Inside scenes of Atlanta's black week : a series of social sensations and a carnival of crimes : terminating with a terrible tale of tragedies and tears / by Lee Langley

- ;TOM C015JS .JACKSON'S SELF-MLTJL>EK.

InfiiUi History of Lewis JJedwine's Defalcation1, The flatc City Bayk Snitjvn^iim, with the

Auisi-uiid KiTec-t.' Tom Cobl>.Jackson's Suicide', ami why he took litblit'e. The Great

VOIKK TrafKMly :i brilliaBt anil rcJuied Woman's terrible Double Sororicidc; The full and

Cmiijilctc Story <>f the nun* Sentafion.il Cha: n of .Events iii any City's His-tc-ry; String

t!if Jn^idc Pacts whivli have Uv-vi-r Iwfore l>cen given to the public. A Terrible Tale of.

Tragedies A Carnival ot Criiiie.

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BY LEE
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INSIDE SCENES | f * t
OF
Atlanta's Black Week
A SERIES OF SOCIAL SENSATIONS AND A
Carnival of Crimes,
tERlONATINO WITH A
Terrible Tale of Tragedies I And Tears.
BY LEE LANGLEY.
TUB FOOTB A DAVTES CO., PUBIJBHKB8.
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ENTRODUCTOBY.
It is a theory in newspaper circles that crime, like storms, travels in waves. When one terrible event has occurred the newspaper man with "nose for news," is on the, alert, looking for and expecting some thing else of the same nature, something similar to happen. And he is rarely disappointed. It is a strange theory, but its demonstra tion is stranger still.
There are storms of lesser magnitude, and there are cyclone*. The distinction is one of degree alone.' So with these crime waves. There are cyclones simoons of crime. As the simooms with its breath of hell swoops down on the city of the desert, stifling, suffocat ing every creature in its path, so did a crime simoom swoop down upon the fair city of Atlanta startling, stilling, suffocating. JTo words can picture the consternation, the destruction, the desolation it brought
It was something unique in the histoiy of any city something un paralleled in the annals of crime. The story of that chain of events, rushing in upon each other as they did, is one of deep and ab sorbing Interest It is of interestynot to the seeker after the sensa tional alone; were it only that, there would perhaps be little reason for this volume; but it is more. Here is a study for psychologists. It opens a field for discussion, and at the| same-time tells a story so peculiar, so absorbing, so tragical that it all seem* beyond the bounds of possibility and proves, if proof be necessary, that the fact* of this life are stranger than any^fiction.
For months Atlanta, the Queen City of the fair Southland, had been at peace, apparently, with all mankind and was reaping the benefit* of that peace in ft bounteous prosperity. The financial storm* that had struck her less fortunate sister* had left her unscathed. The "Atlantaair" of thrift.and'enterprise and success waa seemingly moi* noticeable than ever. Society was free from *candal and the people wen happy. Atlanta was the pride of the South.
And she I* still, bat many and deep have been her tribulation*.

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

A black -week Indeed. As if by one fell blow were financial circles

paralyzed. Scandal stalked in high places. A young man in whom

the world had every confidence, fell from the bights, carrying with

him destruction and death. The storm had struck and Atlanta was

its center. Desolation utter and deep it left in its path. Crime and

carnage followed fast and the whole community seemed seized with

the fatal spell. An indescribable dread weighted down the hearts as

it must have the hearts of the good in Sodom and Gomorrah of old.

Mothers clasped their babes to their breats praying mute prayers for

deliverance from the fate that seemed impending to all. Horror was

pictured on the faces of strong men that same picture so familiar

to those who hare gone through an earthquake experience. While

pervading the entire community was that spirit of reckless bravado

soldiers feel when facing what seems certain death.

No word picture can do it justice. So intense was the feeling of

distrust that the ministers of the city met in special session and re

quested the newspapers to stop publication, or if they must appear, to

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to give no details of the different crimes. The prevalence of this

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feeling of distrust cannot be better illustrated than by reproducing

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the following editorial which was the Constitution's leader in the Bun-

day issue which told the story of the week's carnival of crime:

Within the past week, Atlanta has been afflicted with calamities

heretofore unknown in her history.

Wedonot propose to shock our readers by going into details, nor

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by giving a list of the horrors rushing upon us from day to day, pil

ing climax, upon climax, until tongue and pen have found it impos

sible to keep pace with the swift tide of events.

Taine says that even a nation may have a period of insanity, and

it is very generally believed that epidemics of madness have occaa-

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ioually swept whole communities. And why not? If insanity may

seize an entire family, why not temporarily a group of families, a

town, a country?

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ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

THE TWO SHOTS.

At a-quarter to six o'clock, two ringing reports were heard on the

upper floor in the direction of the room occupied by the couple. The

sharp reports were heard In every part of the house and a half dozen

negroes went running up the stairway.

.ill was still. Not a sound disturbed the quiet on the floor. The

negroes were frightened, and ran as horridly down the stairway as

they had ascended it.

One of them ran like the wind to the police station a block below.

All was excitement at the hotel. No one knew the significance of

the two pistol shots. At the police station Callman Beavers waited

but an Instant to hear the story of the excited negro and started out

for the hoteL A half block away he overtook Patrolman Jordan, and

the two officers went together to the hotel office.

Mr. Charlie Keith, who had juit entered the office a minute ahead

of the policemen, went with the officers to the room.

The crowd followed, all a-tremble with excitement and cariosity..

The deathly stillness was puzzling. No one knew what to make

of it.

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"Be careful," said Mr. Keith; "you may get shot"

The door of room 29 was slightly ajar. Patrolman Beavers cau

tiously approached the door and peeped in. To the right and to the

left was a bed.

At first, the officer saw nothing. Glancing about the room for an

nstant, he suddenly recoiled with a cry of horror.

A horrible, frightful, sickening sight met his eyes.

Lying on the bed to the left of the door, locked in each other's:

arms, their heads lying in a pool of blood and upon a blood-stained

pillow, their faces reposeful and calm in expression, were a beautiful

young woman and a handsome man.

A smoking bulldog revolver lay on the floor beside the bed.

Patrolmen Beavers and Jordan and Mr. Keith entered the room

without a word. Instinctively they surveyed the room with thei

yeB|as they entered. The thought of an assassin lurking behind

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

9

the doorway waiting to escape presented itself instantly to their minds. The room was empty save for the presence of the pair locked in each other's embrace.
The men turned to the bloody scene on the bed. The two figures were as still as if already dead. They made no move and were ap parently suffering no pain.
Beavers bent over the man and shook him by the arm. The man turned his blood-bespattered and frightful looking, face toward the officer. He was conscious. The officer asked his name.
He pointed a bloody finger at tha table. "Is she your wife ?" Beavers asked. He shook his head feebly and a fresh torrent of blood rushed from his ear. He closed his eyes and made no further sign. The woman was unconscious, and appeared as peaceful and stil as if sleeping. Her magnificently beautiful face was horribly beautiful still in its crimson setting of blood. Her soft, drooping eyelirts covered her sweet, languorous eyes. The tender purity of the face was beauti ful to see. It was an ideally pretty face, the soft, sublime expres sion of woman who had done no wrong resting like a smile upon it. There was not a suggestion of pain in it, nor a suggestion of sin or wrong. The sight the couple presented was enough to make the strongest heart turn sick. Men long accustomed to sights of blood and suffer ing turned shudderingly away from the bedside. Chief Conuolly turned away his head. "For eighteen years I have been used to horrible sights," said he, "but I have never seen anything like that.1 ' Men who saw the bloody sight turned away and fell fainting. More than one man had to be led from the room.
THE LETTEKS THEY LEFT BEHIXD.
While the physicians were busying themselves attending the

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ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

wounded pair, the officers were solving the mystery surrounding tke shooting. When asked his name, Piantini pointed to the table in the center of the room. On. the table were found two letters. On. top of them was a sheet of paper bearing the words, in a big, bold hand: "Deliver these letters to our parents."
The first letter was directed to F. Piantini, father of the young man.

It was sealed. It read: January 24,1893. In this moment that we write we are happy. In
an hour and a half we will be dead; we will be no more in the land of the living. We believe tlt we will be united after death, aa we are now united in life.
Please bury us in the same coffin this is our last request. Bury us in Oakland cemetery and plant ivy on our graves.
SELITA and UMBKBTO,

The other letter was addressed to Piantini's mother-in-law, and

written in Italian. It was translated by a friend of Piantini, as fol

lows:

Accept my last regards, for one hour from now I will be dead. It

seems to me that it wan wrong for me to take $2 a day.

My Dear Aunt, it has almost run me crazy, after I had pawned my

jewelry, I didn't have ?nongh. One kiss from my heart, and goodby.

THE NEWS AT PIANTINI'S HOICK.

UMBKBTO.

The doctors busied themselves probing for the balls In the heads of the wounded pair. While they were engaged in this, Patrolman Beavers went to the home of Piantini's father and Miss Muegge's mother, at 400 South Pryor street. The scene there, when the news was broken to the parents, was indescribable. The mother fell in her husband's arms, and the pretty young sisters of the wounded girl wept hysterically.
Miss Muegge was carried to her home, 400 South Pryor Street She begged piteously not to be carried home as shfl was being placed in the ambulance, but her cries were of no avail. She declared that her mother must not know.

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

11

Although they had been notified immediately after the shooting, not one of the relatives of the pair went near the scene of the killing. They waited at home until the city ambulance bore home the form of pretty Selita ICuegge.
A few hours before she had left home to come up town shopping. At that time her face bore no shadow of the impending catastrophe. She appeared as light-hearted and happy as she always appeared. Somewhere np town she met Piantini by appointment, and had gone with him to her doom.
Her reception at home last night may be imagined, never described. No pen can paint the picture in all its living colors. Tears and re monstrances were of no avail. Mute and silent, rendered dumb by the very awftzlness of the affair, they watched the writhing form of he light of that household brought in and laid upon her couch. Her groans sounded where her laughter had so lately been. There stood the awakened wife of the man who had done this awful thing. Just now she had opened her eyes to the truth, and who knows a bitterer feeling than that which comes to a woman who learns that the man she loves has died for another?

DIKD FOB LOVE.
Next in succession to be seized with the fatal fever, was W. D. Cowley, a well khown commercial traveller for Harrsh, Smith & Harsh.
' The cause .assigned for his rash self-destruction was lost love. ~ The story goes that he was madly infatuated with a leading society
belle of Marietta, who had for some reason refused to marry him He'committed suicide by shooting himself the day following Cobb Jackson's death. All day Crowley circulated among his friends, and ezpreseed in excited and enthusiastic terms his admiraeion of Cobb Jackson, and declared just before the deed was committed that he had jo*t left Lewis Redwine, and that if ever he saw him again he was going to advise him to follow Cobbs example that it was a brave, manly and sure way of ending all earthly troubles. While

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ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

discussing the matter several timed during the day Crowley dis played a package containing a revolver and would remark, "this is the little package., that will do the Woody work."
Had the town been less exited, those who heard Crovrleys state ment have recognized the symptoms of the raging contagion and taken steps to confine the desperate man till' his mind should re turn to its normal condition. Late in the afternoon, Crowley went to his room, took his revolver and with the coolness and delibera tion of one whose mind had been relieved of earthly fears and dreads he fired the shot thae carried his soul from earth to his God for final account. His father lives at Eoswell, Ga., and is one of the most influential and wealthiest men in the State. Crowleys body was carried to Roswell for interment the following day.
Another Mysterious Suicide.

Shortly after the Metropolitan double tragedy with the sensation and scandal, had ceased to be relished morsels of gossip, and for no other apparent reason than that he had become effected -with the epidemic of self destruction then prevalent iu Atlanta, young Aaron Raphael, a commercial traveler from Boston, took his own life in his room at the Kimball house.
He cooly laid aside a novel which he had been reading and with every evidence of perfect sanity and self possession fired the shot that within a few hours ended his life. There was never a deatl more completely shrouded in mystery. His relatives who came from Boston to get his body, declared that they could see no man ner of account for the crime. He was in no trouble and had not been, but was prosperous, temperate and seemingly happy.

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LEWIS BEDWETE.

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

15

CHAPTER TWO.

History of Lewis Redwine's Pall from Grace, and the Discovery of the Defalcation.
"Defaulted and Gone." That was the headline in the morning's paper of February the 22d that proved the warning bolt that thundered forth to herald a terri ble cyclone of crime in the city of Atlanta. But the crime itself sank into utter insignificance, and was forgotten as the thousands of readers followed the story to the name of the man against whom it was alleged. Lewis Redwine, the Assistant Cashier of the Gate City National Bank, a defaulter and a fugitive from justice! To all those familiar with the financial and social history of At lanta, it seemed impossible* They could hardly believe their own eyes. "Lewis Redwine defaulted and gone!" At this stage of the story the reader paused and repeated the name and crime again and again as his memory carried him back instinctively to the many brilliant social events, then to the many conferences of the city's prominent financiers, in which this young man had been a conspicu ous figure, and stood out head and shoulders above any young man of his age in the State. Lewis Redwine, the toast of society, the boast of financiers and the beau of beaux an embezzler and a fugitive! And in these reflections there was no exaggeration of the young man's true position. Redwine had steadily ascended the social seal* until he had reached its topmost pinnacle, and stood, as somebody has aptly described it, "Monarch of all he surveyed in the darling domain of Swelldom." He had gone from a penniless bookkeeper to an official in one of the most influential banking institutions in the South, and by virtue of his long service, perfect integrity and

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ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

marked ability, he was practically second only to the president and

head of the institution. This position was not purchased with

money; it was not held by virtue of stock in the bank, controlled by-

family and friends, nor through any outside influence,* but was the

price of honor, the fruit of long and faithful service, the reward of

genuine merit.

Fifteen years before, Redwine, a penniless stripling, had come from

Coweta county to take a place at the foot of the ladder in the Gate

City National Bank. Tear after year from that time he had grown

steadily in the esteem and confidence of the bank's controlling offi

cials, and had been promoted until, thirteen months ago, he was

made assistant cashier and practically given control of the money of

this staunch institution. He was envied by young men, courted by

society's most select circle, and was pointed to with pride by the

staid and conservative money Icings that preside over the financial

interests of the South's greatest city. He was a shining light in the

Capital ( ity Club, the most aristocratic social organization in the Gulf

States. That stamped him as a "swell." ]Jut his success had not, ap

parently, turned his head. He was quiet and unostentatious, dressed

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. in the height of fashion, but at all times modestly, and was as affa-

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ble to the man who wore overalls as to the president of the bank.

"If ever there was a true gentleman, Lewis Kedwine is one," his.

friends all said, and everybody who knew him endorsed the senti

ment.

Lewis Ledwine a defaulter!

"Surely there must be some mistake," everybody said. And yet

he stands to-day charged with the wreck of one of the foremost

banking institutions of the South, and responsible the Lord only

knows for how much of the ruin and desolation that has followed

his act. The story of the defalcation and its discovery, as well as the dis

appearance of Redwine, was an interesting one, and so strange in

its details as to give rise to many rumors and stories more or less,

derogatory to the bank and its official heads, all of which were

probably uncalled for and unwarranted. The newspaper accounts.

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ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

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were preceded by a card signed by L. J. Hill, President; A. W. Hill, Vice-president; and E. 3. McCandless, Cashier of the Bank, saying:
"We are sorry to have to announce that Lewis Redwine, Assistant Cashier of our Bank, is a defaulter."
They went on to say that a large amount of the bank's funds had disappeared, but although the exact amount of the shortage was not known, it was not great enough to impair the hank's capital and interfere with its business.
Following this was a graphic account of the details of the affair. President Lod Hill had just returned from Mexico, where he had been some days. While he was away the bank examiner had visited the bank and had reported the cash all right, and the favorable report which he found on his return was highly gratifying. But of course he had known it was all right, for hadn't Lewis been there to loot after the cash? This count had been made an Saturday. On Monday, President Hill returned to the city. In a casual talk with a fellow banker who had stopped him to say "howdy" after his absence, the Presi dent of the Gate City got an inkling of some right extensive check ing which his bank had done on Saturday. "Oh! that's all right," be said. "I suppose Lewis needed the ready cash for some of the bank's customers." But somehow Mr. Hill couldn't forget the remark that had been made to him. For some reason he couldn't possibly tell why it worried him. And he determined to ask Redwine about it the very next day./ The amount had been given him as $-23.000, and he really couldn't aee how so much was necessary. Just before closing hour on Tuesday, President Hill walked up to Bedwine's desk and said: "Lewis, come into my office a minute; I want to see you." "All right, Mr. Hill; just a minute. Til be there as soon as I make these entries." The president turned and walked into his office at the rear of the bank. As he did so, Redwine, as he had dona a thousand times before, stepped around the railing at the front of the bank. He had

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ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

on his office coat and was hatieas.' Nobody noticed him particularly. He walked slowly and unconcernedly to a saloon below the bank, called for a whiskey straight, filled the glass and drank it at a swal low.
As he did so, he looked 'up and saw Welbron Hill, Vice-F-esident of the bank, and a deputy-sheriff confronting him.
"Have something, Lewis?" "No, thank you; I've just had a drink." "Welborn Hill took his drink and stepped out on the sidewalk. His brother had told him to keep an eye on Bedwine, so he took a stand where he could, as he thought, command a view of all exits. There he waited. As he went out, Bedwine asked the bartender to lend him a hat,
put it on and

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

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CHAPTER THREE.

Disappeared.

Disappeared as literally and completely as if the earth had opened and swallowed him np.
Welborn Hill got tired waiting, then went back to the saloon. Kedwine wasn't there. He stepped quickly into the bank no Kedwine. Then he moved quicker than ever. The police headquarters is just at the rear of the Gate City bank building, and in a minute he was closeted with Chief Connolly.
"Catch Redwine!" was his request. "Do yon make a charge against him ? " "No, but we don't want him to get away." Chief Wright and his detective force began work at once, but no trace of the absconding cashier could be found. The story created the most intense excitement when The Consti tution gave the full details the next morning. Of course, everybody had a theory some of them being perfectly positive that Redwine was and had always been blacker than it was possible tn paint him, and others being equally as positive yes, more so that there must be some gigantic mistake, and that it would yet be proven that Jtedwine was absolutely innocent. Weird indeed were some of these stories. A popular tale with the theorists of the first class was that Redwine had, a few days before, bad a tailor on a little obscure street make him a money belt. Ar guing on these premises, they knew that the cashier had laid all his plans to disappear on Wednesday, that being a legal holiday, and that he had taken a vast amount of the bank's money with him, The belt story was run down and shattered, but that didn't weaken those theorists who had been talking of the vast amount of boodle

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ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

they were certain Redwine bad taken. All sorts of stories of his ex travagance began to come to light, and it seem as if the pessimistic theorists had decidedly the best of the argument
But this didn't faze those who looked on the brighter side who. couldn't believe that Redwine was a <thief. An overwhelming bulk of evidence was against them, but what did that matter? They knew Redwine, they couldn't believe it. All sorts of theories were advanced to show that Bedwine was more sinned against than sin ning. These stories involved the bank and its officials, and involved people outside the bank all apparently without reason. Suspicion was directed against prominent young men and simply because they were known to be friends of Redwine; andAhere was no other reason in the world for connecting their names with the affair. The stories about the bank recalled former times of trial in the bank's history times when money was lost through loans, I believe. And one of these stories went so far as to hint, if not to state positively, that the Gate City was embarrased, and that Bedwine had not stolen a cent, but was permitting himself to be used as tool to tide matters over for a few days until the bank's affairs could be straightened ont; that the true status of the bank would soon become known and then the alleged defaulter would return, pose as a martyr, who to save his employers had assumed the role of a thief and a fugitive from justice. The. absolute impossibility of such a state of affairs makes a serious treatment of such rumors absolutely unnecessary. To dignify them is to waste time.
The officials of the bank weio credited with the statement that Redwine had been stealing money for many months and making false entries to cover his shortage; here in the same breath the statement was imputed to the same source, that it was impossible for him to have stolen any money before he had been appointed to his present position of trust, which position he had only held thirteen months. Of course these were only rumors, but they were as active as spar rows and found willing auditors -and ready believers wherever they .reached. The very atmosphere seemed impregnated with such rumors, and the excitement was soon intense beyond description.

ATLAXTAS BLACK WEEK.

21

Society had received its shock, by the alleged theft and disappear

ance of one of its favorite disciples; financiers were nervous over

the prospects of- the bank, and the effect in business and money cir

cles; stockholders of the institution under question were down

hearted and depositors were wild with anxiety about their hard

earned shekels.

Local newspaper'men were in clover. Everything they could find

about the case was printed and found eager readers. "Extras' 1 were

cried by newsboys on all sides.

News was carried from one end of the country to the other on the

wires. It meant a harvest for the special correspondents, and they

were writing it for all they were worth. The arrest of half a dozen

suspects in different parts of the South only adds fuel to the fire.

Here, the newspaper boys thought, was a genuine ten days' wonder.

Papers everywhere would be eager for all they could get of the story

for a week to come; the home papers would be full of nothing else.

Little did they think that this was but the preface the introduc

tory chapter, at best of a series of sensations probably unparalleled

in the history of any city in times of peace.

The latest about Redwine! Everybody wanted to know what it

was. Wednesday the search was kept up, while the bank officials

were hard at work trying to make order out of chaos. Late that

night they sent a note to the Constitution office. It was a short note,

but it meant a great deal.

The bank would not open next day.

That was the latest then, and it was a great surprise. The clear

ing house officials had made a thorough examination and said that

there was no reasonable doubt of the depositors getting all their

money.

But the bank would not open. That meant that the defalcation

was much heavier that was at first announced, $6o,COO. It meant,

too, that business might be crippled and that trouble might come. Thursday the whole city was in a fever of excitement. The bank

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examiner had been wired for, and the doors bore a placard announc-

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ing that fact. Hundreds of!depositor* were standing around the the bank corner. Then a meeting was called at the court house, and prominent bankers assured the depositors that their money was all right. All of this, however, only accentuated the interest.
And still nothing nothing of Bedwine. Night came. The interest was unahated. As business men closed their places of business to go to their homes, theystopped and talked about the one topic of the hour. About the hotels there were many discussions and some fights. Seven o'clock.--"Any news of Bedwine ?" Telephones at the po lice station and in the newspaper offices were kept at a white heat repeating the question. Eight o'clock.--"Any news of Redwine ?" Still a negative. Nine o'clock.--"What's the latest about Redwine ?" Nothing. Nine o'clock and ten minutes.--"Nothing new about----" No! No! Not a word about Redwine. But Cobb Jackson----

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CHAPTER FOUR.

Being the Story of the Tragic Suicide of Thomas Cobb Jackson.

" No, not that! It cannot be! Anything but that!"

The message that the telephone had given back was

" Cobb Jackson has shot himself ."'

The first feeling of this young man's friends when told that he had attempted perhaps committed self-murder, was one like the numb ness that follows a stunning blow. Then came the conviction posi tive, absolute that there was some horrible mistake. Nobody who

knew Cobb Jackson would have been much surprised had the mes sage been that he had in a fit of anger or in a quarrel shot somebody; and those who had seen him that day and heard him talk would have been even less surprised had the message been that somebody else had shot hinL But that he, COBB JACKSON, had snicvJed IJfPOSSIBLE!

To understand the feelings of these Doubting Thomases, a know!-

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edge of the life and career of this young man is necessary. With

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such knowledge, you will perhaps think as they did--impossible!

To be a member of an old family, famed for intellect, chivalry,

bravery, eminence in all walks of life is much--but it isn't every

thing, for scions of just such families have run to seed; to have *>

cial position, to have reached a position at one's chosen profession

that makes one the envy of one's fellows, to have married a woman

beautiful and brilliant, and lovely in all the term mean*--any <4

these ought to make a man supremely happy.

Yt Cobb Jackson had them all He had his faults, what tnaa Jut*

none ? But if one nan had .occasion to b happy, so f a* tto

world could toll, that man waa Cobb Jackson. Tha why did W

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you are asking. Aye, there's the rub, as Hamlet says: WHY! There is no more aristocratic family in the .South than the Jack-
sons of Georgia. At the head of the family, stands General Henry R. Jackson, of Savannah, a gallant-general who served with great distinction in the civil war, who was the friend and confldnate of those other great soldiers whose names are indissolubly connected with the Sixties; a man who has always been eminent, who has held many positions of honor, notably the position of Minister to Mexico under the first Cleveland administration; a man of great wealth and

prestige. His eldest son is Captain Harry R. Jackson, of Atlanta, a typeof the true Southern gemleman, if there ever was one; a charm ing, brilliant, brainy man; one of the most eminent lawyeis in the South, especially prominent as a corporation lawyer, and the repre sentative of the great Richmond and Danville system; a man of wealth, whose home is the ideal home of the wealthy Southerner, where hospitality finds it true interpretation. Presiding over that home is a lady whose graces are proverbial, a brilliant, beautiful, wom anly woman. Airs. Jackson is adaughter of the South's great leader, General Thos. It. R. Cobb, whose name, like that of his brother, Hciwell Cobb, is a household word not only in Georgia, but through the entire South.

The son of these two their eldest child Cobb Jackson was given everything that heart could desire. He was given a splendid educa tion, and when he had been admitted to the bar, was taken into part nership by his father, the firm being .lackson and Jackson. Father and son were like chums. If ever a father was proud of his boy, this father was.

A little more than.a year ago, Cobb Jackson led to the matrimo

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nial altar one of the greatest belles Southern society has known Miss Sarah Francis Grant, the .daughter of Captain W. D. Grant, Atlanta's

richest man. The marriage was a great event. No two-young peo

ple could have, apparently, started upon life's journey junder more

favorable auspices.

THOMAS COBB JACKSON.

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And yet, In one short year, this man kill* himself. Why was it? Everybody asked the question.
God alone knows. The secret of the thoughts that were in that young man's mind when he put a bullet in his brain, was buried with him 'neath the willows in the beautiful city of the dead, where he lies sleeping his long sleep. But everybody has a theory, a thousand different stories were told, as many more are being talked of to-day.
Was he mixed up in the Redwine defalcation, and if so, how? It was natural that the question should be asked. The great friendship existing between the two men, the suicide coming right on the heels of the Redwine flight--all the attending circumstances seemed to warrant the assumption that the two events were correla tive--that the one was the direct result of the, other. The developments of the days that followed, when history was being made for Atlanta faster than ever before, so fast as to literally take the breath away, these developments showed that the tribe of prophets was not extinct. They showed the connection-- But Tm ahead of my story. First let me tell the
STOBT OF THE SUICIDE.
The story of the tragedy is soon told, and that night about 6:30 o'clock, Captain Harry Jackson went to his office in the Kiser build ing. He found his son lying on the sofa very gloomy in spirits. Young Jackson said nothing and seemed in no mood to talk.
Captain Jackson busied himself with some work about the office and paid little attention to his son. It is claimed that butfew words passed between father and son in the interval of two hours during which they remained together in their office.
About S:30o'clock, Captain Jackson finished the work which occu pied his attention and arousing his son, got him to get up and prepare to go hoine. The negro janitor telephoned for a hack and when it arrived Captain Jackson and Cobb left their office and stepped into the hack in front of tho Pryor street entrance to the K3sr building.
Captain Jackson directed the hackman to drive to his home on

./ I

28

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEKK.

Capitol square on the block south of the State CapitoL It was a

drive of but three blocks and was accomplished in a very short time.

Not, a. word passed between the two daring the trip. Captain Jack

son was seated on the right side of the hack and during the ride

homeward he sat in silent meditation. On the left side sat CobbT

strangely taciturn and quiet. He seemed deep in thought.

In front of Captain Jackson's door the hack stopped and the

driver alighted and openejj the door of the vehicle. Captain Jack

son was on the next to the sidewalk and next to the house and he

stepped out.

After reaching the sidewalk Captain Jackson 'did not stop, but

started on a brisk walk for the gate. He took, perhaps, three steps

when a strange noise attracted his .attention. He wheeled about as

the sound reached him. He could not explain it. To him it sounded

like a muffled explosion.

hi:

As Captain Jackson turned he noticed that his son had not yet arisen from his seat in the hack.

With a single step he was beside the open door of the hack. What

he saw he can never forget.

Crouched in one corner of the hack, his head dropping on Ms-

breast, his hat lying at his feet, a smoking revolver in his right hand

was Tom Ccbb Jackson. The odor of powder smoke pervaded the

interior ot the vehicle. The sound of the young man's labored

breathing was all that broke the stillness.

An electric light on the corner outlined but imperfectly the tragic

scene. By its glare Captain Jackson saw the thrilling picture.

In the one instant that he stood by the open door looking in upon

the croaching figure of his son, Captain Jackson saw a spot of crim

son blood appear upon the young man's right temple. As he looked,

it grew into a stream, which found its way down the young man's

cheek, dying his face a deep crimson.

A moment after Captain Jackson reached his son's side a United,

States soldier walked by, and, attracted by the noise, he stopped.

The captain applied to him for assistance, and together the two men

ifted the young Mr. Jackson from the vehicle.

]

.^

J

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK

29

Am they dragged his body from the hack to the sidewalk they no ticed that it hung heavily in their grasp, and dropped limp and inert. Bodily they carried the young man through the gate, up the sidewalk nd into the house.
Captain Jackson did not lose his presence of mind or self-control, and his first thought was for the safety of his son.
He placed the body upon a bed and dispatched a servant for Dr. Baird, who resides two doors from his home. He then turned his attention to the dying man.
Around the bedside the young wife and other members of the family had gathered and stood waiting for something death, the arrival of the physician, the recovery of consciousness something.
Captain Jackson bent over the still form. The chest no longer re sponded to the coming and going of the breath. The face was quite till, the features composed. The heart had ceased to beast Downs across the face the crimson stain was outlined, it alone marring the palor of the face.
Thomas Cobb Jackson had died in the arms of his father, while being carried from the hack into the house.
In five minutes the physicians came. Dr. Baird first, and then Drs. Armstrong and Hagan. They said that the shot had produced in stant paralysis and almost instant death.
The bullet had entered the right temple, passed straight through the head and lodged just beneath the skin near the left ear. The effect was immediately fatal. The ball was of 38 caliber.
When lifted from his seat in the hack, young Jackson held a pistol in either hand. The one in the right hand, and the one with which the fatal work was done, was 38 caliber; the other 32. Twenty-six cartridges were found in his pocket. The pistol [and ^the cartridges he had bought at the wholesale hardware store of Thomas 51. Clarke & Co., during the afternoon.

WAS IT PREMEDITATED?
It seems so, and yet I don't believe it

I

80

ATLANTA'S BLACK WKKK.

Why, then, did he kill hituMU ? There is no denying that Cobb was drinking that toy. He devoted bit day to drinking wine and denouncing in the strongest terms any one who suggested that Redwine was a thief. It was hi* one subject of conversation and he obtruded his views on every possible occasion, Everybody expected him to have trouble, and he probably expected it himself. Hence the pistols. When a man has been drinking champagne all day, lies down and sleeps a couple of hours, and awakes in a semi-sober condition, he feels desperate. If there is anytime a man feels like fiilling a suicide's grave, it is then. Cobb Jackson was in that condition. He bad neglected important work; he wa desperate. Then he shot
himself.

I*'.1

BUT WAS THAT ALL.

It seems not. There have been other developments that add

thrilling and dramatic Interest to the story.

i
-J

JOiS. OAS.S GIVIS WIMBISH THE SIGNAL.

Ill

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

33

CHAPTER FIVE.

How Redwine was Captured--A Story More Sensa
tional than Fiction Itself.
The tragic, sensational and mysterious suicide of Cobb Jackson > so closely following the Redwine defalcation an(j the Gate City Bank suspension, coupled with the many and varied rumors of their close association created the most intense excitement. \Vithin a few hours the great social pool that had centered around these two con spicuous fountain-heads, had gone from a feverish simmer to a bub bling boil.
Wild with excitement, aflre with curiosity andx blinded with the fog of impenetrable mystery that enveloped it all, Atlanta the centre of southern culture threw aside all formalities, even th friendly exchange of the day's greetings were forgotten, and the surging mass of people seemed to forge forward in the desperate search for some light that would dispel the smoke of mystery and and reveal the fatal explosive that had shattered society from its pedestal and rocked, to a dangerous degree the foundation stones of the financial community.
Then, as if to cap the climax of it all, came the capture of Redwine. The developments of tnat day will form a never-to-be-forgot ten page in the history of the Queen City of the South. The Con stitution summed up the day's developments in these words :
Yesterday was prolific of developments in the Gate City Bank case. Lewis Redwine, the fugitive cashier, was ran down and caught. He was subjected to an examination of several hours' which was fruitless until he was left with Mr. Jack J. Spalding, when he 'made a full disclosure of all that had taken place. 1. He did not take the money, and has none of it in his possession. 2. It is true that 70,000 of the bank's funds were abstracted, but in that abstrac tion none of the attaches of the bank are concerned, save Redwine himself.

84

ATLANTA'S BLACK WBKK.

3. TIM money wa* paaaed or to outaide pejtiM who have taken it and ipent it , in inch a my that is an Irntrlevable IOM.
3. The "VT- of the partiM who tluu robbed the bank he doM not ear* to diadoM, becana* no good pnrpoM can be subserved by it now.
The story and the subsequent events were .so graphically told by "Bob" Adamson, the Constitution's police reporter, that I have taken
the liberty of tiling portions of bis story. Bed-wine was surprised in his biding place and caught just before
noon. He was found in a darkened room in Mrs. M. D. L. Oaks's boarding house, 97 RockwelVstreet, in the southern suburbs of the eity. The arrest was made by Patrolman J. T. Wimbish, of the evening watch, while oft duty and without any assistance except that afforded by his thirteen-year-old nephew. Bedwine was found without the use of strategy, without the usual shrewd ruses of a detective. Luck and pluck are two elements predominating in the remarkable capture. Wimbish burst into the room where Redwine was sitting by the fire. Bedwine turned and faced the officer's ugly pistol. In a twinkling the handcuffs were about his trembling
wrists. News of the capture was telephoned into the city, and was swept
like a prairie fire. Before Bedwine reached police headquarters a thousand and more people some of them poor depositors in the Gate City Bank who regarded him as responsible for wbat seemed then their financial ruin had gathered on the sidewalk in front of the prison.
The bank officials were waiting in the Chiefs office for their default ing cashier, and all yesterday afternoon they were closeted with him. Only $413 were found in Bedwine's pockets. He denied the shortage to the extent claimed. He was extremely reticent in talking of the affair, but told enough to convince the officers that he was not the only guilty person.
Then everybody naturally asked, "who are the guilty parties?" And they are asking it still. Will they ever know ?

J
PATROI.MAN WIMBISH CAPTUBIFO BEDWISE.
I

36

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

DETAILS OF THE CAPTURE.
The missing cashier was found on the extreme southern limits of the city, a quarter of a mile beyond the point where the East Tennesae road crosses McDaniel street.
The house is the abode of Marquis de Lafayette Oaks, a shoemaker, and his wife. Oaks is -about fifty-five years of -age, and repairs shoes in one room of his house. The income of the shoemaker is greatly strengthened by the proceeds of Mrs. Oaks1 domestic industry. She takes boarders to the number of six or seven, and from this source realizes a neat sum. Her boarders are nearly all railroad men, as the house is but three minutes' walk from the East Tennessee shops. South of the house is a vide forest of tall pines, and on every side are steep bluffs, and the whole face of nature is rough, except here and there a neat new cottage. The neighborhood is very quiet.
Thursday night, Mrs. Oaks was awakened about -11 o'clock. A friend of her husband's, H. H. Black, was at the door, and told Mrs. Oaks that he had come to brink her two boards. A. few days before hehad promised to bring her some boarders, and he now came to ful fill his promise. He had with him a young man muffled up in a big Overcoat, and over his thin face a big slouch hat was drawn down. He introduced the little man as Mr. tester
Mr. Lester paid Mrs. Oaks a week's board in advance, $4. and gave her $1 extra for a night's lodging for Black. She gave the two men the middle room, which was furnished with one bed, and a folding lounge. Redwine slept on the lounge by the window; Black occu pied the bed;
"Lester" awoke late the next morning but did not leave his room. Black was up and around the house considerable, but kept a close watch on his friend.
SHE BECAME STJSPICIOCS.
"Lester" asked that breakfast be brought In to him, and Mrs. Oaks1 curiosity was aroused, and she was desirous of knowing all about the boarder who was grand enough to order meals to be car-

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

37

lied to his room. While "Lester" was eating his morning meal, she remained in the room talking, and regarding him critically.
' There's something wrong about that young man," she told her husband, with a wise shake of the head, "he don't act right"
She watched the room closely. She noticed that the hoarder had the blinds drawn down. She entered the room frequently on trivial pretexts. She found that her new boader was drinking heavily. Once, while talking with him, he told her that he heard some one in the front room. He only wanted her to leave the room.
"Lester called Mr. Oaks into the room and asked him to get a Constitution for him. He gave Oaks the money, and the shoemaker cime into the city and bought a paper at the Constitution, office, which he read eagerly.
The story he read was that which told of the tragic death of his friend, Tom Cobb Jackson. He was moved deeply moved. And he showed it. Could he have thought himself in any way responsi ble for the shutting out of that brilliant life ? Did anybody else be lieve him responsible ? A little note, written on a coffin, by a de spairing, heart-broken man, would, perhaps, could it be reproduced here, give some idea of what was passing in that young man's mind as he read.
The conviction became firmly fixed in Mrs. Oaks' mind that "Les ter" was Bedwine, and she watched him to make sure. She had known his father in her youth, and lived near him, and he had been her family physician. She noted a strong resemblance between "Les ter" and her early physician.
Mrs. Oaks announced her conviction of "Lester's" identity to her husband, and he started to the city to inform Detective Bedford of it While he was gone, Mrs. Oaks became nervous, and decided to rush matters through. She hurriedly left home, went to the home of patrolman Wimbish near by, and informed him of her suspicions.
The officer was incredulous at first, but finally became interested, as he noted the earnestness of the woman. He sent her back to see if the coast was clear. He instructed her to make a given signal if things were all right

38

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

He waited on the outside. With him was his thirteen-year-old nephew, Israel Brown. The officer was excited, believing that he was about to face a desperate man.
He had but a few minutes to wait . Mrs. Oaks appeared on the porch and waved to him to come on. With heart beating fast, he walked up to the side of the door and climbed the steep steps.
The woman pointed to the middle door. "In there," she said, in a -whisper. Not another word was spoken. Wimbish held his revolver in his hand behind him. He pushed the door open. A young man with dishevelled hair and wild eyes, haggard face and wretched appearance generally, stoed up as he entered. The man trembled. He was shaking like an aspen. His lips' moved narticulately. A rough looking man sitting beside him slowly arose. Wimbish's right hand shot out before him, grasping a gleaming revolver. "Throw up your hands," he commanded. The terrified young man made no move to obey. He only stood there trembling. "\\ ho are you ?" he asked. He seemed about to drop to the floor through sheer fright. 'I am an officer, and you are my prisoner," said Wimbish. With a single stride he was beside the trembling fugitive. He caught him by the arms. He was as helpless as a babe. Wimbish drew his hands together. Young Israel Brown stepped In and grasped the man's arms. He held a pair of bright handcuffs. There was a "click, click" and the young man was bound. Wimbish started for the door, dragging his prisoner after him. It was pitiful to see him as he shrank back, and shook and trembled. He kept asking in a broken voice what he was wanted for and what was the meaning of his arrest. He declared that his name wm "Lester." "Yon are Kedwine," said Wimbish, and he started with his pris oner to a store near by.

ATLANTA'S BLACK WICK.

39

"There's no uae denying It," said he; "that's my name. How did yon know ? Who gave me away ?"
"Why didn't yon escape 7" said the officer. "How could I?" asked the wretched man; "I tried to. There was no way. I couldn't get ont of town. I watched for an opportunity, but to move was to be caught." At the store, police headquarters was telephoned. "Send the wagon to GartreU's store on MeDaniel street Redwine lias been caught," said Mr. Gartrell over the 'phone. "Ah, rats," said the man at police headquarters; "give us some thing new." A half dozen times the message had to be repeated; even then the wagon was tardy in coming. Officer Wimbish had a long wait at the store. While there wait ing, Redwine sat silent and downcast, his hands locked together. Af ter a few minutes, he called to the officer. "Go back with me to the house," he said; "I have a valuable pack age over there that I want to get." The officer was suspicious, but calling to his assistance two men, he went back to the house. Just before reaching the house Bedwine stopped and called the officer aside. "I have no package there;" said he. "I just wanted to get you away so that I could make you an offer. I will give you $1,500 to turn me loose. You can tell them that I was the wrong man. Oh. won't you do it?" And his tone was full of sadness, while his attitude was one of piteous pleading. It was pathetic in its' wretchedness and misery. For answer Wimbish jerked him around and said, "Come with me." The patrol wagon was a long time in reaching the scene, so the officers put Redwine into a hack. Chief Connolly and Captain Wright had arrived, and with Wimbish took charge of the prisoner. Then on through a channel of staring people the trip to the station house was mad-.-.

40

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

A big crowd was in front and several officers were required to make way through it for the prisoner and officers to pass. Redwine stepped out of the back after Clief Connolly and Captain Wright, His eyes were bent upon the ground. He walked with nervous stop acrosslthe sidewalk and into the front entrance of the station. He trembled like a, leaf. He was afraid of that crowd; was afraid they would do him bodily harm.
Between the two officers he ascended the stairs. He did not speak. He moved along with shuffling tread, his face still down cast
Inside Chief Connolly's office were President A. W. Hill and Mr.. J. J. Spalding, who had been detained to represent the depositors. Redwine walked in among these gentlemen, whom he knew well, in a manner that plainly, showed his sliame. His air was dogged. There was something of defiance even in his bearing.
"How d'y'e, Mr Hill," said he, bowing to Mr, Lod Hill. He bowed to the other gentlemen in the room, quickly glancing at their faces, and then as quickly turned away and looked around the office, and seating himself sat looking at them as if they possessed some sort of fascination for him A strange sort of embarrassment seemed to possess the gentlemen in Chief Connolly's office. There was a deep silence while Chief Connolly had Redwine to stand up and submit to being searched. While the officer was going through his pockets, the young man stood mechanically, as if he was resigned to submit to anything. In his right vest pocket a roll of greenbacks was found. It contained $413. A small pocket knife was about the only other article found in his possession. After being searched Bed-wine took his seat slightly apart from the gentlemen and waited for what was to follow. "Lewis," said Mr. Lod Hill, "what did you do with the money you took from the bank?" "That is all the money I have and, Mr. Hill, it is mine and I took no money from the bank."

BED WINE

HEADQUARTERS.

.1,

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

43

In a long interview that followed, Redwine firmly denied having taken the money. He acknowledged that he knew where $23,000 had gone, but further than that, he knew nothing about the missing money.
During the conference Redwine walked about the room, his hands thrust deep into his trousers pockets, the picture of wretchedness and despair. He wore no collar or cuffs. The waistcoat was thrown open, revealing a vast expanse of shirt front. His haggard unshaven face reflected the misery he was experiencing. Harassed and beset by questions, he seemed on the verge of insanity.
After being exhaustively interrogated about the shortage at the bank, the officers turned their attention to trying to find out where he had spent the first night after he had left the bank.
Although Redwine professes ignorance as to where he went, his first hiding place did not long remain a mystery. He said he did not know where he was hidden during the first two days, but he told the officers something that enlightened them on this point.
"I was arrested on Wednesday night by Horace Owens," said he. Owens kept me, waiting for a big reward. He had me guarded and I am unable to say where we were. Owens had a man hired to guard me. That man was Black, and he carried me to the house on Rock, well street last night.
After hearing this story, Chief Connolly instructed Captain Hanley to have both Owens and Black arrested.
Owens stoutly declared that he had received no money from Redwine, but admitted that Redwine had been seen by several of his former associates and friends. These friends were in constant com munication with the defaulter and were directing his movements. Owens refuses to reveal the names of the friends of Redwine who had called on him, saying he would die first.
"I was holding Redwine while his friends were making up his shortage. I did not want to see him suffer. I did not want to run him out of town. I was acting for Redwine's friends. I wanted to keep him from suicide. I will swear that I did not receive a cent of money for what I did."

44

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

But an entirely different phase of this feature of the case, de veloped later a phase which deserves a chapter by itself, which it shall have later on.
Mrs. Cora Howard, at whose house it developed Redwine stayed the first night after he left the bank, was arrested. This woman's home has been a "household" if the expression be justified among the "half world" of Atlanta for years and the place she now keeps is said to be an assignation house and, I believe is owned by Horace Owens. She said Redwine came direct from her house from the bank. He told her that he was short in bis account with the bank, but that it would be made good. She also stated that he had sent for Mr. Dan Rountree. a young attorney who belongs to Redwine's set, and that Rountree had spont some time with him. She did not know the nature of their conversation.
The police felt certain that Cora was telling the truth. They asked her about the search that was made of her house, for it shows that the police had suspected that Redwine had gone there and had made a search of the house. And, by the way, a funny story is told in this connection.
The scene was the Capital City Club. At the telephone was a young man of Redwine's set; at the other end of the telephone so he said was Chief Connolly.
" Have you searched Cora Howard's yet ? " the young man asked The answer is not known. "Well, I'd advise you to do it," and then came the call to Central "Ring off 1035!" Was the young man giving the Chief a pointer ? Or was his friendliness in the matter feigned, and did he know that it was agood time for^the search to be made a good time from a Redwine point of view. If the latter, it is [probably well for that particular young man that his father did not know of his act. But I am digressing. You want to know about that search. It was made by Captain Thompson and some of his men and was borough andjcomplete, except one little closet. There may be a

,V

KEDWI3IE BEFFSE9 EO TELL.

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

47

story in how they overlooked that closet. Was it men oversight or did Cora throw them off the track? I have heard a story which is to the effect that the gallantry of the officers restrained them from throwing open that closet door, they being assured of the presence behind that door of a fair young personage to whom discovery would be very embarrassing. The name of that fair, but frail fairy was not whispered to the gallant Captain, but if it had been he might have heard--
"Redwine!" And he might not. At any rate, Lewis was behind that door. After Cora had told her story she was released. But Horace Owens and H. H. Black are held. The latter, by the way, is a black smith, well-known in Atlanta. He is held simply on the belief that he could tell an interesting story about Redwine's capture by Owens and whether or not that capture was simply in the hope of a reward as Owens claimed. To return to the police station:
BEDWLSE'S FATHER CALLS.
During the afternoon Dr. C. L. Redwine, a tall handsome old gen tleman, with a military bearing and the air of an arristocral, the father of the defaulting cashier called, but the young man positively refused to see him.
Dr. Redwine remained at the door, and finally seeing that he was not to be admitted, became angry, and declared that it was his right to be allowed inside to protect the interests of his son.
"My boy has stole nothing," he said. "It is impossible that he took the money. He has probably overdrawn his accounts to a small extent, but steal--never ! He has been in the bank for fifteen years and be has always been perfectly honest. He has been trusted by everybody. He did the work of twe men. The Hills learned that he was short to a small extent, and as their bank is shaky, they setaed upon my boy as a scapegoat to cover up its weakness. I do not intend they shall do it I am going to stand by him and see that he gets justice."

48

ATLANTA S BLACK WEEK.

The doctor was mad. He probably wouldn't have said all of that if 'he had not have been.
When finally told that his son refused to see him, Dr. Redwine said :
"Be feels mortified, and does not want me to see him in this con dition." To-morrow he will be all right. If I cannot see him I will send him an attorney and see that his interests are protected."
Dr. Redwine sent for Colonel ST. J. Hammond, who has been a life long friend, and sent him to his son. Colonel Hammond remained in the Chiefs office but a few minutes.

HE TElAS BUS STORY.
Mr. Jack Spalding, acting attorney for the bank, held a private conference with the young man and heard the wonderful confession, making a clear breast of the disposition made of the $20,000.
According to the very remarkable story which he laid before the attorney, he had not enjoyed one cent of the missing money. He had merely been used as catspaw. By whom he had been made a tool of could not be learned, and probably never will be known. Redwine himself will not tell. In the trial to-day he will hardly make a defense.
If Redwine's story is true he is suffering in silence for the crimes of others. He will continue to suffer without opening his mouth. The story he told to Mr. Spalding, he would not repeat to any one else.
BBEAD CAST UPON THE WATEBS.
About 8 o'clock a negro bearing a huge bouquet, called at Chief Connelly's office and asked for Redwine. The bouquet was a marvel of beauty and sweetness. It was made of the very loveliest hya cinths, delicate roses and other magnificent flowers, artistically arranged together. There was no-tJard, and the boy refused to say who had sent them. Redwine received the flowers with a sickly effort at a smile, and held them to his nose, inhaling their fragrance. He looked from the flowers with a shame-faced expression. They

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

49

seemed to recall the past, and what he was, and the contrast was too great There was no card and Redwine asked for.none. He doubt less knew the sender well enough.
This bouquet, by the way, has given rise to an unwarranted degree Of gossip. It would doubtless suit my story best if I could give some of the most senssCtional' bits of scandal that I have heard in connection with that simple gift, but my conscience won't permit. I know who sent it and it. wa? not sent by a married woman. The girl who sent it she is a young girl, charming, beautiful, and inno cent give the flowers in the hope that they might in some degree solace his weary hours as flowers he had sent her during an illness had made brighter the hours- that hung heavy on her hands.
Not much of a sensation in that, but a very pretty story to break the monotony of sensations of this horrible week.

Was Redwine Held for Ransome

There seems to be no limit to the sensational developments in the

Redwine-Gate City Bank case, although it is impossible to verify

many of the rumors upon ?hich they are founded. The latest was

brought out in the trial, in the United States Court, of Horace Owens

andH. H. Black, who claim they arrested Redwine at the house of

Cora Howard, on the first night after he skipped, and held him a

^Li

secret prisoner for two days.

<

Owens, who was the principal in this mysterious conduct, claims

ijj

that he was acting for Redwine's friends in holding him, who were

:j

endeavoring to fix matters up, or make good the shortage.' Red-

wine, on the other hand, declares that Owens was holding him for

ransom, and demanded $10,000 for his release.

The court trial of Owens and Black, the former being bound over

and remanded to jail on the failure to majce a $5.000 bond, and the

I ''

latter going the same way in default of a "$1,000 bond, was ex-

,| jl

tremely sensational, and presented several new features to the case.

:**-

t. ;

50

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

Whether true or not true, they are interesting, aud are a part of th* sworn records of the case.
In the course of the trial, some sensational evidence developed, which would, if establfehed, criminate no less than ten wellknown men and place them in the same position in the eyes of the law that is occupied jointly by Owens and Black.
All of this hinges on a statement alleged to have been made by Horace Owens to Detective Looney, and repeated under oath by the detect!re; and which the detective claims was not made under com pulsion, but was entirely voluntary, and was accepted as competent evidence in the trial court
The story told by Owens to Looney discloses a most sensational state of affairs, a proposition which might have been called absurd had not there been so many mysterious things about the defalca tion, flight and arrest of the assistant cashier. In fact, without the certainly very dark surroundings, the tale might easily have been regarded in the light of the ridiculous.
The whole affair of Redwine's absconding was a matter of premed itation, preparation and detailed arrangement, and was thoroughly discussed at a special meeting of Redwine's friends, eleven in num ber, the Sunday before the Tuesday upon which he absconded.
That is what Detective Looney swore that Owens voluntarily told Mm, the conversation having taken place before the conference be. twecn Owens, Chief Connolly and the bank officials.
At this meeting of Redwine's friends, at which Owens said he was present, it was further agreed that Redwine should be put under the tender mercies of Owens and taken some twenty miles out into the country, and there safely hidden until a, favorable moment presented itself for a more complete disappearance.
Of all those who were present at the Sunday afternoon meeting, plotting the wrecking of the Gate City Bank, Owens refused to di vulge the name of a single person except one, and that one ia dead --Tom Cobb Jackson. Of the others, he says that several of them are worth from one hundred to two hundred thousand do/7***. Al

r II

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK

51

this only adds interest to the affair, and every effort will be made by the government to ascertain the truth of Owens1 statement, and if there was any such meeting, the men that were present will be brought to ta>k for the part they played in attempting to aid Lewis Redwine in his defalcation. To Chief Connolly, Owens stated with out any compulsion or intimidation whatever, that if he told all he knew there would be two more suicides before night. All the con versations between Owens and the officers occurred in the Chief' office.
The place of meeting between the friends of. Redwine and Owens is not known, but the supposition is that it occurred in one of the houses In which Redwine passed part of his time. Where it did occur, however, Owens refused most positively to state under any circumstances.

SOME BICH, BA.CT TESTIMONY.

Cora Howard was a witness.

"I know Lewis Redwine well," said she, "and he was at my house

'

last week, having come on the 21st of February at 2:30 o'clock in

jjjl

the afternoon. He remained in my house Tuesday night, all day

<\

Wednesday, and until late Wednesday night. Mr. Owens came to

my house on "Wednesday night and asked me if I knew Redwine, '

and I told him that I did. This was about 8 o'clock, and he left,

but not until I told him that Redwine was there. The officers

searched the house, but failed to find him. It was after the search

that I told Owens where Redwine was Mr. Owens came back later

I

in the night and took Lewis away, saying there was big money in

.f

him."

-1j

"I saw Owens the next day, and he said he had come after a pistol

.*

which had been left in the house by Redwine, and that.be wanted to

give it all p together. He further said that it was a half hour's

walk to where Redwine was. Mr. Owens owns the house In which I

live, but on neither occasion did he come to collect rent."

"I didn't see any papers that Redwine might have had," she said

on being questioned, "nor did I see any package. Yes, Redwine had

52

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

had ample opportunity to make way with any papers he might have had, or to have given them to bis friends. A gentleman called about 5 o'clock and stayed some thirty minutes. Later in the evening a lady friend of Redwine's went into the room where he was and stayed with him until 1 o'clock the next day, Wednesday." She testified that she did not disturb Redwine and his lady friend.
"I knew that Mr. Owens used to be a detective," said the witness, "and only gave Redwine up because I thought that I couldn't keep him hid any longer. I would have kept him, in hiding if possible, and gave him up to Mr. Owens because I know him."
She testified jilso that two lady friends called on Redwine while at her bouse, and that one remained from Tuesday night till Wednes day at 3 o'clock.
One of these women was a Mrs. Hammond, whose career in Atlanta has been notorious. Exceedingly handsome, she seems to have been exceedingly bad, if the tales told on her in the courts, are true. She has a handsomely fitted up house in the suburb, called Bellwood. She was with Redwine that night, and there are good, reasons to believe it wasn't the first time, but, of course, matters of that kind are hard to prove. And somebody paid for the furnishing of that house.
BLACK'S TETIMOSY.
H. H. Black, being sworn, said: "Mr. Owens called on me and asked me to come with him, as I could make some money. I thought from the card he showed me that he was a detective, and that what I was going to do was for the good of my country. We got Redwine Wednesday night, and on Thursday night we took him to Oaks', where we secured board for him, Redwine paying for his own board. I was sitting with Redwine by the fireplace at Oaks' the morning after, when he was arrested. The officer came in suddenly and shoved a pistol over my shoulder, pointing it at Red vine, telling him to hold up his hands. Redwine tried to do so, but from sheer weakness, was unable to -keep- them held np. I also held mine up."

ATLANTA'S ALACK WEEK.

53

On cross-examination, it was brought out that Redwine desired ,o be called Jack Lester, and that he jumped every time Owens ailed him Lewis, begging Owens to call him Jack. He stated that lie had been promised from three to four dollars a day more than be was getting by Owens. He had heard a scuffle when Owens got Redwine out of Cora Howard's house, and heard Owens say: " I've got you now."

CHIEF CONNOM.Y SWOBS NEXT.
Chief of Police Connolly testified after Black. " I know ^Horace Owens," said Chief Connolly, " and I have known him for seme time. I don't knoiv him as a detective, how ever, and so far as I know, as a detective, he is not authorized to make arrests. "I was present at the conference of the officers of the bank and Owens, and I heard Owens say he did not "regret what he did, and that he would cut his throat first, making the motion * ith his hand, before he would tell any names. He exonerated Black, and in my presence said to Black: 'I will see that you get your money. He also said that he didn't want the bank's money, but that he wanted to be well paid.'" Being cross-examined, Chief Connolly said: "Owens told me that bethought he knew where $40,000 of the money was. and that there was eleven men in it. He said further, that if he was to tell all he knew about the matter, there would be two more suicides before night. Owens thought that he had pre vented Redwine from committing suicide by taking the pistol away from him."
DETECTIVE LOOHEY'S EVIDENCE SENSATIONAL.
Detective Looney was introduced by the government and disclosed a most peculiar state of affairs.
"Owens stated to me," said Detective Looney, "in a conversation before he spoke to the officers of the bank and the Chief, that he had been in charge of Redwine since he left the bank, and that he iiad had a conference with Redwine's friends."

5.4

ATLANTA'S BLACK WERE.

"Thin conference, so Owens teld me, occurred on the Sunday b-

fore the Tuesday upon which Redwlne absconded. He said thai;

plans had already been laid to take Redwine out into tie country

about twenty miles, to a place where lit had been arranged to keep

him until other and more complete arrangements could be made.

He also said that at the meeting on Sunday there were eleven persons

present"

' My recollection is," said the detective, "that his expression was,

that he bad feathered his nest, and that it would be $25,000 to him.

He also said that if anybody had offered him $50,000 that morning

to turn Redwine over to the officers he would not have done it"

On cross-examination, Detective Looney aaid:

"Cason, one of my conferers, asked Owens who was present at

the conference on Sunday. Owens' reply was that he would mention

Tom Cobb Jackson, but that he wouldn't mention the name of any

man that was living. He also said that some of the men who were

present at the meeting on Sunday were worth between one and two

hundred thousand dollars. He stated that that was when he first

saw Redwine."

I
MISS JfTfJOt FOBC3B,

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

57

CHAPTER SIX.

A Sisters's Crime-Almost Unparalleled in the History of the Human Race.

THE SISTER'S DOUBLE CRIME.
The news of Redwine's capture spread as rapidly as electricity and other methods of communication could carry it, aud within a few hours,coming as it did so close to the other thrilling and unusual events that had just transpired, the mercury bead of public excitement was surging restlessly at the top of the register. Atlanta was wild. No other word would express the condition of affairs. The people were wrought up to a point that even the terrible tragedy of the day before had not put them. More intense more terrible, did the ex citement grow with each passing minute. The rumors that flew thick and fast seemed to spare nobody. The defalcation, the sucide, the capture what was the relationship of these events?
But the end was not yet. Just as excitement over the Redwine capture had reached its highest point, and within six hours from the time the capture was made, Atlanta had another tragedy more sensational, if possible and more shocking from many standpoints than any that had preceeded it. It was inhuman in its conception, horrible in its contemplation and terrible in its execution. Hiss Julia Force a member of an aristocratic and well-known family, a pious woman and great church worker, had cooly with her own hands murdered her two young lady sisters! She had fired the bullets through brain and had calmly watched the life blood the same that coursed through her veins ebb away, to mark with crim son stain the history of one of the most diabolical deeds in all the history of crime. Then after watching the last breath leave the

58

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

bodies of her victims, with * steady and deliberate step she made her way to police headquarters and surrendered herself, giving as she did so the first intimation of the terrible crime.
No pen or picture will ever do justice to the state of public mind in Atlanta that day. People wandered aimlessly, half-dazed, and half-mad, as if in the midst of some terrible and frightful dream What was coming next? Was the whole city mad? Had an epi demic of insanity broke out, or was the angel of death wreaking a terrible vengence on a people as in the days of Sodom and Gomor rah of old. These and similar thoughts were running through the minds ;of the people. The excitement was not confined to any par ticular circle or class, but one and all shared the sensations.
DETAILS OF THE CBIUK.
Nothingjcould have been more dramatic than the scene in the office of the Chief of Police Connolly that Saturday when a lady of refinement, education and evidently of superior intellect stepped in and, as calmly as if telling of a lost purse or some trivial misdeed of a servant, remarked that she had committed a terrible crime. Captain Wright, Chief Detective and Assistant Chief of Police, was in the office, it being Chief Connolly's dinner hour.
"Hay I see Captain Connelly?" asked the lady whom Captain Wright had politely greeted. Captain Wright replied that he had gone to dinner and would not be back before 4 o'clock.
" But I would like to see him before that time. It is about a very urgent matter. Will you please telephone him and say that I want to talk to him about something exceedingly important!"
The lady spoke in an ordinary tone of voice and betrayed not the slighest excitement or nervousness. Chief Wright suspected noth ing from the lady's words or manner, and thinking that she bad a matter of police business to report to the Chief he telephoned that official at his residence. Chief Connelly replied that he could not see her before 3 o'clock, as he had not eaten his dinner.
When told that she could not see Chief Connolly, the lady re quested to see Captain Wright privately. Accompanied by Detective

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

59

Cason the Captain carried the lady to his office on the third floor of
the building. There the strange lady sat down very quietly and said in a very
ordinary way: " I have committed a crime and I have come to give myself up. I
want to be made a prisoner, and want you to protect me." Captain Wright was astonished, amazed, at what he heard. He
looked at the lady to see if there were not traces of insanity on her face, but a look convinced him. Her face was calm as his own, and her eyes were firm in their gaze. There was nothing of the maniac in her look or general appearance.
" What have yon done?" he asked increduously. " I cannot tell you," said she. " I have committed a crime, and that is enough. 1 want you to hold me, and allow no one to harm me. I will tell you at 2 o'clock what I have done."
Jfo amount of questioning could wring the seoreat from the woman. She was determined. Her coolness belied her words. Captain Wright argued that she could have done no very great crime without exciting her more than that. While he was talking with her some one rapped on the door. She sprang up-betraying nervousness for
the first time. "Don't let any one in," she begged. Captain Wright left his prisoner in the custody of Detective Cason
and went down stairs, determined to find out if any crime had been reported. He felt sure now that the lady had done something. She had refused to give her name, and he had no' way of finding it out if her story was true.
Just as he reached the station house keeper's office, a messenger come running in in an excited manner. Running up to Captain Wright, he said:
" Captain Wright, Policeman Beavers said for you and Captain Man Icy to go to 44 Crew street for God's' sake. A crazy* woman has shot her two sisters, and has got away. They want you to catch heir."
That was the story that the mysterious visitor was concealing. In a few minutes it was all known. Miss Julia Force had delibr ately and with a maniac's coolness and cunning contrived to get her two gigters alone in the house with herself, and then had murdered
them in cold blood.
STOKY OF THK CR1MK.
MiM Julia Force, who did the killing, is the eldest sister of O. H. 4 A. W. Force, the proprietors of the shoe store on Whitehall strew t

I

I

60

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

She is about forty-five years old, and is a fine specimen of physical womanhood. She is not beautiful, but has a magnificent physique.
Since they came here some years ago, Miss Julia force has made her home with her two brothers. She received every attention that brotherly love could prompt. She has always been regarded as pecu liar. She was willful, and would become melancholy and wretched for days over some fancied slight. She was of an extremely jealous nature, and it was a favorite delusion of hers that her mother and two younger sisters, Misses Minnie and Florence were her enemies, and were continually plotting to make her unhappy.
Of recent years the family has lived at 44 Crew street, on tha cor ner of Woodward avenue. The eldest of the two brothers, Mr. A. W. Force, has been married for twenty-two years, but lost his wife two months ago. He has two sons about grown. Mr. George Forc has never married, although he is past middle age. He has devoted his time to the care of his widowed mother and his fatherless sisters, and the tenderness and brotherly devotion which he has Jshown is characteristic of a model brother.
The only shadow that hovered over the large home was that thrown by the peculiar delusion of the elder sister, which was as un founded as it was unreasonable. Nothing would convince her that she was wrong. On all other subjects she was perfectly reasonable. But her mad idea that her own motherland sisters were against her poisoned all her life, and made her morose, discontented and sour. It grew upon her to such an extent that she became^ insulting in her manner towards them.
Six years ago Miss Julia conceived the notion of becoming a trained nurse, and devoting her whole life to works of charity. This notion was discouraged by her family, but the opposition offered by her relatives only made her the more determined.
She declared her intention of withdrawing^from the world and con secrating her life to good works and the relief of suffering human ity. Her brothers, sisters and mother stronglyvopposed her entering such a life, but in the face of their opposition, she wentto PeekskiU

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

61

N. T., where she entered SL Mary's Sisterhood, an Episcopal train ing school for hospital nurses.
Before going she made arrangements to go to Anniston, Ala., and take charge of a charitable hospital, -which -was to be established there by Samuel Koble, the wealthy iron manufacturer of that city, but his death prevented the consummation of that plan. She remained at the sisterhood, however, not relinquishing her firm purpose of leading a life of devotion to the cause of charity. la her earlier years she had been a devoted churchwoman, and had taught a Sun day school class in this city. Her early piety didn't desert her after going to Peekskill, and she still retained her devout practices.
During the six years of her stay in Peekskill, her family made ef forts to get her to leave and return home, but she was deaf to their entreaties. She"was loyal to the one great idea that it was her mis sion in life to help others, and to relieve the suffering. There was something sublime about the unfaltering faith and devotion she manifested, and in time they came to respect her unswerving loyalty.
Last November Mrs. A. W. Force was taken seriously ilL The physicians told her husband and family that her illness was fatal and that she would die. Miss Julia had been very strongly devoted to her sister-in-law, and now her brothers found an opportunity to in duce her to come home, which they had so long tried to do.
They wrote to her to come to the bedside of her brother's wife and nurse her back to life. Where a hundred other appeals had been fruitless this one availed. Nothing else would have moved her. They told her that she could find at home a field for action, and the thought that she could give aid to one she loved was very gratifying to her.
It was thought by her family that her former peculiarities had disappeared, and they looked forward to her return with fond antici pations. She came home about the first of last December. At first she was busily engaged nursing her sick sister-in-law, and the un string watchfulness she showed softened the hearts of her family to.rard her, and she was treated with more than ordinary kindness. 'a. time Mrs. Force died and was laid to rest.

62

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

In a very few days after her return from Peekskill it was noticed that Miss Julia had not forgotten her old foolish idea, and it became plain that she now entertained it with more bitterness than ever' It was thought remarkable, indeed,-that she should cherish for six years in absence her foolish idea regarding her mother and sisters.
About a fortnight after her return home, Miss Julia showed how strong was her hatred for her mother and sisters by refusing to take her meals with them. She invariably had her meals sent to her room, or if not that, she would eat after the other members of the family had dined. She rarely spoke to her mother and sisters.
She lived apart from the other members of the family, nursing her
imaginary wrongs. She acted without consulting the judgment of any one. If she happened to speak to her mother or sisters it would be in an insulting tone.
Matters came near reaching a climax a month ago. One day she entered her mother's room and became furiously angry on account of some fancied slight that her mother had put upon her by show ing her younger sisters greater consideration than herself. In her fury, she hurled her aged and feeble mother against a table, hurting her considerably. Mrs. Force was greatly mortified at her daughter's conduct, and reported it to her sons. After waiting for two days Mr. George Force went to his sister and reproved her for acting in the manner that she had.
"Arn't you ashamed of treating your mother in such a way, Ju lia?" he said.
"No," she said defiantly; "I would not care if I had killed her." Her tone was bitter in the extreme, and she said no more. Her treatment of her younger sisters was about as hostile on ac count of her imaginary wrongs. Although she was exceedingly bit ter toward them they did not fear her in the least, and had no idea that her hostility would taka the form of violence. Saturday morning the Forces ate breakfast together u usual. Hiss Julia was the only missing member of the household. Her ab sence was not unusual, and was not commented upon. Miss Minnie,

WHERR MINNIE LAY. 1VHEKE FLOKEKCE LAV,

AT AXTA S BlACK WEEK.

65

a remarkably fine looking young woman of twenty-eight, sat at the table with her two brothers, her mother and her two nephews.
Not a shadow rested upon the household, except the one they had
become resigned to, and they were happy. In a room directly over the dining room, Miss Florence, a delicate woman of thirty-three, who has been an invalid for six monehs, took her meal, 3Iiss Min nie sat on the edge of her bed and chatted gayly with her while she ate sparingly of the tempting repast. The contrast between the two sisters was great. The younger was robust, healthy and full of life; the elder pale, delicate and weak.
The yellow face of the invalid lighted up as her strong siste> talked so cheerfully and hopefully to her. It cheered her inexpressibly to see her sister bustling about with so much spirit; dan when the young ^ ^^^p.^.eir,tout of the sick-room, the invalid followed her with her ?< /. jil.~i?hich was an expression of the deepest love.
At the usual hour the two brothers left their home and went to
their place of business on Whitehall street. The day wore away, and just after noon, Millie Pjckarrt, a young
negro girl employed at the Force's as cook, came to the store and told 31 r. A. \V. Force that Miss Julia said for him to come home at once.
The message was an unusual one, and aroused his suspicions He intuitively guessed that something had gone wrong, and calling his brother, made known his surmise. He asked Ins brother to go home -with him, and they would see what had happened.
The two brothers hurried home together, reaching there about
fifteen minutes before 1 o'clock. They entered the front door quickly and stepped into the hall. There was a strange stillness about the house.
The two brothers were excited and stopped in the hallway,breathless. They waited for some sound. They heard none.
The quiet of fie grave reigusd. No one wa> stirring. It w.is
stringe remarkably strange. What could have happened. They stood in the hallway but a moment. They caught sight of a

..

66

ATLANTA S BLACK WEEK.

young man on the top landing of the stairway, and Mr Force recog nized him as his son who had just come in.
The two brothers ran up the stairway togethei, now firmly c->nvinced that something terrible had happened.
At the top of the stairway they heard groans. They came from Miss Florence's room, on the right of the hallway. Young Mr. Force ran to the door. It was locked. From within came the sound of some one moaning in pain. Horrified, the two brothers wrenched at the door knob. The maddening thought of their invalid sister dying alone came .to them, and by means of sheer strength they forced the door in.
Before the door, in the broad glare of an open window, stood the bed on which their invalid sister had lain for months. The bed stood there now, undisturbed, and on it its invalid occi* 't"t.;
Lying across th bed, her feet resting upon the i. ^ y \ieafrad lying in a pool of blood, was Miss Florence Force. She was gasping. Low moans escaped her. Her slender fingers were tightly clenched together and were moving convulsively.
Over her white gown were spots of crimson, freshly made. The picture was horrible, revolting, sickening. Upon the snow-white sheets were bloodstains, but just beneath the young lady's head was a deep pool of blood. Brains had oozed out of the wound, adding to the horror of the spectacle.
Overcome with horror, the two brothers ran out of the room and down the stairway. Their only thought was to save their sister.
The whole truth flashed across their minds in a moment Their sister Julia had killed Florence. At the foot of the stairway stood the cook. Excitedly they asked her where their mother and Miss Minnie was. She told them they were both out.
'Thank God," exclaimed one of them, "they are safe then." To make sure they tried the door to their mother's room. It was locked, and this fact confirmed their belief that she was away from home. She always locked the door when she went out. But to make qnite sure one of them tried to open the door. STo key could be found, and Mr. George Force ran into the dining room

ATLAXTAS BLACK WEEK

67

to search for one. Mr. Albert Force ran back to the rear of the house and securing a ladder, placed it beneath the window of his mother's room, and in a marvelously short time mounted it.
V hen he reached the top, he bent forward and looked into the iroom. The whole interior of the room was before him. At a glance he took in the horrible situation.
Stretched at full length upon the floor, her head toward the win dow, her features set in the rigidity of death, was his youngest sister. Almost fainting from horror, he grasped the ladder for support. Just at that instant his brother burst into the room through the door which he had forced open, and stood horror stricken, his h?nds thrown up.
Running out the two brothers started for a physician. They went in opposite directions. Two blocks away ilr. A. \V. Force met Dr. T. S. Powell. He excitedly asked him to drive to his home, and they hurried as fast as they could go.
Dr. Powell hastened to the side of Miss Florence. She was still breathing faintly. Blood was gushing from her nostrils and from the pistol wound in her head. She was past all hope. The physi cian merely wiped the blood from the dying young woman's face. In a few minutes she was dead.
The shock of the terrible discovery they had made completely unnerved the two brothers. It was many minutes before they became composed enough to take any action towards letting the truth be known. It was an hour after the killing that it was re ported.
After collecting his scattered senses, it occurred to Mr. George Force that some report of the terrible tragedy should be made to the police, and putting on his hat, he went out to find an officer.
By a remarkable circumstance, Call Officer Beavers WBS found seated on horseback at the street corner, almost opposite the house The officer had just been out to a fire. Mr. Force hastily told the officer of the tragic occurrence, and the incredulous mounted officer leaped from his horse and entered the house.
Giving orders that the lady prisoner be held, Captain Wright

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ATLANTA'S BL ACK WEEK.

started on horseback in company with Captain Manley for the scene
of the tragedy. He now understood the affair. His strange lady
visitor was twice a murderess. He found Officer Beavers at the
Force household. In a short while, Detective Looney arrived, and
then came Sergeant White and Officers Whatley, Lanford and Phil-.
lips. There was nothing in the way of apprehending the murderess
that the officers could do, and they were kept husy keeping the crowd
back, which by this time had got news of the tragedy and had
arrived.
It was rumored that Mrs. Force had also been killed, and a search
was made for her. While this was going on, she reached home from
a shopping tour. Her grief was terrible when the truth was revealed
to her. r-he swooned, and had to be supported to a seat. For hours
she sat and moaned piteously.
The pistol with which the deed was done was found on the dresser
is Miss Julia's room. It was new, a Smith & Wesson, and had never
been shot before doing its fatal work. Only two chambers were empty.
Miss Julia's room was a neat one. The furnishings were such as would be selected by a person of unique taste. A new novel, "Ava tar," was found where she had just thrown it.
Coroner Paden arrived at 3 o'clock, and an inquest-was begun. Dr. Olmstead carried the jury into the room where the dead bodies lay. They first entered the room where Miss Minnie lay dead. Dr. Olmstead raised her head from the pool ot blood in which it lay. A bullet hole was found just over the left ear. She lay beside a chair, and it was evident that she had been sitting in her^hair when her sister had crept up behind and shot her. Tlie maniac murderess had then locked the door behind her.
The jury next viewed the body of Miss Florence in her room up stairs. It had not been moved. It was a_ghastly sight to look upon. The room showed touches everywhere of a woman's delicate hand,
and all its furnishings vrere selected with a woman's taste. There was the dainty, beribboned work box, a pretty card case, a photograph album, a lady's street suit, and many other articles that suggested femininity. On the mantle were photographs of the Rev. G. MFusten, Dr. Strickler, and other ministers. Dr. Strickler, was the young lady's pastor.

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK;.

69

Millie Pinkard, the cook, a very intelligent colored girl, was sworn. She said that Miss Julia had sent her to the grocery store in the morn ing about 12 o'clock to get a broom. She was met at the door on he r return and told to go up town and ask Mr. Albert Force to come house at once. Miss Julia had already sent out the house girl. The house girl had never come back.
The inquest -was adjourned to the station house to continue the hearing of evidence. Here Officer Beavers was sworn. The jury wanted to have Miss Julia before them, and Chief Connolly led her into the room. She took a seat before the jury, but hung her head and refused to look up. When questioned, she merely replied in a low voice:
"I have nothing to say, now!" The jury found a verdict as already stated. Miss Julia has never admitted directly that she did the killing. To Captain Wright she had stated that she had committed a crime, but she refused to say what it was. Chief Connelly talked with her p'riv ately for half an hour, but she told him none of the details of the killing. She betrayed no signs of mental derangement. She undid a large breastpin, which she wore about her throat, and handed it to the Chief. The pin contained a picture *f a gentleman past mid dle age. " This is my father's picture," she said, " and 7 want you to keep it for me. I do not want to wear it in jail." To Chief Connolly Miss Force stated that she could tell nothing about the tragedy and its causes. She said that she had written a long statement, detailing her reasons for doing what she had done. A number of friends called to see her, but she refused to see them. The two dead young women were exceedingly popular in the cir cle in which they moved. The two young ladies were laid to rest at the same time. A double funeral with ministers of two different denominations officiating is a rare event in the history of any locality. But it is just what Atlanta had that day. One of the ladies was a devout Episcopalian, while the other was

70

All ANT/.'f EI.ACK V.'KHK.

an ardent member of the Presbyterian church. The funeral services were held at the residence of the mother of the young ladies and the liev. Dr. Tupper, of St. Phillips, and the llev. Dr. Strickler, of the Presbyterian church, officiated jointly.
The pallbearers for the one were the pallbearers for the other, and the two hearses followed each other closely on the way to Oakland, where the two bodies were laid U> rest side by side.

THE FOJtCK FAMILY.
The Force family is one of the oldest and best in the city and the members have always been held in the highest respect and esteem by all who have come in contact with them.
-Mr. and Mrs. Force, father and mother of the young ladies, came to Atlanta from South Carolina in the latter part of the 'CCs, and it was not long before the social worth of the family was generally recognized; while at the same time, the elder Force and his willing and intelligent sons were making for themselves a name in the business world, win'ch to this (Jay has not Leen shadowed by any suggestions of wrong.
The elder Force opened a shoe store, and was the pioneer in that line in Atlanta, He was one of the most accommodating, energetic and polite gentlemen in the city, and quickly drew around him a big patronage. All who went to the place were sure to return again, and thus it was that the house built up a trade which has never left it Mr. Force, while working to acquire something for I is family, was one of the most orthodox home stayers in the city. When he was not engaged in the store he was with his family, and those who now recall those days, say that it was one of the happiest homes in the city.
In his business life, Mr. Force was given the aid and assistance of four sons, all bright, quick, energetic, willing young men. At home he found in his rest from work the love and devotion of his estimable wife and daughters, who were considered among the most charming young ladies of the city. The home was one of the most delightfu

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

71

i

in the city, and there many of tUe most delightful and elegant enter-

*

tainments in the social history of Atlanta have taken place.

4\

Several years ago, the elder Force died, and it was then that his

eldest two sons took up the business. And from that day to this, the

firm of G. H. & A. W. Force has been a leading factor in Atlanta

trade. Xo one in the city is better known or more universally re

spected than the two gentlemen who are now conducting the business

their father established years ago. They are both quiet, suocessfu

business men, and through their entire career have never obtruded

themselves upon the public. They were always at their place of

business and seemed very much devoted to each other and equally

devoted to their home, where they were always to be found when

not at the store. Their old mother and their sisters seemed to be a

part of their lives, and with them they were always happy.

After the father's death, the first troubles came to the family.

Houston Force, the third son and one of the handsomest and most

popular young men in the city, became involved in a trouble with

Mr. W. W. Haskell, the well-known insurance man of Atlanta. The

affair ended in a duel between Mr. Force and Mr. Towuseud. who

took Mr. Haskell's place in the affair. The duel was fought with double-barreled shot-guns near Oakland Ceraetry, and resulted in the serious wounding of Mr. Townsend. .VIr. Force left the city at once and went west, and nothing was heard of him for several years* Four or five years ago, he came back to Atlanta and remained with his amily for a few weeks, when he returned to t. Louis where he is now in business. The duel was one of the most complete ever fought in Georgia and the affair threw its first cloud over the Force family. The youngest boy, Mr. Ward Force, was vermuch devoted to Houston, and some time after the affair of honor the youngest son lost his mind and is now in the insane asylum. The forced absence of one brother and the mental troubles which required the absence of the other brother, preyed upon the minds of the two gentlemen, but they bore their troubles without a murmur and every dny that went over their bends brought new friends to them. The sadness of their hearts was known to no one, not even

72

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK

their old mother realizing the eitent of the blow to thorn, so com pletely did they conceal tlieir troubles from her on account of theii great love for the woman who had taug;httl:em their first prayers

Havings of a Woman's Maddened Brain.
The Journal received Miss Julia Force's book in which she wrote a full statement of "her troubles" which led up to the killing of her sisters.
A strange thing about this remarkable statement is that it was written before the killing, perhaps many days, and the last paragraph added just prior to the act.
It is the mad ravings of a disordered brain, and every line in it points to insanity,
A DESCRIPTION OF TUB BOOK.
T: e book in which this fearful diary is written is an ordinary ac count book, about 6 by 12 inches, containing 144 pages, many of which are blank. On the fly leaf is written, in a strong baud, "J. H. Force, 1888." The first two pages contain an index making reference to the virtues, quotations from the Bible, a list of medicines, most of which are poisons, and such subjects as murder, justice, revenge.
The Journal reporter was the first newspaper man to see the boo!x, as it was not shown to anybody until to-dsiy.
Every word written in the book by iliss Force is given below:
HER STATEMENT IN FULL.
To any one who may read this story of trouble, I would say that where so many lives are so closely intermingled, it is often difficult to preserve clearness in recital. But I will try to follow each sepa rately to certain points. .As it is my trouble which I wish under tood, I will begin with myself.

ATLANTA'S BLACK ^EKK.

73

\.

i
To those of an older generation, who know what tender service

was rendered to the children of a fa-.nily by the "mammy" or 'do,"

!

what mine was to me needs no explanation Those of a younger

I j;

generation could never be made to understand the closeness oi the

j I!

relation. All that "mammies" were to children, mine was to me;

Ij

tender, loving, full of pride and protection, gentle and tyrauical; all

and more, for as she was beyond her class in intelligence, so she wa

beyond them in resources. Allie and myself were her favorites, and

were the recipients of her defense wheu reijuiref'., and her love al

ways. This is what she told ins of t!:e circumstances of my birth:

Two or three months before I was born mother developed an unsa-

tiable appetite for tin coarsest food coa.limjnts to an E:it India de

gree of (iery seasoning. I was b.>ra an apparently healthy child.

Mother's morbid tiste continuiusr against the doctor's advice (who

told her she would kill herself and child) if indulged in. TThen I

was about ten weeks old my body bc-ame spotted into boils, which,

breaking instead of healing, spre;i;l iaco discharging soras. covering

my entire person except my face.

As I grew older and iearaad the use of my hands, they were used

instinctively to lessen the itching, so that (I have heard mother say)

when I was taken from my crib in the morning, it looked as if a

piece of newly butchered beef had lain there. \Vhen between two

and ona-half and three years of a;e the bi>dy was cured but the head

remained one mass of sores. A doctor was called in, who, giving a

treatment, warned mother to attend to it herself.

I was to be placed on my bask in hoy lap an 1 thJ wish used from

my face or the eyi>s would suffer. This shs did t'ov a fow days (when

I would scream with smarting pain. I received n-> word of pity or

encouragement, but a slap and command to be quiet). After a few

days I was abandoned to the white nurse ("mammy" had at the

time been made cook). She, of course, hated the duty, and mule

me suffer for her displeasure. Dreading- it, I would hide whilst she was making preparations. I
was soon dragged from my hiding place with all the roughness of which the irritated Irish temperament v,-as capable. Catching me by

74

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

the back of the neck, my poor bleeding head was held over the bowl, and often, instead of rubbing the soap into the water as di rected, she would rub the soap on my head. Imagine the pain. The sharp edges of the soap striking the raw, bleeding sores.
When I became frantic with the pain, I wns taken to mother with the nurse's account of my conduct and was whipped without further Investigation Often and often; as "mammy," hearing me scream, "came up stairs" and with flashing eyes caught me from the nurse and carried me back to the kitchen with her, incurring punishment from mother for doing so. The happiest times of my earliest child hood were those spent with her. Mother's nature was a pleasureloving, careless one, and most of her time, when presentable (she had children rapidly), was spent in shopping and visiting, and be tween the white nurse and "mammy" I saw little comparatively of her. The frequent flow of the putrid matter from my head into my eyes and face, through Ellen's careless washing, bronght the result predicted ami warned by the doctor. }Jy eyes became frightfully inflamed, and from that time have never ceased to be a source of mortification, detriment and pain to me and this I owe. to my mother.
Often in after years she would gibe me with it. The inflammation of the lids prevented the lashes from growing. One day she said to me, laughing heartily, as if she thoughtshe was very witty,"1 declare, Julia, you look ridiculous, exactly like a house without blinds;" and again, "You ugly thing: I should think your face would hurt you." There was never any consideration from her of my hurt feelings. I was a sensitive child and would have been a loving one had I been encouraged; but " mammy " having died and father it was now war times more or less away from home, there was no one to attach myself to, so 1 grew to be a reserved child. It was :i wonder that I was not morose and morbid. I think mother always disliked me. My condition made me at first unpleasant to her, anl later my eyes were a mortification to her also. If she could raise a laugh about me for that cause or any other she never spared me. When I was thirteen, 1 of couise, kept atiiary. It was as sacred to me as

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

75

r.hat of any grown woman's to her. I was naturally the heroine of

all tnat was in it and at thirteen, again due to my mother's careless

ness and inattention, I was more advanced in the world's ways than

:i girl ought to have been at twenty. I never trusted ray mother

my expeiunce with her had taught me better so had hidden my

diary. She found it one day and taking it to an assembly of young

ladies and gentlemen, read the contents to them. You can imagine

the consequences to me and my important wrath.

At the time of the bombardment of Charleston. I was sect to my

grandmother's with Florence and Minnie, ''to be their JitUo mother"

so father said, until mother could follow." I indeed tried tov be

giving up my own pleasure for tlic-in, seeing that they were always

nicely dressed and protecting them from the encouragement of their

cousins. There was a host of them at grandma's refugees from

Washington. Florence was always a domineering and sullen and

untruthful child, i will give one instance which will give a keynote

II

of her character:

:;

".Mammy" h id a number of tiina.s coma to me with a broken toy

:,

in her hands, saying. "Julia, see, Florence broke it."

|

[K. was then 7, M. 5.J I thought it vv.ts an accident au:l tried to

comfort her Cue day I svent to the room to call them for a walk

and hoard Florence say, "Minnie, if yon don't give mo this tub for

my room, I will break it ail to pieces. Minnie commenced crying

and sai;! she wanted it, and before I.couisl interpose, ; '. diislied it in

fragments. I returned to my room quietly, and in a fen- minutes Minuie

toddled after, crying and showing me pieces of tlu cuH, and said'

"Julia, see; Florence has broken my tub."'

'How did she do it ? " I said.

The child tried to imitate the w;iy Florence had done it;

I went to Florence and said: "Florence, why did you break Minnie's tub?"

"Why Julia," she replied, "I did not break it.at all. Ora (a cous

in) was playing with it yesterday; she must have broken it"

1 told her what I had seen and as punishment made her stay at

76

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK

home. he was only sullen, never the least ashamed or repent ant. That has been her mode of proceeding all her life to do a mean thing, lie about it, and if possible blame some one.
I was six years older than Florence and eight years older than Minnie.
My father had taught both sons and servants to pay me proper deference and respect, and all the good in me and all the good I have ever had in my life I owe to him. He was just always, and though he had a violent temper, it was perfectly under control. I never saw*hini give way to it but twice in my life, and then under great provocation. A s long as he lived every pleasure he could command was given to me: every evil of which he knew he kept from roe, and my brothers instinctively imitated him, gave me love, deference and protection.
When lie died (so mother told me) he gave his business to my broth ers, to be shared equally with us their mother and sisters and they promised that it should be done. U e had as a family been liberal Times and business had become depressed before he died. After ather's death Al'.ie gradually became head of the family, although George was his senior. Aliie was constantly growling about ex penses and his nose being hi.-ld at the grindstone.
I was a proud woman, and his complaint hurt me, though mother havin g dismissed all but one servant, I was working like a slavewillingly, I admit; if by doing so I could help my brothers and at the same time feel that I, too, was contributing to the lessening of their burdens; but Allie's continual reference to his nose and the grindstone made me determined to leave home and relieve him of my support entirely.
Sly preparations 1 told him. He then told me I owed him nothing that what camo out oi the store was as much mine as his. George repeated the same thing.
I canied out my determination, however. Week after week came letters begging me to come back, then Allie came on for me, but I held on a little longer; finally, after a year I returned.
I found mother doing all the drudgery of the house, while Floreni-.a

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

77

: j;

\

'and $linnie laughed and talked with their friends.

.

Gradually, I took it from her, for though she had been a poor

.;

"mother to me, my own self respect would; not see her doing such

M

hard work without trying to relieve her.

j

Soon I was back in the old traces wiping [up stairs and halls

I

scouring tables, cleaning rooms and doing'mother's dress-making.

j,

Before I had gone away I had made all of F. and M.'s clothes and

ji

bought them, fitted and draped all Irene's ^dresses, had made all of

j

mother's, besides m-iking the hats, bonnets and often the cloaks of

j

fche family.

Of course, I dM all my own sjiving. All this lidid without help

besides the house work.

After I returned, i let F. and M. do their own sewing; fitting and

I

draping only for them.

' |'

After Minnie had become fifteen, I had been more a'mother than a

.j

.sister to hei, had given her most oE her pleasures, had made my

friends hers, had helped her in ail difficulties with Florence, and

i|

they were many; for after the restraint of father's presence had

J

gone, Florence gave way to those ugly traits of her childhood which

had made her so vxnlovable.

Her b: others, whilst they cared for her in a mild way, certainly

'j

did not love her, although she never, after the manner of some wo-

fr

men, showed the extent and the depth of her ugly ways to them.

Minnie was continually asking my protection from her domineering

and unsisterly acts. Guests in the home,' usually relatives, would

come to me and say (they all of them came to me), "If it were not

for the rest of the family, I would pack my trunk and; leave the

house. I never met anyone so insulting as Florence." Irene, cry

ing, would say. "Julia, I cannot stand Florence's;insults."

Often and often this would happen. I would go to Florence and

reproach her for her conduct, and if I could not get some intimation

that she would bel.ave herself, would always-threaten to speak to

her brothers. Tins always had a transient effect. We had all de

termined that none of the difficulties and quarrels of the females

should be brought to the notice of the men at the store, thinking

78

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

they had enough to contend with there. I believe, with after expe rience, that this \vas a mistake.
They would have been, MUST have been just in their decisions af terwards. But after all one cannot tell.
This I do know, that among themselves, for an insult men will fight; for a growl or snarl they will retovt with a curse; for one annoyance they will do many disagreeable things. Let a man quar rel with another and vetorts more or less serious will follow.
But tell them of the daily annoyances, quarrels, acts of spite and meannes-i of a woman which makes the happiness of a family im possible, and they pass it by as of little importance. !n other words, a woman must stand daily what they will not bear one hour.
Florence became worse and worse, more and more unbearable. When she was angry with me she had two ways of showing it. Any housekeeper will understand how unbearable they were. Our hall was covered \vilh oil-cloth, the steps were stained. Every Saturday I would wipe down the stai:s and oil-cloth. The hall was quite full of bric-a-brac, all of which had to be wiped off. Before beginning the work, I would find out whose week it was to clean their room. Florence or Minnie's. If Florence's, I would wait as late as possible and would then ask her to please attend to it. for though it was the rule to shut doors and open windows in sweeping, Florence, to spite me, would not do it, but instead, would throw open her door and sweep all the dirt, dust and trash into the clean stairs and hall that I had just swept, probably two hours of work, and such hard work. Ifeed 1 ask any housekeeper how she, would bear having a thing like that done to her? After finishing the stairs and hall I would go to the dining room and pantry, which were in the basement, and after preparing the dining room and setting the table, would give the pantry a thorough cleaning scouring shelves, safe, sink and fcible. Florence would wait until I had thoroughly finished ami had gone up stairs, utterly worn out, to dress for dinner, and putting the kerosene stove on my nice, white table, it run over with oil, and make something for herself, within half an hour of dinner custard pudding anything that would give an excuse for messing up t!;e

:-!

ATLANTA'S BLACK \FEEK.

79

tai>le, and would then take the sooty pan aud run it up and down the table, besides taking silver, glass and crockery from the table

knowing that it always put Allie in a temper to have us get up from

the table to supply it with articles that might have been placed there at the proper time.
I would come down when the bell rang and find the disorder de scribed, and this after all my hard, hard work.

At another time I put up some curtains in Allie's room curtains

that had been lying away for a year or two and had been used in a small room. Later in the day I returned to attend to his fire and

found one curtain torn off and lying on the floor, the other hanging by one tack. Irene passed and I asked who had done it.
"Florence," she replied. "I begged her not to do it."

I opened Florence's door and said, "Florence, did you tear down

those curtains?"

"Yes, I did. I thought they were mine and determined that you shouldn't have them; but when I got them down, I found that they were not mine," and she gave a mean little laugh, peculiar to her.

A few days afterward I was at work down stairs. Minnie came to me and said Florence was sweeping mother's room with the door

open. Mother's room was in my care. Florence had nevei troubled it ne

fore, but finding that Minnie had swept their room, determined to

anger me some way.

,

I went to the room and said tr> F., "This door must be closed. I

will not let you serve me this way again."

"It shall not," she replied, violently.

"\Vhy are you sweeping mother's room, you never did it before?' "I will sweep it whenever I please," was her answer. Then I said, " I he door must be closed," and turned to close it. She drew her hand back and slapped my face with all her strength;

the print of her fingers remained for hours. 1 had never received a blow in all my life. My father ha3 always said that his children

should never be slapped in the face; that it was an indignity he

80

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

would never suffer them to endure. I was speechless with astonish ment for a few moments after tlus Olow, and stood gazing at Florence. She gave one of her ugly laughs, th -i the temper which I had in herited from njy father and mother tooli p jssession of ms, and catch ing her, I would have thrown her-out of o window, but, foitunately for us both, she fell over a chair, and in disentangling her, I had a moment to think, and, turning her over, gave her one of the worst spankings she ever had.
When mother returned and heard of it, she did not blame Flor ence at all, but poured out all her wrath on me Later on when I reproached her with the injustice she had always treated me with, she said:
"1 have gone down on my knees to Florence and begged her to behave herself, but I can do nothing with her. I have no influence over her."
The day after Florence slapped my face my mother was talking and laughing with her as if nothing had hapened. To me she did not speak. I was in this way t'.iat mother constently encouraged Florence in all the evil she did. If there were to he no unpleasant consequences to her, why should she restrain herself ? On the other side there was myself, who worked like a slave to save mother from drudgery, who made her clothes and took care of her when sick, and what had I gained but continual injustice ?
I appealed to my brothers for the first time. They said tliey could not turn Florence out of doors; but they were in.lignant with her for what she had done, until mother, fearing for Florence, used her influence as a mother to stay their indignation and made them doubt me, It was a cruel injustice a vile use of her motherhood Then [ said I would go away. When I told mother that she had succeeded in driving me away from home, her reply was:
"What if you do. People will say you went away once before. You will be blamed; no one else."
She knew the world. I have been blamed.. But I trusted in God. Where was he? I had never been trained for self support. Tears.

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK. '

81

f,

!i

before, when I had begged to be taught bookkeeping, I was opposed,

i

saying I should never have to work as long as my brothers lived; so

for seven years I did what I could find to do, having no choice

:'

in the matter; uncongenial work, all of it, but I was paid

i

rather well for it. It was not the work I minded, for I was at least

(;

ndcpendent. but " the all sorts and conditions of men " that I was

ij

necessarily thrown with, the close contact with the seamy side of

j'

life, I who had been so sedulously attended, so tenderly cared for

I

and indulged during my dear father's life. It is a crime for a girl

;

not to be taught a supporting profession. She needs it more than a

j

boy, an J yet she is neglected aad the bay receives every training

j

During those seven years, Allie frequently wrote me, asking me to

i

come home. Houston wrote me that the boys (my brothers) were

:

breaking their hearts about -ny absanee fr.v.n horn?, naively telling



me that "Florence had not been at his house a week before he found

,.

out that it would be impossible to live with her,"' an-'l further on in

|

his letter saying:

"Julia, go home. It is difficult. I kuow, to live with Florence,

but you are strong."

I'

"impossible" for him to live with her, but only difHf ult for me.

t'

After nearly five years, I accepted a proposition from Uishop Wil

i

mer, of Alabama, to go to Xew York and be trained for a nurse at Bel-

j

view Hospital, so that I might take charge of a hospital in his state

Ij

The contract called for a two years' engagement. The summer before

if

I was to leave the hospital, Allie came on and again begged me to

come home. Putting his head upon the table, he cried like a child >

jI

saying between his sobs, "Come home, Julia, come home."

Ij

I replied, " Allie, if I should return, it would only be the old

!

troubles again; Florence is the same.

;

No, ,lulia;" said he, "come home and I will guarantee that you

:;

will have no more trouble."

|

I made no promise, but then in the following spring he wrote of

.|

Irene's illness; told me what had been done for her and her terrible

;j

condition, entreated me if I knew anything" that could be done for

;

her to let me know. I replied: "I have had about two years experi-

iI

2

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

ence as a nurse. After what you said last summer, if you wish me to come home and help Irene and will send me the money, I will come."
He sent the money with a letter begging me to come. With diffi culty I obtained an excuse from the committee to be excused from the six weeks' service I still owed them, upon condition that I for feited my diploma. It was a hard condition, for I had gone through fearful work to obtain it. But if Allie needed me and under the conditions, I knew the Bishop would be contented without the diploma.
I returned home, and Irene was put in my charge; as soon as I saw her 1 knew she could not live. I thought she must die in a few hours. She lived, however, one week. It was a glad releas for her, for her married life after the first two years had been a most un liappy one.
Allie neglected her, bullied her and even threatened a divorce. One night after 11 o'clock, (Allie had just come in and gone to hts room) she came to me, white and trembling, and exclaimed:
"Oh! Julia, I am so frightened. Allie has been cursing me and looked as if he would kill me, lie has frightened me so," and she put her quivering hand over her heart. I said, " what did you say to him, Irene?"
"Not one word," she replied. " 4.3 soon as he saw me he began cursing me, and went to the children's crib and shaking his fist at them, cursed them; ' damn their souls,' he said, ! wish they were in hell.'"
"Irene," I said, "Allie will never hurt you or the children." "Xevar mind, Jnlia," she said, thinking I was taking up for him " Allie will make you suffer some day as he has made me suffer" was there ever a truer prophecy ? And again, a few days before she died, I was sitting by her; she had not spoken for an hour, when suddenly turning her head towards me, she said, " Julia, this family is going to make you see hell." (She who had been so gentle, had in her last delirious days fallen into an evil way of speaking entirely out of character with her.)

*1|
M

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

85

"No, Irene," I said, "Allie has promised me his protection." "Hypocrite!" she exclaimed with deep venom. I heard she had frequently called him hypocrite during hev illness, The family thought it was entirely owing to her wildness; but I, in whom sha had confided much of her married troubles, believed the flickering mind recalled the remembrance of her injuries and suffering. * For six months after Irene's death time passed smoothly enough, Then Florence began her old aggravations. Finding that I paid noattention to them or her, she became more and more aggressive, treating me with every indignity and annoyance that years of prac tice had given her skilled use of. After about eighteen months of that kind of thing my patience became exhausted (in:leed to be patient with her was to invite aggressiveness) and I resented all she did. I had begun to sell embroidery in order to make a little pocket
money. To ask for every ten cents to g:> on the I street pars and every twenty-five cents I needed for small necessities, has always been, since my father's death, a hard matter to me.
And my brother, like many another man. never gave the women o his family any money except when they asked for it, and never more than was asked.
If men would only occasionally put themselves in a woman's place and ask themselves if things wore reversed how they would like tohave C7ery penny doled out to them. But even good men otherwise never think of the luimili-itions they daily compel the women of their family to endure.
Embroidery requires many hours of constant work to accomplish a small design. As I bad onl,- two chairs in my room then, I have since bought and unearthed from the humble room two others, one a straight back chair with broken springs, the other was an old arm chair with springs in even a worse condition, as it gave me great pain to sit for hours in either of them, I took a chair from the parlor not dreaming there would be any objection made. I thought of keeping it only a day or two until my first money was made, when I intended buying me one.

II

84

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

The parlor is very small and so crowded with chairs, but Florence was in one of her worst humors, and, seeing that I had taken the chair, she, first taking out two chairs'which belonged to Minnie and herself (three chairs out of a small room left it looking rather bare), went to mother and complained that I had taken a parlor chair into my room. (Did I not have as much right to the chair as she had ?) My brothers had told me again and again that I had as much right to the money and all the conveniences of the house which the money from the store procured, as THEY had. I know I had as much right as SISTEU FLOUESCK or MIXNIE, and so far from my endeavor to lessen the burden of expenses by the effort to help myself invalidat ing my right, it ought to have augmented i t.
iJy father had left his business to his sons for the benefit of his family, and they had promised to so use it. My father, at the close of the war, had taken the benefit of the bankrupt law. Large sums were owing him, of which he could not recover one cent.
He could not pay his debts unless his creditors paid him, and as there was no shadow of hope of that, he could not remain idle. He must get his sons into business and support his family. The firm began under the name of B. W. Force & Sons, and making use of his old connections and prestige, he soon built up a good business.
George was always a quiet boy and gained little confidence with advancing years, spending comparatively little money in his man hood. Allie was vry extravagant (though in later years becoming parsimonious in a humiliating degree with his wife, mother and sis ters), fond of society and lavish of his presents to female friends. Houston also was extravagant. He soon left the store and went into the world J'or himself. I have repeated these business details as they have been repeated to .me by both Allie and George.
If they lied to me as to my right to a living from the proceeds of the business, in order to keep me home, or to bring me back after twice leaving it, I cannot be blamed for believing and trusting them.
The tie between Allie and myself has been particularly close. "We were nearly of an age. and had been constantly together in so ciety interests until his marriage. After that event he still talked

85
good deal to me. It was with me he discussed getting a divorce from his -wife, and I was the one who dissuaded him from it, telling him how unfair it would be. That he had taken Irene from a work in which she had been making a successful living, and that it would be a very different thing for her to go back to teaching with her two children on her hands and heart. He gave the divorce up, but he made his wife suffer many humiliations. She was a most unhappy woman.
To return to Florence's complaint to tnother of my taking a chair from the parlor. Mother, as was her custom on all occasions, with out asking me for any explanation, commanded me, in a hard, angry manner, to put the chair back at once.
I told her I would obey her when she spoke for herself, but I would not obey Florence through her. Thai; I was nearly 45 years o !d and not a child to obey unreasonable commands. That if she would sometimes listen to me instead of always taking Florence's version of every word and act, acting upon her wilful lies without a single consideration for me, and letting Florence warp her mind with suspicions and ungrounded accusations, she, ray mother, might be able to do some justice. Then I would do what she asked, not oth erwise. ii other went to Alllie with Florence's version of all the dis agreeable evil things that had been happening Ailic commanded me to put the chair back, saying scornfully that he wo-.ild buy me one. Such is a man's justice compelling me to submit to Florence throuhg mother. I reminded of his promise made to me in Xew York when he begged me to come home and guaranteed his protec tion from Florence's evil ways.
It only made him angry when I reminded hsin of Florence's threats and of her slapping my face, saying that "I would not wait : >. to do it another time.7' He replied, "I'll turn you out of that front door." Oh, my God! Twice had he brought me home, after hard struggling, I had established myself in an independent living. Twice had he wept and sobbed and wrung my heart by what I be lieved to be a sincere, loving desire to have me with him, and, trustng in him, I had returned to my home to be told at last that he would turn me out of the door.

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From that time, Allio and mother persecuted me with every indig nity. Mother would take anything that she found out I wanted, from the pantry, even the desert, and hide it in her bedroom. Fruit and every delicacy was kept there. They had all made it so disa greeable at the table for me that I had resorted to having my meals in my room, going to the kitchen for them, except at supper, when I paid the servant by gifts to bring it to me. One morning I did breakfast iu the dining-room, going there when all had finished their breakfast and had left the room. While waiting I began to throy some of the crumbs out o the window. Florence came in and took her seat to sew. The three women, always after leaving the diningoom, sat in mother* s room where the machine was or went to Flor ence and Minnie's room. Why Florence returned to the dining-room on that especial morning, unless it was to m ike trouble, I do not know. She knew that 1 had been perstciited nto si:ii a cjn lition of mina that 1 woul.l st.m-1 nothing from her.
At first she sit a little one side oi: fie \viuJnv, b.it sieiti? :n- u> apparently observing her, she little by lictle place;! herself between me and the wiudovr. (I had continued tin-owing t . \> oit.) Wishing to empty my saucer of some grounds, I threw them out, not caring whether they reached her or not. She said that several drops got on her dress Starting up with concentrated anger, she screamed out, "How dare you, madam, do such a thing to me ? How dare you ?"
Seemingly I did not hear, but drank my chocolats. Becoming more incensed, she screamed again, "How dare you, madam! I DA.BE you to do such a thing again."
"Ob," I said quietly, "it it comes to be a dare," and I emptied the contents of my cup over her head. Twice she gave me the dare.
She went to mother and told her tale. For the first time she had something true to tell. What she had done to me did not matter. For two years she had not spared me in little matters as well as greater. < 'ountermanding my orders to the servants, running against me on the staircase and hall, taking my chair when I would leave it

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a minute, tin-owing food on my plate at table, iniluincing mother to have the laundry put where she wanted it, though 1 had nil the trouble of it; disordering the rooms I had charge of (I clean up four rooms every day): annoying me everywhere and iu everything with devilish ingenuity, and who would believe it, seeing her so full of life and bright chat to all outside the house, and gaining com plete control of mother by repeating all the gossip she heard, mag nifying to her her inrluence in church societies, etc., etc., ami mother never seems to recall the fact who it was that took all the drudgery from her, who made all her clothes, who nursed her during her sickness. The constant injustice has made me less demoustrative I pfnow, more juiet, more bent on doing my duty than talking of it. Tet it does seem to me that she could not forget how insolent Florence and Minnie have been to her. What have they not said to her in accusation and insolence ?
I, too, have been guilty, but only after long years of cruel treat ment. It may have been thoughtlessness, but the result was no less cruel. After many years of unappreciated drudgery, and finally, after driving me from home (Florence could have done nothing without her aid) and again combining with both Florence and Minnie for the same result, it seems natural to ask, why did you boar so much ? Why not make* your own living ?
Bemember that I have twice essayed to do it once in comparative youth and again later. It is true that I seemed to succeed pretty well for an untrained woman, but who will ever know how hard the struggle was, what despairing loneliness I endured, and often how evil was the life around me. Many a working woman will corroborate what I hint at, in their hearts. I who had rarely ever heard an oath, was surrounded by cursing men and women.
L, who had been guarded so carefully, saw all the depths of vice, I was forty years old before I had ever bought a ticket for a railroad journey. Could you expect a helpless woman like that being plundered and imposed on? ! hen think how long one has to wait for employment, even when young, all vacancies, even the lowliest, have hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants.

| i i I '
j I / _\ :
i : : ' ; i !
i I

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Think how many disappointments there are and how long the

waiting time is while the purse grows thinner and the necessity for

work greater and greater. I have been through it all, though

my pride hid much of it and now at forty-five feeling in brain

and muscle the fearfully wearing result of the struggle who wishes

me! What can I do? I thought I might clothe myself by my em

broidery but how fitful is the work.

.

The night of the day in which Florence and I had an outbreak,

Allie and George came into my room and heaped every insult that

cowardly bullies and brutal men could heap upon a woman.

George springing from his seat, shook his fist at me and clenched

his hands, saying, "I'll drive you out of the house, madam! I'll

drive you out of the house."

"ITo," said I, "you will not. Both Allie and yourself say that this

is my house. He is the he.id of the family. You never asked me

to return to my home. You tacitly helped Florence and Minnie to

drive me from the hyuse ten years ago. You broke yitur promise to

your dying father to take care of us. Since my return you will

probably remember that I have never made a bill in your name you

have nothing to do with me, your threats are trying to me."

Then Allie said, "You make me entirely responsible for yourself?" f

"For my return home I do,"' I replied; "are you now going to deny

that you invited me home?''

" Xo, ' he said, " I not only askf d you when you were in New York,

but 1 have asked you a number of times, and I say with George, if
you don't behave yourself. I will drive yju out of the house. I will
say further that you made a convenience of my wife's illness to get
back into the home."
Was there ever anything more dastardly? There was his letter
begging me to tell him if I knew of anything to help Irene. Why,
just at the close of her life, when, indeed, living was impossible to her, did he become so solicitous of her condition and so attentive to her wants-she who had been neglected and bullied by him for yearn? Was it remorse? There was his immediate reply to my prop osition to come home andnurse her. Remembering his grief during


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liis visit to me in the summer and his earnest request for me to come liome led|me[to make thejproposition; and there was liis invitation to come home given not once, but a number of times and yet I had made a convenience of his wife's illness to set back home.
Later oa lie said with great wrath, " This is my house; what are you doing in my house ?" George and Allie stayed in my room three hours, insulting and abusing me the entire time. Florence had said . o me before leaving the breakfast room, "Xever mind, madam. Til tmake you pay for this or you'll die," saying it in the most violent manner, and coming back to repeat it.
I supposed she meant that she would kill me if the brothers, at her mother's instigation failed, to make me pay for it Well, if she ould only have heard the brothers bullying and insulting me, she would have felt avenged. George even -.vent to the length of threat ening to get out a writ to eject me from the house.
Why did I not leave tlie hom-i? Because I had resolved when I determined to accept Allie's promise of protection and came home that the women of the family should never, under any provocation, t ive me from my home again. It was as much my home as theirs and though Allie and George were none the less culpable in their bru tality and cowardly bullying, I knew it was the women of the family who had driven them to it for I had frequently heard both Florence and Minnie urge mother to tell Allie and Gsorge of every evil thing that had been said or done during the dvy. She would have forgot ten much of it, for she is an old worn in, if F. and M. had not n >t only reminded her, but so worded were mere nothings until they ap peared evil tilings. For instance, when I told Allie of Florence's threat that I should die or pay for throwing the chocolate at her, he denied in the angriest way that F. had made any such threat. "She," said he, repeated "that you would regret it always." "Here yon, then," I replied, "affirm what she tells you so positively."
Florence and I were the only ones in the room, and yet you .take her word when you know she is not truthful; whilst even mother says she has never known me to tell a lie. That is the way she (Flor ence) always smoothed over all her acts and words.

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Again, [ went into mother's room one day and said: "Mother, bow can you, as a Christian woman, who took communion only last SunSay, treat me with the injustice and bitter wrongs that you do."
"I will not listen to you," she replied, half rising from her chair. "Yes, you will," I said, "You go to Allie and tell him all sorts of evil things, and then when I come to you to know why you treat me so 'you tell me-'you will not listen," and putting my hand upon her breast, I pushed her back into tha chair. It took only a light touch to do it. Three times she tried to leave the room, and three times did I push her back. The only thing that I regret in all my course was that I ought not to have touched her However, in repeating it to George and Allie. she said that I threw her across the table; and idragged her around the room; so George and Allie told me. One night latter or,e of Allie's bullyings, I carried seme mnteria that I had bought to make underwear for Allie into mother's room, I threw it on the bed, and turning to Florence, who was sitting near. I said: As for you who have caused all of this trouble, ar.d have been acting more like a devil than the rest, I hope your master will soon have you and put you in the hottest hole in hell." Florence jumped up and ran over to mother. " Get behind me.g Florence, get behind me," said mother, spread, ing her dress. "Ihave always protected you and always will." But Florence not} relishing the ridiculousness of the position, pushed mother roughly in a chair and said, "Oh! hush up." Yet nothing has everjbeen said about that. Allie and Minnie were both present and saw it. For even I saw it and could not but be a little amused, although I was in fearful temper. I have no time for more, though I have not told one-tenth of alj the dirty things they said and did. But the most bitter thought of all is they have sunk to this level, finding that silence on my part only exposed me to greater aggravations from them. I gave up and returned word for word, evil for evil. I have said that Minnie, until she was sixteen or seventeen, was

JTLIA FOKCE IS JAII~

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more my cbild than my sister. ".It was in her defense mainly that I had gained Florence's enmity, yet when-Florence and mother were trying and succeeding in driving me from my home, I said one day:
" Minnie, how can you be so inactive when I have done so much for you."
"Oh, Julia," she replied petulantly, "it's not ray fuss; Tm not going to interfere."
I was too proud to say more. About a year ago, after my return, Minnie and I were going out. I saw that she was very much dis turbed.
"What is the matter ? " I asked. "Oh," she said, "I hate Florence so. I hate her." "Why," I said, "hasn't she improved? " "Improved," she exclaimed. "She grows worse and worse every year; and what is more, in having to fight her, I am getting just like her." She talked on and she wanted to escape Florence by going into some other room into my own room with me, in fact hut remem bering her ingratitude of ten years before, and being unused to having a constant companion in my room, and further knowing her selfishness, and that once in my room it would soon be no longer mine at all, I paid no attention to her hints. At that time Minnie com- ' plained quite frequently to mother about Florence, but seeing that mother turned a cold shoulder to her, as she had done to me, Minnie having more policy than I, changed her tactics and then began criticizing and abusing me to her, which was more profitable. Ungrateful, selfish, plausible, working and talking for self-profit and benefit, urging on any evil or suffering for others by which she might profit, and slipping or lying.out of all evil consequences to herself, Minnie would give up the best friend she ever had for an hour's pleasure. Last year we heard very sad news from the doctor of Ward. Ho had become insame and had to be confined to an insane asylum. He was just put into a private asylum, George and Allie shaving the expense with Houston. Knowing this and wishing to help Allie as

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much as possible, my only bill was $7. Minnie and Florence bought all they wanted as usual. I also undertook the care of four rooms. I have attended them all more or less since my return, for the servants were always leaving the sewing for the four men and charged laundry, mending, etu.
Last month I went to High's and made a bill of $33.85. I was sadly in need of underclothes, had not gotten a covering for flva years, and only one dress, for which my brother had paid. Florence and Minnie spend about $80 per year on their clothing, and as we make our own dresses, can manage very well oa that.
Surely $33 was not much for a winter's supply, and yet Allie was in an awful rage about it. It was not more than Minnie had spenti nor any more than Horence would have spent if she had not been sick. I said that to Allie. II is reply was "that I should not talk of Florence's illness; that I had been the cause of it."
I supposed mother or Minnie had told him that Florence's illness had been caused by an abcess. However, anything or nothing would do for an excuse for a man of his calibre to bully me about.
To-day I received from High the following notice in typewriting: Miss Julia Force, 44 Crew Street, City:
Dear Miss I beg to advise you that on and after this date, as per advice of Messrs. G. H. <fe A. W. Force, we shall be compelled to decline to charge any more goods to their account purchased by

yourself. This we regret exceedingly, and trust that you will understand oui position in the matter. Tours truly,
J. M. HIGH <& Co. It is enough I have borne all I can bear may God avenge anp for every insult and mortification which has been given me, heap a
crushing weight of insult, mortification and suffering, moral and physical, upon the heads of those scoundrels, traitors and cowards, G. H. and A. W. Force.
Oh! my father, help your child!

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Redwiue as His Friends Saw Him. *

Much lias been said "about Lewis Red wine; many attempts have
r
been made to describe him, to paint him in his true colors. Most of these attempts have failed. The best idea of how he was re garded, by the people who knew him best was that given by a bril liant woman writer in ttieConstitntion,:
It seems rather strange that society has had to wait until Lent to experience the greatest and most thrilling sensation ever ka^wii :o it in this city.
I think I am right in terming the troubles of Lewis Redwine a social sensation; for never did a trouble of this kiud and the high note of swelldom ring nearer to each other than in this instance so near indeed, that the belles who knew the young bank cashier are all sorrow at what they consider his misfortune -so near, indeed, that the men have set a searching inquest upon their own souls and have bractd themselves up, not with the'courage of the vainglorious conceit, but with the understanding and pity that the knowledge of weakness must bring to broad and generous natures.
A shadow of this kind is more solemn and awe-inspiring than the presence of death; death holds no doubts and no dangers for human life, while witnessing in timately the enor of a weak soul tills one with a dizzy, horrible sense of misery and insecurity.
" If this man of sincerity, of kindliness and unselfishness could do wrong," say those who love him, "how can we who were not half so good as he seems, feel onr selves secure ?"

The city has never beeu in such a turmoil, such a conflict of opinions and replete with such a diversity ol -views as \\pon the subject of this man's misdoing. The morning of the sensation clustersof his men and women friends gathered together to discuss the matter, and the sorrow and shock of it all was shown by every look and word. The people who tnew him best would not believe this teriible arraign ment against him.
"If it had been anybody else but Lewis Rcdwine," they said "but we just can't
believe this of him." It is a very bcautiflB fact, too, and one disproving the usual idea of society life,
that a number of his friends made up the sum of $30,000 for tue purpose of clear ing Mr, Hedwine. These meii had all been his friends, and the sharers of that prodigal generosity which it is said his unsuspected resources enabled him to

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practice. Perbaps, however, if a few others of tliose summer day friends who really had more money than the ones who rtid offer to assist him, had stepped up and helped out, matters might have been more easily settled other smart places, Lewis Redwine would not have found so many opportunities of throwing away money. But tbc man that treats most is generally tlie one who can least afford it. Be it said however, as a rare compliment to plutocracy that several of the young men vrho put up the thirty thousand were men of wealth and possessed the generosity and charity which rarely attends it.
J am not championing the unfortunate man's cause but I do admire and respect the faith ami the generosity which many of his frends have shown towards him. nnd I cannot admire those men of wcalth.who had been often dined and wined at his expense, yet who were silent and close of their cash when his downfall came. And some of those, too, who pitied fhim think that perhaps, if some of thoiyse niggardl'-* friends bad been a little freer with their money at the club and
Of course, the cry is ringing out about the euormities and vanities of the social fabric in connection with all this sensation; and, of course, too, a lot of women are brought into the story and the expenditure's upon them exaggerated enor mously. Sermons may be drawn from it in which all dancing and bouquets will be roundly scored. Now the truth was that Mr. Redwine was not a dancing man nor a dude, nor a " masher" who cared for women to any foolish or extravagant extent. He was lavish with ail his friends, attended all social functions in. the best style.and (generally escorted some young woman; but he was more a man's man than a " fatal swell" where women were concerned. It was, it is toldat the club that he showed his greatest lavislmess.
The stories in relation to Mr, Redwine's club life increases daily. Of course there must be an immense amount of exaggeration, for, although the fact that he did squander a good deal of money there is not denied, the overgrown stories would have obliged him to have spent the fortune of a Croesus.
There is an interesting piece of club gossip going around concerning Mr. Rd wine, and which is probably altogether fiction.
It is said that after the opening night of the new theater, he with a party of friend* were discussing the play of " J'eu and Women " when he suddenly left the room. One of his friends who followed him soon after, upon entering the dress ing room, found him with a pistol placed to his head.
" What are you doing?" said he excitedly. The young man put the pistol down, smilling blandly with that innocent look which characterized him. "Oh I was doing that to scare you," h#replied, in the
most reassuring voice. In contradiction of this story and to the one concerning the intense way he
watched the play, is that of a well-y,own society belle who says.hj.the talke

ATLANTA'S BLACK WEEK.

9'

"^th her in the gayest mamifcr during: the most tragical jiarts of "Men and
Women."
Tlie general talk among those who knew liim is in the llatter vein, and, indeed,
not one of his friends have been able to find in anything that he ever said or sug
gested a hint of the tragedy in his life.
That his disappearing was not premeditated seems proven by the fact that he
made engagements for the theater this week with several yonng lady friends, and
the story goes that it was only last week that he implored a leading belle here to
marry bim. How very strange, how gniesomely uncanny it all is any way! an
how many odd and even ludricous ideas such a tragedy brings up in the minds f
people.
I heard a perfectly honorable man declare that he could scarcely expect a youne
fellow to keep straight on the pitiful salary of $125 a month with all that money
rolling around him.
jt is not, however, the business part of the affair that I intend to discuss for I
am dealing merely with the current gossip and sentiment of the society of which
this man was a member. If he has been guilty of all the wrong doing laid at his
door, lie deserves that punishment which should lie the reward of all who have
sinned against their fellow men.
Still, the fact that there are many who l>elieve him partly, if not wboi'.y, inno
cent must have some weight. The personal influence that he exerted over those
who knew him was certainly remarkable. I don't thiuk any other man T know could have bad so mnc'i genuine kindliness and sympathy expressed for^him nndcr such circumstances. Everybody likes him. He has a gentle sort of mag" netism that makes all \vomeu his friends and a manly strength and generosity that made men swear l>y him. He was the most loyal person in the world Jx> the people he liked and the most cliaritalile to the faults of others; and the latter characteristic is a very rare one in an innately bad nature. Indeed, that he had a bad nature, no one who knew him is willing to admit.
For my part, I can see as I write, his bland, honest-appearing face with candid gray eyes and smiling mouth with its upeuriing corner regarding me from theater boxes, bowing from a carriage or beaming benificcntly air.id the time honored reception decorations.
If he be a villain, what a beautiful, wonderful villain this man would make for a story a villian whose personality in its bland innocence would put to shame those palpable, dark-browed wretches of thrilling drama and romance. And, on the other band, if he is not guilty, what a splendid, thrilling heroic story it would make, his self-immolation on the altar of other men's honor, his faith to his friends and so on.
And what part in the tragedy will te be given, after al),"T wonder? Well, no matter what it is and how he has sinned, God pity him! Under any circumstances the torture of hi* so.ul now must be 'horrible beyond all imagining. The disgrace before the world, the curious crowil about him, the manacles on his wrists. Can any ouc who knows Lewis Bedwine think of aJl this without anguish and sympathy?

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ATLANTA'S BLACK VVKKK.



The Living and Dead,

The story has been told. The storm has subsided. Atlanta is the same quiet, peaceful and Christian city that she was before the dark days that formed the exciting period of her cyidemic of crime, and with characteristic generosity she spreads the mantle of charity over all that has gone before. The curtain has already fallen on the terrible scenes of the tale of tragedies, and may its friendly folds for ever obscure and protect from public parade the deeds and misdeeds of those who sinned and were sinned against in them.
Of the living characters wlro figure prominently in the foregoing pages, there is little to say. Lewis Redwine, the defaulting cashier of the (-late City National Bank, and upon \vhom the sole responsi bility for its collapse is fixed, now languishes in a grim and gruesome cell behind the bars of the Fulton County Jail; in default of $25,000 bond awaiting trial in the United States Court for embezzlement from a national bank. The amount of his shortage, first fixed at $70,000, has, it is now alleged, been ascertained to read $05,000 A strange and unaccountable feature of the stoiy comes in here,IJedwine claims most emphaticaly that he knows nothing about but $23,000 of the missing money; that this he loaned to friends and not one dollar of it went to his personal and private benefit. He re fuses to divulge the names of his friends to whom he loaned themissing money, declaring that it can avail nothing now, as if they were dead or beyond the power of giving satisfaction. If this be so, then Redwine, the dupe and tool of a gildedaristocracy whom he tried to ape and rank with is to be pitied in going to the penitentiary if such be his fate, to suffer a felon's punishment and bear the stigma of the hief to protect the names of his high toned but treacherous friends. Although his ideas of friendship may be exaggerated, he is a hero wor thy of treatment by a master's pen.' The amount of Eedwine's short age, considering the statements of the bank examiners .and himself together, is enshrouded in a veil of mystery, and viewing simply from

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the public's standpoint, Redwine is either a badly abused flgencthrough which others have served, or else he is a consummate scoun drel.
The fate of the Gate City Bank which is now in charge of theUnited States government, and for the suspension of which, Redwine is al leged to be responsible, is uncertain. It may be reopened and the suspension may be permanent.
Tom Cobb Jacksou, whose tragic suicide followed so closely the defalcation of Redwine and the bank suspension, reposes in death's sleep, in the beautiful city of the dead in Athens, surrounded by the mounds and monuments that mark the last resting place of his dis languished ancestors; his young bride weeps tears of anguish and love and the home of his father's family of which he was the pride and joy, is disconsolate and sad. A score of rumors as to the cause of his suicide have been- freeiy repeated, some assigning financial trouble and some domestic trouble, but they seemed to be without founda tion. One story on the financial line which was printed in a Chatta nooga paper places his debts at over a huudred thousand dollars.
iliss Julia Force who took the life of her two sisters is also con fined in the Fulton County jail awaiting transfer to the insane asy lum. She was tried and adjudged insane by Ordinary Calhoun soon after the commission of the crime. She allows no one to see her in her cell and is said th be lilerally weeping her life away, while her victims sleep side by side in Oakland Cemetery. The Force home only a few days ago made bright, cheerful and enjoyable by the three daughters and sisters, is now a sad, sad scene of sorrow. Within a day, two bright lights that contributed so much to the comfort and happiness were forever dimmed in death, and another hidden for all time to come behind prison bars.
Umberto Fiantini, one of the victims of the Metropolitan Hotel murder, has forever passed from the earth. Selita Jluegge still lives, but is in a pitiable plight for one so young and beautiful. The young wife, father and mother are heart-broken, and disgrace will ever shadow that household, a fitting shroud of mourning for the sins of its inmates.

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Raphael, the unfortunate Kimbatt House suicide, was'taken to his home in Boston for burial, and the unfortunate love-sick drummer, Crawly, rests beneath the sod of Boswell, his native town.
And thus the story of Atlanta's week of blood and sin ends. I will leave my readers to draw their own moral conclusions. It was God's visitation, and may have been either hi*, blessing or his curse. With the avalanche of destruction, some of the most conspicious figures were removed from society, the church, the clubs and financial circles; and considering the selections of his subjects, who can say but the few were taken that the many might tafeo warning? Was it not all a terrible warning? There has never been a government, municipality or society in the history of the world but at some period of its existence, it had to have a check rein thrown over it to keep it from rushing madly into eternal destruc tion. Was Atlanta society bordering on a precipice? This is a question that time alone can answer. Suffice it to say the warning has been given.

And now the "Why" of it all.
The story that is here told was telegraphed broad cast throughout the country, and from all sections came a clamoring for a solution of the problem, an explanatian of it all, and that great mystery was that surrounding the central act of the drama; why did Jackson kill himself?
The crime wave theory is all right enough and I believe in it within certain bounds. For instance the suicide of young Crowley, the suicide of Farmer Jolely, at Clarkston, the attempt of the two young women named Williams one ofjwhom swallowed ;powdei*u glass while the other tried morphine these perhaps never wouV.l have thought of self-destruction except from the fact that it "was in aither," or except from the example of Jackson which I take
cans practically the same thing in a time like this, and the ten'1 -

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103

ble crime which Julia Force perpetuated might have been delayed,

perhaps averted, but for the storm that raged, certain it is ^ that

there was some cannection, in this way: Cobb Jackson has put a

bullet through his temple and produced instant death; Julia Force

had eagerlp read the newspaper accounts of that tragedy, then with

coolness and deliberation she put a bullet into tbe temple of each

of her sisters. Is she insane? A jury in the ordinary's court has

said so, men who read her statement said that if those sisters '

treated her as she says they did, she was not much to blame, of

course that is wrong. It is easy to see, however, how a super-

sensitive nature like^her's could by degrees be wrought up to a

pitch where she believed all this. Her mind was ^unbalanced un

doubtedly. The lesson it teaches is a terrible ,one -to parents a

lesson of how a sensitive child whose nature has been warped can

becoma a fiend.

And now the connection between Jackson and Red wine.

The warmest of friends, the closest of of intimates, men of the

same set who were bound by all sorts of close ties the suicide of

one follows immediately upon the defalcation and disgrace of the

other. It looked like the two chapters of a story and it was.

Thousands of rumors filled tha air. They were rumors based on

the theory that Cobb was in .some way connected with Redwine1 *

troubles, and as nobody knew anything definite the rumors covered

the whole gaunt of wickedness and misfortune. Some had no possi

ble groundwork and are not proper to repeat here. But that Jack

\

son was a debtor to the bank has been officially announced by the

bank's attorneys, but that he was debtor to Redwine to a very

much greater extent is generally acknowledged. Redwine won't

sa how much and;the papers, if there were any are not to be found.

It is known, however that when Jackson and some of his young

friends conceived the brilliant idea of buying up-the Atlanta and

Blorida road intending to unload on some big system, the money

they worked on, or most of itcame from Redwine. And it is said

that Redwine had time and again h.lped Jackson out of a financial

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hole, once wh*n he was on his bridal t^r and had to draw on At-

jaiita for ro.0hy. . Jackson had no more .idea of money- matters

than-XCtWtjH4lJk-aWCi<B.Mw>iM*!lWf*M. fiiak-nhyajdif'cXifmio*n*ii.oi f plans by which he would make it all baiflftiMin^ngMf^lBI^*^to ^onesOy; -but^the

best ylans sometimes nflUnJr^^ifc*M* f&!

- .,
carrying class.

*. f <4. *

' *>

*.*

But $fi&000. is.

i;otten it all?

^ It saems beyond Ue

Then, were others of

In the same boat?

That story HoracejO' wines friends bef<

lit it meeting of eleven when the 8ituation >

Red-

cussed and

ide Redwine in the . country/ twenty

miles away-

or was there something in it?

True such '!

have been held .on the Soo4*jr before

the crisis cwMfe,

was, Cobb Jackson wasrnt ftpre. . But .

couldn't aqol

,ing $ave been held some other dayj* or with

out Jackaotr? ';

.,. ,

'

V

It could but, was it?. And if so, who *fc* ttwre? ^

Now that he is dead, the public will pro*iiSiy >eWW^i^*t Cobb

Jackson was deepest interested of all whr were cameaioA with

Kedwine. I don't believe it. I believ if the truth evjfr comes out,

it will be found that both Cobb *Taeks6n and Redwine wre in a very

great measure the dupes of designing men. I think .{bould lay my

hand on one of the men bat I am giving no names ^ht now/

[ think, too, that if certain people *f whom he had a right to

k helped CobbJapkson,there would have been no "Black

! I don't mean any of -his immediate relat-

ives, either/

'**.

1,'"^
.t-/.:^

;.:.?.
1 i- V"*?*-" *."*' *"
*-;-
Mi^

%SferJ
; > THE INVENTOR. CURES ALL DISEASES WITHOUT MEDICINE.

EWARE OF THE HVTlTATlON. " GET THE ONLY GENUINE.

BECK & BACON,

Agents-for S.'J., Ga. and FK, ; . .

: '.

o Grant? Buildirur, ATLANTA, GEORGIA.