The Brookhaven leader., 1888-08-02
LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Good CropS--RailrOad Talk--Joe
LOftin About--Little BUSH
ness in Court.


MONTICELLO, July "a 1883.
Editor of the Clarion Ledger:
Good crops, good health, and good
spirits ought to make us happy, and
we are as much 80 as poor people
generally get to be. We hear some
talk about having a railroad to this
place, which makes MS feel good. The
project is feasible. 1t is said the
illinois Central will extend the road
they bought at the Hamilton and Hos
kins' sale to Monticello, If the people
in the county will vote $5O,OOO In
bonds payable in 80 years, and there
is no doubt the people will do it. The
farmers would have the river and
the railroad competing lines of trans
pOrtatiOn. The shipment of cotton
from this place would be quite as
large as the trade within a radius OF
twenty or thirty miles north, east and
west would concentrate here. Then
this would be one of the incest and
most flOurishing interior towns i'll the
State.
Joe Loftin is taking vacation in
this county from his labors on the
Gulf and Ship Island Railroad. Joe
was sentenced to be hung here few
years ago for the most cruel murder
of his brother; but he got a new trial
and changed his case to COpiah and
the jury put him in the penitentiary
for life. He has been at work on the
railroad, however. He goes where he
pleases, and it is said he was here last
Monday night. He carries big doub-
le-barrel gun on his shoulder and two
pistols belted around him. He is re-
ported to have said there are only
three men he wishes to kill. He has
friends and kinfOlks that help him
along and he takes whatever he wants.
1t seems the railroad company has no
use for him or they would be sending
after him; and am very sure the peo-
pie of this county can spare HIM very
well. The women and children and
a good many men are in constant
dread of him, but he stays here all the
same, and probably will until he
takes notion to emigrate, which he
is not likely to do, for he says he was
once citizen of the county and wants
a pardon so as to be Il citizen again.
1t is reported that he said lac did not
kill his brother but he knows who did.
Some years ago Newt. Robbins es-
capped from the penitentiary where he
was sent for horse stealing, and came
back to this county, and went and did
as he pleased. He was bad egg, but
had plenty of his sort to aid him and
protect him. At one time he wanted
4 l, Of l,n
woods. Some good people favored it,
but he didn't get it up and at last he
was killed, it is supposed, by, one ofhis
own crowd.
1t is pretty rough joke on the
railroad company and the penitentiary
officers to have ii convict for murder
ont at large and no steps to arrest him.
have no complaints to make, only
put it down as part OF the history OF
the times we live in.
Circuit Court ad;a:rned yesterday.
Not much business. : -, negro
that ought to be hung was sent to the
penitentiary ten years for killing II
little negro child. He is remarkable
little tiend from characterand appear
ance. Another negro, an escaped
convict, was sent up for seven years
for breaking into dwelling house.
The difference nov and when we
had saloons here at our courts, is SO
plain that every body admits we can
and ought to get along without them.
Not drunken man or one the least
intoxicated was seen here during court.
l will write you again soon, perhaps.
JOE.