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 A Recent Georgia Peonage Case

525

"Having made no record of the change, when he concludes to sell his property he may experience some difficulty in satis

husband, or to her maiden name, if she desires. Judge Withrow’s conclusion is that

fying a would-be purchaser as to his identity."

"the well-deﬁned road to a change of name, marked out by the statute, is ordinarily much safer and more desir able than the dim pathway of the com

In commenting on the change that

occurs in a woman's name on her mar riage, the judge observes that this is really by process of law, since it becomes a matter of legal record. “The ladies,” he

mon law." “It is well settled, however," he adds,

adds, "always reserve the right to change

adjudicated cases, that, in the absence

their names or their minds at pleasure.”

In cases where a woman obtains a

"both by the elementary writers and the of fraud or injury to the rights of others,

decree of divorce, the court, on her request, is required to make an order

a person may change his name at pleas ure and transact business and execute contracts, sue and be sued in any name

changing her name to that of any former

he may assume."

A Recent Georgia Peonage Case THROWING A SIDELIGHT ON LEGAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN THE SOUTH UDGE EMORY SPEER of the United States District Court for Georgia presided recently at the remarkable and lengthy trial of four citizens of Pulaski county, William Chauncey, Luke Du

pree, John Ross Rodgers and Joan Horne,

charged

with

the

crime

of

what he had better do about it, and was advised to swear out a warrant, which Talmadge accordingly did, though

the burglary was committed by his wife's own daughter and son-in-law. Judge Pearce also told Talmadge that as his wife had died and he did not need

peonage. The defendants had for their counsel the Attorney-General-elect of Georgia, who used such language in his uncomplimentary references to the

the stolen articles, he might well accept money from the culprits and drop the

negroes in the case as to bring upon

to let the matter drop if he were paid. Accordingly, an ofﬁcer named Harp,

himself the displeasure of the court.

charges, and suggested that he notify the justice of the peace and the bailiﬁ

home of one Bill Talmadge, taking six plates and other articles of small value. Talmadge asked Judge Pearce

accompanied by one Hunt, called at the plantation on which the negro couple were employed, armed with Talmadge’s warrant for their arrest. The owner of the plantation, Dupree, met them, learned their business and in response

of the city court of Pulaski county

to appeals from the negroes to save

The facts will impress many of our

readers as singular. Two negroes, Clyde and Maud Wimberly, burglarized the