Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1897 — SOUTHERN. [ARTICLE]

SOUTHERN.

Four men held up the cannon ball train on the International and Great Northern Railroad in daylight and but twelve miles from Austin, Texas. They robbed the passengers of S2OO and wounded the conductor and another man, but couldn’t break open the express safe. The jury in the famous ease of Mrs. Atkinson, on trial at Glenville, W. Va., for forging her former husband’s name, disagreed and was discharged by the court. The jury stood seven for acquittal and five for conviction. It is not believed that the case will be tried again. John R. Branyon, a wealthy cotton planter and well known as a Democratic politician at Mechanicsville, Ga., was awakened one night recently by a noise in the rear of his house. He took his gun and went back to investigate and saw a man entering the main body of the house from the kitchen. He demanded to know who it was, and, failing to receive an answer, sent two loads of buckshot into the body of the intruder. Then obtaining a light he stooped over his victim and recognized his 16-year-old son, Robert. The boy was dying, but had strength enough left to wrap his arms about his neck and say that he forgave him for the shooting. Ever since the appearance of yellow fever in Texas refugees from Galveston, Houston and other cities in the Lone Star State have been flocking to St. Louis. A special train, carrying sixty-five passengers from Houston and Galveston, has lately arrived there. Among those on board was Dr. John Guiteras, the yellow fever expert of the United States Marine Hospital service. He said there was absolutely no danger in allowing these refugees to come to St. Louis. Dr. Starkloff, health commissioner of St. Louis, takes the same view. A majority of these passengers will stay in St. Louis, while the others will scatter about the country on business or pleasure. Dr. Guiteras said he was en route to his home in Philadelphia, as he had finished his tour of inspection in the South. He will make an exhaustive report of his inspection to his chief, Surgeon General Wyman. The Knights of Honor in New Orleans have organized a relief committee and notified the grand jurisdictions throughout the country jthat they are prepared to look after any members of the order Who may be sojourning in that city pending the prevailing fever and see that fraternal care and attention be accorded such members as may become afflicted.