Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-17
A WILD CAREER.
A Sketch ofthe Lille of an Athens Reared
Boy Who was One of the Most Cunning
Dare Devils that Georgia Ever Pro-
duoed.


Boy who was One of the Most Cunning
Dare Devils that Georgia Ever Pro-
duced.
From the theAs Banner Waterman.
Athens has furnished as many bright
minds to the world as any other little city
in the United States. She has never,
far been written up by dime novelists.
We propose, in this short sketch, to give
the history of young man who was born
and educated in our city, and whose
character for plain, unvarnished rascality
and recklessness would shame the re-
nowned John A. Murrell and "Three Fin
gered jack" the pirate of
the placers and the marauder of the
mines in the gold digging days of Cali
fornia, would be eclipsed and pale into
insignifcance. Our hero has no fancy,
of George will do to give his history and
his many little freaks and inuendoes dur
ing the days of the late rebellion. When
wars dread alarm was sounded in 1861.
George was mere STRIPPING of youth,
with handsome face, good address. and
a slight mOustache. While the balance of
the young men of the South shouldered
their muskets and went to the tented field,
George shOuIdered his sword and did most
of his fighting at the hotels in Richmond
and other cities. The writer's first notice
of George was at the American Hotel in
Richmond, where he was sporting a hand
some Confederate Brigadier Generals
suit, and was the friend and boon COM
panion of the officers that stayed around
the Confederate capital. He had a suite of
rooms where his friends were always well
come, and would treat them to wine and
cigars that were too costly for any one
not drawing a large salary or having a
good backing at his home. George made
the acquaintance OF the best ladies in
Richmond, and was on familiar terms
with the President and all of the Cabinet
officers. He had an imaginary COM
mand on the front lines with
Stonewall Jackson that he
took particular pains never to go and see
about. George finding his cash running
short, dressed himself up in a Captains
uniform, went down in Rockets. a place
where all the wharf rats of Richmond
lived, got up a company Of 40 men, made
out his pay roll and marched his company
up to the paymaster's department and
drew three months pay for his whole
company. The next we hear of George
his cash is again short, and he made a
bold dash and drew money three times in
one day, first as Col. GEORGE, next as Mai.
George and last as Capt. George. Find
ing things were getting rather hot for
him in Richmond after he made the draw,
he left for better chimes around At
lanta. AS soon as the paymaster's
department in Richmond found out
that they had been duped they sent dis
patches and detectives on every road TO
arrest Gentleman George and bring him
back for trial, but he was never caught,
and the next time we hear of him he is
travelling on one Of the railroads coming
into Atlanta with a party Of officers.
Gentleman George was dressed in hand
some artillery captains uniform and
made himself very agreeable to his newly
made friends. Capt. George made bet
with one Of the officers of basket OF
wine, to be drank as soon as the party
reached Atlanta, that he could read
every mans passport on the tram.
One OF the officers accepted the
bet and told Capt. George to start
with him, as he was certain that be had
no authority 20 make him produce his
passport. George demanded the passport
and the officer refused and demanded his
authority. Capt. George went down in
the side pocket OF his handsome Captains
uniform and produced papers with au-
thOrity from JEFF Davis, Gen. Lee and
every body else in power, and informed
the officer that unless his passport was
forthcoming that he would be arrested
and put in chains and carried 10 the
nearest military post. The officer saw
that Capt. George had him, produced
his passport and paid the fine. George
took quarters in Atlanta, and by his fancy
dress, good looks and lavish expenditure
Of money, soon made many friends in that
city. lie ran 8s passport conductor on
the West Point road, until one day, while
in the zenith OF his glory, an order came
from Gen. Bragg, then IN command at
Chattanooga, 20 arrest Capt. George AMI
send him TO bis headquarters IN irons.
The order was shown 10 Capt. George. and
he insisted that the handouts should not be
put on him; that there was a mistake, and
that as soon as he could see Gen. Bragg
he would make It all right and be bac X in
Atlanta in a day or two. He was such a
good talker that Col. Lee, then command
ing the post in Atlanta, sent him up 20
Gen. Bragg's headquarters without Il
guard, and George out-talked Gen. Bragg
and was soon back In Atlanta at his old
tricks. Gen. Bragg sent another order
after him and he again went 10 see the
General and explained everything sat
isfactorily. Capt George cut a big
dash in Atlanta. he always had plenty
Of money, dressed better than anybody
and kept wines and cigars at his rooms
that a King might envy. Az last shadow
came over this young man. 1t was
whispered around that be never had a
commission from the Confederate Govern.
nlent. and he was arrested on some kind
Of charge and lodged In the barracks at
Atlanta. The Confederate deserters and
Yankee prisoners were all In the same
stockade, with only plank partition dlyid-
ing them. The writer had occasion 20 30 out
TO the stockade one evening 70 Identify a
prisoner who had been put In for bush
whacking, snd who should be find on the
inside OF Che stockade but Gentleman
lnnrla Lhnrn ahnrn OF hlH handsome an.