The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-14
YARNS FROM GEORGIA.
STORY OF THE FARMERS ALLIANCE
IN lockwood VALLEY.

Would Like 10 Imitate-EIIiott of
Floyd County and She Whipping
BAKER Didn't Give IIim-The Man
Who Lived over the state Line.
From the Philadelphia Times.
Calhoun. Ga. July 3-There was no
ouieter and more conservative community
in the Georgia highlands than that corner
Of Gordon county called Dogwood Valley.
But when the Farmers Alliance move
ment came along in the autumn Of ISIS
It brought great changes. The Rev. Solo
mon Elkins. the local Methodist minister.
at once became an ardent supporter Of the
new movement which was believed 70
mark a new era not only in things social
and political, but to affect the operation
Of the moon and stars. Rev. Elzins lost
no opportunity, in the pulpit and out, to
declare that the alliance was divine in
stitution, and as Moses led the children Of
Israel out of Egypt, even so would the
Farmers Alliance lead the good people Of
Dogwood Valley out from the thraldom
of the monsters who were supposed to run
the government.
preaching, the movement extended itself
10 every nook and corner Of the valley
Both men and women heartily allied
themselves to the organization, old peo-
pie spoke Of the alliance as the opening
chapter of some sort Of millennium. and
soon the Dogwood Valley sub-alliance was
dourishing as the green bay tree. The
house at the cross roads, and here the en-
thusiastic followers Of Elkins congregated
every Saturday to discuss sub-treasuries
and free silver and dwelt with great vol
utility upon the coming time when the
alliance should take entire charge of the
world and force the price Of cotton up to
dollar a pound. Why" Elkins used to
say, this thing was foresaw by Daniel
an all the prophets. The alliance Is goin'
10 take charge of the railroads an fac
tories, an Wen make our own goods, an
wen make all the silver into dollars put
passenger rates down like postage, so a
man can pay fifty cents an ride thou
sand miles, close up all the stores. put
these drummers an merchants to work,
an plOw up the towns an plant them in
cotton"
But there lived in Dogwood Valley a few
sturdy old fellows who would have nothing
TO do with the alliance. They were of the
hard shell Baptist faith, and In the Ian
guage Of Uncle Duggan Ward, the most
pronounced Of their number, they were
dead agin' all these heah secret orders an
new-fashioned tomfoolery, which is con-
trary to the scripture an common good
sense"
Ward lived just across the road from the
school house, which he had been the lead
er in building. He would pillow in his field
near by on Saturdays, and say to the al
lance meni You fellers better 20 home
an work your craps, instid o. settin' round
heah BLOWN bout pollyticks." In vain did
Elkins denounce Uncle Duggan and the
other hardshells as reprobates and inf
dels. They remained unmoved in their OPP
position, and one day when all the hands
on Wards place quit work and went TO an
alliance picnic, Uncle Duggan announced
that he intended to squash the blamed
alliance"
He went to Squire Hooper, the hardsheu
Justice Of the peace, and said Il want TO
have newsance 'bated."
What kind of a nuisance do YOU want
to abate?" asked Judge Hooper.
why, this ere blamed Farmers AL
lance. They have done got the country
plum demoralized, driv' all tn labor often
my farm, an want to prosecute them for
damages, an fur lunacy and gineral new
sance."
"Of course said the Justice, 'If YOU air
willin' to swear the thing is a nuisance an
demand a writ, / don't see how /, as the
Jestis of the Peace Of the state of Georgy,
can refuse" and in a short time a docu-
ment was drawn up commanding the bal
lift Ito proceed at once to Wards School
House and TO seize upon and arrest the
said Farmers Alliance, which was wont
70 assemble there an create disturbances
= n nd Or-rln oF . he
State
When the writ was handed to Bailiff
Perkins Uncle Duggan remarked: Now
sust deputize me an the squire to help
you, an let's go right down an clean the
thing out" Preacher Elkins and a dozen
other leading members of the alliance were
holding business meeting at the school
house when the posse approached, armed
with shotguns.
Come out of thar" commanded the
bailiff. We've got a warrant for the
whole pile Of you" put in Uncle Duggan,
at the same time nervously lingering the
triggers of his shotgun.
What does this outrage mean?" de-
manded Elkins.
Jest means simply that we've done
'bated this new sance 'cordin to law"
replied Uncle Duggan. 80 jest git a move
on you" and the shotguns were brought
into position for action. In vain did the
alliance men plead and threaten and
swear. There was no making way against
buckshot, and the alliance men walked
out of the school house into the road
The door was closed and locked by the
bailiff, and Elkins and his friends ordered
TO move on down the road. when a auis-
ance is abated,' exclaimed Justice Hooper,
''it has to be moved out o. the district"
The alliance men were marched to the
district line. and told that they might re-
turn as individuals, but Dogwood Valley
Farmers Alliance, as body, had been de-
clared nuisance and moved out of the dis
trict, and any reassembling of the same
would be regarded as contempt of court
and subject all persons participating to
so fine and two weeks hard labor on the
public road.
Elkins at once moved away, the others
returned TO the work of their farms, but
the alliance assembled no more at the
school house, and Dogwood Valley re-
lapsed into its pristine tranquility.
Among the early settlers of upper Geor-
gia there were few more peculiar char
acters than ]. c. Elliott of Floyd county.
He first made his appearance as a travel
ing preacher and book agent, but as the
demand for both books and religious in
struction was very limited at that time
Elliott entered the more fiourishing bust
Of CIV inc rsrfFh