The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-29
FIRED HIS REVOLVER
AS LECTURE CLOSED.
Unique Ending to Interesting Lee
ture by Capt. Jack Crawford.

unique knOAnE 10 interesting LEG
ture by Capt. jack Crawford.
Capt. Jack Crawford, the poet-scout
last night delivered one of the most
unique lectures that has been given
in Savannah in some time. He APP
peared at the Guards Hall clad in the
uniform of a scout and carrying two
revolvers.
After short introduction he plung
ed at once into the body of his lee
ture. dealing now with conditions in
the South, then jumping to Western
life and living, and just as suddenly
switching again to life as he had found
it in New York. At the close of his
lecture he startled his audience by
firing his revolver twice in rapid sue
cession.
A beautiful tribute was paid to the
late Gen. John b. Gordon. A number
of incidents from the life of the well
beloved Georgian were related and a
touching reference made to the scenes
in Atlanta, when he was carried to his
last resting place. Though a hard
ened scout. and veteran Indian
fighter, Capt. Jack, stated that as
he stood at the grave of the great
Confederate general, he had wept with
the men in gray who had followed
Gordon through the war and he was
not ashamed of his action there.
This was the signal for depression
into the field of the war and what
it had done. lie spoke of the feeling
which still exists in many sections of
the country, Federalists despising
Confederates and Confederates hating
them. These men he characterize as
generally the ones, who had played
the part of home guards or who had
escaped battle. The men of both sides
who had faced one another through
those long years, had lost all bitter
ness and were united in a reunited
country. Another glowing tribute to
Gen. Gordon and his work in drawing
the two ruptured sections together
was then paid by the lecturer.
The race problem was also touched
upon, though little time was spent in
discussing it. Capt. Crawford took the
ground that the only way to solve the
problem was to let the South alone.
Before 1 came South" he said, II
held the same opinion about this grave
matter as other Northern men did.
After / had been here awhile, however,
learned what a fool ] had been. The
Southerner is the Negroes best friend,
and it is to him that we should leave
the whole question.
The white and black problem here
was likened to the red and white in
the West Without hesitation he stated
that the WesterneT and the army otfi-
GERS were the best friends that the In
dian had. They had lived with them
so long, had learned their way so well,
them so perfectly. that it
was folly for others to attempt to med
ole. He attributed many of the In
dian wars to the ignorance of the peo-
pie at Washington, who. not knowing
the real facts. had driven the Indians
to war, in almost self-defeqse.
The lecture abounded in all manner
of anecdotes, both pathetic and hui
morous and the scenes laid in all parts
of the United States. He talked of
pugilists, detectives, actors. cowboys,
and Indians. and then began humor-
Gus description of New York society life
as it had appeared to him.
Though one of the most famous
scouts in the country, Capt. Jack made
little reference to himself and his
fights, claiming that the man who
boosted of the number of Indians that
he had killed was generally the one
who had never seen one. In speaking
of his personal ways of living. he paid
a beautiful tribute to his mother and
her influence upon his life. II promised
her." he said, that l would never
touch a drop of liquor, and l never
have. And what is more, l never shall
That promise shall be kept to the last"
A number of poems- original with the
lecturer, were recited. In reciting them
Capt. Jack acted the parts of the char
ter f.ztr lii hn off Anf
all the more realistic. In introducing
them he said: THE reason l always
recite my own poems is because no one
Else Will" The entire lecture was filled
with similar witicisms and abounded
in epigrams which found a permanent
lodging place in the minds of many in
his audience.