The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-11
AGENT MASTERS WANTED.
SOME PROSPECTIVE LTBERIAN EMF
GRANTS WHO ARE OUT OF
POCKET.

President FIummer brought Here
Through suspicious II hat All Was
Not Right-He says All Money Paid
for transportation VIII BE Made
Good.
J. ". Masters. general agent Of the In
ternational Migration Society Of Birniing-
ham. Ala, who was working ZIP Il
berian colony in this city and county, is
badly wanted by the officers Of The so
ciety. but worse stll. perhaps, BY sew
eral colored people. who gave him power
Of attorney TO dispose of their properly.
Masters was last seen in the city night
before last about 10 O'Clock. near MS
boarding house, on Liberty street, and
later developments have led TO the i'm
preston that he was then on his way TO
the depot 10 take his departure. Ills aD-
sence. however. was not discovered until
yesterday morning. and up 10 that time
nothing was known OF his contemplated
departure.
When he left he failed to account for
several hundred dollars Of the migration
society's money. and the proceeds from
several pieces of property. Of which nc
disposed for negroes who had placed pow
ers of attorney in his hands.
There was considerable weeping and
wailing around the Office Of the society AZ
No. As Jefferson street during the day. and
inquiries began 10 be made just as soon
as the word went round that Masters
was gone. Masters told his clerk, Mr.. L.
Z. Stevens, that he had telegram from
Florida stating that his brother was dy-
ing and that he would probably have TO
go there. He said nothing, however. about
when he was going. and it was supposed
that he would make arrangements with
the president Of the society, Mr.. j.. j.
Flummer, before leaving the city. Mr..
Flumer was in the city, but he knew moth
ing about Masters hurried departure un-
I'll he reached the Office during the fore
noon.
Mr.. Flummer came to Savannah day be
fore yesterday. He said he was brought
here on account OF an article which ap-
peared In the Morning News last Sunday
in which Masters stated that the colony
was almost ready, and would probably
leave Savannah on the steamship Horsa
about May %. This. he said. was rushing
things ahead a little bit. and IT Was a
foundation for his suspicion that some
thing was going wrong.
When he arrived here he began to look
into the situation and to check up the
business, but found every thing anparentIy
all right He was not relieved of his sus-
plcions, however, he states. and says II he
wrong about Masters he would have had
him arrested yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Flummer said he was unable to
state how much OF the company's money
Masters had in his possession He was
required to make remittances 10 Birming-
ham, ana he does not think he had over
500 or 500 in his possession that he could
have made away with.
The most unfortunate victims Of Mas
tiers action, however, If IL be true that
he has left them in the lurch are several
negroes of n
10 sell their property and execute deeds
Tor 1t to the purchasers. From sales of
this property It IS supposed he had in his
cording to deeds which have been recorded
IN the superior court along with the power
OF attorney made 10 him, II appears that
the amount reaches something like those
figures.
The deeds which were filed in the superb
or court for record by Masters are as fol-
lows: Charles Baker TO Rosa " Wilson of
Coles county, Illinois. two acres in East
savannah and several small lots for
which the consideration appears to have
been $1,000; Samuel Chandler to Rosa Z
wilson. a lot in Woodville. two and a half
miles from the city exchange, amount SIS.
Daniel Murchison to Rosa V. Wilson, a
Iot IN WoodVille, $3.50; Israel Johnson TO
Mrs. II. Nj. Frazer, lot in East Savannah
STU; Gilbert DeLoach, to Mrs r. NJ
frazer a lot on Montgomery street. AK
Si0o. eJ f. t"o ILiiies from the city exchange.
SlV. John and Mary .Drayton to Mrs r.
NJ Frazer lot in Woodville, 500; Charles
a. Baker to Mrs. r.. NJ Frazer a LOT in
last fl savannah, $3.50; Kent Anfield to
James L. Garvin lot out on the Augusta
road two and half miles from the city
exchange, 500 These are the properties
SO far as the deeds have been recorded.
Whlch nave been sold by Masters under
powers Of attorney given him to make
disposition OF them and none of the nro-
ceeus Tor them have been accounted for
~ Is nkeiy that in many instances the
VaIueS given are only nominal and nut IN
70 COMPLY with the law. number Of
other deeds for the transfer of property by
negroes VINO expected to make the trip
nave been recorded In the clerk s office OF
the superior court, but this has been done
through attorneys. and those who sold
thelr property and made the transfers
themselves are not out
Mary Drayton, who is a widow. was
standing around the Office in tears. She
ana her two little children expected to 20
To Liberia she said. She valued the little
property which had been purchased with
the savings ofkherself and her husband at
about $500. She gave Masters a power Of
attorney to dispose of it and has heard
nothing whatever from the proceeds II is
al she has in the world. she says, and she
does not know what she will do if her
money is not secured for her.
Henry Roberson, who lives out in Rob-
ertsville. was standing around the office ar
ranging TO make some disposition of his
property. He and his wife, Patsy and
two children, he said, were going over
Fortunately he had not given Masters a
power of attorney, and his property had
not been sold. He will dispose of it, he
says, and leave this country for Liberia.
He values 1T at about SEQ.
While many Of the negroes are discour-
aged on account of this action of Masters,
they have by no means given up the Lii
IBERIA idea. Other members of the colony
were around still looking after the sell
ing of their effects, and We're told that
in the future everything would be prop
erly looked after.
When the last colony left on the Horsa
on March 10, the agents OF the society
who were here at the time saw that the
fever had had its effect among the Chat.
ham county negroes, and they We're no;
long in arranging to open an Office here
Masters was found here, and his sery.
ices as agent for this section were or
fered and secured. Masters lived in Ii.
IBERIA for about two years and a half some
time ago, and it is said he was some
what familiar with the Kroo language
His knowledge in this direction gave him
a decided advantage in the field in which
he was working, and he talked freely
of the advantages of Liberia He told !
representative of the Morning News about
a week ago that he had succeeded In
raising a colony of 222 negroes, and thai
they would sail for Liberia about Nav 2,
or a little later.
Masters is a tall man, of rather fin,
physical appearance, wears a large sIollcr
hat and Prince Albert coat and has !