Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-06
OUT OF THE RECORDS.
Live Points in History Picked up
Among Old Papers.


Mr.. Isaac Beckett's examination of the
county records, in the compilation of his
abstracts OF Chatham County Land I'll
ties" brings to light many interesting
facts concerning the history Of Savannah
and her people. Mr.. Beckett was porting
over the proceedings of the Superior
Court OF Chatham cOunty-away back in
the early years of this century-when a
NEWS reporter called yesterday.
In reply to an inquiry as to whether be
had anything new or interesting to give
to the readers OF the NEWS, Mr.. Beckett
replied that he mad just come across list
Of the prices that prevailed about the year
1900, and turning to a bill of particulars
attached to an action OF debt brought by
Robert Bolton, then prominent merchant
of Savannah, he gave the following
items: Coffee, S7Hc. per pound; loaf
sugar, 3715c. per pound; brown sugar,
n l99; ID per poundi butter &c per
cashmere, SO per yard; tea (Hyson) },
81 per pound; ladies shoes 50 per pair;
brandy, 81 per gallon; one jug to hold TWO
gallons OF brandy, 81 1917; calico, S7Ac.
per yard; linen, 671Sc. per yard; brown
sheeting, 62lIc. per yard; empty bottles,
3ll4c. each; black cambria, S7%c. per
yard; rum, 81 % per gallon; gin, 50 per
gallon; tar, So % per barrel; oakum, Sc.
per pound; sheathing nails, Ice. per
pound,
In the matter OF wages Edwin II. Boil
ton wrote himself down as a ehip builder.
In suit brought for repairs to an Eng
lish vessel then in port the wages Of ship
carpenters IS charged at 81 per day.
Tine talk turned upon the subject of
elections. Elections in 1.-THE days of our
fathers" were conducted on guileless
principles as the people of the present have
been wont to believe. The office sought
the man. There was no scramble as in
these degenerate days, but the best citi-
zens usually looked around for the right
man, who invariably kept himself Sc
cluded from the public gaze TO avoid the
barest suspicion of being an aspirant to
Office, and when they found him, dragged
him from his hiding place, and forced him
to bear the burden of official honors and
emOuments. Now and then there were
glaring exceptions to the rule.
one of these, which Mr.. Beckett
cited, is found fully developed in
an action for damages brought by one
who may be called John Smith against
Peter Jones, about the year 1904. The
trouble began in this way: Smith wanted
to be au Alderman from Oglethorpe ward,
aud so advised the public. Jones was
also an asprant for the same honOrs.
W
and sOlemuity, and that usually immacu-
late returning board" known as the
managers of election declared Jones
elected. smith was not satisfied, how
ever, and contested the election before the
City Council. Certain attidayts sustain
ing his views were presented TO the Mayor
aud Aldermen. one OF which, made by a
man named Ross, charged Jones with
having induced him to cast a fraudu-
lent vote in his favor. Ross was
one OF those good, easy fellows who took
Ia aifidayits as a duck does to water.
Jones sought him out and induced him to
make another affidavit retTactng all that
he mad already sworn to. and adding that
smith prevailed upon him to commit per-
iury. All these matters were brought
only before the Council. Smith, to get
even with Jones, brought an action to
vindicate his good name, which he said
was damaged to the extent OF about ten
thousand dollars. Jones didn't think 80;
in fact, ne minated in his plea that
If the character OF Smith had
been entirely demolished, the loss would
not exceed a few dollars at the utmost.
A committee consisting Of Robert Bolton,
Andrew McCredie and Richard Dennis
took the matter in hand, aud, after an eX-
haustive investigation of the case, re.
ported that Smith was a very bad man
guilty OF all sorts Of aGr0cities-in fact,
not tit to be an Aldermen, and the whole
matter was dropped. Smith did not press
the case 10 a conclusion, 50 the record
fails to show what the jury would have
assessed as the true value of his char
acter.