J I,
.
T2
f .....
IT
TQ1N
PUBLISHED EVERY MOXDAT, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY.
VOL. XXXVIII.
NO. 78.
GASTONIA, N. MONDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST IS, 117.
92.00 A YEAB EC ADVAXCEL
Oil
I
HE
4
CHARGED IT
H TREASDTi
M'COY AND1 PH1PPS ARE TO BE TRIED
Two Virginians Are Alleged to Have
Recruited an Army of Three Hun
dred Mountaineers to Blake War
on United States to Connotate
Property and to Pillage and Mur
der -Planned Death of Governor
Stuart,
Big Stone Gap. Va.. Aug. 12.
Trial otWilllam Verdon McCoy , and
John w. Phipps, mountaineers, on
charge of high treason, will begin in
the United States district court here
tomorrow morning. The defendants
are charged specifically wltn recruit
ing an army to make war on the Uni
ted States, fomenting rebellion, re
sisting the conscription law and con
spiring to seize United States proper
ty. Phipps and McCoy were arrested
on May 27. 1917, by Virginia guards
men and department of justice agents
after, it is alleged, they had recruit
ed And organized an oath-bound
mountain clan of 300 men for the
purpose of over-powering the milita
ry guard stationed in Wise county,
seize their arms, murder wealthy
landowners In the mountain section
and divide the property seized a
mong the clansmen. Governor Stu
art was selected as one of the vic
tims' of the alleged gang. Indict
ments In' six counts were returned
against McCoy and Phipps at tlie
June term of the United States court
at Roanoke and the hearing tomor
row will be before Judge Henry C.
McDowell. Every precaution ;ias
been taken by the authorities to sup
press any outbreak of the friends or
the accused when the trial opens.
While opposition to conscription
figured in the plot alleged to have
been fomented by McCoy, soclalistls
tic idioms are said to have been the
basic principles involved, "the dec
laration of war" which officials say
was Issued by the leaders of the clan
declaring "that the country is ours
and all therein." The oath adminis
tered to the recruits, It is charged,
pledged among other things that the
signer would "submit to the sepera
tlon of his head from his body" be
fore violating the oath. McCoy is a
member of a family made famous by
the Hatfleld-McCoy feuds of some 20
years ago, while Pipps is said to be a
typical mountaineer.
FIVE AMERICANS
TAKEN PRISONERS
v
This morning's press dispatches
state that five Americans are prison
ers aboard a German submarine, the
navy department believes. Four or
these probably are the first prisoners
of the American fighting force taken
by the- Germans. T
The captain of the American
steamer Campana and four members
of the armed guard were taken from
the steamer when she was sunk by a
German submarine August fi, 140
miles west of lie de Re, off the roast
of France. Forty-seven survivors of
the steamer, which was a Standard
Oil tanker, have been landed safely.
HOT WAVE
KILLS MANY
(By International News Service.)
NEW YORK, Aug. 11. Nearly a
thousand people were killed by the
recent hot wave, says the health de
partment todaj. . There were 95
more deaths this week than the pre
vious week.
LABOR CONTRACT
FOR
NEW BUILDINGS
60x25045x8060x250
Giving the largest and best equipped exhibition
halls of any County Fair in the Carolinas To be
ready for occupancy by
THE BIG
GASTON COUNTY FAIR
OCTOBER 910111213, 1917
WILL BE LET ' K .
NOON, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15
AT THE OFFICE OF
J. M.
DOUBLE FUNERAL
AT PISGAH
Pisgah Associate ReroWned Pres
byterian church was the scene .yes
terday afternoon at 4 o'clock" or a
double funeral, a rather unusual oc
currence. Services were held at the
same hour over the' remains of Mrs.
Hannah Carson and Mr. Samuel T.
Whitesldes, both well-known resi
dents of the Pisgah neighborhood,
who died Saturday within a few
hours of each otherRev. A. T.
Lindsay, president of Linwood Col
lege and former pastor of the Pis
gah church, conducted the services In
the presence of a very large gather
ing of friends and relatives of the de
ceased persons. Both bodies were
burled In the Pisgah cemetery.
Samuel T. Whitesldes died at his
home Saturday at 11:30 a.' m., aged
46 years. He leaves one brother, Mr.
William Whitesldes of the same com
munity, and one sister. His wife al
so survives. Deceased was a son of
William Whitesldes and was born In
Gaston county. He had spent bis life
Jn that community where he was a
prosperous and well-to-do farmer.
He had for many years been a prom
inent member of Pisgah church, of
which he was a deacon. The pall
bearers for the deceased were J. E.
Falls, W. A. Falls, Lee Whitesldes,
Will Crawford, J. J. Gamble and
Eerl Ratchford.
Mrs. Hannah Carson, widow of the
late Edward W. Carson, who died
three years ago, died at her home
Saturday at 1:30 p. m. She was in
her 81st year, having been born No
vember 25, 1836. She was a daugh
ter of John White and a sister of Es
quire T. H. White, formerly of Gas
tonia but now living at Bamberg, S.
C. Mr. White was here for the fun
eral. She had no children. The pall
bearers for Mrs. Carson were W. M.
Crawford, William Fallaa, Alex
Crawford, Henry Oates, Ed Craw
ford and W. D. Anthony. Mrs. Car
son was for many years a loyal and
consistent member of Pisgah church
and was held in highest esteem by
all who knew her.
TO REGULATE
HOG MARKET
(By International News Service.)
CHICAGO, Aug. 11. That the
government will regulate the hog
market, was predicted by traders to
day as the record price has reached
$1.00 over a week ago, which Is now
$17.25 per 100 pounds. It is pre
dicted that pork chops will reach ."0
rents.
THE KAISER'S
PEACE TALK
(By Agence Radio to I. N. S.)
PETROGRAD, Aig. 11. The Ri
ca Dispatch 6ays today that on a re
cent visit there the Kaiser told the
soldiers that a peace pact would be
signed within three months. It is be
lieved that the Kaiser's visit is a pre
lude to the naval operations on the
Riga gulf and the Finnish coast. Tlie
Teutons are continuing a furious ef
fort to pierce the Russo-Rumanian
lines and envelop the army. In Kim
bolung sector the Russians are re
sisting the Turk-German onslaught.
The Germans are paying heavily for
every ince of ground they gain south
of the river sector.
r
9 , . I
Executive Secretary.
JLC.STROUPDjSAPPEARS
MYSTERY. SURROUNDS HIS ABSENCE
Former Meniler General Assembly,
Farmer and Merchant, Left Fami
ly Hitting on Front Porch Thurs
day Night, Said He Was Going to
Red and Has not Been Seen or
Heard of Since -Woods Scoured
and Lake Dragged Without Result
No Reason Known for Ml
Strange Actions Search Still He
Ing Made.
Mr. Abel o. Stroup, a well-known
citizen of the county residing at Ran
lo, a short distance east of Gastonia,
mysteriously disappeared from his
home last Thursday night and up to
the present time not the slightest
trace of him has been found. Search
ing parties have been scouring the
woods for miles around the Stroup
home but so far they have found
nothing that would give them any
clue to the whereabouts of the miss
ing man. Saturday afternoon the
lake at Armstrong Park was dragged
without result. The search is being
kept up today and will be continued
until he is found or until his family
is convinced that further search Is
useless.
Had the earth opened and swal
lowed him up, Mr. Stroup's disap
pearance would hardly nave been
more mysterious. Thursday night he
was sitting on the front piazza at his
home, just a stone's throw from the
Ranlo interurban station, talking to
members of the family. The Stroups
had as guests some delegates to the
Lutheran conference which was in
session at Chapel church. Remark
ing that he believed he would lie
down, Mr. Stroup walked back into
the house, presumably to his room.
He usually occupied a room to him
self; that night, however, it is stat
ed, one of his grandchildren was
Bleeping with him. The other'mem
bers of the family remained on the
porch for some time talking. After a
while they retired without any more
thought of Mp. Stroup, believing that
he was in his room asleep.
When Mr. Stroup failed to respond
to a call to breakfast the next morn
ing some member of the family went
to his room to see why he did not
come. He was not there and an in
vestigation led them to the belief
that he had never gone to bed. He
had evidently gone off without hav
ing changed clothing. His coat and
hat were hanging In the usual place
where he put them when he came
In early in the evening. From all
appearances he had left the house
soon after leaving the porcn.
Believing that he might return
home his family did not spread any
alarm until Friday night when tue
local police department was notified
that he was missing. Since that time
the local ollicers have been co-operating
with the family in searching for
M. Stroup.
Since the news of Mr. Stroup's dis
appearance became general there
have been reports from various
sources to the effect that he had been
seen Friday riding "in an automobile
in the neighborhood of 1-owell and
McAdenville but these reports are
apparently founded upon imagina
tion. At least none of them had re
sulted in any trace being round or
the missing man.
From all that can be learned Mr.
Stroup was in his usual health ana
was not suffering from any mental
derangement. He was in town, it is
understood, Thursday and talked
to several people. If he had any en
emies it is not known. He was not
in the habit of carrying money on
his person. Hence there is no reason
to suspect foul play. It has been ru
mored that he was financially em
barrassed to some extent, having lost
some money In a business venture In
Gastonia. At the same time he has
considerable property, including sev
eral farms. So far as can be ascer
tained there was no reason Known
why he should have taken his own
life and no reason to suspect that he
was the victim of foul play. The ab
sence of any motive for self-destruction
renders his disappearance ex
ceptionally mysterious.
Mr. Stroup is a Gaston county man
and is probably a little over r.O years
of age. Most of his life has been
spent in farming. He served two
vears in the. lower house of the State
General Assembly, having been elect
ed in 1912. He has served as tax
assessor and in other public capaci
ties and consequently was well
known to many people. He was in
business in Gastonia for a year or
two, operating the Gaston Seed &
Provision Co, which he sold about a
year ago to Mr. E. N. Lineberger.
Mr. Ernest Stroup, son of the miss
ing man, asks The Gazette to request
that every farmer anywhere In tne
section contiguous to Ranlo take a
search over his "property for Mr.
Stroup. Searching parties are still
out but It is hard to cover a wide sec
tion of territory in a short time.
COTTON MARKET
FOR TODAY
NEW YORK, Aug. 13. October
opened at 24.9, January at 24.5.
.... . .t .
Classified ads In The Gazette are
strictly cash with the order unless
yon have a regular account with us.
Please bear this in mind.
36TH AMERICAN
SHIP SUNK
.New York, Aug. 12. The Campa
na was formerly the steamship Dun
holme. She was built in 1301 at
West Martlepool, England, and was
registered at 3,313 tons gross, 2,133
tons net. She was 335 feet long with
p. beam of 47 feet.
The Campana was the 38th Ameri
can merchant ship destroyed through
the operations of German and Aus
trian submarines and raiders since
the war began. Thirteen of these
ships were sunk before the United
States entered the war April 6, 1917,
and 25 since that time. The total
tonnage of tbe ships lost is about
113,000 tons, including 64,000 tons
sunk since April 6.
No American ships fell victims to
the central powers in 1914 and only
two ln1913 and the same number in
1916. When Germany began her
unrestricted submarine warrare, how
ever, attacks on American shipping
became more frequent, and America
lost nine ships between that date and
the time when the United States de
clared a state of war existed with
that country.
The first American ship sunk was
the William P. Frye, Jan. 28, 1915.
COMPANY B
TO GREENVILLE
vV
A thousand or more Gastonians
were at the Southern station Satur
day morning to bid adieu to the
members of Company B, which had
been ordered to Camp Sevier at
Greenville, S. C, for guard duty. The
crowd was made up of parents, sis
ters, brothers, sweethearts and
friends of the soldier boys. The Ma
chine Gun Company was lined up
near the train. The boys were given
a hearty cheer as the trained pulled
out. 'When the company came to the
station to entrain, it is stated, it was
short two men of the 150 and two
red-blooded young Americans, ascer
alning that fact, enlisted and went
with the company in their citizens
clothing.
WHEAT PRICES
TO BE FIXED
(By International News Service.)
WASHINGTON. Aug. 13. An an
nouncement is to the effect that Her
bert Hoover, the food administrator,
will take over the control of the na
tion's wheat, beginning the first of
September. The farmers" organiza
tions are making plans throughout
the 1'nited States today to secure the
proper man on the committee to fix
prices. President Garfield, of Wil
liams College, will be chairman, but
the senators and congressmen will
ask the president and Hoover to ap
point a practical man to assist him.
The farmers are dissatisfied with the
minimum price of $2,110 for wheat
by the Senate.
NEGRO STOLE CAR;
IS MISSING
Chka, Witherspoon. colored, chauf
feur for Mr. J. H. Separk.is luisslne
and thereby hangs a tale. Iat wees
Mr. Separk and family motored from
Gastonia to Blowing Rock in his new
Cadillac. Mr. Separk returned to
Gastonia while Mrs. Separk and son,
together with several others from
Gastonia. motored from Blowing
Rock to Asheville to spend a few
days. The negro chauffeur, by tell
ing an ingenious tale at the garage
where the Separk car was being kept,
got possesion of it one night and
evidently took a party out for a joy
ride. Sometime in the night the car
was found in West Asheville. It had
been run off of a high embankment
and was resting on its top. How the
occupants escaped serious injury is
remarkable. Witherspoon was seen
in the early hours of the morning m
Asheville but escaped arrest and has
not yet shown up. The car was
brought back to Gastonia. It was
not very badly damaged.
INJURED IN
'RUNAWAY
Mr. Monroe Whitesldes was pain
fully Injured Saturday afternoon
when a team of mules he was driving
became frightened and ran away. He
was thrown under the wagon and the
tongue struck his body, Inflicting
painful Injuries. So bones were bro
ken, however, and he is getting along
nicely, though still confined to bis
bed. Hr. Whitesldes was returning
to town from bis farm ynth a load or
watermelons and was turning in
from the Linwood road to Franklin
avenue when the accident occurred.
He Was removed Immediately to his
borne. . ' i ' , . , : :
GERMAN 'PLANES
ARE DESTROYED
(By International News Service.)
LONDON, Aug. 13. Two of the
German aeroplanes that took part in
the raid Sunday were destroyed, by
the British pursuers, it was officially
announced today.
OBJECTORS GO
TO CANTONMENT
(By International News Service.)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13. The
members of religious sects who are
opposed to the war, also conscien
tious objectors and all others fight
ing the conscrlptoln will be sent to
the national army cantonments re
gardless of creed, it was announced
by Genral Crowder today, and they
will be put to other work than drill
ing. AMERICAN
STEAMER SUNK
(By International News Service.)
WASHINGTON. Aug. 13. The
American navigation steamer City of
Athens, bound from a New England
port to Cape Town, South Africa,
struck a mine and was sunk. Amer
icans were among the crew. Fifteen
passengers are missing.
MUST ESTABLISH
NEW GOVERNMENT
(By Agence Radio to I. N. S.)
ZURICH, Aug. 13. Leader Sche
ldemann in Germany is quoted today
as saying that Germany must estab
lish a parliamentary form of govern
ment. He further demanded the res
ignation of the Vice-Chancellor Helf
fereich and the concentration of au
thority In the Reichstag.
QUIET REIGNS
ON EAST FRONT
(Hv International News Service.)
LONDON, Aug. 13. (Official.)
Comparative calm prevailed on the
lxms. and Belgian frontiers last
night. A great battle for the pos
session of the province of Moldavia
has developed along a ."lO-mlle front
on the Eastern front. Vienna dis
patches admit that the Kusslans and
Roumanians are defending the prov
ince stubbornly, making vicious
counter attacks when the Teutons
made gains. The naval base of the
Russians at Sevastopol on the Black
sea has been attacked by German
airmen.
JAP MISSION
REACHES U. S.
(ISv International News Service. i
A' PACIFIC PORT. Aug. -The
Imperial Japanese Mission to t;ie
Tinted States arrived today on board
a Japanese warship and were met by
1'nited States troops. They were es
corted to the city hall where a for
mal reception in their honor was
held.
NO
PASSPORTS TO PEACE COX-
FEREXCE.
(By Agence Radio to I. N. S.)
PARIS. Aug. 13. England, Italy
and France decided at conferences,
which they recently held, not to
grant jiassports to delegates seeking
to attend the international peace
conference of the socialists at Stock
holm next month, says the Matin to
day. Daniel O'Connell, an attorney of
San Francisco, was arrested Wednes
day while making a speech at a meet
ing of the "American Conference for
Democracy and Terms of Peace." He
was charged with making resistance
to the draft.
Mr. Fred W. Burns was acquitted
of any violation of the conscription
Iauv Thn evidence was not sufficient
to convict as he proved that there
had been no intent on his part to do
anything against the draft law. He
is a subscriber, and has been for
years, to Tom Watson's paper.
At this particular time when ev
erything seems to be so uncertain in
many of our activities tbe education
al edition of Tbe News and Observer
ought to lnspiro every "North Caro
linian to do his best to help our
State to maintain its standard in the
educational progress of the country.
The work of training our young peo
ple for citizenship should not be di
minished, because it would, impair
the future success of the country.
This edition contains many valuable
contributions and tbe contents in its
entirety are excellent. : .
v7:; y " r ,-
III SOCIALCiRCLES
LATEST EVERTS' IK WOEm WJSll'
MOTORED TO
MOUNTAINS.
HP?-.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred D. Barkley and
little daughter, Jennie Gray; Mrs.
J. H. Separk and son, Joe; Misses
Blanche and Myrtle Gray and their
guest, Miss Florlne Hodges, of Blr-'.,
mlnghani, Ala., constituted a party
which motored last week. to Blowing
Rock and Asheville. returning to '
Gastonia Friday night. - ,
FEDERATION MEETIXG -
is postponed, v ,;
It has been found necessary to ,
postpone tbe meeting of the annual .
Gaston ounty Federation of Women
Clubs at Linwood. This was to nave
been Saturday, August 18. Tbe date '
will be announced very soon, - it is
hoped.
Mrs. M. P. Shetley and Miss Msg
gie Gamble met with Mrs. C. P. Rob
inson and they have made but a
splendid program which we hope to
carry put in full and give to the pub
lic Just as soon as possible. We bop
all clubs will elect delegates to rep
resent them at this meeting, especial
ly at the business session.- But all -ladies
of the county are invited to at-
tend. The meeting will be open to
tbe men also, and we hope to see a '.
good number present. '
STORY HOCK
GREATLY ENJOYED.
The story hour for the children,
conducted on the lawn of the First
Presbyterian church last Thursday .
afternoon, was a splendid success. .-.
Forty-three children were present
and entered heartily into tbe. games
and stories of the afternoon. Tbe
hour was conducted by Miss Carrie '
Glenn, assisted by Miss Sue Ramsay
Johnston, who led the children In a
number of Interesting games, such as -"Farmer
In the Dell", "Howdy Do
My Partner", "Hickory. Dickory.
Dock", and "Lost Child". Tbe fol
lowing stories were told: "Plato of
Pan Cakes", "Great Big White Bear",
"Ragabug" and "Pig Brother'.', -
These story hours are given under ,
the auspices of the publla library and '
all the children of the town are in-
vlted to attend. They are conducted
on the lawn of tne First Presbyte
rlan church each Thursday arter
noon from 6 to 6 o'clock.
"A magic carpet is spread, they say,
On the Presbyterian lawn across "
the way. v
A story carpet that makes you see
The wonderful things that used to
be
Giants and dragons, brownies and
elves.
Just come on Thursday and see for.
yourselves."
Zoe Kincald Brockman.
CONSCRIPTION OF
LABOR IS URGED
(By International News Service.)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13. The
conscription of labor to carry out
shipbuilding contracts, which tne
government has taken over, is urged
by the Pacific coast constructors. Fac
ing a 2" iter cent increase In the cost
of labor tliey contend that labor men
are endeavoring to arrange condi
tions whereby the present labor
shortuge advantage may continue af
ter the war when the labor market is
expected to be glutted.
General Crowder takes the view of
the draft law that it was passed for
the interest of the country and not
of the individual. It will nt be so.
easy to get exempted as it was first
thought by many. (Jen. Crowder in
recent rulings has taken the position
that married men will be exempted
only w hen it is to the interest of the
government that they should be ex
cused from service. The man, wno
desire3 exemption for industrial rea
sons, must likewise show the neces
sity and prove to the board that bis
business Is necessary to the public
interest or to the maintenance of
military establishments.
In Him.
"Children," said the teacher, in
structing the class in composition,
"you should not attempt any nights
of fancy, but write what ia In you."
As a result of this advice Bobble
turned In the following composition:
"We should not attempt any Cites
of fancy, but rite what Is In us. In
me there is my stummick, lungs,
liver,- two apples, two cakes and my
dinner." Current Events. A,
Hit and Run.
"When I arose to speak," related
the martyred statesman, ."someone
threw a base, cowardly egg at me."
"And what kind of an egg might
that be?" asked an attentive listener.'
"A base, cowardly egg explained
the statesman, "ia one that bits you
and then runs." St. Paul Pioneer
Press. , ," . v
Artist With Hone Sense. ;
Friend What on earth are you
doing to that picture? , -, vs
Great Artist I im robbing a '
piece of raw beef -over this rabbit In
the foreground. Mrs. DeShoddie
will be here this afternoon, and when
she sees her pet dog smell of that'
rabbit she'll bay . It. New York
Weekly Press. - - ' ' ,
i
7- f