The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-03-17
OLIVER VISITS DAWSON
GIVES A LURID DESCRIPTION OF
HIS MANY EXPERIENCES.
Saws He Is Making SmithVille His
Home and Will Run For County
commissioner. Is LeCturing.

commissioner. Is Lecturing.
d. Oliver. the Climax Bank
King" whose brief career as a imam
cier in Georgia and subsequent ser
vice of four years in the Georgia pen
itentiarv on a charge OF bIgamy Is
familiar to the reading publlc, was
in Dawson for a short while Saturday
afternoon. He was travelling III an
automobile with friends, and was en-
route from Shellman to Amerlcus'
oliver. who was neatly dressed and
had the appearance of well-to-do
business man, is a good conVerSa-
tionalist. and does not hesitate TO
talk about his experiences in Geor-
gia. While he depicts them as I'M
lust and anything but pleasant there
is no abuse of anyone or bitterness
in anything he says.
To a representative of The News
he said that he is now a citizen or
Lee county, making his home IN
Smithyille. and that he expects to be
a candidate for county commissioner.
In the event of his election he Will
have much control over the chain
gang in which he spent four years as
a prisoner.
The former banker is delivering
lectures in this section on the dlfter-
emf phases of his life the past live
wears. his most recent appearance be
ing at Doerun, in Colquitt county,
where he was introduced by Attor-
new O. H. McLendOn, a former resi-
dent of Dawson, and spoke to large
audience in the auditorium OF the
public school building.
In an account of the address the
Moultrie Observer says Mr.. Oliver,
though claiming for himself no honor
as an orator, stood erect and firm.
Speaking of himself and his twin
brother-Virginian by birth, having
been separated at the age OF ABOUT
nine years and his twin brother re-
ceiyed into the care and keeping OF
a family of Hardings, after whom the
twin brother took his name-he
showed the failure OF the Climax
bank and the troubles and embar-
rassment he underwent soon aIter
becoming the president OF that lnStl-
tuition to have been the result OF ms
having been mistaken for his twin
brother, whom he says had unfortu-
nately gotten into trouble in the state
of Mississippi He further stated that
in no instance was a single check
turned down for nOn-payment by the
Climax bank, of which he was presl-
dent, until he was unjustl1ably held
and could not give the bank and lts
business the attention that had beeh
given by him.
He spoke of the hardships TO his
"chaingang life, and though this fell
rather in sympathetic tones and was
received in that spirit he said some
things which elected loud laughter
and much applause. He stated that
when he was offered his first meal at
the states expense" when about TO
enter upon the four years hard work,
he refused, modestly but politely,
thinking the cook had failed to
show up" or there was scarcity OF
variety; but soon he learned to eat
with much relish.
He never murmured in the dis
charge of the duties assigned MN
while grading the roads, digging
the stumps," or sinking the ditch
in the water" but he did often think
to himself how different was the
work to that of the office OF president
of the Bank of Climax.
The ex-banker gave some reasons
why the Climax bank trouble TOOK
place that really seemed plausible.
He also gave reasons why the separa-
ton between himself and his WlIe
came about which also seemed reas-
enable.
He said that after the requisition
writ was sued out for his extradltlon
to Mississippi upon going into the
presence of those who had known
l.. C. Harding, his twin brother, ana
for whom he had been taken, ana TOT
whom, or on account of whom. ne
had not only been convicted OF Dig
amy charge and had served innocent
ly in the Georgia changing Tor ABOUT
four years, having worked about for
ty months Of this time in Lee county,
but through the mistake was forced |
to come down from the position OF
of 70 Rank Of Climax TO |