Elbert County GaArchives Newspaper, "Dutchy Comes off his Perch" 16 August 1900 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Keith Jones jkjones@triad.rr.com March 6, 2004, 10:29 pm "Elberton Star"; Aug. 16, 1900 Submitter's Note: This is from the Elberton Star, Aug. 16, 1900. It is about when "Dutchy", the original confederate monument, was pulled down. He was nicknamed "Dutchy" because he looked more like a Pennsylvania Dutchman than a confederate soldier. His uniform even looked more northern than confederate. He was dug up some years back and now resides in the Elberton Granite Museum. This story is very tongue in cheek and mentions several residents who participated in a mock coroners inquest for "Dutchy". "DUTCHY" COMES OFF HIS PERCH. ----- The Man With a Stoney Glare Takes a Tumble. ----- CONFEDERATE MONUMENT GONE ----- Gout and Dropsy Caused an Accident to a Citizen Who Has Held a Conspicuous Position On the Public Square. ----- "Dutchy" is no more. The man with a stoney glare in his eyes took a tumble Monday night and is now lying in the middle of the square with two broken limbs. "Dutchy" had been feeling badly for some time and looking really worse than he felt. His looks didn't bother him, though. That was the public's trouble, but other causes troubled him. He had a bad case of the gout, judging from the size of his legs and feet – and as he was compelled to wear a heavy United States army overcoat and heavy marching order – like Confederate soldiers didn't wear during the civil war – the hot weather got next to him. He didn't complain at the weather, however, but Sunday afternoon an incident occurred which was more than he could stand. "Dutchy," like all good Dutchmen, loves his beer, and when a keg was rolled up to the base of the monument by a friend the climax was reached. His mouth began to water, his eyes to blink in a pleased manner. He tried very hard to move, but his gouty feet said "nixie." The keg was tapped, and the scent floated up to where "Dutchy" stood. He became frantic. His mental torture was terrible, and as he could not move himself, kind friends placed a croker sack over his head to hide the keg from his view and to destroy the scent of the liquid. Monday morning he seemed improved, but as the sun began to shower down its hot rays – the temperature being about 100 in the shade – he again relapsed into unconsciousness, in which state he remained until about 12 o'clock Monday night, at which time he fell backward, breaking both of his legs and tearing up the ground. Fearing just such a catastrophe, a number of his admirers had placed a rope around his neck and had also placed a number of poles against his stand to ease him down to a certain extent. Realizing the sad plight that "Dutchy" was in, and knowing that the end was near, a grave had been prepared for him, but he objected to the location – in the rear of Duncan Bros. Store – and dug his own grave with his head as he fell from his perch. Poor "Dutchy!" No more will he frighten animals and cause them to run away; no more will he stand as a sentinel of the confederate cause, and no more will the public have a chance to make fun of his manly bearing. His body lay in state until Wednesday morning just where it fell, and where throngs of people went to view his highness for the last time, when he was buried at the foot of the monument. At the request of a number of friends a coroner's inquest was held to ascertain the cause of his death, on which the following gentlemen served: Henry Snellingings, Willingham Gnat, Jakey Goldman, "Billy" Skilleton, Ikey Einstein, Junius Kleavland, Bill Summons, "Sweetness" Awl, John Smith, Jr., "Coon" White, Jim Blacksides and Geeps Glynn. After due deliberation, the following verdict was rendered: "We the jury find after due deliberation, that the deceased, "Dutchy," came to his death by falling from his perch on the monument; that said "Dutchy" was afflicted with gout and dropsy and that he died with the marble heart. We also find that he was assisted in his downward fall by unknown persons, and that said unknown persons were justified in their conduct, he being an interloper in the cause, and that he would make a better beer saloon sign than a statue for a confederate monument." It is not known who pulled the figure down, but it is generally conceded that their conduct was not meant as an insult to the confederate veterans or to the ladies or any one connected with the erection of the monument. It was simply an eyesore and they wished to get rid of it and have a more appropriate confederate monument in its place.