Press and Messenger from Knoxville, Tennessee • 1

i rr it r-q r-1 oca TERMS $100 PER YEAR KNOXVILLE TENK WEDNESDAY AUGUSTA 1875 VOL NO 31 JOHN UEBtl country Mr Thos Maloney acting as his secretary Numerous letters were received lately by him from Louisiana and Ohio which he gave a careful reading and promptly answered He had also shown quite an interest in the Ohio campaign He read the first speech of Gov Alien carefully and said it contained many good points It seems from the books and papers be had been studying of late his close attention to business and from remarks he had made that he intended to introduce some important measures into the next session of Congress At home as well as in the Forum h6 was a hard working man and very particular as to everything he had anything to do with A NOTABLE WILLOW In the garden of Mr late residence is a magnificent willow grown from a twig sent to Resident Johnson and taken from the willow which bends over the grave of Napoleon Bonaparte on St Helena A twig from this noted tree will be planted over grave on AN INTERESrtNG DOCUMENT An interesting document giving an insight into the religious belief of Andrew Johnson has been found among the papers in his desk It was written by Mr Johnson on Sunday afternoon just previous to his leaving for Senator home in Greene county Mr Johnson had been suffering from an attack of cholera That Sunday was the height of the cholera epidemic in Greeneville and the physician had ordered Mr Johnson to leave the town immediately as his life would pay the penalty of his remaining Mr Sara Small then editor of the Greeneville Sentinel and JleporUr now an editor of the Atlanta Constitution met Mr Johnson while on his way to the depot and Mr Johnson said he wished to go to his office on Summer street below Main accompanied by Mr Small The ex-President went to the office and while there wrote the document in question and left it on his table under a weight After his recovery from the attack of cholera the document was placed among his private papers and has just now come to light a convincing proof of his reliance upon a divine providence It is as follows: Greeneville June 21st 1873 All seems gloom and despair I have performed my duty to my God my country and my family I have nothing to fear Approaching death to me is the mere shadow of protecting wing Beneath it I almost feel sacred Here I know can no evil come there I will rest in quiet and peace beyond the reachjof the poisoned shaft tho influence of envy and jealous enemies where treason and traitors in State back-slidersjaud hypocrites in church can have no place where the great fact will be realized that God is truth and gratitude the highest attribute of man sic Itur ad rntra is the way to the stars or The following was written on the margin: before leaving on Sunday evening while the cholera was raging in its most violent items Betsy famous crusade shanty is draped in mourning as is also Mr old tailor shop The ladies are working to-night finishing the draping of the Court House The portaits are draped in crape and roses CoL John Williams is active in his sympathy and in aiding to render due respect totlie deceased statesman whose constant steadfast friend he had the honor to be for many years The composed of seventy-five of the best men in the county though not yet uniformed and equipped will attend the funeral in dress Mr Johnson seemed to feel a premonition of approaching death for he said but a few days ago to Mr Th Maloney that he was worn out and would not last more than a year or two more PERSONAL A large number of strangers have already arrived Col John Burch of Nashville came by this train THE INTELLIGENCER OFFICE The office of the Intelligencer edited by Andrew Johnson Jr and Thos Malony is draped in deep mourning THE RESIDENCE The house of Andrew Johnson is an unpretending two-story brick dwelling with a deep garden in the rear Crape hangs from the door knob and the window shutters THE FUNERAL The funeral will take place at 11 to-morrow The body will be escorted from the Court House to the place of interment by the Dickinson Light Guards of Knoxville and interred with Masonic honors VISITORS FROM ABROAD Passengers by the evening train report that a tram from Washington with a large delegation of prominent men and -a band of music said to be the Marine Band is expected at Bristol at an early hour to-mor-row evening Ramase The annual convention of the stockholders of the East Virginia and Georgia-' Railroad will beheld city on Wednesday Sept let THE LOSS TIIK EX-PRESIDEXT'S KEMAIXS AT HOME Greeneville Draped in (lie Habiliment of Sorrow interesting Facts Connected with tlie I)e-ceased Arrangements for the Funeral Greeneville Tenn Aug 1 1873 Messes Editors: Senator remains arrived this morning escorted by Senator Emmert Maj Folsom and other Masons from Carter county and were received at the depot by the Greeneville Masonic Lodge and a very large concourse of citizens The Lodge took charge of the body and took it to the residence where it was dressed in the customary black and then with a copy of the Constitution laid upon the breast wus shrouded in a beautiful silken National Flag and sealed up in the case On the silver plate is the simple inscription: Johnson Aged sixty-seven Just before the encasing Mrs Patterson and her son and Mr Andrew Johnson Jr took final leave of the beloved form and face after which it was placed in the case in the parlor of the mansion where it has been guarded all day by reliefs of Master Masons detailed for the purpose It has been visited by many citizens of town who seemed anxious to look once more upon the face of the departed" ere it lost its life-like feature and expression Fears are entertained that it will not be presentable to-morrow as decomposition was rapidly going on before it was placed in the casket and now the face is somewhat swollen and discolored though the peculiar unmistakable face of Andrew Johnson is there Many little scenes of interest and deep feeling have I witnessed to-day around the body of this great man The grief of the family is of course sacred but next to this and scarcely short of it is that of Major Maloney his old companion on the board when both were young and Mr John Brown the friend of a half century It were worth a long journey to witness such manifestations of tender affection from old men toward this apparently stern unbending nature This man whom the world knew to admire to respect to fear or to hate these old friends loved and mourned over his lifeless remains as a mother over a dead child Every bit of available material has been exhausted in draping the stores offices hotels and other buildings and a ball is made on Knoxville for more Not till the arrival of the corpse did our citizens seem fully to appreciate that our great statesman was "dead To-day gave unmistakable evidence that they deeply felt blessings brighten as they take their -if' Mrs Brown is detained at home with Mrs Johnson whose feeble health may not long survive the shock occasioned by the death of her husband of almost a half century InGEBSOLL I Governor Porter has just telegraphed a request that ex-President John Remains be buried at Nashville No answer has yet been returned' as the family are not all here What will be the result I can hot say At any rate I presume the ceremonies will take place here as appointed I Greeneville August 2 1875 All Greeneville is in mourning! Alorg 'the principal streets hang the draperies of crape almost every building while the i residences show by bowed windows and frequent emblems of mourning how deep and how universal is the sorrow' This morning a town meeting was called to express the deep desire of the citizens of -Greeneville that the distinguished dead should rest near the town where he has re- sided all the years of his manhood and whose! myne qndj fame is forever to te asssocidted with that'-of its i fore- most ex-President Andrew pon The meeting was largely attended V'-tjad'Oly-olw Sentiment xetunted dm 6 i i i -1 4 NEC NAN OF From a Leading Hold (o tlie Calaboose The 'Chattanooga Times of yesterday tells this yam: 1 -t'1 Tuesday night a woman rather plainly dressed but by no means devoid of personal charms registered herself at one of our leading hotels as Miss Neunan of Knoxville and was assigned a room As she had no baggage the clerk called upon her yesterday morning and interviewed her concerning her bill She regretted her inability to liquidate at the time but thought sho would be able to do so shortly She said she had been sent for by the proprietor tho Warm Springs of North Carolina to take charge of the laundry and after going there had failed to secure a situation and was now on her way to Nashville During the day she visited a saloon twice and each time procured a bottle of whisky In the evening she occupied the parlor of the hotel and encouraged the familiar atten- tions of some gentlemen to such a degree aa to provoke an indignant remonstrance from some of the ladic3 in the house To this ska responded in such fluent execrations as ta drive them before her and about 10 last night the clerk of the house summoned Policeman Hunt who lodged her in the calaboose for safe keeping She told him that she was a correspondent of some New York paper and also intimated a determination to sue the hotel proprietor for heavy damages The case will come before tho Recorder this morning for settlement There appears to be a good deal of true inwardness traveling through the country but somehow the people of Chattanooga fail to appreciate it Miss Neunan would better have stayed at Knoxville Miss Neunan? The woman belong to Knoxville and the records of the Recorder and Criminal Court do not bear her name A LETTER FROM A LEGISLATOR Repmenlathe Spears a Trne Convert lie Wants an Extra Session and Pledge: Himself to tlie Right Jasper Marion Co July 29 1875 Messrs Editors: At your suggestion let mesay through the Press and Herald that at the last session of the Legislature I voted for the bill that was introduced tar take the borrowing power from the State officials and when the Governor had vetoed it I voted to pass it over his head I voted for the bill authorizing the issuance of the State Treasury notes I voted for the bill postponing the collection of taxes and foe a twenty-five cents tax instead of forty If the aforesaid measures have had any- thing to do with crippling the fl- of the State naDCf opera ions must plead guilty but that the gui heart because sed to repudia- uilt waa in the head and not in the was then as I am now oppoi tion in every shape If the Legislature cam do any thing' to relieve the State of 'her present embarrassment I think that the Governor ought to coll an extra session! It is toot thin to tell the people that their representatives are able but not willing io giva the necessary relief I do not believe thafe there is one in all the hundred who woulcL repudiate an individual debt And hour much more dishonorable would" it be forr them to even dream of doing any thing op leaving anything undone that would in any way work a repudiation of the obligation of a great State If the Governor wants -the filthy and sickly waters -of humiliation and disgrace to quit flowing in on the faith and credit of the dear people let him discharge his duty by calling ay extra session and wc will go and throw ourselves in thei breach just like a dam If the proclamation issues I think Taylor of Garter tvith Odell of Sullivan and Lodgerwood of Knox will take up with the Cross of Anderson and follow the meek and lowly Gibson of Campbell down to the Capitol and there wrestle with Findly of Shelby and Head of Wilson and never let them gt until all things become lovely Verily verily let me say to all whom it may concern that an confession is good for tho soul" the lamp holds out to bum The vilest sinner may Will brother Dodson of McMinn please start the tune? Spears Qeorge Eldrid accompanied by two women and half a dozen or more of children arrived here from Chattanooga yesterday poming They had with them a very con- aiderable amount of baggage and were on their way to St Louis They hailed from section 70 of the Cincinnati Southern Flood Eldrid faid they went to Chattimoogabn tho steatoer-sRC that--when he left KnqxvillC be had in his left coat pocket' th'at he had not when he reached ChatidnoofeA1 lie supposes his pocket must WTO b-W Vart Barrier 1 2 Qti 'o-US-pp deep fervent wish that in Greeneville should the last honors be paid to all that was mortal of Andrew Johnson The desires of Knoxville and of Nashville that the illustrious son of Tennessee should find a burial at either of these cities was resented almost indignantly as if Greeneville felt there was danger of the sad honor being wrested from from her A resolution expressive of the ardent universal wish of Greeneville was unanimously adopted and Mayor Gilbraith with Messrs II Ingersoll and A Pettibone were appointed a committee to present the resolutions to the family The committee performed its duty at once and Greeneville was assured that the remains of her great citizen should be buried at home WRAPPED IN THE AMERICAN FLAG The body is wrapped in the of the a silk flag which belonged to Dickinson forwarded from Knoxville by Messrs Cowan McClung Co This was done in obedience to the oft-expressed wish of the Great Commoner whose desire that his winding sheet should be the American Flag is as a household word throughout the land flag The large flag forwarded by Mr Ham-bright is suspended over the street in front of the Court House it being too large for the purpose with which it was sent by its patriotic owner THE BODY AT THE COURT HOUSE This afternoon the casket containing the remains was taken to the Court House from where the funeral will take place at 11 on Tuesday morning The exterior of the Court House even to the dome is draped with crape The interior has been tastefully and lovingly festooned by the fair hands of the noble ladies of Greeneville The casket rests on a bier in the centre of the front of the courtroom It is of rosewood with silver ornaments The lid was nailed down this morning and will not be removed At the time the features were perfectly natural but the dampness of death was there and it was decided to close forever from mortal gaze the countenance so familiar to the American people A fine photograph of the deceased in a gilt frame with Masonic emblems rests on the casket surrounded by an elegant wreath of natural flowers Upon the walls of the court-house hang five portraits of Johnson three photographs and a medallion A life-size oil painting by Sharer is hung immediately in the rear of the casket THE BURIAL GROUND The interment will take place on the brow of a romantic and retired retreat about half-a-mile southeast of the city The site was selected by the ex-Presi-dent as the spot where he desired to lie when death claimed him It was his own property Mr Johnson owning fifteen acres of the vicinage The hill can be Been to the right of the railroad as yon approach Greeneville from the west THE FAMILY All the immediate relatives of the ex-President are here excepting liis wife and his daughter Mrs Brown at whose house in Carter county he died Mrs Johnson had been for some time at the home of Mrs Brown and it was to see her that Mr Johnson left Greeneville onhis last journey It is well known that Mrs Johnson has been an invalid for years suffering greatly The shock of her death so sudden and so unlooked-for to the invalid who had been within portals so completely prostrated her and as I write her life hangs trembling in the balance Mrs Brown dutifully remaips' with her mother THE LAST MOMENTS From 'one who was present at the bedside of the ex-President during his last moments I have learned a few mournful items which will be of interest to mr readers From 7 Friday eveninr until the hour of his death he was uncoiSckras During Friday he had con versed freely on different subjects especially onState matters His mind did not wander much but seemed to suffer terribly as he struggled with the disease that had struck him down At the time of his death there were present at his bedside besides the attending physicians Drs Jobe of Elizabethton and Broyles and Taylor of Greeneville his wife his two daughters Mrs Patterson and Mrs Brown his son Andrew' Johnson jr' and two daughters and a son of Mrs Brown formerly Mrs Stover i- PERSONAL HABITS Mr Johnson was in tliq habit of rising at daylight walking on1 his porch in pleasant weather for a short time' and then after eating an early breakfast going 'to his office and attending to his correspondence Just before his departure from Greene-ville he1 had been reading the work of Gideon Welles late Secretary of the Navy sent him by the author entitled and He had also been carrying on a large cor-refxondjuce 'rith the prominent men of the L- I fj lu Tbe Press Hake Nome Suggestions The Morristown Gazette remarks: i The Knoxville papers publish a card signed by a number of the Knoxville ministers asking that the execution of John Webb which is fixed to take place the 13th of August be conducted privately Without stopping to argue the question elaborately we see no good reason why this request should be complied with Certainly we have no desire to witness a hanging spectacle Such an exhibition is utterly revolting to our feelings sickening and horrifying in the extreme The shocking scene has no attraction for hs no fascination unless it be that morbid one which sometimes tempts individuals to look at and share in that which makes the soul shudder with horror Still if we understand correctly the object of punishment it is to deter others from the commission of like offenses by a terrible example to say unto others how you transgress the majesty of the But we referred to the card for the purpose of offering a suggestion to our friend Matt Swan the Sheriff We learn that so far he has been unable to get the consent of any real estate owner within one mile of the Court House to let the execution take place on his land In this state of affairs why not utilize the county property adjoining the Court House on the west known as the Crawford lot? If a place is all that is wanted it is good enough And its selection will save further refusal from private property owners The Nashville Banner says: The ministers of the various Churches of Knoxville have united in an appeal to the Sheriff of Knox county to have the execution of John Webb the murderer on the 13th proximo conducted privately A regard for the public morale imluooo tKo quest which is seconded by the local press VV agree with our Knoxville cotemporaries that public executions are a relic of barbarism and should not be allowed for the gratification of the morbid curiosity of that class who have a singularly brutal appetite for such spectacles We trust the Sheriff of Knox will comply and lead off in a reformation in behalf of decency that may be worthy of emulation in other counties THE CINCINNATI SOUTHERN Progress of tlie Work on the Rond The Cincinnati Commercial says that work along the line has been much delayed by the rains but the floods have to no considerable extent injured the grading culverts or bridges The contracts for furnishing cross-ties for the road from Cincinnati to Emory Gap were awarded but the contractors seem in rather slow in getting ready the timbers The contractor for the portion of the line between Cincinnati and Lexington has failed after having furnished about 10000 ties Of two rafts of 10000 ties each about half the timbers were lost on their way down the river from the Kanawha region There were other embarrassments to contribute to the failure This contract and perhaps others will have to be re-awarded As to rails the contracts for which the whole line have been awarded there have as yet been no deliveries The Roane Iron Company at Chattanooga has a contract to furnish a thousand tons of iron rails which will be used on the road from the Chattanooga terminus northwardly and will be Sufficient to lay about ten miles of track These rails will be delivered at South Danville A Cleveland company has the oon-traet for the rest of the line which will be laid with steel rails' The delivery will commence as soon as the Trustees of the road axe ready to begin track laying and the mills will be ready to turn out rails faster than they can be laid on the road The time when the track laying will commence cannot now very well be indicated Pension Agency Disbursement The following are the disbursements by the Knoxville Pension Agency during the fiscal year ending June 30th 1875: July 1871 1536106 August Sept Oct Nov Dec 1875 Feb March April May i Jane 801601 8211397 1308701 590939 7828473 1116011 710163 8501640 1158353 929P16 Total $40991203 i i i Tt was reported yesterday that Rev "Win Mowbray who was pastor of St PayTs Episcopal Church of this puty- four jrears ago died in New York recently 3L4- la J- "Oi- Li'.