A Year of Health and Steady Business -- Another Startling Tragedy.

For the year 1833 we can find very little of change or of remarkable incident on record. Business appears to have moved steadily along, without either check or a great acceleration. Political excitement ran high between the Troup and Clark parties, and occasioned many personal controversies, the sad result of one of which forms the most startling incident in the history of the town for that year.

At the election on the first Monday in January, the follow ing municipal officers were chosen:

Intendant--Allen Lawhon.

Commissioners--Eli S. Shorter, Charles D. Stewart, A. S. Clifton, James D. Lucas, Joseph T. Kilgore, Hampton S. Smith.

Sheriff of Mayor's Court--W. D. Hargrove

Clerk of Mayor's Court--John Townsend

Officers elected by Intendant and Commissioners:

Clerk--Henry C. Phelps
Treasurer--S. E. Andrews
Marshal--James C. Holland
Clerk of Market--P. W. Flynn

On the same day the following gentlemen were elected Judges of the Inferior Court of Muscogee County for the ensuing year:

Ebenezer Torrence
James Hitchcock
Job Rogers,
Alexander Scott
Anderson Speer.

The excitement on the subject of the cholera, which continued its ravages in some parts of the country, was to some extent shared in Columbus. The scourge reached Apalachicola, and its existence in that town, with which Columbus had such direct and indispensable communication, quickened the apprehension on the subject. A meeting of citizens to consider the matter was held in June and a report submit ted by a committee composed principally of physicians was adopted. It recommended the strictest attention to diet, cleanliness, temperance, &c., and the keeping of the Indians out of town; but it did not recommend a quarantine against Apalachicola, though we find that navigation had not at that time closed for the summer. Columbus escaped the cholera, and we may add that it has escaped during every visitation of this dreadful disease to America.

The tragedy to which we have above alluded and which for a long time afterwards caused rankling and bitter feelings, occurred on the 14th of August. It was the killing of Maj. Joseph T. Camp by Col. John Milton. They were opposing politicians, Milton being a Troup, and Camp a Clark man, and both were lawyers of ability. The quarrel commenced with a communication signed "Carroll," published in the Columbus Democrat, which harshly attacked Milton. The editor of the Democrat was Cosam Emir Bartlett, and upon him Milton made a demand for the name of the writer of the communication. Bartlett refused to give the name, but avowed his own personal responsibility. This led to a card from Milton, published in the Enquirer, in which he declared that no man of honor could notice Bartlett, because of his "debased condition in society." Milton further said in his card that he was satisfied that he knew the writer of "Carroll," and he proceeded to particularize him in such a way as to show that he understood Camp to be the man de "ventilated" Camp's previous life, or some reported incidents in his previous life, in a caustic manner. Camp replied in a style equally contemptuous and abusive, neither admitting nor denying that he wrote the communication "Carroll," but contending that Bartlett's assumption of responsibility for it was sufficient on that point. The matter rested here, so far as newspaper controversy was involved, for about three weeks, but old citizens say that insults were exchanged between them occasionally on the streets until the day of the killing of Camp. This event was thus noticed by the Enquirer of August 10th:

"On Monday morning last Maj. Joseph T. Camp of this place was killed by Col. John Milton.

"As there had been existing between these two gentlemen for some time a controversy, which has resulted thus tragically, and as we doubt not many and contradictory reports have gone out in relation to it, we presume that our readers are desirous of hearing a correct account of the affair.

"That we may be the better able to give this, we shall confine ourselves to the testimony, which was heard before the examining court.

"Immediately after the occurrence Col. Milton gave himself up to the civil authorities, and was brought before Judge Thomas for examination. Upon the examination, it appeared in evidence that there had been a long standing difficulty between the deceased and Milton; that Milton had frequently understood recently that the deceased had threatened to shoot him in the street. On Monday morning last, Milton was standing on the street near Gen. Howard's store, and saw Camp coming down the street in the direction of where he was standing, he stept into the store and picked up a double barrel gun and shot Camp, discharging the first barrel into his left breast and the other, as he fell, into his back. Upon the hearing of the testimony, the Court upon application admitted the prisoner to bail. On Thursday the grand jury found a true bill for murder, and on Friday the counsel on the part of prosecution moved to have Milton committed; upon hearing of argument the court decided he should be admitted to bail."

Incidents

The territory acquired from the Creek Indians having been divided into counties, in December, 1832, by the Legislature of Alabama, the county of Russell was then formed, and we find that early in 1833 some apprehension prevailed in Columbus that the county seat would be located "on the western bank of the Chattahoochee, immediately opposite Columbus," and that this would be "the first movement towards the establishment of a rival town."

The market house having been burned down (the exact date not appearing,) the Clerk of Council advertised on the 6th of April for proposals to build a new one, "precisely as the old one was, with the exception of a ceiling above, which is to be added."

NOTE.--The files for the months of September and October, as well as occasional numbers in other months of this year, being missing, some incidents worthy of note in the history of the town are no doubt lost to us.

The steamboat Georgia, on her way to Columbus, was snagged and sunk in December, with her whole cargo. The goods on board belonging to Columbus merchants were insured. The boat was raised again, and was running in 1881.

Latest quotations of this year, Dec. 14: Cotton 9� to 10; Bagging 25 to 30; Bacon 15 to 18; Coffee 15 to 20; Corn 50 to 62�, Molasses 40 to 45; Sugar 10 to 14.

The celebration of Washington's Birthday was again one of interest. The farewell Address was read by E. T. Marks, and the address delivered by Samuel W. Flournoy. John H. Love was Marshal of the day.

Personal

Samuel E. Andrews was for a long time one of the most useful and trusted citizens of Columbus. No man stood higher for unyielding integrity and an old-time candor and sincerity that commended him to the entire confidence of his fellow-citizens. Besides holding the office of Town Treasurer, he was for years an Alderman and a Justice of the Inferior Court, which position he graced by his impartiality and good sense. He was a builder by occupation, and many edifices whose erection he superintended dot the city. He died in 1862, at a good old age.

Dr. Stephen M. Ingersoll was a man of original views and much business enterprise. He removed quite early to Russell county, nearly opposite Columbus, and for some time gave the city trouble by his litigation for Alabama rights which he claimed for the west bank of the river. He was much liked by the Indians, and, while he was prompt to inform the whites of any hostile demonstrations or intentions by the red men, he always opposed any harsh treatment of the latter. He acquired considerable property in Russell county, and had generally on foot some business enterprise in which the public, were interested. He died two or three years ago, at an age not far short of four-score.

Seaborn Jones removed from Milledgeville to Columbus. He was one of the shrewdest and most successful lawyers in Georgia, well versed in the pleadings, and managing his cases with an adroitness that often surprised opposing counsel. He was elected to Congress, this year, in a contest that greatly divided the vote of Muscogee County, both M. B. Lamar and John Milton opposing him, and Lamar especially taking off many votes that Jones would have received had he not been in the field. He made an able member of Congress, and was again elected in 1844, by a close vote, after a spirited contest with the able Whig candidate, Wm. H. Crawford of Sumter. He died March 18, 1864, in the ___ year of his age.

John Godwin, builder of the first bridge across the Chattahoochee, was a native of North Carolina, but removed from Cheraw, S. C., to Columbus after making the contract to build the bridge. He did not reside immediately in the city for any length of time, but went over into Alabama, and lived "in the immediate vicinity of Fort Ingersoll, a little military post on the hill upon which the Baptist Church in Girard now stands. A number of business men of Columbus lived there at that time, transacting their business in town during the day, and sleeping across the river at night.

Mr. Godwin was a man of much mechanical skill, and became quite famous as a bridge builder. He was a most useful man in a territory such as this section of Georgia and Alabama was at the time when he removed to it, and though he is now dead, some of his works of public improvement "live after him." He acquired a quantity of valuable land in Russell County, and made some improvements far in advance of those common in the country at that time. He never filled or sought public office. He died in February, 1859, at the age of 61 years.

Ulysses Lewis was a man of characteristics peculiarly fitted to impress and mould frontier society, and no doubt contributed much to the giving of tone to the civilization of both Columbus and Russell County, Ala., to which county he removed with the first wave of white settlement, he was sternly upright and just, with a courage for any emergency, and a fund of hard common sense that made him the very man for leadership in such a country. After his removal to Alabama, he was for a number of years Judge of the County (now Probate) Court of Russell, and made one of the best and most satisfactory county officers in the State. He died in August, 1856.

Sol Smith, with his theatrical troupe, again entertained the citizens, in his own theatre, which, with the lot on which it, stood (No. 147) and several other lots, were offered for sale by him in April. Palmer's Theatre and Yeaman's Circus also paid the town a visit. .

Gov. Forsyth visited Columbus in May, and was tendered a public dinner, But, declined.

On the 4th of July, the Declaration was read by Dr. E. L. DeGraffenreid, and the oration delivered by S. W. Flournoy.

On the 5th of July, Hillery Triplett, (whose name was associated with several personal quarrels during the first year or two of the town,) was killed by ____ Cogbill, at the public-house of George W. Elliott, in the vicinity of the locality on which the town of Crockettsville (afterwards Crawford) was built.

Col. Hardeman Owens, previously of Columbus, was killed at his residence in the Creek territory, on the 31st of July, by a, party of United States soldiers.

The following are the names of steamboats given in the list of arrivals during the year: Chattahoochee, Columbus, Versailles, Georgian, Baltimore, Andrew Jackson, Van Buren. The two first named were new, capacious and elegant boats built expressly for this trade.

Rev. Ignatius A. Few was Presiding Elder of the District, and Rev. Jesse Boring stationed M. E. Minister for Columbus.

In March, Messrs. Van Ness and Cline having withdrawn, James N. Bethune became sole proprietor of the Enquirer.

The following persons served as grand jurors at the spring term of Muscogee Superior Court, 1883:
Jas. Daniel
M. N. Clark
Henry Lee
John Fontaine
Bartlett Wycks
S. R. Andrews
J. T. Kilgore
Darius Cox
Theo. Sapp
Willis P. Baker
James Riley
B. Massey
Edward Carey
Thos. P. Bryan
Josiah Grimes
E. W. B. Spivey
William Rogers
Chancey Pomeroy
L. J. Davies
S. W. Langston

Wm. L. Jeter had editorial charge of the Enquirer during the latter part of this year.

We find advertisements or other mention of the following business men not hitherto noticed: