Schley-Marion-Stewart County GaArchives News.....Sparks/Chofe October 19 1881
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Harris Hill http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002514 November 16, 2004, 4:05 pm

The Atlanta Constitution  
The Atlanta Constitution  October 19, 1881

(The headline of this article is cut off)
Marion County Argus

There is a large-framed mulatto man, claiming to be the son of "Chofe," an old 
Indian doctor who died in this county a few years ago, who makes his rounds 
through the country "practicing."  He claims to cure everything; says his 
father learned him his business and that he knows all the remedies with which 
his father effected cures.  "Dr. Sparks" makes returns to the tax receiver of 
Marion county (we know not how many other counties), and pays the professional 
tax. "Chofe," the Indian doctor whose son he claims to be, was considered by 
some as an excellent physician, and this "Dr. Sparks" has managed to make 
himself pretty well known in some sections in the country.  This fellow 
claimed to have performed some wonderful cures near Pineville in the beginning 
of the year.  A gentleman in Stewart county (the name we withheld, because we 
are not sure we have correctly learned it) sent for the would be doctor.  "Dr. 
Sparks" assured the gentleman that he could easily cure his case, and was 
engaged to do so.  After ingratiating himself into the confidence of the 
family sufficient to accomplish his hellish purposes, he chloroformed the 
entire family, and then violated the person of the daughter, a pretty young 
woman, took her watch and what other things he wanted and left the section.  
The family lost sight of the wretch, and smothered the matter rather than give 
publicity to so delicate a subject.  In the early part of the year, the grand 
jury of Schley county indicted Sparks for carrying concealed weapons.  He 
offered defense and gave bond for appearance for trial.  He fled the county 
and left his bondsmen to settle the matter.  One day recently, one of the 
Schley county bondsmen saw him in Americus and had him arrested and sent to 
jail in Ellaville.  This gave publicity to his whereabouts, and last Wednesday 
an officer from Stewart and the sheriff of Schley were in Americus to get a 
requisition from Judge Crisp to carry Sparks to the jail in Lumpkin.

The citizens are very indignant over the outrageous affair, and the feeling 
for lynching him ran high.  It is thought there is danger if carried through 
the country to Lumpkin.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/schley/newspapers/nw1709sparksch.txt

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