The morning news., 1894-09-25
Mr.. ATEINSON'S REPLY.
The Truth About the Land Deal With
Mrs. Rowe.

I "a CSAhoA AoA Lh6 EOpullst 6neet8
Who Have slandersd GeorEia's
Next Governor - A Simple and
straightforward Telling of the
Facts About the Matter Every
Man in the Rowe Neighborhood
Voted for Atkinson at the Late
Primary.
Atlanta, Ga. Sept 24-Hou. w. Y. At
kinson spent the day in the city confer
ring over the campaign at democratic
headquarters. Mr.. Atkinson is well sat-
ished with the condition of the party aud
the prospect of the regular democratic
ma alority, especially in South Georgia, in
which section he has been speaking for
the past ten days.
While here MIR Atkinson prepared a
reply 20 the charges that have been wide-
ly circulated against him by populist pa
pers and speakers, alleging that he had
dealt improperly with Mrs. Julia Rowe
OF Meriwether county in GER
tain land trade with her The accusations,
which are evidently to counterbalance
those brought against Judge Hines, we're
based upon a card published by Mrs.
Rowe
In his reply to-day Mr.. Atkinson says:
This is one more instance where mans
generosity is turned against him in an eff
fort to iniure him by the ungrateful re-
cpient OF his kindness Mrs. Rowe is not
las the third party people in some sec
tions OF the state are circulatiug) a col
ored woman, but is a white woman. In a
tract of 1870 acres, she ana her children
owned Il two-third interest and owned a
one-third interest. After the death Of
her husband, | went TO see Mrs Rowe's
father, who was managing her business
affairs for her, and offered TO divide the
land. This be refused to do unless
would take my one third in the rear Of
the farm, which did not touch either a
public or private road TO any point [
then proposed TO divide the land IN half
and TO pay her for the difference This,
also he refused to do | then prepared
an application TO the court to appoint COM
mlssloners to divide The land Notice
was served on Mrs. Rowe and on her chill
dren long before court met but she had
no one there to represent her, and | was
unwilling to proceed until she had. had
the court TO appoint a guardian ad libitum
for each of the children, and sent word to
her father, Mr.. Reid. The next day he
came and objected TO the taking of an or
der to divide the land, saying 10 me that
he did not want it divided, but wanted it
sold In accordance with his
wishes, then changed the appli-
the sale Of the entire piece of land, and
for division Of the proceeds OF such sale.
This was done at mis- suggestion, and after
due notice had been given to Mrs Rowe
and each of her children, living from six
teen to eighteen miles from whore l did
| was not present when the land was
sold, but had authorized my brother to
make it bring a reasonable price Mrs.
Rowe was present, as was her father,
who was amply able to have bought il
himself If it had sold TOO cheap.
! had nothing whatever TO do with the
money after the sale of the land. IL was
a matter entirely with the commissioners.
Mr.. Reid, Mrs Rowe's father is not an
cry with me about this transaction he Is
mad with me because on one occasion. in
q business matter. ] told him very frankly
what I thought of him. This he did not
have the manhood TO resent, but seeks to
resent it now in this cOwardly manner.
Mrs. Rowe died in 1850 So far was [
from treating Mrs Rowe harshly that [
gave her the rent of my share
OF the land for the first year
after Mr.. Rowes death During the
years s9l-'92-'93 permitted her to re-
main on the place, and instructed Mr..
Walker, who was looking after my bust
ness down there, not to collect any rent
from her. ] gave her the rent of the place
for four years, and not one Of the third
party people who have seen fit to criti-
else this transaction on an untrue state
ment OF facts has given to her a hum
dredth part as much as have. ! ha 70,
| am confident, given her and
her children, in the rent
Of this land more even than
her father has given her since the death
of MIR. Rowe. In the primary election in
the district in which she resides reL
ceived every vote that was cast. and will
receive in the coming election the vote OF
every democrat in that district, unless it
be the vote Of Mg. Reid himself, and I
don't know to which party he belongs, nor
do suppose any one else knows. This man
Reid is known throughout Meriwether
county as most disagreeable and frac-
tious individual. He is also remembered
in Meriwether as the unJustihable slayer
of an unarmed and inofensve colored
man, and was saved from the gallows or
penitentiary only by one of Gov. Bullock's
famous pardons.
He has no friends whatever amongst
his immediate neigh bOrs, and was not on
good terms with his sOn-in-law Rowe at
the time of his death and is not on speak
ing terms with his own brother who lives
in that county, and / am informed he is
not on good terms with any of his
brothers and sisters living in other parts
of the state.
He is notorious as a disagreeable and
quarrelsOme man, and no higher proof of
this can be given than the fact that his
brothers and sisters, with whom he is not
on good terms, are people Of high stand
ing and tne character in their respective