The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-04-01


tween the states. He had served as
Confederate through the entire war,
and was captured by Union spies at
Amelia Cross Roads and carried as a
prisoner Of war to Harris Island, New
York. Later he was removed to the
federal prison at Battery Park, New
York.
Truth Aided Wartime Escape.
Il wanted to get out" is the way the
senator narrates it, land the only
way possible was by diving around
the parapet. dived, and 1 escaped
but 1 found myself in New York City
as wet as drowned rat, and. what
was even more serious, dressed in a
faded Confederate uniform. Confed-
crate uniforms were not welcome In
New York in those days, and knew
it, but I was brought up on the doc
trine that honesty is the best policy,
and resolved to tell the truth, what
ever might be the outcome.
Il was stopped repeatedly by Off
GERS and by others who took notice of
my unusual appearance. All of them
asked me who I was. I told them l
was Confederate prisoner and had
just escaped from Battery Park. This
statement always was greeted
with laughter-a much pleasanter
greeting than arrest. So you see the
the truth is always better than false
hood, even for purposes of decep-
ton"
Senator Webb, always keenly inter
ested in public matters, encouraged
his boys to consider gravely the duties
of citizenship, but, although he fire.
quently was mentioned for various Of
fees in Tennessee, he never became
a candidate.
Even in his race for the senate to
fill out the unexpired term caused by
the death of Senator Bob" Taylor,
Mr.. Webb took no active part. He
was at Bellbuckle, preaching his
many Dos and his one Don't to his
boys.
my boys sent me here" said Sen
ator Webb, after he reached Washing
ton, and the number of his former stu
dents who are members of the Ten
nessee state legislature, and other
wise prominent in the affairs of Ten
nessee, makes that literally true.
Nickname Origin Lost in History.
Ever since his advent into the schol-
lastic field, William R. Webb has been
referred to by his friends as "Old
Sawney." So widespread has been his
influence through his students and his
personality, that this name is. now
generally applied to him throughout
the South. No one knows just how the
name originated, but he is "Old Saw
ney" to his boys everywhere, and
"Old Sawney" he will remain through
out the Southland.
While "Old Sawney" has not made
a speciality of politicians in his course
of preparation, he has graduated men
who have taken a prominent part in
the political life of the nation
William F. McCombs, who success
fully conducted both campaigns for
President Wilson, Is an alumnus Of
Webb school, and not little of his
perseverance and will power was in
spired by his former teacher.
The late Senator Edward w. Car
mack, of Tennessee, was a student at
Webb school, and Senator Webb is
frank to admit that his admiration for
the late senator was greater than that
for any other boy who has ever come
under his supervision.
School Simple In Furnishings.
If you were to pass "Old Sawney's"
school you might take it for a barn.
1t is a big, plain frame building, with
only the primeval trees. which al
most hide it from view, for its adorn-
ment. The interior is surprising in
its simplicity. Its chapel, or study
hall, is adorned chiefly with great
iron stove.
Every Webb boy has his own chair
and he carries it with him wherever
he goes in his classes. When the
Greek class is called he picks up his
Greek book and his chair and goes
to the room in which he recites Greek
There is no use, according to "Old
Sawney's" way Of thinking, of having
chair or desk for every boy IL
every room. Let him have his owl
chair, then he will take care of 1t.
The Webb school has not been oper
ated along money-making lines. The
tuition is uniformly low. and II de
serving boy has not the money to pa,
for his tuition way will be found fol