The morning news., 1899-02-21
ROBBED THEN SET ON FIRE.
THIEVES LOOT ANOTHER POsToF-
FICE NEAR ATLANTA.

FIOOr-MOney Was Melted by the
Fire-BeIieVed There Is an Organ
ized Gang at the WOrk-SN
Against Prison Commissioners 10
He Withdrawn-Carneg Offer
VIII No Doubt BE Accepted.
Atlanta, Feb. 2O.-Another postofice rob
berry was reported here to-day. This time
it was the postoffice at Oak Shade in the
northern part of the county, a short dis
tance from Buckhead, the robbery which
was accomplished by an incendiary fire oe-
curing Saturday night.
The building which is used by Miss E.
]. Donaldson as a general store and
postoffice. was almost completely destroy
ed by the fire. The loss was in the neigh
borhood of $4,000 the entire stock valued
at $1,000 being burned and between $500
and $500 In money lost.
All indications point TO the fact that
the fire was the work of an incendiary.
1t was found that a hole had been made
in the floor of the store and entrance ef-
fected in that manner. Near this hole
was found pistol, which is said TO have
been identified as that of
negro living in the neighborhood.
A search was instituted for the man. but
he could not be found. The attention of
the people of the village was first attracted
TO the fire by an explosion of a keg of pow
der which was kept on sale at the store.
Miss Donaldson kept her money in wood
en- box under a counter, and 1t was cover
ed over with scrap iron bolts. etc. NO
one would nave thought to look in such a
place for money, and after the fire the
gold and silver bullion was found melted.
1t is believed that an organized gang is
at work systematically robbing the post
offices in the suburbs of Atlanta. Only a
few days ago the postoffice at College Park
was robbed and everything in the office
rifled and the mail torn up and much gov
ernment property lost.
Last Thursday the postoffice at Decatur
was entered by burglars and the safe
blown open with dynamite, the robbers
| carrying off $100 in currency and large
| amount of postage stamps.
The Suit to BE Withdrawn.
Judge ]. S. Turner, chairman of the
| board of prison commissioners, returned
! this morning from Milledgevile where
| he went last Thursday on business reia-
tive to the fight in the courts against the
erection of the prison buildings.
During the day telegram received from
Milledgeville stated that the motion will
be withdrawn, and no further efforts
made to handicap the prison commission
ers in the equipment and Improvement of
! the farm.
Judge Turner held a long conference
with Gen. Evans of the commission, dis
| cussng the situation, but neither would
| discuss the matter after the conference.
| II is stated on good authority, however,
| that the legal proceedings will be with
| drawn az once and the matter satisfac-
torily adjusted. both TO the water works
| people and the Milledgeville citizens. The
basis of settlement is that a board OF
| physicians, threee appointed by the prison
| commissioners and three by the Columbus
| water works people, shall pass upon the
alleged contamination of the water sup
/ ply e9..4.a,4 .ss aste
When it became known in Milledgeville
| that the prison commissioners had author
! ity and money TO purchase another farm
for the state convicts, and would prob
| ably do so il there was TO be a court
! fight made by Milledgeville against the
erection of the farm buildings, there was
quick action taken to smooth things out
Female Nurses Discharged.
Fourteen female nurses from the gem
eral hospital at Fort Mcpherson had their
| contracts annulled this morning, and most
o. them left to-day for their respective
! homes. The annulment of the contracts
was made on instructions from The sur
! geon general of the army because of the
small number of patients in the hospital
at the present time.
The order designated the release Of the
| following nurses: Misses Mary E. Caugh-
| ey, Economy Pa; Annie Cosgrove. New
York; Zella Christ Hamilton, o.; Gather
inc T. Farrell, Morris Plains, N. j.; Nan
ME S. Harper Kerrtown, Pa; Elizabeth
NJ. Hewitt, Bradford, Pa. Hannah A.
Kallen, Chicago; Maud Mashier. Gales
burg, ILL.,; Mary Mullen, St
Louis, Mo. N. Adele Pinner. Chicago:
Edith NJ. Robinson, New York. Emily
Rood, Chicago; Estele A. Stephens
Jacksonville, Fla, and Catharine Steph-
ems Philadelphia.
All of these nurses were appointed by
the SURGEON general during the month Of
June, July and August Of last year Mai
Taylor had expressed his appreciation Of
the services of the departing nurses in
the highest terms.
The Carnegie Library.
The offer of Andrew Carnegie TO give
the city s1CO,Oo0 for free library came be-
fore the City Council to-day, and was re-
ferred 70 the finance committee. which will
decide whether IL can be accepted or not.
Mayor Woodward sent in the proposition
with message, in which he urged it's ac-
ceptance, as follows:
Il am earnestly of the opinion that we
should accept The annual contribution of
IS, coo VIII be wisely expended, and would
prove source of great benefit to all our
people The city has contributed $500
annually 70 the Tschnological School. and
it is certainly safe to say that future
councils would for all time appropriate the
IS, coo for free library purposes"
81 transmit a communicati zion from the
Young Men's Library Association in which
they ask that a committee be appointed
from the general council, to act Jointly
with a committee from the association,
looking to The idea of merging the pres
ent Young Mems Library and the Carne-
gle donation. If this can be accomplished
the condition of the site will be settled
apd A f1a nta ebo1tId n tho vary roo,- f,t-