Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-15
AMONG THE ARCHIVES.
STRENGTHENING OUT Old GOV
ERNNXENr PAPERS.

interesting Historical Documents Stew
ed Away in the Custom Houae Loft
Autographs of the Early Presidents-
Beginning of the War of 1Sl"-Sone
Curious Cases on Record.
In Yesterdays NEWS was a dispatch
from Washington saying that Attorney
General Garland has received many re-
quests from the South that the records OF
the United States Courts be arranged ia
order. The records of most OF the United
States Courts in the South are so mixed
up and confused that it has hitherto been
next to impossible to fluid any old papers
wanted. Savannah took the initiaJorY
step at having the papers properly as
sorted, indexed and placed in cases so
that any record of case that may be
wanted can be easily found.
Some months ago Judge Emory Speer
Learned that the old court records were
piled in a heap and covered with dust in
"a room in the top story Of the custom
house. He had a meeting of the bar
called, and resolutions were passed ask
ing the Attorney General TO allow some
money TO have the records put in proper
shape. Considerable correspondence fol-
lowed, and finally an allowance was made.
Three months ago Mr.. 5. B. Gillespie be-
gan work on the pie, which be has grad
ually reduced IN size. Commencing with
the Circuit Court records he has assorted
them all from the establishment OF the
court in 1853 to 1850, period OF 81 years.
RECORDS A CENTURY OLD.
Judge Nathaniel Pendleton was on the
district bench in 1879. Business then was
light but it increased up TO 1912, at the
breaking out OF the war with Great
Britain. During the six years that sue
ceeded there was q falling OF in court
business. About 1920 business began to
pick up again, and by 1880 the docket was
a very fair one. For the next TWO decades
leases increased so that during the frat
.sIxty years 10000 cases were heard il the
Circuit Court.
Every case is doubIy indexed, as Plnder
VS.. Shubrlck and ShubFick adverse Pin
der. In indexing the records already ar
ranged $4,000 names have been written.
The records Of each year are neatly done
up by themselves and placed in a case
tmade especially for the purpose. The
Job is extremely tedious, and an immense
amount OF work will yet be necessary to
complete the undertaking, as nothing has
been done to the Circuit Court records
since 1850, and all of the District Court
records are yet to be arranged. The work
will be a great aid to the lawyers.
Many of the old papers are cuuously
interesting. O1e dated Treasury Depart
ment, June Is, 1872, and directed toArchi-
bald S. Bulloch, Collector of Savannah,
Says: "YOu are authorized to dispatch
the revenue cutter on the coast to give no.
tice TO our vessels of war having this day
been declared against Great Britain"
The letter bears the genuine signature
of Albert Gallatin. Secretary Of the Treas
urY. Printed letter heads had either not
came into vogue then or the department
was out, for the words Treasury Depart
ment' were written. Collector Bulloch
was found short in his accounts some
twelve years later, when James Monroe
was President and John Quincy Adams
was Secretary of State. The President
issued q pardon to Bulloch and ordered
his release from jail, where he was con-
lined for debt, providing the Collector
should pay intothe Treasury OF the United
States $l2, 81.
BIG BILLS FOR Rum.
bill of John Martins against the
revenue cutter James Madison, contains
some interesting items as to six mems
dinner at 25c.. drummer and tifer, SOC.
three gallons of rum, Sd 90; eight mems
breakfast, dinner and supper, So; three
gallons Of rum, one Of wine. The next
bay the men apparently drank one gallon
Of gin, three OF rum aud one Of wine, but
they are not charged with any meals. A
Day later. however, they are charged s.
Tor '.Victuals," and 50 % for wine and
rum. That day was July 4, 1912, and the
eight men, who very likely were officers,
were probably celebrating. Some cele-
brating was done on the 9TH also, for
six gallons of rum are charged up, be-
sides 81 for music. In five DAYS a bill
amounting to $40 was run up against
The government.
Genuine signatures of Presidents are
not infrequently found. One of President
MonrOe's is attached TO the pardon Of
young man convicted Of robbing the
mails.
The grand jury of the December term,
1928, recommended to the cemency OF the
President eight prisoners who were under
sentence OF death for piracy.
UNLAWFUL IMPoRTATIoNs.
grand jury three years before had
Expressed its Indignation because some
negroes had been brought into the coun-
try unlawfully and the importers had not
been prosecuted. Ia 1875 a grand jury
called attention to the atTocious murder
of three friendly Indians, presumably by
hostile Indians. The murder was be-
ilieved to have been instigated by white
Fnen. Some of the indictments are re-
Invariably quaint in phraseolOgy.
One Indictment charging an accused
person with perjury plainly states that
the party being instigated by the devil did
willfully and knowingly lie. Seals of the
State Of Georgia and OF the United States
are attached to scores OF papers, and now
and then one of George III. is found. His
highness had for a seal a device as large
as penny ginger cake.
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