St. Landry democrat., 1883-12-15
SOUTHERN GLEANINGS.
The Supreme Court of Georgia and its Opin-
ion of Cultures.

dicial body is down on dealing in futures.
| The case in which the decision was rem
dered was an appeal from the Richmond
| Superior Court. 1t was that of the Nation
al Exchange Bank of Augusta against
| Robt. Z. Cunningham. Cunningham gave
his note to Warren Wallace & Co., cotton
dealers of Augusta, who transferred it to
the bank. Payment was refused and the
bank brought suit The plea was that the
| note was given as a part of a future con-
tract. In delivering the opinion Justice
| Blandford said: " If this is not specula-
! ton on chances, wagering and betting be-
| tween the parties, then we are unable to
| understand the transaction. Betting on a
| game of faro, brag or poker may be more
| hazardous, dangerous OF uncertain. Indeed,
| it may be said that these animals are gem
| tie, tame and submissive compared to this
monster. The law has Gagged them and
| driven them to their dens. They have been
outlawed, while this ferocious beast has
been allowed to stalk about in midday with
gilded signs and flaming advertisements, to
lure unhappy victims to its embrace of
death and destruction. The business of
selling and buying cotton futures has grown
in spite of the persistent opposition from
the pulpit, legislative halls and the bench
to enormous proportions. Now and then
bucket-shops have received rebuff when
they sought to enforce their contract direct
ly, but they have managed to avoid this to
considerable extent by negotiable notes
and transferring them to innocent holders
in whose hands it was supposed they were
goods
The Supreme Court struck a crushing
blow against this entire system of specula-
ton. holding that the whole business was a
vast gambling scheme; that all contracts
or notes based on futures were gaming
contracts and absolutely void, and they
were not good even in the hands of an limo.
cent holder.
Miscellaneous State items.
Mrs. Mary a. Green, a wealthy, &c.
centric aged lady, living alone in Louisville,
KY, was burned to death few nights ago.
Her clothing was ignited by candle, it is
supposed, as no one was in the house at the
time. The clothing was burned off her
limbs. Her head was burned SO that the
bones We're laid bare. When found she was
seated in a chair, the room showing evil
dence of severe struggle against her ter
rible fate.
A family of seven persons were pois-
oned at LouisvillegKy., recently, by eating
food in which some drug had been placed.
There is a good rush of tourists to
Florida. Five hundred people are said to
arrive daily at jacksonville.
The nomination of Hon. j. G. Car
Isle as Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives, was made the occasion of an
impromptu celebration when the news was
received at his home in Covington, KY.
The wife of E. L. johnson, a special
pension examiner for the district of Ten
nessee, killed herself with a revolver in
Indianapolis, few days ago, because her
husband remained out all night. She was
woman of rare beauty and high culture,
but is known to have been insane.
The new Produce Exchange at New
Orleans has been formally dedicated.
A. A. Nicholson, in jail at Fort w orth,
Tex, accused of cattle-stealing, has con-
fessed, showing the depredations Of his
gang to have been on an extensive scale.
A reward of $500 has been offered
for the arrest of any member of the mob
who recently hung the Bailey brothers in
Comanche County, Tex.
A negro man, accused of the murder
and robbery of j. R. Light, near Grand
Gulf, Miss. recently, was taken to Port
Gibson and jailed. He narrowly escaped
lynching.
[. B. Harris, q stock-raiser and bank
er of Tom Green County, Tex, informed
the Governor recently that twenty miles of
his fence had been destroyed by fence-cut-
tiers, and that 10000 posts and two carloads
of wire were burned, with hay and other
property.
AN engine on the L. & N. Railroad
exploded a few days ago at Montgomery,
Ala, killing man named Allen. The en-
gineer was fatally scalded and the fireman
seriously injured.
The City Council of Galveston, Tex,
has appropriated $4,000 to check the en-
croachment of the Gulf of Mexico upon
the shores of the harbor.
Sheriff Boyd, of johnson, County,
Tex, recently lodged Doc, Martin, of Gle.
burne, in the Dallas County jail for safe
keeping. The prisoner had a misunder-
standing with Robert Haley few days
before, and beat him to death with an ice |
pick. It is claimed the killing was brutally
murderous.
Simon Wilson has been convicted in |
the Dallas Crex.) District Court of murder
ing Anderson Thomas, and has been sem
fenced to fifteen years in the Penitentiary.
He was convicted at a former term Of the
court and sentenced to sixty seven years,
but was granted a new trial by the Court |
Of Appeals. =
John Trebane, colored man in fair
circumstances in Shelby County, Tenn,
has been sentenced to one years imprison-
ment in the County Jail for brutal treat
ment of his daughter, eighteen years old.