The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-14
THE CUMBERLAND SHERIFF..
Address OF Hon. j. G. Shaw-Meefiu<
OF to
Graded School.
correspondence OF The Messenger.)
Fayetteville. March III.


Fayetteville, March IL.
On the assembling of the board OF
county commissioners yesterday. Cap.
tain A B. Williams presiding, Hon
John G. Shaw. county attorney. ad.
dressed it in the following eloouen,
tribute to the late sheriff:
Il rise. sirs. to announce officially to
Jour body the death of G.. A. Burns,
late sheriff of Cumberland.
Mr.. Burns was born in Randolph
county about 43 year ago. At an early
age he was removed by his father to
Cumberland county, and has made his
nome here since that time. He worked
for his father continuously until the
day OF his majority, and then started
out to become the architect of his own
fortune. Mr.. G. A Overbaugh, who
owned a prosperous sale and livery
stable at that time. seeing much in the
young mar TO admire. sold him his en-
tire business on credit. relying on the
integrity of the boy for This
debt. like others which he contracted
was paid in full. Soon after purchas-
ing the business of Mr.. O~verbaugh. he
married Miss Mary, the only daughter
or MIR. James Ahearn. a sterling old
AIlSLiLildu, "DOIn we all Stlll NUMBER
among u friends of the living.
The married life of Mr.. Burns was
unusually happy: and upon his chill
dren. four in number. he lavished the
most ardent affection. George Burns
was nearly or quite q years old when
L first knew him and from hat time
until his death our personal relations
were Intimate. / have seen him under
nearly all circumstances. n on every
occasion he was a gentleman. The hU-
man mind is ordinarily a complex
combination of discordant forces, but
1 think that this combination of forces
was more beautifully blended in the
mind of Mr.. Burns than of any other
man 1 ever knew.
He was self-willed to a remarkable
degree. but his self-will was always in
perfect harmony with the public well
fare and his fellow-man. l doubt if
the Almighty, in His wisdom, ever
placed a tenderer heart in the breast
OF mortal man; yet though tender as a
woman. he was as courageou as a
lion. and in the discharge of duty he
was as firm as the everlasting hills.
His purse-strings were ever loosened
for the relief of the needy, or the &C
c~ommodation OF his friends but he
was not a Waster of money, making
diligent preparation for all those de-
pendent on him.. He was lovable to his
friends. cordial in entertaining strang-
ers. cOmpaniOnable to all. and as such
was prodigal in the expenditure of his
time and means though his business
affairs. as this board knows from an
official standpoint, were most correct.
He was an earnest advocate and sub
calculated to build up the town and
county, but by the liz of one of these
did he seek personal ACKNOWLEDGMENT,
and never at all was he guilty of the
offense of egotism-that growing crime
of the twentieth century against de-
cency and good
I'm politics he was a partisan. deep
dyed: yet SO honest was he known to
be that many of his warmeSt personal
friends were found in the ranks of OPP
posing political parties. He was a
consistent member of the Roman
Catholic church and in it's doctrines
most profoundly believed: but he was
not one of those conceited bigotS who
believe that the only way to life ever
lasting is through the narrow portals
of the strained construction OF some
particular creed
His disposition was such as to make
him delight in the company Of the
bright and cheerful: yet withal, when
friend or foe, neighbor or stranger,
was in distress: when the hand OF
afhiction or death Law heavy hand of
home, his great. manly. tender heart
went out to the suffering or bereaved.
and whatever human agency could &C
complish towards alternating CUB
or assuaging grief, he always cheer
fully extended. In fact, the opposing
forces of human nature were we'll mas
tered by him.; and in his life. character
and death he demonstrated a fine
specimen of physical. mental and moral
manhood. L remarked that he started
out to become the architect of his own
fortune. He builded. n builded well.
He reare a structure of mental ane
moral manhood of which any man
might we'll be proud. The world and
mankind have been bettered by his
living. More than one man owe all
that they are,all that they have. to
George Burns. He is gone: he finished
his work. and. like a tired soldier. laid
him down to sleep. To me 1T is a
calamity too great to be co~mprehended.
vet how true. He was my friend in
prosperity and adversely. in
and shadow; through good and evil re-
port he was generous and true. He Is
gone. but
d" The bridegroom may forget the
bride.
Was made his welded wife yeStreen:
The monarch may forget the crown,
That on his head an hour has been:
The mother may forget the child.
That smiles so sweetly on her knee:
But I'll remember thee, George Burns,
And all hat thou hast lone for me.
The soliciting committee, by IL
o'closk yesterday morning, had sue
ceeded in obtaining $4,000 of the $500
which it is desired to raise for the con-
tinuance of the city graded schools.
Last afternoon the county commits
sioner appointed Mr.. Ralph Jes-
sup sheriff. good citizen and ex-
cellent business man, head bookkeeper
in the large naval store and cotton
house of Mr.. a. H. Slocomb.
.FTER CAPTAIN CARRIERS FUNDS