The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-18
A NEGRO HAckMAN's OFFENsE.
Left on the Road for Refusing nm Ex-
tOrtIonate Demand for Money.


VaidOsta, Ca. March IA good portion
Of the people OF valdosta have
been considerably stirred up to-
day and yesterday over the
action Of the negro hackman, who has
fed the city 10 escape the punishment,
which in all probability. he win Yet have
to suffer. William Hollis is his name.
During the last few years he has accumu-
lated considerable amount Of property
He is one OF the best known negroes Of
the city. On Thursdays noon train from
Savannah, Mrs. Ratliff, wife Of a section
master OF the Plant system. came TO this
city to visit her parents, who live a few
miles above here. She employed Hollis
to carry her and two children 10 her IA
theirs home, and the negro told her that
he would do so for $3.50. When they had
gotten about two miles from town the
negro told her she would have TO pay him
more money. as the distance was far
Their than he expected. Mrs. Ratlin added
fifty cents 10 what she had already paid
him. They had driven nearly five miles
from town when they came to Cherry
creek which was considerably swollen
by the recent rains and the negro stopped
his team and demanded of her more
money. She had no more and
he began firing pistol to
frighten her. She jumped from the hack
with her two children, and at this juncture
two wagons came over the
hill behind them. Hollis turned his team
toward town and returned to the city.
leaving Mrs. Ratliff and her children on
the roadside by the swollen stream.
She was taken up by one Of the farm
wagons and carried 10 her home. News
Of the affair was brought here late Fri
day and fuller reports We're received yes
terday. An effort was made to capture
Hollis but he had left the city. HIS
house was guarded last night, It is said.
by a detachment from the vigilant com
mittee. and should he return, it is rea-
sonably certain that he will catch the
worst thrashing a negro ever had in
this county in an age. The city council
will revoke his license and he VIII be
given few hours after the cowhiding in
which to leave town.
His treatment of Mrs. Radiff is made
worse by the fact that it was nearly
dark when he left her A prominent lady
here got into his hack last week TO be
driven to her home few blocks away.
Reaching the gate she gave him a quarter,
when he answered abruptly: You can't
get out of this hack until you pay
half dollar The regular fare is 10 cents.
This and other offenses are all charged
up to Hollis.
a boarding house here run by D. p. San
ders was the scene OF small riot last
night. in which two of the bcarders were
terribly beaten and bit up. and Sanders
received fearful blow on the head from
a flying chair. The two belllgeran+s were
5ed-mates and gone to bed when they be
gan quarrelHng about the cover. They
got to lighting and the proprietor ran IN
the room just i'm time to share the racket.
The two men were badly bruised up, but
fought until one was knocked senseless
and dragged out OF the room. Mr.. San
ders is "A new man in Valdosta and has
heretofore had no trouble with his board
ers. The fighters We're two mechanics
employed by hardware firm here.