Randolph County AlArchives News.....Save by a Flood June 29, 1890
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Linda Ayres http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00031.html#0007674 February 27, 2023, 9:48 pm

The Atlanta Constitution June 29, 1890
"Thats Wedowee Creek" said Plunkett as he as he raised the wagon sheet and 
pointed to the right of the road at the clear waters of a mountain steam gliding 
down the valley. 
"This is Randolph County" continued the old man as he dropped the wagon sheet to 
its place and layback on the fodder.
"Randolph Ala" Around the hill what is known as Merrill’s Mill an Indian village 
uster stand on the creek there by the mill and after the Indians were crowned 
out, it was thought that the county seat would be established and in fact it was 
the county seat for some time after the organization of the county.
It was here that the first courts of the newly organized county was held with 
nothing but a busharbor for a courthouse and logs rolled up for the judge and 
jury. It was here that the Smith’s the Flins and others started on the road to 
eminence in the state’s affairs here they clashed their legal words and made the 
wild woods resound with eloquence that has since delighted more cultured out 
never a more honorable audience.
As an adjunct to the busharbor courthouse was the county jail. the county jail 
was simply a large poplar log which lay on the bluff of Wedweee creek. 
This sounds like an unreasonable story these days, but so it was the first jail 
of Randolph County was a big hollow poplar log fixed with a door to slide down 
and shut the prisoner in. 
There had been a bloody murder committed on the Tallapoosa River. A coroner’s 
inquest placed the crime upon a young man who had always borne a good character 
and who was the only support of widowed mother. He was convicted by 
circumstantial evidence and the day was set for the hanging.
The young man was innocent he knew it and his mother knew it and subsequent 
events proved it but at the time the people were much stirred up and clamored 
for his execution and so he resigned himself to facet his death as coolly has 
possible.
The night before the Friday set for the hanging was a terrible night for that 
poor mother. All night she had walked the floor of her little cabin wringing her 
hands and shuddering as she thought of the rope about her boy’s neck. The rumble 
of wagons and the tread of horses could already be beard upon the road the 
citizens were making their way to Wedowee creek to see the hanging.
The mother gave way to despair and as the tears gushed from her eyes with hands 
clasped, she fell upon her knees beside the bed in the darkened room and there 
she poured out her soul in sorrow to God.
"Oh Lord!" was her cry "have mercy upon my poor poor boy!" 
"The wails of the poor mother attracted the passers-by they dropped a tear shook 
their heads and muttered "no hope" he must pay the "penalty" and went on their 
way to be at the hanging.
"Oh Lord have mercy!" was the wail of the mother there all alone in the 
darkness.
"Oh Lord have mercy and save save my boy!" and away from the south there came 
the sound of distant thunder.
"Oh Lord save my boy" and the thunders roared, and the lighting flashed. 
'Oh Lord have mercy and save my poor innocent boy!!" and the storm broke upon 
the little cabin and drowned out the wails of the mother.
As I have told you the jail was in hollow poplar with a trap door which lay upon 
the bank of the creek. It was here the prisoner was conflued with the extra 
precaution of having a guard to watch. 
The terrible storm had raised the water till the creek had bursted its banks the 
guard had to flee for his life and the log jail was swept away toward the 
Tallapoosa River.
The storm was over, and the streaks of day were beginning to show the in the 
east, when gentle taps at the cabin door called the mother from her place of 
kneeling beside the little bed. At the door she met her boy. He had made his 
escape from the hollow tree and stood before his mother in seeming answer of her 
appeal to the Lord.
Before the joyful meeting of mother and son had subsided the sheriff with a 
great crowd were at the cabin to tell the news, to tell of the dying confection 
of a bad man of the county who had been killed in the storm by a falling tree. 
This bad man had confessed to the crime of which the widow’s son came near being 
hung.
Some say he was saved by prayer, but I have always said he was "Saved by a 
Flood".
"You’re right," said Brown. 
Sarge 

Additional Comments:
Mr. Willie Weir was a reporter for the Atlanta Constitution, he went by the pen 
names: Sarge, Sarge Plunkett, Old Man Plunkett. He later owned & printed a 
newspaper in Wedowee. 

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