The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1889-07-05

The Little Town of Mcintosh, Liberty
County, the Scene of Very Sensational
Drama. the Like of Which Has Never Be
fore been Witnessed in Georgia.
The little town of MoIutosh Ga, is
Just now the scene of sensational
drama, the like of which has never be-
fore been Witnessed in Georgia.
Considerable mention has been made
in the papers for the past ten days Of a
character who claims to be the new
Messiah, and the large crowd of negroes
who had taken up their abode with him.
A warrant was sworn cut against him by
IL. Styles, colored, on the charge of
vagrancy. Hon. L. NJ Norwood ap-
peared for the prosecution, and at the
hearing at Hinesville the charge was not
sustained, and the man was discharged
to the delight of his three hundred fol-
lowers. Another warrant was taken out
against the man (whose earthly name
was given as Dupont BelD charging him
with being insane. The case was set for
Friday. the 2Sth inst, at Mcintosh, Ga,
before Justice w. A. Fleming.
At II o'clock. the hour set for the trial,
fully 800 people had assembled to wit
ness the proceedings.
Hon. T. W. Norwood conducted the
examination The man, Bill, is about
five feet ten inches Of slender build and
wears long black hair, falling over his
shoulders, and wears a bLck beard of
medium length. The likeness of this
man and the picture of our Lord is very
striking. This man is very meek and
quiet, except when agitated by numer-
ous questions as to his mission on earth
His dress is very shabby, which consists
of an old felt hat, with faded coat and
rusty pair Of pants. He wears pair of
Hight canvass shoes, and carries in one
hahd.a Btaff and in the other copy of
the scriptures. The examination was by
no means an easy task, but Col. Norwood
handled it nicely. The man insisted
that he was Christ, and that he was en-
powered from on high His earthly
name he gave as Christopher Coluubus
Jack Orth Dupont Bell He represents
himself as being 80 years lodi he claims
to have landed upon the earth at the
time Of the great earthquake in August,
1890
His coming caused the shock he said
He has been III Georgia one year and
five months He claims to come every
900 years, and this is his second com
ing. The first time he appeared on the
earth he came in the person of King
James Of England
Being asked if he believed in the re-
surrection, he replied: yes, because |
am the resurrection. On being asked
to perform some miracle, he refused,
saying that he would not do 50 tn eatisfy
idle curiosity, but said that any , % who
would come to hear him teach would see
him perform miracles
The scene in the court room was an
extraordinary one. The strange nature
Of Bells claims, bis earnestness, his re-
markable familiarity with the Scriptures,
the absorbed interest of the crowd in the
court room, the large multitude outside
most of whom had forsaken house and
home to follow their leader to trial.
The examination showed beyond
doubt that the man was crazy.
Ever and anon hymn would be sung
by the negroes in the grove. and the ex-
citement pervading the ignorant Great
ures was intense.
Though the jury found the man insane,
on account OF the great number Of fol-
lowers Of Bell it was thought best not to
make the arrest at this time
1t is difficult to tell how this affair will
end in Liberty, for Bells followers are
many, and most Of them haYe sold their
cattle and chickens and abandoned their
homes and crops to follow this man. The
turpentine farms in some sections are
without labor. The ordinary will issue
the order for the arrest Of Bell at once.
/ Bell is of course hopeless lunatic,
having gone crazy. doubtless, during
some period of religious excitement