Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-02-24

ANAHCA& In GGOG44A.
Those who read the story of the hold
up of the Southern railway fast mail
train between Atlanta and Lula are
doubtless surprised, but that is only one
symptom of what is impending over us
at this time. lfal
had an experience last week that was
also an alarming symptom, to my mind,
OF the state of our country. My sons
barn, in which his tenant had stabbed five
mules and horses, on last Wednesday
night was set on fire by some miscreant,
and everything in the barn was in ashes
before 1880 o'clock p. m. The evidence
goes to show that the lower part of the
barn was kerosened, for the fire caught
all around except on the side facing the
dwelling. Nothing was saved, and the
barn was not a year old, and so far as
know the tenant had not an enemy.
This is the second barn on our place
that was burned by incendiaries. In the
first one, we had FIVE mules and two fine
horses cremated, 400 bushels corn and
about 200 bushels of cotton seed The
horses and mules were fed at p m, be-
cause the hired man got of on his own
business at that hour Except to water
the stock and turn them into the barn,
no human being was about the barn after
that hour. My husband locked the barn
door and put the keys in his pocket.
When DR.. FELTON, ate his supper, about
7:3V he went around the house and barn
to see IL all was right. Nobody had been
near the barn with a pipe or cigarette.
Before he went to bed the rear side of the
barn and crib were fired, all starting at
once, and in 80 minutes the roof was
down on barn and crib, and everything
dead. We had infinite trouble in saving
the dwelling. We were satisfied it was
done by a negro woman who had been
dismissed from our employ few days
before, and was then within 200 yards that
night of the burning barn. Her infant
was born the Saturday afterwards, and
we had no assistance from the county au-
thorities to bring her to justice.
This barn that was burned last We'd
nesday night was new, not year old. 1t
was built of pine logs to the height Of ten
feet and covered with iron roofing, which
we put there hoping to prevent destruc-
ton by fire. 1857
The loss of the first barn was 5000,
corn, mules, cotton seed and buildings.
The tenant who lost five head of horses
and mules last wednesday night, has also
a heavy loss. The governor has offered a
reward of 500 for the capture of the
barn-burner with proof to convict. OF
course there are suspicious abroad, but
the people are tinid about arrests, etc.
The attack on the Southern railroad is
another case in point Lawlessness is
abroad in the land Bad men are abroad
in the land Vengeful people are abroad
in the land, and it seems impossible to
secure judicial protection to life and
property under existing conditions in our
section
The south has not suffered from
strikes and barn burners and thieves as
the north and west have suffered; but
1t is coming to us, and that very fast.
We find the towns filled up with idle
people, deadbeats, who will not work,
who recognize no authority and who
have no character to defend. The coun-
try is full of people who will pay the
fines OF criminals, and then turn them
loose on the community 1t should be
stopped, this habit of turning criminals