GEORGIA
NEGRO.
[For the Chronicle and Sentinel.]
“O, Rare” Jack Campbell.
Died, near Madison, on Friday, the
10th September, 1875, the colored
“citizen of renown” whose familiar
name heads this notice, aged eighty
years or moro. It is unnecessary to be
very accurate as to his age, since he
himself, with characteristic liberality,
made it a point not to stand ou a trifle
of five or ten years. Born in Virginia
and descended of unadulterated African
stock he had all of that pfide of birth
place peculiar to Virginians, and despite
his sable hue, always claimed to belong
to the “F. F. V’s.” If a genial tem
perament, ardent admiration for talent,
j-eady homage to genius and worth,
quickness to discriminate between the
possessor of the “true Attic” and the
coarse retailer of other men’s humor, be
distinguishing traits of that exclusive
class, it was his undoubted right to em
ploy the significant initials in connection
with his name.
Forty-five years ago, iu the flush of
youth, the writer of this tribute made
the acquaintance of this remarkable
man. Ho had already acliived a dis
tinction seldom reached by tho unletter
ed for his impromptu and piquant
sallies, and in that early day numbered
amongst his numerous admirers citizens
of far-off Boston, distant New Orleans,
and cities intermediate. Some of these,
in recurriug to “life’s morning march”
and to occasional halts in the pleasant
town of Madison, will smile at recalling
some amusing fragment that fell from
jack, the hotel waiter.
His name and fame are indissolubly
linked with that far famed village inn,
so long and favorably known and re
spected as Campbell's Hotel. Here,
from the time when Longstreet, Clay
ton, Jones, Shorter, King, Dawson,
Cone, Cooper, E. Y. Hill, and other
celebrities of the period were accustom
ed to exchange a jest or witticism with
poor Jack as they received his courte
ous service, down to the days of the
“cruel war” this faithful servitor of the
statesmen and jurists of Georgia con
tinued his graceful ministrations to tho
comfort of guests, not uumiugled with
quaint humor, and occasional scintilla
tions of genuine wit.
To him, whatever may have been its
results to others, “Liberty” came not to
break the fetters that bound him, for
they were silken cords; but link by link
to destroy the bright chain of human
sympathy that to him made the sunlight
of life, and the associations, that gave to
existence its sweetest savor.
Poor old man, so long tho indulged
servant of the kindest owners, it was a
sad day for him when the old house
changed proprietors, aud tho old sign of
the Campbells ceased to creak a welcome
to the weary traveler. Never, until
“freedom” deprived him of the comforts
and social pleasures of hotel life, had he
felt himself a slave. Like other old
meD, his life was in the past, and ho
loved to refer to tho men of distinction
who never failed to greet him kindly,
and often gave him the opportunity to
pledge them in a glass of good, honest
liquor. He was social, but not intem
perate. To the credit of his old friends
be it said he was seldom refused tho lit
tle favors he sought at their hands.
His love of the humorous, and his ap
preciation of a jest, served to cheer his
declining years. Lingering sparks of the
unextinguished fire disclosed “the ru
ling passion” still burning. Cold in
deed must bo tho heart of him who hav
ing known Jack in the happy days of
yore, aud enjoyed his triumphs of hu
mor and repartee “that were wont to set
the table in a roar,” will deny his memo
ry the homage of a tear, or withhold
the feebler tribute of a sigh. H.
FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES.
Three Young Girls Attacked by a
Buck Deer While Rowing Across a
Pond.
On the 30th ultimo three yonng wo
men. residing near the Big Brink pond,
in Shohola township, Pa., started to go
berrying. They were obliged to cross
the pond to reach the woods. Before
entering the boat they saw something in
the distance swimming in the water.
Thinking it was a dog they paid no
further attention to it, but started on
their way across tho pond, which is
about twp miles wide. After rowing for
several hundred yards the girl who was
piloting the boat saw that what they first
thought to be a dog swimming in the
water was a buck, which was coming
directly toward them. Having a clumsy
pair of oars, it was some time before the
boat could be turned, and then the deer
had readied to within a few yards of
them. The girls became greatly ter
rified, for tho deer was fast gain
ing on them, and from the
way it sported and plunged they
were satisfied it meaut mischief.
While the one rowed with all her might
the other two paddled, thus somewhat
increasing their speed; but the deer
was slowly gaining on them ; aud know
ing they could not reach the shore be
fore being overtaken, they ceased row
ing to prepare for the inevitable battle.
When the deer, snorting and plunging,
had reached to within a few feet of the
boat it stopped for a moment. Then it
made a sudden plunge, and as its head
struck the side of the boat, the brave
girls brought down their raised paddles
upon it with such force as to drive it
under water. The girls again raised
their only weapons, and as the head
again rose to the surface they again
brought tlieir paddles to bear upon it
with the same result. When the deer
again raised from the water it seemed
to realize that this was to bo tho dea'th
struggle, and its eyes gleamed like balls
of fire. It made a plungo, and
threw its fore feet over the side of
the boat near the oar-locks. This
nearly capsized the clumsy craft,
and threw Maggie Jordan, the oldest of
the three, into the water; but as she fell
she caught the edge of the boat, and was
hauled in by one of her companions.
Then the heroine at the oars, as she felt
the animal’s breath in her face, raised a
paddle nml strnck for her life, and as
the blow fell across tho deer’s head the
blood started from its nostrils, aud it
sank back helpless and seemingly dead,
but really only stunned. The girls then
started for the shore, leaving the deer
struggling between life and death in the
water. Beaching the shore, one of the
girls ran to a small log cabin, t an eighth
of a mile distant, in which lived a fami
ly by the name of Berger, aud told what
had occurred. Mr. Berger seized his
rifle and went to the pond, where he
found the wounded deer yet struggling
in the water a few rods from tho shore.
He rowed out to it, and seized it by the
antlers, cut its throat and then towed
the body to the shore. The deer was
the largest ever killed in the neighbor
hood, weighing 227 pounds.
I. O. O. F;
Meeting of the Grand Lodge.
Indianapolis, September 18.—The
Grand Lodge, Independent Order of
Odd Fellows of the United States, will
convene here Monday. Sixty representa
tives have arrived, among whom are
Venerable Grand Secretary Jas. L.
liidgeley, Past Grand Sires Stewart, of
Washington, and Stokes, of Pennsyl
vania; Representatives Fitzhugh and
Robinson, of Virginia, and Glenn, of
Georgia; Grand Treasurer Van Sant, of
Baltimore, and Assistant Grand Secre
tary Ross, of Baltimore. The Grand
Lodge and Grand. Encampment will
give the representatives a public recep
tion Monday, at which addresses of
welcome will be made by Gov. Hen
dricks, Major Craven, Senator Morton
and Hon. Schuyler Colfax.
CRIMINAL RECORD.
Louisville, September 18.—Detective
Bligh returned from Pine Hill satisfied
that the person captured is Jesse James,
the Missouri outlaw.
Omaha, September 18.— . Twenty Texan
herders came in whose horses broke into
Collins’ corn. Collins seized the horses.
The herders promised to pay. They
came to town, got drunk, returned and
killed Collins. The citizens have cap
tured all but two. Lynching is mooted.
New York, September 18.—Wm. Mc-
Mahon, proprietor of Deerfoot Trotting
Park, was fatally shot by one Johnson,
with whom he had a quarrel over some
racing matter.
New Yore, September 18.—McMa
hon, the proprietor of Deerfoot Park,
who was fatally shot last night, in an
aute-rnortem statement to-day charged
Wm. Johnson with the act.
Mrs. Bloomer, of short-dress memory,
now lives at Council Bluffs, la., and
wears long dresses pinback’d, like other
women.
They tlionght there was " millions in
it,” but when they called at the bank
Colonel Sellers Ralston only smiled and
said, “ There’s nothing in it;” and then
they went, and Ralston went out and
drowned himself, and his funeral was
“perfectly lovely,” —Hichmond En
quirer.
If the Cincinnati Commercial is really
opposed to Wm. Allen, why does it say
that he is “more of a pagan than Mar
cus Aurelius, and less of a Christian,
theologically speaking, than Constan
tine?” The Democrats won’t under
stand all that, and it will help Wil
liam a good deal in their estimation tq
compare him with old Romans who boro
snch fine long names. Better call him a
damned old heathen next time. — Chi
cago Times,