GOVERNOR BICKETT WILL SPEAK IN SMITHFIELD ON SATURDAY, MARCH 16TH
m Jjc .Smityfirto litrM
VOLUME 37. SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1918. Number 19
AMERICANS DIE IN AGONY
FROM GERMAN GAS.
Many Artillerymen Among
Those Overcome by Poison
Gas ? Doctors, Working All
Night Over Victims, Curse
Huns Savagely.
(Washington Post.)
With the American Army in
France, Feb. 27. ? Sixty-one Ameri
can soldiers, gas victims, lay in the
hospital today, folowing a night of
honor. The doctors worked all night
on the cases. Five others were killed
in the gas attacks. Many of the
hospital cases include artillerymen,
who were overcome by fumes from
gas shells.
The first victims included boys
from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,
North Carolina, Indiana, Kentucky,
New Jersey, Tennessiee, Rhode Is
land, Ohio, New York, Washington
and Arkansas.
The attack came suddenly early
yesterday morning after a long day
of rain. The clouds had parted and
the moon was shining brightly in the
trenches. Stillness prevailed.
Suddenly there was a huge flare
from the German trenches as the
minewerfers were discharged. Then
came the detonations of high explo
sives, with the quick spread of deadly
gases.
Three officers ran into a dugout and
closed the curtain so tight they nearly
died through asphyxiation from the
charcoal fire. They were taken to
a hospital, but their condition is not
serious.
Three men were killed and nine
overcome in this sector alone*, during1
the first attack.
When the gas came over the men
endeavored to adjust their gas masks.
Those who weren't quick enought
were soon gasping for breath.
These were carried to a hospital.
A child could not look more helpless
than these Americans. Their huge
chests raised and lowered as they
fought for breath. As their breath
ing grew louder and more difficult
and choking started, the doctors hur
ried an oxygen tank to side of one
victim's cot. He drank in the oxygen
from the rubber cup with a sign of
satisfaction at the temporary relief.
The army has gas equipment and
will use it as the occasion demands,
but it is a matter of self defense. The
Boches introduced the gas terror to
the world. Its first use against the
Americans has aroused the entire
army to the stage of "seeing red."
Stirs Fighting Blood.
It would stir the fighting blood of
every American to view the hospital
where lay the victims of the first
German gas attack.
At the hour of ^cabling five were
dead and scores were in hospitals
struggling like drowning men for
breath.
At the field hospital where the first
twenty victims of German gas fright
fulness were taken, the doctors were
stirred to the deepest hatred toward
the Boches after having seen the suf
fering. The struggles of victims for
life could be heard 100 feet away.
Every effort to relieve the sufferers
was resorted to. Blood letting and
the giving of oxygen were tried.
Every breath was a groan. As the
sufferings became worse the men's
hands were outstretched as though
they were drowning. Their fingers
distended, they stiffened, there was a
sudden foaming at the mouth, then ?
the end.
The doctors cursed the Boches for
every minute the men suffered.
Watching gas victims is like watch
ing men slowly drowning or dangling
from a rope gradually suffocating.
Between 1 and 2 o'clock Tuesday
morning, gas projectiles were hurled
from minewerfers. Minewerfers are
fired electrically, the entire battery
being set off simultaneously, the sec
ond attack coming before a barrage of
gas projectiles. The projectiles were
equipped with time fuses. They did
not explode until they had landed in
the American trenches. This is the
first time the Boches have used time
fuses.
Services at Johnson School House.
There will be sen-ices at Johnson
School House on the second Sunday
afternoon in March at 3 o'clock, con
ducted by Rev. J. E. Lanier. This is
a change from the third Sunday in
each month to the second. This change
will continue through the year.
HEAR MR. BEVERIDGE TONIGHT
Canadian Officer \\ ho Has Been in
the Thick of the Fight Over There
to Speak in the Court House To
night Beginning at Eight O'clock.
Sunday night the people of Smith
field had the rare treat of hearing
Captain David Fallon, English-Aus
tralian Army officer, tell of the
awfulness of the terrible war of
frightfulness now being waged in
Europe by the scientific German peo
ple against the Allies.
Tonight the people are to have the
opportunity of hearing another man
who has been through the storm and
stress of trench-storming and the
privations and sufferings that come
to one who is doing his utmost to de
feat the Germans who are engaged in
scientific murder of all peoples who
oppose their ideas of Kultur. The
man who is coming is Sergeant John
D. Beveridge, a Canadian who has
been through some of the most ter
rible fighting of the war. He will
bring to us first hand stories of how
the war is waged. He was wounded
nine times and suffered untold agonies
while lying in a dugout in the mud
terribly wounded waiting for a
chance when he could get away with
out being fully killed by tha men
in the Kaiser's army.
Mr. Beveridge is one cf the most
eloquent speakers who have come
this way. He will bring to his hear
ers an idea of what German fright
fulness is.
The speaking will be held in the
Court House tonight beginning
promptly at eight o'clock. Let every
man and woman and boy and girl who
can attend hear him. His message
will arouse the people to a fuller
sense of their duty at the present
time.
Johnston County Club At U. N. C.
Chapel Hill, March 4. ? At a recent
meeting of the Johnston County Club
at the University of North Carolina
the following were elected to fill the
following offices for the Spring
Term:
Clenon F. Boyette, President.
W. Gillam Wilson, Jr., Vice-Presi
dent.
Jesse F. Morgan, Secretary.
William B. Wellons, Treasurer.
Frank O. Ray, Corresponding Sec
retary.
A good feed was enjoyed by all
present. There being no more busi
ness to come before the club it was
adjourned, with the hope that a one
arm man who has slept on the ground
at the Bentonsville battlefield will
fulfill his duty as president as ably
as the past president.
GENERAL NEWS NOTES.
Congressman Irvin L. Lenroot has
announced his candidacy for United
States Senator from Wisconsin to
succeed Senator Paul Husting who
was accidentally killed last October.
Through the efforts of the Emer
gency Fleet Corporation, 2,000 ship
workers drafted into the military ser
vice have been returned to the yards.
Thirty thousand workers, subject to
call, have been placed in the deferred
cassification list and will remain
there as long as they are engaged
in ship construction.
Chicago is the world's greatest
lumber market. The total receipts
during 1917 show that a new high
total of 3,354,117,000 feet was reach
ed. This was 11 per cent more than
the receipts of 1916.
Fifteen million people in 'this coun
try are shoveling coal, of whom one
fourth are firemen on railroads or
in power plants. In a day they have
converted 3,300,000 tons of coal into
ashes.
The fleet corporation is seeking an
arrangement with the army for the
return of workers who volunteered
for service, of which there are said
to be several thousand now in the
various branches. Great Britain was
forced to draw from her armies many
thousands of volunteers who left the
shipyards early in the war.
Mrs. Virginia Evans Bragg, widow
of the late General Braxton Bragg
and sister of Mrs. Augusta Evans
Wilson, the authoress, died at Mobile
last week. Mrs. Bragg was a mem
ber of Mobile county*9 oldest and
most prominent families. She is sur
vived by four children.
The sieve has yet to be invented that
will strain the bad taste out of seem
ingly pleasant sin. ? Epworth Herald.
RUSSIA HAS BOWED
TO TEUTONIC ALLIES.
Bolshe\ik Commissioners Sign Treaty
of Peace ? Give Turks Territory ?
German Socialists Have Attacked
the Peace Treaty and Charge Facts
Withheld ? Western Front Fighting
(Sunday War Summary)
Russia has bowed to the Teutonic
allies. The Bolsheviki commissioners
sent to Brest-Litovsk have signed the
treaty of peace presented by the Ger
mans, according to an official state
ment from Berlin which adds that
military movements in Great Russia
have ceased.
It was reported on Sunday by the
Bolsheviki commissioners that they
were about to sign the treaty. This
report was telegraphed to Lenine and
Trotzky after the delegates sent to
Brest-Litovsk had met the German
emissaries. There is little informa
tion available asto the details of the
meeting between the peace delega
tions but the Bolsheviki said they
realized that any further delay would
mean more onerous conditions and
they would sign the treaty without
further discussion.
Russia lost by the delay that en
sued when Trotzky announced that the
war, so far as Russia was concerned
had ended, but refused to sign the
formal treaty. In the interval be
tween the breaking up of the first
Brest-Litovsk meeting and the one
held late last week, the central
powers added materially to the de
mands which were outined when the
now famous "Hoffman line" was
drawn by the commander of the Ger
man forces on the eastern front.
Turkey was the beneficiary of these
changes in the peace terms. The
new demands included that Russia
relinquish the regions of Batoum,
Kars and Karaband (Karabagh) to
the Turks. These regions are in
Transcaucasia and mark a considera
ble addition to the sultan's dominions
in that section of the world. The
doctrine of the right of peoples to
self-determination was the pretext
upon which the new terms were added
to the treaty. It is probable that the
Bolsheviki delegation acceded to the
new demands.
While it is understood that all the
Teutonic allies have signed the form
al treaty ending the war with Russia,
it is said the economic and legal
phases of resuming peaceful rela
tions will be taken individually by
each country.
The German socialists have bitterly
attacked the peace treaty with Rus
sia. In a debate in the reichstag
there were charges that Germany
and Austria already are quarreling
over the spoils of war and that the
real truth of the situation in the east
is being kept from the German
public.
While Berlin says that the German
invasion has ceased, Austrian troops
have occupied three more towns in
Ukrainia and have captured three di
visions of Russian army corps. At
tacks by the Germans in various sec
tors along the French front have
featured the official reports from Par
is for the past couple of days. In
one raid near Rheims, the Germans
occupied a small position, but were
immediately ousted by the French.
In their engagements the French
beat off their assailants.
No further fighting has been re
ported on the American held sectors
near Chemin des Dames and north of
Toul.
Semi-official German and Austrian
statements say that peace negotia
tions between the central powers
and Rumania are "progressing favor
ably." One of the demands made by
the Teutons was that King Ferdi
nand of Rumania relinquish his
throne to his brother, Prince William
of Honhenzollern.
Airplane Mail Service.
An airplane mail service is to be
established on April 12 between New
York and Washington. Daily trips
are to be made between the two cities.
One of the objects of the service is to
train aviators for the army. An army
officer will pilot the machines used in
the aerial postal service.
Not to exceed 300 pounds of first
class mail, occupying a space of not
more than 25 cubic feet will be carried
each trip.
It is expected that the trip between
Washington and New York, including
the stop at Philadelphia, will be made
inside of three hours.
CAPTAIN FALLON'S ADDRESS.
Spoke Here Sunday Night to the Big
gest Crowd that Ever Assembed
In a Sinithfield Church. Told the
I'eople in Graphic Pictures Some of
the Awfulne88 of German Fright
fulness.
The biggest crowd that ever as
sembled in a Smithfield church as
sembleil 'n the Methodist church here
Sunday night to hear the address of
Captain David Fallon, the English
Australian army officer tell of some
of his experiences in the great war
in Europe.
The meeting was presided over by
Mr. W. W. Cole. It was opened with
prayer by Rev. H. F. Brinson. Mr.
Cole then in a few words presented
Captain Fallon. The Captain began
his address by telling something of
the happiness and prosperity of the
people of Belgium and Northern
France before they were swept by
the army of the Kaiser's Huns. He
told of how the German Emperor was
the anti-Christ of the twentieth cen
tury and how he sought to dominate
the world by the power of the sword.
For one hour Captain Fallon car
ried his auditors with his through the
hell of war brought about by the
ambition of the German Kaiser. In
picturesque and most graphic lan
guage he stirred the blood of those
I present as he told of the scenes of
carnage with a hail of steel and bul
lets falling thick and fast about him,
with his comrades falling on either
side as the men charged on the Ger
man trenches where they met the foe
in hand to hand combat. Most graphi
cally he told of a charge made by
one of the great thirty ton tanks that
swept over everything before it, even
running through the stone walls of a
German sugar plant, knocking the
building down and burying the in
mates beneath the falling roof, while
the tank swept onward until she was
disabled and then her own men blew
her up to keep her from falling in the
enemies' hands.
Captain Fallon told of many most
interesting things which showed the
sufferings and privations of those who
are fighting civilization's battles over
there. He paid a glowing tribute to
the greatness of President Wilson and
plead with the people to stand by the
government in every way possible ?
by helping the Red Cross, the Y. M.
C. A., buying Liberty Bonds and in
vesting in War Savings Stamps. He
said that the war might end in 1920
or it might last until 1940, but that if
it is to be won for liberty and civili
zation every man and woman must do
his part.
The speech was greatly enjoyed by
the great audience which came from
all quarters of the county, nearly
every town in the county having
representatives present and many
were here from the country districts.
Following Captain Fallon's ad
dress Mr. Ragsdale, Chairman of the
War Savings Committee, urged the
peope to buy War Savings Stamps
and do it right away.
SMITHFIELD HIGHS DEFEAT
THE DONALDSON CADETS.
Fayetteville, March 2. ? Smithfield
high school defeated Donaldson mili
tary school at basketball, by a 23 to
11 score on the floor of the F. I. L. I.
armory last night. ' The Smithfield
quint showed better form and much
more accurate shooting, and the re
sult was never in doubt after the
first few minutes of play. Peterson,
Smithfield center, was easily the in
dividual star of the engagement, his
all-round work being far better than
that of any other man on the floor,
though Sears, Donaldson's left for
ward, led in individual scoring, with
nine of his team's 11 points to his
credit. The lineup: Smithfield ? Ives,
1. f.; Gordon, r. f.; Peterson, c.; Par
rish, 1. g.; Wallace, r. f. Donaldson
? Sears, 1. f.; Hotchkiss, r f.; Lonon,
c.; Hutaff, 1. f.; Lingan, r. g.
Death of Mr. Ilafton Hudson.
Mr. Hafton Hudson, who lived near
Peacock's Cross Roads, died last Fri
day afternoon at about three o'clock.
He had been in poor health for sev
eral months. He was buried Satur
day in the family graveyard.
Mr. Hudson, who was a son of the
late John William Hudson, and a lit
tle over 50 years of age and was
never married.
"Buy War Savings Stamps and help
to win the war."
T11K FEAST OF SEVEN TABLES.
Unique Entertainment for Red Cross.
Gasoline Sold for kerosene. Farm
ers' Union to Open Store at Kenly.
Kenly, March 2. ? The local chapter
of the Red Cross Society gave an en
tertainment Friday night called "The
Feast of Seven Tables." Practically
everybody in town attended, and the
program was a most delightful one.
A table of delightful refreshments was
set in each of the following homes:
Mrs. J. C. Grady, Mrs. R. A. Hales,
Mrs. J. G. High, Mrs. C. P. Jerome,
Mrs. W. J. Hooks, Mrs. J. W. Darden,
and Mrs. R. A. Turlington. The fifty
cent admission fee entitled the ?uest
to enjoy the feast in each home. The
good women of the community put
forth a great deal of effort to make
the entertainment a success, and they
succeeded admirably well. The money
realized will be used by the Red Cross
Society, of which Mrs. H. F. Edgcrton
is chairman.
One of our local merchants ac
cidentally sold gasoline for kerosene
to a family in this community. Some
one from the home of Mr. Oscar
Hawley borrowed enough of the gas
to fill up a lamp. I^ater little five
year-old Bertie Hawley lighted the
lamp; immediately an explosion oc
curred, giving the child a severe burn.
Her face and neck were painfully
hurt. It is pleasant to report that
little Bertie is improving.
The store room formerly occupied
by Mr. D. B. Sasser has been rented
by the local division of thq State
Farmers' Union, the moving picture
machine has been taken out, and the
store is being fitted up with a large
stock of goods to be handled on the
co-operative plan. It is the purpose
of the managers to put in a six thous
and dollar stock and to accommodate
as many of the farmers as possible.
Professor and Mrs. M. B. Andrews,
with their little son, are spending the
week-end in Macclesfield as the guests
of Superintendent and Mrs. Robert K.
Iloke. Mr. Andrews acted as a judge
in the debate contest between the
teams of Macclesfield and Tarboro
Friday night. It is interesting to
observe that Professors Andrews and
Hoke were close friends while in col
lege and that Mrs. Hoke was one of
the first students Prof. Andrews ever
taught.
Red Cross Notes from Four Oaks.
The Red Cross Room in the attic
of Mrs. B. B. Adams is open every
Tuesday afternoon. The members
are expected to come, and any one
interested to see what the workers
are doing is invited to come. We
particularly desire the wives of some
of the farmers of our community to
visit us and be one of us. When you
come do not wait to be invited in
for on this particular afternoon
everybody is working, and you will
find a notice on the front door direct
ing you how to find the room.
Just now we are making hospital
shirts, outing pajamas, muslin ban
dages, gauze wipes, and knitting
sweaters and socks.
Our greatest trouble is to get ma
terial as fast as we can work it up.
Our members and citizens have been
loyal as has been our Mother Chap
ter, and each time that we have
closed a work day using the last
yard we have been supplied before
the next meeting.
This past week the chairman met
with a pleasant experience and a
generous response. On Saturday she
attended service at the Primitive
Baptist church and was kindly per
mitted to represent the Red Cross
cause. The members of this church
represent some of the best farmers
and staunchest citizens in our county
and they proved their patriotism by
donating $34.50 to the Red Cross
there in about ten minutes. On the
way home the chairman had a bolt of
goods given her by our big hearted
merchant, Mr. G. K. Massengill, who
is Treasurer of the "Four Oaks Red
Cross Branch."
Thank you, friends, for this as
sistance. We are going to cut, sew,
press r.nd knit with a vim and just
before this gives out we shall call
again, for our boys must be cored
for, as they fight for us in that far
off land. ? Reporter.
Mr. Hammer Renominated.
United States District Attorney W.
C. Hammer, of the Western North
Carolina District, has been renomi
nated by the President. Mr. Hammer
is editor cf the Asheboro Courier.
THE MASONS MAKE A CALL,
From Kenly Lodge No. 257 A. F. &
A. M., to the Masons* Wardens
and Brethren of the Subordinate
Lodges Under the Jurisdiction of
the Grand Lodge of North Carolina
A. F. & A. M.
Brethren:
OUR NATION IS AT WAR! Many
of our people are awake to this fact,
but thousands have not yet realized
what it means. The preservation of
your liberty and freedom, your homes
and loved ones is at stake. More than
a thousand North Carolina Masons
and another thousand sons of Masons
are in this fight, and this is but a
beginning unless we put our hearts
and time and money into the cause.
There can be no doubt of final vic
tory if we support our Government
as we should.
At a meeting held in Washington
in December, representative of all
fraternal orders being present, the
President and Secretary of the
Theasury requested our co-operation
and help. Our representative at this
meeting pledged the loyal support of
North Carolina Masonry.
The annual communication of the
Grand Lodge held in Raleigh last
month fairly thrilled with patriotism
and resolution was unanimously
adopted calling upon the Masons of
this grand Jurisdiction to assist the
Government in all of its endeavors,
especially in the sale of its securities,
and instructing the Grand Master to
issue his proclamation accordingly:
Now, therefore, 1 George S. Nor
fleet, Grand Master of Masons in
North Carolina, do call upon every
loyal member of the craft to aid and
assist our Government and its agents
in every way possible in the conser
vation of food and fuel, in the sale of
all its securities, in gifts to the Red
Cross and Y. M. C. A. war funds, and
in the cheerful payment of all taxes
imposed upon our people, to the end
that our Army and Navy and those
of our Allies may be sufficiently
clothed, amply equipped, properly
fed, and diligently cared for, that
this horrible war may be brought to
a speedy and successful end.
Cost of Living Still Rising.
Another 2 per cent added to the
retail prices of food from December
15, 1917, to January 15, 1918, made a
total of 25 per cent, which the cost of
living advanced in the year ending on
the latter date.
The bureau of labor statistics has
announced that 11 of 15 standard
articles increased in price from De
cember to January, the greatest ad
vance being 8 per cent in hens.
Flour decreased 2 per cent, and
lard, bacon, corn meal 1 per cent
each.
In the 12 months from January,
1917, to January, 1918, potatoes alone
registered a decline in price, being
16 per cent cheaper. Corn meal ad
vanced 77 per cent; bacon 64, lard
53, milk 35, hens 29, butter 25, eggs
23, sugar 18, and flour 17.
SANDY SPRINGS NOTES.
We are glad to note that Mr. Man
ly Narron is improving rapidly from
a jar he received from being thrown
out of his buggy recently when his
mule ran away.
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Hinton spent
last Sunday with their son, Mr. A.
D. Hinton, in the Emit section.
The following were week-end visi
tors in this section: Miss Erma Nar
ron, of Emit, with Miss Maude Hin
ton; Miss Lizzie Scott, of near
Bailey, with Mrs. Phealon Boykin;
Mr. and Mrs. J. I. Boykin, with Mrs.
R. P. Parker.
Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Deans spent
Saturday and Sunday with Mr. W. G.
Hinton near Thanksgiving.
Mr. R. R. Narron and Mr. Graham
Lee have received notice to hold
themselves ift readiness to go the
training camp.
Mr. A .D. Johnson went to Smith
field Saturday.
Mr. W. R. Oneal recently lost an
other large hog from hydrophopia.
Mr. Marvin Creech has purchased
a new car. ? H. O. J.
February 28th.
Roy all School.
There will be a box party and other
entertainment at the Royall School
House (Elevation Township) on
Saturday nipht, March 9th. The
public is cordially invited to come
and have a good time.