The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-10

the memory of which stills lives with
some of the old settlers, was a suit for
SANDER, brought by John. 2. Houston
against Daniel Jeffrey 1t took place at
of learning, of justice, of business, and or
religion on White river. The basis of
action was that Jenery who was sheriff
Of the county, had called Houston IAN
infamoSls old atheist" John Z. Hous-
ton was brother of Tom Houston, the
president of the republic of Texas. lie
wandered into the Ozark country a man
of magnificent physical appearance, well
educated, of great -t.1tural ability. and
drunkard. He was made one of the first
oincerS OF lzard county IT was his cur
tom to do public business sitting with a
table between himself and the door On
this table his books were arranged be-
fore him. At his right hand, and within
easy reach, was a smaller table on which
lay, during business hours all kinds Of
weapons. He had dirks, Bowie knives,
pistols, and rifles of the finest quality
for that period. one of his Bowie knives
he claimed had cost him 49, a high price
for such weapon ia those days on
one occasion a man named Jess Everet
came into the office about some county
business. In the course of the CONVEX
sauon Everett, unmindful of the arsenal
told Houston he was a liar. Houston
around the table. Everett met him half
way and knocked him down. The knife
flew across the floor. Houston got on his
feet, picked out another knife, and start
ed again, only to meet the same fate
Before this interesting fight could 20 any
further it was stopped by outside inter
ference. At another time Houston at
tempted TO use his weapons on the sher-
im, and then it was that Daniel Jeffrey
applied the worst possible epithet in the
estimation of the God-fearing commu-
nifty. He called Houston IAN Infamous
old atheist" Houston brought an ac-
ton for SANDER. The trial went against
him. Toward the end of John. p. Hous-
tons career in the Ozark country Sam
Houston was bringing Texas through her
troubles and attracting great attention.
The amiable brother in Arkansas used
to tell people he had but two more jour
neys to make-one to Texas, to kill Sam
Houston, and the other to heaven. In
the opinion of the old settlers he made
neither, as he died drunk at Athens.
Questions of economy in public affairs
agitated the Ozark country in those early
days. The county of lizard which at that
time embraced half a dozen Of the coun-
ties of to-day, arrived at the dignity of
new court house. The building was or
the first departure from the original archi-
lecture Of this region. 1t was twenty feet
square. There was a door on the east
side and a door on the west side The
judges bench was on the south side Of the
room, and a space had been left on the
north side for chimney. Winter APP
county was whether the proposed chimney
should be stone or of sticks and clay. The
county court held session to hear argu-
ments from interested citizens. AdVo-
the claim that Peter Young and Sol Hess
were good stone masons; that they could
lay stone chimney which would look bet
ter than one of sticks, and would last for
ever. Old Jim Criswell a big man. weigh
ing 200 pounds, WHO had settled on Rocky
stone chimney. He made a vigorous
speech, in which. he denounced those who
would grind the people to death with
hold fast to the custom of the country
and build a stick chimney. The spirit Of
progress prevailed. The fashion of stone
chimneys was set He was a member OF
the Criswell family, old Harvey Criswell.
who left this region fifty years ago to set,
tie in Texas. saying he was too crowded
and would have to hunt a new home, for
"the id Tennessee renter had taken nos
session of this country"