Ed Jackson and Charles Pou

The University of Georgia

June 2

1775 Georgia patriots spiked cannons in Savannah so they could not be fired to celebrate King George III's birthday.

1864 Confederate Gen. George Pierce Doles was killed in the Battle of Cold Harbor in Virginia. For more information on Doles, see the May 14, 1830 entry.

For more, see This Week in Georgia Civil War History.

1868 Black educator and civil rights leader John Hope was born in Augusta. In 1895, he spoke out against Booker T. Washington's "Atlanta Compromise" address [see text]. Hope became the first black president of Morehouse College (1906-1931) and first black president of Atlanta University (1929-1936). He also participated in the Niagara Movement and formation of the NAACP.

Hope died Feb. 20, 1936, and was buried on the grounds of Morehouse College in Atlanta.

1913 The Atlanta Journal reported that Leo Frank's defense would insist the elevator in the National Pencil Factory was not moved on the day of the murder (April 26), that the murder happened on the first floor (not the second as surmised by detectives), and that the blood found on the second floor likely came from workers who frequently cut themselves on the machinery there. Furthermore, Frank's defense would argue that Jim Conley alone committed the murder. [According to Alonzo Mann – who testified in 1982 that he had witnessed Conley carrying Phagan's body but had been afraid to tell the police at the time – this is probably what happened.] Meanwhile, Minola McKnight, the black cook for Leo Frank's family, was brought in for questioning. At first she corroborated Frank's story concerning the times he arrived home for lunch and then returned to the factory the day of the murder. She was agitated, believing her estranged husband had been telling lies to the police to get her in trouble – but she said both she and Frank were innocent. Click here for a detailed accounting of the case.

1932 While fishing on Montgomery Lake in Telfair County, George Perry caught a 22 pound, 4 ounce largemouth bass – setting a world record.

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1935 The Boston Braves released Babe Ruth, who was only hitting .181 and had announced his retirement several days earlier.

1941 Actor Stacy Keach born in Savannah.

1976 A Lou Harris poll indicated Jimmy Carter comfortably led all Democratic challengers nationwide, but would be in for a close race should Hubert Humphrey decide to enter the race.

Jimmy Carter (left) and Hubert Humphrey (right)

1998 Playing at Milwaukee, 43-year-old Atlanta Braves pitcher Dennis Martinez won a 9-0 shutout of the Brewers to earn his 243rd career win. The victory tied the Nicaraguan-born pitcher with San Francisco great Juan Marichal as the winningest Latin American pitcher in major league baseball history.

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1737 Thomas Causton was keeper of the public store in Savannah. His journal entry for this date clearly shows the effects of a crop failure and overall food shortage:

"2 June: Mr. Bradley came to ask for Corn, Pease [sic], & Rice, complaining that this was the 7th day that his Horses, Hogs, poultry, & Dogs had no victuals; I told him I had none in the Stores, & I perceived there would be great Difficulties in getting any; after a good deal of discontented talk; he said, he would e'en go & kill a Sow to feed his Dogs. . . ."

Source: [no author or editor cited] Our First Visit in America: Early Reports from the Colony of Georgia, 1732-1740 (The Beehive Press, Savannah, 1974), pp. 247-248.

1740 Because of inadequate support from the Trustees and the British government, James Oglethorpe mortgaged his entire estate in England in order to pay many of the colony's bills. On this day, the Earl of Egmont wrote in his diary about a meeting with Trustees' accountant Harman Verelst on this matter:

". . . Mr Verelts [sic] also showed me a letter of attorney sent him by Gen. Oglethorpe to raise money on all his estate, real and personal, without limitation of the sum, as also to employ all his [military] salary from the Government for answering the bills he should draw on him for the service of the public. A real instance of zeal for his country! It seems the Province of South Carolina, after they had passed the act for raising £15,000 sterling to pay troops, &c. for the taking of Augustine, passed a second act, allowing 8 per cent. interest for raising the money, being not able to raise it among themselves; and out of hopes of procuring it in England, so low is their credit, General Oglethorpe undertook to find it on his own credit, by offering his whole estate, real and personal, for security to such English merchants as should advance the money, or to Sir Robert Walpole."

Source: U.K. Historical Manuscripts Commission, Diary of the First Earl of Egmont (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1923), Vol. III, p. 146.