The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-02
MANY PLAYED THE FOOL.
JOIxers Had Their Innings in Spite
of War With Spain.

OF war WIN spain.
Yesterday was All Fools Day, but all
fools did not celebrate it, Many were so
much engrossed with the talk of the war
with Spain that they forgot all about the
character of the day.
Perhaps 1t was this. and perhaps it was
the gloomy state of the weather that made
many people such easy marks for the prac-
teal jokers. The latter seemed to have no
trouble In getting in their work wherever
they attempted it. The usual old gags were
worked off with considerable success and
Several new ones perhaps. Many a man
was called upon to chew cotton batting
which he took for some nicely Drowned
delicacy. Several of the saloons worked
this along with free lunches i'm the morn
ing. AT one bar what purported to be a
dish of nicely Drowned oysters proved a
pitfall for the unwary. One old free lunch
veteran deliberately swallowed four of the
cotton batting delicacies without so much
as a grunt or q sign that he perceived the
deception, Many other, sampled the juicy
batting to- their SORROW
The public library" Joke proved a fa-
vorite In business circles and those who
are not yet on TO the joke should bite for
the sake Of the information they will get
1t is worth it. The naval reserves reVamp-
ed their old 't'arpedo" joke and worked it
quite successfully.
"Aldy" Mcclure, the boss of Yama craw.
was cruelty deceived by his bosom friends
Contractor Win Mitchell of the house
drainage firm telephoned him in the aft
ernoon that a friend and supporter had
been arrested for a serious disturbance
of the peace, and was languishing in the
hands of the police with his friend Nc
CURE as his only hope for relief. If there
is one thing that Mr.. Mcclure can be re-
lied upon to do it is to come to the aid of
his friends when they are In trouble ard
he proceeded to respond with alacrity.
Arriving down town, he met Mr.. Mitchell
and the two went to the police barracks.
Chief McDermott was paying off the men,
but he was not too busy to catch a wink
from Mr. Mitchell. Mcclure inquired
about his friend, and was informed that
it was a very serious case, and likely to
go hard with him. Chief McDermott was
very Indifferent about the matter, but
finally agreed to accept bond. Mcclure
headed for the sergeant's Office to fix Up
the bond, whep the laugh behind Informed
him that he had been deceived.
The cruelest joke of the lot, though, was
that played on Marshal Lentz of Tunder-
bolt by Policeman Gus Godbold and the
marshars deputy, Tom Griffin. Griffin
had come TO town, presumably on BUSH
ness. Early in the afternoon Godbold tel
ephoned Lentz, whom he knew well, that
Griffin had gotten on a terrible drunk in
Savannah and played the devil generally
and had wound up the affair by taking a
dose of laudanum. Griffith's condition was
very serious. he was informed and he
could hardly survive much longer. The
marshal at once laid official duties aside
and hurried to town by the first car. Ar
irving at the Bolton street depot he was
met by Godbold who Informed him that
Griffith had lust given up the struggle.
His end had occurred at Godbold's house.
the latter stated. and thither he conducted
the marshal. Arriving there they found
Grifin laid out on A table and covered with
a sheet Marshal Ientz spoke feelingly
Of his diseased DEPUTY. as he thought.
nraisInp his many good qualities. and be-
noaning his early decease. He was with
difticnIty nersuaded TO lift the cover from
his face and take a last LOOK at his COM
rade when he did SO he bebeld the grin
nine faca Of Grimm and he saw that he
had been sold. He turned to catch Cod
boId hut that worthy was OUT Of reach nd
DOlu, Dut tudt WOt my was Out VI ASetSH anu