Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1886 — THE SOUTH. [ARTICLE]

THE SOUTH.

At a party in Clay County, Kv., Dan and George Gray, Sam Benge, and Dink Stivers engaged in a fight, in which Dan Gray, Stivers, and Benge were killed, and George Gray fatally wounded. Three years ago Stivers and Ijis brother waylaid and shot Dan Gray near the same, place where this tragedy occurred, which was the cause of the trouble. Jeff Davis recently received a circular containing a paragraph which declared that ‘‘Benedict Arnold, first traitor to American liberty, learned his patriotism in Hiram Masonic Lodge, No. 1, New Haven, Conn., and died a Freemason in good and regular standing. Aaron Burr, another traitor to the Government, plotted his treason in "Royal Arch cipher, and also died a Free and Accepted Mason in good and regular standing. Jefferson Davis, a Free and Accepted Mason, led the great rebellion, and the fact did not even taint his Masonic standing, but did have much to do in securing his pardon.” To this Davis replies with a letter, in which he defends his course ns a rebel, and declares that he is not and never has been a Mason. A NEGRO named Charles Williams was hanged at Cambridge, Md., for an assault on Mrs. Keene, a white lady. On the morning of the execution Rev. J. Bryan, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church, called to see him for the last time. “Charles,” said Mr. Bryan, “you have but a short time longer to live. Are you going to ask God for pardon?” “No, sir,” replied Williams, abruptly. “It’s too late now. I have too much else to think about.” “Bul/this is the most important thing you can think of now,” urged the minister. “It is too late now,” repeated the condemned man. “I will die and go to hell, where I will meet those whose testimony sent me there. This is Friday, and the words of a man who dies 'on Friday always come true.”.. ..A menagerie was sold out at auction in Monroe, Ga. P. K. Campbell, a Chicagoan, bought a $5,000 elephant for SI,OOO. and Adam Forephugh got two lions for S4OO Sixteen convicts employed in the mines at Coal HiLJ, Ark., escaped by tunneling their way to the surface.