Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-17
FUNDS GROWING
FOR DEPUTY'S
FAMILY
AtIantans Eager to Relieve Need
of Those Who Survive Negro
DesperadO's Victim.
Continued From Page I.

the law step forward to aid one Of
their own kind who met a fate which
they themselves are ever in danger of
meeting.
Eugene Watson. the negro who slew
Tire brave deputy and devastated his
home. died at the Grady Hospital
Monday night Death despoiled the
law Of its duty
In a small, bare cottage on the
Jonesboro road, where, until yester-
day. a family had struggled hard for
an existence and good fortune had
never smiled, to-day the utter hope
lessness Of the poverty is emphasized.
Through the night widow, broken
in health and spirit, and six chill
dren, none of them able to work
kneIt by the form OF the murdered
Dave Yancey, court deputy, weeping
for the life that was sacrificed 70
duty and for the dark days ahead
when there will be no one to pro-
vide.
The fate that had never been kind
to Yancey was more than cruel tc
him yesterday when it called him 10
pursue Eugene Watson, negro des-
perado
The hand that the arresting officer
depended upon to accurately anG
steadily hold his revolver shook and
frembled in the throes Of a nervous
disease with which he had been al
nicted since he was a boy.
He knew as he ran after the negro
that IL IL came to a fight 1t would be
the merest accident if his aim were
true Three times he fired at the
negro approachin him with the
knife. one shot was at close range
but his hand veered widely to the
right and the revolver was snatched
from him before ne could fire again.
Bad Luck Pursued Him,
Once or twice in his life Yancey
had prospered Shortly after he came
to Atlanta he was bailih for Jus
ii ,e Of the Peace. He earned money
then to take care OF his wife and emil
dren. He held the position a short
while, when the justice died. For sew
eral months he was unable to hnd
employment.
About four years ago he secured a
position as a court bailiff under Sher-
in Mangum. His salary depended on
the number Of days he worked, which
was never over two weeks each
month. on other days he would sub
stitute as deputy and serve subpe-
mas. During the summer months,
when court was not in session, his
income was practically nothing.
on the day he was stabbed to death
he had virtually secured the position
as a regular bailiff in the court OF
Judge Calhoun. II would have paid
~ D de- Fnu g II
be a surprise to his wife and children
when he returned home
Lived Life Of Farmer.
Although he lived in the shadow OF
a great city the life Of Yancey and
his family was that of the farmer
About year ago he secured the
place on the Jonesboro Road, on which
he had made two payments. Nine
hundred dollars are still to be paid
He called II a truck farm, but the
few acres were almost barren and II
was with the greatest difficulty that
enough vegetables were raised to sup
ply the needs Of the family
About six months ago his Oldest
daughter, Lois, was taken seriously i'll
and had to be taken to the hospital.
1t cost Yancey more than $500, and
during the time his family was often
without food
He had lived at the house on the
Jonesboro Road for about year, but
he lived in that section of the county
the fifteen years since he came here
from Grayson, in Gwinnett County
He was raised on a farm, and when
he secured enough money to make
the first payment on his little home
with the few acres Of untitled soil he
had hopes of making it a productive
truck farm and later acquiring more
land
Family Worked the Farm.
His wife and children titled the soil
They had no horse to draw a pillow
and the work was difficult. From
early morning until late in the even
ing Mrs YanCey worked in the field
and directed the work of the children
Yancey usually came home at about
6 o'clock every evening. As he trudged
up the long Hill from the end of the
car line his wife and children left the
field and came to the house to pre-
pare the scant supper. By s o'clock
in the evening the house was in dark
ness and the family asleep.
Only when little Lois was in the
hospital did any of them venture into
! the city, Usually they walked the
| entire way They saw little Of theiI
neighbors except an occasional con-
versation as one would pass the house
| in the early morning, or after work in
| the evening,
Where they have lived and strug-
| gled for an existence together Mrs
/ YanCey and her children want to con
/ tinue TO live. They declined to con-
| slider returning to Gwinnett County
| where YanCey's relatives live.
Outlook Is Gloomy.
| There is some hope of the little
| farm being made successful, enough
| 50 to pay the monthly installments on
/ the home and there is some posi-
/ bility OF Mrs Yancey's idea of a small
poultry farm becoming a reality, but
| these are things that are almost out
of the question this year
The farm is an absolute failure this
| season, II is impossible to start a
poultry farm without money, and I'M
less money can be secured the home
will have to be given up, and the
family, more destitute than ever, re-
turn to worse conditions in Gwinnett
County.
Mrs. PhiIin Hichhorn