The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-08

The Scene is Mhitecapping by
MOOnshiners In MISUNDERSTANDING
and Romance Figure in the Sc
quel of the story.
From the st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
In the studio of an artist in this city
is an almost finished picture Axe in dimen-
sions. This picture represents a great deal
of labor and study on the part of the ar
fist, and as viewed resting upon his easel
in a soft light. it is a most striking paint
ing. Only a few touches of light and
shade. and then the picture will be ready
for he eyes of the public. The story that
lies behind this more than ordinary work
of art is not less lurid than the picture
itself.
Imagine dark rayine, with rugged
rocks rising on either side into frown-
ing cliffs. great oaks and beeches ming
ling their naked branches. An open space,
with a solitary tree in the center, to
which is bound a girl Of not more than II
years, nude to the waist. while about her
stand in different attitudes seven stall
wart figures in long white garbs and
pointed caps of the same color. The inevi-
table deaths head is visible on the breasts
of those whose faces front to view. One OF
these men has a strong hickory switch,
and is in the act of belaboring the naked
back of the unfortunate victim. The face
Of the girl is a study in agony and de-
fiance mingled. Across the white Shout
ders are plainly marked lines where the
cruel switch has lacerated the tender
flesh the whole scene being lighted up
with a full moon that hangs above the
rayine in a perfect November sky. This
fc aI 1,xy he rtfG Of
capped
1T is over fifteen years since | began
this picture and the incidents which sug-
gested II came to my attention about that
time" said the artist. Il was away out
in Shannon county with medical friend
of mine named WicSs, from Philadelphia.
on a hunting trip. on the night of the
whtecapping of the girl, Lizzie Coulson,
the central figure OF my painting, Dr.;
Wicks and myself were proving around
through the mountains in search Of q
wild turkey rOost
1T was about p. m. when we entered
the raYine at the upper end and very
quietly worked our way down toward
the creek, which flowed past the opening.
Suddenly rounding arabrupt benz we saw
the scene that l am reproducing here. For
a moment we could not understand the
situation, but when l saw the switch de-
scend upon the girls shoulders l realized
that we were witnessing a genuine case
of white-capping, but at the first glance
| did not think the victim was a young
girl. My companion yelled out:
What's going on there?' For mo-
ment the faces of the masked men We're
all turned in our direction, and one of
the fellows answered back:
None NV your d-n bizlnessi Better git
out er Wen lead yer hide in place Nv hick-
ering it,. Then each man grasped gun
in determined manner, and we conclud-
ed to drop behind big rock and await
further Developments, not caring TO meas
ure strength with seven desperate noun
taineers
For moment the white caps remained
like statues: and then after firing a vol
ley in our direction, started Off hurriediy
down the Tavine toward the creek. leaving
their victim bound to the tree We wait
ed for few moments, until a distant call,
away down the creek. echoed through rag
ged bluffs, and a responsive 'ye-ip! told
US that the enemy had passed beyond
the danger line
with one impulse the doctor and
moved rapidly to the tree where the vic
tim of white cap vengeance was lied up
with her hands high above her head, Just
as you see her in the picture before you.
The poor creature had tainted and for one
moment Dr. Wicks and l gazed in each
others faces speeches. with horror. But
professional Instincts aroused us both to
action.
MY first impulse was to make hasty
sketch of the weird scene, but il was so
wildly photographed in my mind, even to
the most minute detail, that a sketch
would not help me in reproducing per-
feet picture of the revolving spectacle.
out upon messy spot, quickly the cords
were cut that bound the girls hands 10
the tree, and with all the tenderness we
could put into a heroic measure we laid
the girl upon her side until a lotion of
some kind, which the doctor produced from
his medicine case, was applied to the Ia
cerated back and shoulders. Then restora-
tives were given and the poor child OF
the mountains opened her eyes and con-
Vulsive SILVER shook her frame.
THE girl looked up into our faces in a
WlNkC very
asked. as he pulled the coat closely about
the trembling form. Ny poor chll0, what
does this damnable outrage mean
"Nothin', only jist account NV paw, she
replied as her hands We're passed to her
brows, about which dishevelled tresses of
dark hair chung in profusion
who did thls?" j asked.
Dunno, now, White Caps Ispect.
Moonshiners.
That was all the girl would say then,
but she arose TO sitting posture, looked
at us in the same dazeq way, as II trying
to fathom the situation.
with the assistance Of the doctor and
myself the girl managed. after brief pc
Rod to arise 10 her feet and without any
remonstrance on her part We helped her
down 20 our little hunting cabin, about half
"a mile from the scene or the outNl GO.
when we reached IL the poor girl was IN
a state Of collapse. and we put her 20 bed
Dr. Wicks carefully Messed the fright l
wounds inflicted by the brutal White
Caps
ceived into our cabin before the girl fully
recovered her mental forces and told as
the circumstances that led up 10 ths ie-
Voting outrage by the White caps ot
shannon county.
'You'ns don't undersand about Their way
people 30 out here. Ny paw mas haA a
lfffle sfera on the Houston road. close ~