Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-31
CHARGE
IS DENIED IN TOTO
Wealthy Planter, of oglethorpe
County, in Communication to
Journal, Brands Accusations
AS Being False


g comment upon a story in last sun
dys Journal. which reported trial IN
Atlanta's police court that Involved MI
Smith in charges OF peopage. .sr
The Journals story was simply rec
ord in substance of the sworn testimony
of a score or more witnesses. I. J.
Erwin, of Winterville, has also sent
communication. He and Mr., smith potn
deny any part in the practice of peonage
against negroes. Their communications
follow. Mr.. Smiths first r,l-- -.
SMITHSONIA. Ca. Aug, ~ 1908,
The Journal, Atlanta, Ga: ... ..-..- b..
I'm your issue of the gid instant under
headlines 'peonage charge in police
court Col. James NJ. Smith involved In
case you publish a story which for men
dacity and downright. lying straight from
the shoulder, has seldom been equalec
and rarely excelled. In about mar
a column of your paper at least 20 sep
arate and distinct falsehoods are toto.
The whole article from beginning to END
is a vile and infamous SANDER. 1t is
plot made by unprincipIed and low-down
persons to get money from me. 1t Is not
by any means the first time that such
attempts have been made against me.
Under the hypocritical guise Of protect
ing the Door, 1t is nevertheless plain tc
be seen that this Is an attempt to ROE
by using the courts as an instrument. l
hardly believe the courts of our coun-
try have as yet become so corrupt as to
aid such diabolical schemes.
1.-The principal points in. your article
summarized are as follows;
"Sim Rousser, a neg o, is held under
thousand dollar bond charged with kid.
naping Julius Rucker, a boy, without g
warrant and that Sim Rousser is spy
employed by James NJ Smith; that Julius
Rucker was arrested by Capt. Tom Err
win without a warrant and slipped off to
Howell station and taken back to the
farm of James M. Smith, Of Oglethorpe'
county, where he is now at WORK; that
Beckie Rucker. the mother of Julius
Rucker, worked on the farm OF James
M. Smith for 80 years without receiving
any pay for her services. and that she
had to slip off in the night, remaining
in hiding until several weeks elapsed;
that Capt. Tom Erwin is a Whipping boss
on the plantation of James M, Smith;
the plantation of James VI. Smith is COM
pared with a place worse than sia-
very or the penitentiary." ....,....
-. WHAT THE FACTS ARE. -.yl.
The facts are, D., -.s 4ti.- e "a
1.-The sheriff of Oglethorpe county in
forms me that he went to Atlanta last
week, with warrants against several me-
and felonies in Oglethorpe county, whom
he had reason to believe were in and
around Atlanta: some of these warrants
were against negroes who had at some
time worked on the farm of James N.
Smith and some were against negroes
from other parts of the county; that
among these warrants was one for Julius
Rucker; that Julius Rucker was arrest
ed by thepolicemen In Atlanta and lock-.
remained until next morning, when he
was turned over to him and by him
brought back to Oglethorpe county,
placed in Jail, after being legally COM
mitted where he now is and has been
since the sheriff of Oglethorpe county
/ that Mr.. T. J. Erwin. at his request,
was in Atlanta with him ana assisted in
these matters. The fact as 20 who ar
rested Julius Rucker. or whether or not
the parties who arrested him had war
rant and authority for taking him to the
police headquarters and turning him over
i to the sheriff Of Oglethorpe county. can
be ascertained from the police authori-
! ties of Atlanta. Julius Rucker Is not
a boy, but a man 30-odd years of age.
Beckie Rucxer, his mother, lived on my
! farm for a number OF years, but never
worked for me day in her life. She
claimed that she cooked for ner two boys,
Julius and Monroe; on this account I
furnished her a house, garden, potato
patch and firewood without cost to her
and she was taken care of by her boys.
She claimed to be afflicted and not able.
to work on the farm. It. Is absolutely
untrue that she slipped away from my
place. 1 have been informed she went
away in the daytime ana moved her
household goods with her. i had no OBJ
lection, whatever. to her going;
HAD NO SPY.
''Sim Rousser at one time lived on my
farm and worked for me- Some years ago
he left my farm and have not seen,
heard from or communicated in any way
with him since. nor has anyone commu-
nicated with him under my authority or
for me. 1t is absolutely false that he was
in any way representing me as a spy or
In any other capacity From the statement
in your article 1 believe he has been
committed upon perjured testimony"
Mr. Erwin has not lived with me or
has not had anything to do with my bus
mess for more than Is years. Some seven
or eight years ago he bought farm from
the Carter estate and ever since has been
living on that place, farming for himself.
He lives four or five miles from me. Mr..
Erwin, am informed, is the legal and
qualified bailiff of his district and has
where in the state am also Informed
by the sheriff of ogIethorpe county that
his connection with these cases was I'M
der tie direction and in connection with
the sheriff of Oglethorpei county.
II have always had correct books kept
with every person with whom have had
dealings. 1 have given great deal OF
my time and attention to keeping my
books balanced. The main trouble with
me all along has been to get people to
pay me what they justly owed me. No
| one has ever had the least trouble in get
ting me to pay what justly and honestly
| owed him. l have always settled with
those whom. 1. had hired, or employed ac-
cording to the terms of the contract.
Hundreds OF the best people of this sec
| ton of both races will testify to the
truth of the statement which 1 have just
made. The idea of any farmer working
negro any great lenght of time and not
paying him anything for his labor is IN
reasonable. Such a thing cannot be done.
Four negroes out OF five. working for
farmer. wifi get ahead of his wages. He
is never satisfied until he does get ahead.
He will come at his employer in hun
dred different ways Until he gets in his
debt Most negroes who work for farm
ers for wages start In debt and never
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