The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-14

farmers OF Sumter are discussing a plan
Z adopted with success in other counties Of
paying laborers 10 pounds Of lint cotton
. for each month 5 wages. in lieu or stand
ing wages. This seems an equitable and
I fair way TO both the farmer and his hands
50 that n cotton is 10 cents the hand gets
SO per month. but III il is cents the hand
gets 81 z month. and so on. No farmer
knows what the price Of cotton viii be
nearly year after he hires his hands.
If he hires them on a basis Of scent cot
ton, and a. sells for S cents, the next fall
II is a hardship TO the hand. II they are
hired on basis OF cents and sells for
cents, the next fan IL Is a hardship 10
the planter. By paying 100 pounds OF lint
cotton per month the planter knows what
he Is doing, and in the event cotton is
low at harvest time il viii bear equally
on planter and hand.
Two Of the most desperate characters
IN the state occupied separate cages in
murderer's row." in Sumter county's Jail
Wednesday night. where they were placed
Tor safekcepiug until brought out to die
on the galllows. Both are negroes, sent
10 Americas from Terrell county Wednes-
day. Stevens, who murdered Capt Wells
near Bronwood nearly a yesr ago, Occu-
pied one OF the cages. while the negro
Shines. who killed Town Marshal Hun at
Parrot Station several weeks since. cow
ers in the other. The murderer Of Capt.
Wells is sentenced to hang Jan. 80. Shines,
VINO killed Marshal Hun in cold blood, has
not yet been tried. but will be at this term
Of Terrell court. Such was the feeling
against the murderers that II was deemed
UlHN ~ Adhf AlAfAA away rum Alt County
until wanted TO answer for their crimes
Wells recently escaped from the Dawson
jail, but the oiter of a 500 reward caused
his arrest in Alabama. Terrell superior
court took a recess on last Thursday to
convene again on Tuesday. Jan. Is. At
that time John Johnson, who slew James
W all and julie Spikes, who shot Marshal
Lee Hun at Parrott, will be tried for muir
der.
The grand jury now in session at East
man mas revealed a very inhuman act Of
whipping boss" at one of the state
chain-gangs. A small negro, IS years old,
was whipped so that he can hardly walk
and Is suffering great pain. On Nov. Is
last Nat Porter, cOlored, was sent up from
Dodge county TO J.. A. Chathams camp at
Dublin, in Laurens county, for gambling
and shooting another negro through the
arm. He was sentenced for nine months
The negro had only been there about six
weeks when he was carried to Eastman
as witness In the Johnson Curry murder
case. When he arrived IL was found that
ne could hardly walk. Mr., Miner, clerk of
the court OF ordinary, investigated the
cause and found that he had been whipped
so severely that he was terribly bruised
Mr.. Miner reported the matter to the
grand jury and Porter was called before
them. They will ask the governor to par
don him at once, and Judge r. Herman
has instructed the sheriff to put him in
jail and under no circumstances send him
back to Dublin. The grand Jury also re-
quested that the governor Investigate the
case.
W. A. Farmer of jackson county has
Just gone to the Dade county coal mines
for three years on a charge of involun-
tary manslaughter in killing Aurie Drake.
one OF his playmates in jackson county
nve years ago According to the testi-
mony recently introduced at the trial he
Killed one of his companions while trying
to frighten him. This the young man
strongly denied, and since his conviction
still sticks to the statement. He was
only Is years old at the time There had
been gathering at country church
near his home in Jackson county, and the
boys ana girls had come together to at
tend singing school. Farmer carried his
girl home and came back to Join a crowd
OF boys who were going out to have a lit
tie fun in the neighborhood. Aurie Drake,
one OF the most popular boys in that sec
uon Of the country, was to go with the
crowd, and they stopped at the cross
roads to wait for him. He, too, had es-
corted his sweetheart home Her house
was some distance from the church and
he was thus delayed. After the boys had
waited some time, Farmer, who had al
ready Joined the crowd, appeared impa-
tient and declared his intention of going
out TO meet young Drake and hurry him
on. I believe l will give him a scare.
too" he was heard to say as he started
off. The crowd waited until late in the
night, but neither of the boys came up.
found by the roadside where he had been
killed the night before A pistol ball had
penetrated the brain. All the circumstan-
ees pointed to Farmer. He was found at
While he was being carried to jail the boy
jerked loose from the sheriff and made a
successful break through the woods for
freedom. Two years passed and the
young fellow was almost forgotten. when
one day a telegram announced to the
sheriff. that young man had surrend-
cred himself to the New York police. He
asked to be carried back to Georgia where
he was wanted for killing a comrade
Farmer was brought back and remained
in jail for over a year. 1t was not thought
that he willingly killed his friend In
firing off his pistol to brighten him.on OF
the balls took a fatal course and ended
the life OF Aurie Drake. This was what
the people believed and all of the testi
mony went to prove. that fact. He was re.
| leased on bond, and the case called sew
eral months ago, when a verdict of in
voluntary manslaughter was returned
| Then followed the three years sentence
A new trial was asked for and an appea
made, but all efforts failing. Farmer re
| signed himself to his fate and now goe.
for labor in the coal mines.