The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-09-02
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with your Kind permission, 7 will en-
deavor to entertain you with a little
song, Can you accompany me in The
Suwanee River professor?
Certainly, SIR
"If you please, then"
In n sweet, rich tenor voice the
brigand began the old song. The audi
ence listened in amazement and as he
finished the first verse filled the house
with genuine applause.
BY the time the song was finished
the collectors had completed their
work, and only the guards on the doors
remained. The leader again raised his
hand for silence
Ladies and gentlemen" he said, Il
thank you for your kind attention Our
little comedy has passed off successful
ly, and now before we wind up let me
give you a few final instructions. Our
guards are still outside the various
doors and shall remain there until we
have had a good start. That win be,
let us say, fifteen minutes. Any one
who attempts to leave before that time
will be shot dead at the door, and you
know / have habit of keeping my
word. To simplify matters l intend to
place this alarm clock''-here he held
up an alarm clock which was handed
to him from the wings to the view of
the audience-"hcre on this table 1t
is set to go off at II O'clock Don't
leave your seats until you hear it. If
you do
Before the sentence was finished
Gentleman George had vanished
The people in the house looked Mt one
another wonderlngly, No one dared 20
be the first to tempt fate by getting UP
and leaving the theater. Yet each man
there believed that the threat was a
bluff" intended to give the robbers a
chance to get safely away. They were
disinclined, however, 10 put their belief
to the test and no one stirred. While
matters were still in this indetermi-
nate state Il piercing cry of "Fire!
rang out throughout the house and
was Immediately taken up on several
sides.
The managers Of the theater at this
cutlery rushed on the stage and shouted
words meant to be calming to the audi
cncc. They succeeded IN a measure in
allayng the panic which was begin
ming to get under way, but many peo-
pie, overweight by the evenings hap
pcnings, rushed from the theatcr out
into the street. Then it was discovered
conclusively that there was no fire, but
that the scare raised by the cry had
added to the start already gained by
Gentleman George and his band.
BY noon on the day following the
sheriff was ready to start for the
haunts of Gentleman George with a
strong posse, when the mayor sent for
him and read this letter, found on his
doorstep that morning:
Dear Mr. Mayor-A dastardly outrage
has been perpctratcd on my good name
and incidentally on the people Of you.
city by the rufiians who held up the
Opera House last night. The person call
ing himself Gentleman George was only
an impersonator. ! believe l know the
scoundrel, and by the time you receive
will be on his trail. The good citizens of
Oaktree cannot be more gricved than |
am over the regrettable occurrence of
last evening. TO show you that ] was not
the man who held up the Opera House /
inclose you my latest photograph, made
in San Francisco. You can depend upon
it that the evildoers of last night will be
brought to justice. Yours in good faith
GENTLEMAN GEORGE.
The sheriff did not like the cool. i'm
pertinent tone of the letter and thought
that, owing to his long immunity, Gen
tleman George was inclined to jest
with the township. The mayor thought
differently. 1t was, he said, a very
courteous note, and he could not see
that 1t in any way reflected on the
town. Sides were taken, and the next
election was fought out largely on the
question Of the good faith or other
wise Of Gentleman George. Though
the election went in favor of the may
or and the upholders of Gentleman
George, to this day it has not been de-
termined whether or not it was that
polished bandit who had held up the
Opera House.