The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-02-14
our Memphis Letter
MENrn1s. 80. Feb. Il, IS.

MEMPHIS, Tenn, Feb. II, 1875
EDITOR BULLETIN:
As | predicted in my last letter, the
bribery and corruption case in oiIr city
council turned ont TO be u "mare's nest, .
found by the Ledger.
Work upon the United States CUSTOM
house, now in process of erection, has been
suspended until It Is decided by Congress
whether 1t shall be constructed of Tennessee
marble or not. The question is now pend
ing in the House of Representatives, the
Senate having already given It's approval of
the proposition. Our worthy representative,
H. Casey Young, will doubtless push the
matter forward with his accustomed energy
and secure Its prompt passage through the
House, when work upon the building will
be resumed Immediately.
The Memphis representation upon the
excursion TO Cuba have all returned, and
express themselves highly delighted with
the trip. AS a pleasure trip il was de-
cided success, but in a business point OF
view it is said to have been failure. The
Spanish government is jealous of its rights
and suspicious of all interference on the
part of its American neighbors; and it has
gold cause SO to be. They know the great
desire that Uncle Sam has for the possession
of the "beautiful isle" the "gem of the
Antilles" and have neither forgotten or
forgiven orr fillibustering expeditions in
view of that object. They dread the reali-
cation of the Monroe doctrine, and do not
believe in manifest destiny"
Major Mike Waldran still retains his
position as United States Marshal, but it Is
generally understood that another appoint
ment will soon be made There are quite o
number of patriots ready to step into his
slioes-amongst them Il gentleman from
your town.
The reckless and criminal use of a pistol
by an officer of the law a few days since
resulted in the instant death of an innocent
and estimable citizen, one Cornelius Griffin.
1t seems that u colored man, by name
Charles Smith, called at the city Jail to see
one OF the prisoners. He was met at the
gate by Capt. Dawson, the Tailor; some
words ensucd, the exact nature of which
has not vet transpired. Dawson alleges
that Smith insulted him, whereupon he
drew his pistol to avenge his wounded Dig
nifty. The negro ran, and Dawson, regard
less of consequences, fired after him. The
unEucl1y ball missed the flying fugitive, and
sped swiftly upon its deadly errand, striking
Griffin, who was standing just inside of his
store-door, about block off, talking to his
wife. The ball struck him in the heart,
and he fell into his wife's arms and died in
a few minutes. The practice of indis-
crlmlnate firing upon prisoners and others
by policemen, deputy sheriffs and cOnsta-
bles, has been too common in this commu-
nifty for a long time past, and it is surprising
that innocent people have not been killed
or manned for life in more than one in
stance. These consequential gentry, n ma
jority of whom could hardly hit barn-door
at ten PAGES, make nothing of drawing their
pistols and firing in Il crowded street or
other public place, at an arrested party,
upon the slightest provocatiOn. 1t ought
and must be stopped. The cOroner's Jury
in this case drew their verdict very mildly:
simply saying "that Griffin died from Il
pistol-shot fired by DawsOn;" but public in
dignation demanded something moro, and
the grand jury has very properly indicted
him for murder in the second degree.
Amongst the attractions of the week has
been the ostentatious display in the show
window of the we'll known jewellers, Lloyd
q Fritz, of the collection of jewelry and
diamonds belonging to the great tragic
actress, Janauschek, or, as our Arkansas
neighbors call her, "Jane Hoss Check" The
collection is said to be worth two hundred
and fifty tousand hdollars.
Please ask your tyPe-setter to be little
more particular in picking up his letters.
In my first letter | wanted to speak of the
country being kept "under the heel of the
yellow-eyed bondholder,' but he knew bet
ter and put it down, "under the head of the
yellow-eyed landholder."
The health of cur city continues unex-
ceptionally goOd-thc deaths for the past
week being nineteen; whites eight, colored
eleven.
Business here is generally dull, and there
have been several more failures and assign
ments since I last wrote you.