The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-08-12
THE FATE OF A DRUMMER.
His Skeleton Unearthed in the Yard of Il
House of Ill Fame.

House of Ill Fame.
ATLANTA, GA, G.-Early yesterday
morning workmen sinking a water main
on Collins street unearthed the skeleton
of man, and now the police depart
ment, aided by the oldest inhabitant, IS
taking a careful retrospective view OF
the past fifteen years.
The house which covers No. II. on
South Collins street. is a large two
story building. and for years past has
been the property Of Lizzie Clifton, 4
woman who paid scmi-annual visits to
the courts of Fulton County to answer
indictments returned by the grand jury.
Several months ago. however, the house
became vacant, but on account OF Lhc ul-
savory lacalltv tenants were not aDun-
dant. Two or three weeks ago. however.
Madame Abbie Howard, who has been
on Line street for years. found it ne
cessary to yacate her place. and at the
same time leased No. II Collins street.
Soon after perfecting the lease she be-
gan improving the place. The carpen-
ter was put to work: and when the
sound OF the saw and hammer ceased:
the painter appeared with his brush.
The building was given a handsome
modern color and the gas plumber and
water meter men were put to
work. Day before yesterday the water
pipes were led up to the fence inclosing
the front yard, and yesterday morning
when the men resumed work they be-
gan di , just inside the front yard.
For an hour or two their work went
along with the usual monotony attend
ing the work Of digging in the earth.
About 10 o'clock, however, when one
of the men threw out a shovel of dirt
something white and hard showed it's
self upon the ground. At first the man
paid no attention to it. but when it re.
sisted his shovel he stopped down, and
in removing it, found that it was bone.
The bone. too, proved to be hu-
man bone, and beside it another was
found. This. too. was lifted out. aud
another was found. When the third
bone was picked up the workman called
the attention Of others TO it, and an
examination Of tho ground was made.
The examination showed more bones,
and the work oflaying the pipe ceased
temporarily, and the men began hunt
ing for bones. The search was kept up
for a half hour, and as bone after bone
was removed they were placed together
until finally the complete skeleton OF Il
man-skull, arms, legs, breast bones,
toes, fingers, and all were accumulated.
This caused quite a commotlOn among
the men, and messenger was sent to
police headquarters and an officer re-
spondcd to the call.
The intelligence Of the discovery went
over the city, and in short time many
rumors of ali kinds were III circulation.
One was to the effect that the skeleton
was that OF stranger who disappear
ed in Atlanta in 1872. y man who Is
now butcher, but who was member
of the police force in ~, says that dur
ING that year New York drummer
named Ycwcll came to Atlanta and
Stopped at the American hotel. One
evening he left the hotel without his
baggage, but his absence was not OBJ
served until friends from Now York
came to hunt him up. His baggage
was still at the hotel, but nothing more
was ever heard of the drummer. The
ex-policemau says that an opinion pre-
vailed at that time that the drummer
had been foully dealt with, and ycstcr-
day said that he would not be surprised
to know that the bones were from the
skeleton of the man.