Newspapers / The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, … / March 28, 1908, edition 1 / Page 1
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L rV ' 'x U w v- - - AV XV V S SUBSCRIPTION PRICE:' $8.00 A TEAE. CHABLOTTE, N. C, SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 28, 1908. PRICE FIVE CENTS. r THE ALDB1CII B1LI PASSES BAILEY SUBSTITUTE IS KILTED t . Loaded , Down With Amrndmrnla. and Radically Dinerent from original WDWUni rniuiru .uj jha ixnaiAr I'm))! Rhode Inland. tli Financial Bill Go8. Through the f-enate by a Party Tote of 43 to ft Three Democrats Vote For 'a the Measure a pa rive ltepuDiicans Aestiist H" ocnator utwiiub Mukcs Final Speech Agalnut Ita vajutaee. Characterizing It aa Thin Patch Upon Our Monetary mystem Text of the Import ant Amendment! and the Outline. of the BlU. . . SENATE SUMMARY. The Senate devoted its entire session yesterday to a consideration of tha Aldrlch currency bill. After further mending the measure It was passed by a vote of 43 to Is. The Senate then adjourned at tJO o'clock until Monday. - Washington.-March '-27. The Aid rich currency bill was passed by the Senate to-day by a vote of 42 to 16 In the main a party vote. Previous to the taking of the vote on the Aid rich bill, a vote waa taken on tha Bailey substitute authorizing the government, Int ad of the national banks, .; to issue tha emergency cir culation -for which the bill provldea. The vote on the substitute stood 40 to II, and this vote waa entirely par tisan, even Senator LaFollette casting , his vote with the. Republicans. Tha bill has been before the Senate since January tth. The vote waa not reached until after 6 p. m. , . . . An Interesting feature of the pas- sags of the bill was a reiteration by Mr. Aldrich of hla promise to bring in. a bill for an investigation of the entire banking system of the country .with view to instituting reforms. THE BILL'S PROVISIONS. As .passed the bill provides for not tnere than $500,000,000 of emergency currency to be Issued to .national banks upon the deposit by them of State, county and municipal bonds to be approved bjr the Secretary of the Treasury. ..The currency is to be la sued With a view of .securing an equitable distribution of the currency over the United States, and in- ac cordance with the unimpaired capital and surplus of banks in each State Banks are to pay for this emergency circulation half of one per cent- month during the first four months It s circulated and afterwards J-4 of ene per cent, a month. ,r The . bill provides '" that national banks anall pay -not-less than l per rent ;n government tunas aeposiiea with them, -'-'.r, IMPORTANT CHANGES. - As .amended to-day the' bill car ries an important change In banking laws' relating to bank reserves. This amendment orovldes that of the IS per cent. : reserve required to be kept by Dan KB not in reserve ciiieo, iuui -fl ft ha Is to be kept in the vaults of the bank and of that amount one third can be In the form of securities of the kind reaulred. ' By another amendment agreed to to-day, the period during which half of 1 per cent, interest la to D cnarg ed was reduced from I to 4 months' after which -4 of 1 per cent, is to be charted until redeemed. At the instance of Mr. LaFollette, an amendment was adopted prohibit ing any national bank from investing Its funds in stocks or other securities of a corporation, the officers or direc tors of which are officers or directors of the bank, and providing a penalty of Imprisonment of from one to five ' years. The proposition to insert pro vision for a government guarantee of deposits in national banks waa , de feated by-a vote of 11 to 40. An amendment by Mr. LaFollette to punish by from one to five years' Imprisonment any falsification In bank securities waa adopted. . .'BAILEY' SUBSTITUTE KILLED. Senator Teller offered on request of Senator Bailey, of Texas, who waa absent, the substitute currency bill of the Senator from Texas, which he stated was in the main similar to the Aldrlch bill with the difference that It provided for government instead of bank paper, and asked for a roll call. The vote was - II to 42 against the bill. ' -:-."-' " ' " Before the vote was taken on the Aldrlch bill Senators Teller and John ston Democrats) explained' their reasons for voting ' for the' measure, and Senator Overman his reasons, for opposing it. Mr. Overman said in part! . "The Aldrich bill ' does not get at the root of the trouble but only ad ministers to the diseased surface. It Is said It Is a patch; it is a thin patch upon the crasy quilt of our monetary system. A salt solution for use only when death Is imminent or an emer gency comes. - - ; . . . : j. MR. OVERMAN'S OPPOSITION. "What avail would this bin have been, what relief would' it have brought to the country banks In Oc tober last The country banks do not own State, county, railroad, or municipal bonds. They only bear 2 or 4 per rent. Interest and the banks cannot afford to own them when they can loan every dollar they have at and 8 per cent. These bonds gener ally go to-the great money, centres and are held by savings banks, insur ance and trust companies and . the great national banks. .It Is a mon strous proposition to say that the banks would have taken one hundred thousand and more of currency from their vaults to purchase bonds and get back in return only 175,000 to 10.000 in high taxed) money."- t Following was the Vote on the pas sage of the bill: Yeas Aldrich,. Ankeny. Beverldge, Branderee, Burkett Burham, Bur rows, Crane, Cullom, Curtis, Depew, Dick, Dillingham, Dixon. Dolliver. DuPont Elkina. Flint. Frye. Gallin ger. Gamble. Guggenheim. Hopkins. Johnston (Democrat), Ream, - Knox, Lodge, Long; McCumber. Nelson, Owen. (Democrat), Perkins. Piles, (Richardson. Smith, of Michigan: Smoot Stephenson. Sutherland, Tel ler (Democrat). Warner, Warren and Wetmore Total 4!. Nays Bankhead, Borah (Republi can), Bourn (Republican), Brown (Republican), Culberson, . Frarier, Gary. Gore. Heyburu (Republican). LaFollette (Republican). McCreary, McEnery, McLaurln, Overman, Fayn ter smd Taylor Total 14. IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS. . Following Is the text of important j (Continued, oa Page Three) G LEA N'S LETTER TO FItf LE REGARDING MILEAGE BOOKS. Immediately Tpon Hla Return From the North Governor Glenn Writes - Letter to the President of the Southern Protesting Against the . Order That Mileage Be Exchanged for Ticket Before Train is Board' ed Snch Action Will Revive the Friction Between the Public and . the Roads Urges That the Order Be Rescinded and the Spirit of Agreement Made Be Kept by the ltallroads. . . Observer Bureau. - The Holleman Building, Raleigh, March 27 Governor Glenn to-day wrote very strong letter to. President W. W, Flnley.'of, the Southern Railway, In regard to the new plan which the railways have announced their Inten tion to Inaugurate in regard to the mileage books, by' requiring the per son holding mileage to go to the tick et office and there exchange it with the agent for a tlck?et to his point of destination. There is a very big kick about this arrangement. The Gover nor's letter is as follows: THE GOVERNOR'S LETTER "On my return home from an ab sence of a week or more I was met by a -great many petitions and let fers from the traveling nubile in North Carolina protesting against the order made by the varloua railways regarding the mileage books and how they should be used- I frankly con fess. If I have been rightly Informed as to this order, that I am astonish ed such a course has been taken by the railroads. In good faith I enter ed Into an agreement with the South' ern Railway (all the other roads, with one exception, concurring there in), in which they agreed to do cer tain things on condition that I would recommend to the Legislature the passage of an act fixing a flat intra state rate of I 1-2 -cents. In com pllance with my agreement and In as strong language as I could use, . put this matter before the Leglsla ture and urged It to ratify the agree ment entered into between the State and the railroads. This, with one modification, the Legislature did and I received i letters from the railroads agreeing to the act as passed by the Legislature. Some of the objects in using the mileage books are: First on the part of the railroads selling tor a less rate because they get the use of the money longer and, second, on the part of the public because it saves a little money, and In addition does not have the inconvenience of standing in a press at a1 ticket wln- dow for a length of time in order to get waited upon, but can go at once to the baggage room, check baggage and take the train, thus avoiding the rush. - This order of the railroads, as I understand it, compels a man who has a mileage book to , go to the ticket office, have the agent take out the number of miles to the place to wnicn no is going and then get llckeftar that - omesbef ore- he -can even have his baggage checked, thus causing even more delay than is nec easary in buying a ticket. Now, Mr. Finley, there was a bill before , the. last Legislature fixing the rate - at 2 1-4 cents, but agreeing that if the railroads would, put on the mileage doors, as agreed, they- should be al lowed to charge 2 1-2 cents for intra State travel, - without being Indicted or sued, and that when they com piled with these conditions they would nave the benefit. of the 2 1-2 cent rate. The railroads objected to this bill for several reasons, one be ing that they thought the Legislature ougnt to trust them 'to act in good faith and asked that a flat rate of 2 1-2 cents be adopted, leavlns- it to them 'on their part to' comply with their agreement This the Legislature aid, showing Its confidence that the railroads would carry out their con tracts, and you personally assured me that - your road - would do so. and that you felt certain the other roads woud do the same. Now, if I had known that such an order as the one you have made was contemplated, I would not have submitted the propo sition to the Legislature; - neither would the Legislature have Dassed the bill, but would have passed a dif ferent one. Mileage cooks have nev er been used before in this way and while you may say you are carrying out the -letter of -your contract you are not carrying out its spirit and L therefore, urge that the Southern Railway at least having directly made this contract with me. repre senting the State, rescind this order and put these mileage books on as heretofore. This action only makes the traveling public hostile to the railroad- The other course makes them friendly to the roads. The only result of your action is to dissatisfy the traveling public with the rate law, and if you enter Into the spirit of our agreement you cannot desire to do this. I, therefore, urge that you have this order 'changed yourself and try to Induce the other roads to do the same, for such action aa you are t now taking will certainly bring about further friction between the Legislature and the railroad, which win be of no benefit to the roada Notwithstanding the decision of the North Carolina and Minnesota cases. you Know, as wen as L that the State is not without Its remedy, which can be effected by the Legislature, and neither the railroads nor the State can gain anything by having a spirit of hostility existing between them. Believing that after thinking the matter over and. seeing that this or- er is not in the spirit of the con tract made, with the State, you will remedy this wrong by changing this order, I am, with respect, yours very truly, etc." This letter puts the matter verv squarely up to the railroads and It will be interesting to know, what will De tne developments. It seems that some of the roads Intended te have this rule apply to even the family mileage books, but this week the Sea board Air Line stated that it would not apply to these SOO-mlle family booka . s. , . The Will a Forgery. Scranton, Pa., March 27, Albert N. Bahman and C. F. Reidei, subscrib ing witnesses to alleged will of James Crawford, millionaire coal operator. ho died about three years ago, in Florida confessed to-day that the win was a forgery. - The will in ' question bequeathed the bulk of testator's es tate to George B. Schooley, cousin of Mrs. Crawford. Schooley Is now await ing trial for forgery. Mine Owners Fear Trouble. Seattle, Wash.. March 27. Serious trouble is threatened at the Tread well mines on Douglass Island, where elKht undred miners are striking. The strikers. It is charged, have stolen large quantities of powder from the lne stores and threaten to destroy he works if non-unlontsta are land- Troops have been ordered from Fort 8eward to preserve order. SIMMONS ON ALDKICH BILL SPEECH DELIVERED THURSDAY In Support of His Amendment to the Aldrich Currency BUI North Caro ' Una's Senior Senator Made a Vlg . orous Speech He Spoke For the (People and Not For the Banks, Re Declared Three Reason For High Tax Against Emergency Money Hill's BUI In 189 Knows Complete Turn-Aboot the Republicans Have Made Democratic Efforts Now Be ing; Made Use of by the G. O. P. BY H. E, C. BRYANT. - Observer Bureau. Congress Hall Hotel, Washington. March 27 . Senator Simmons made a vigorous speech Thursday in support of his amendment to the Aldrlch bill reduc lnr the tax on monev issued under that bill during the nrat tnree montns oi i life of the notes from . 6 per cent, to 2 per cent per annum. . The sen ator said that he did not offer the amendment, in a spirit of hostility to the bill, although he could not vote for it in its present shape, but ne cause he believed it was going to pass and he wanted to make it a measure which would be of use to all the banks of the country and not those of the great reserve cities, and be cause he knew the adoption of the amendment would make the bill more acceptable to a large number of Sen ators on the Democratic side, as well aa'to the people living-In the sec tions served by the so-called country banks. He said he recognised the necessity for an emergency currency , wnicn could be aulckly brought into, requlsl tion to meet the abnormal conditions of panic or - stringency - and which could be as quickly retired when the stringency had, passed, but ne- said this bill imposed a tax of ( per cent upon every dollar issued under it and this together with the expense of is sue and redemption would make a fixed charge against these notes of 1-2 per cent. 1-2 per cent, in excess of the Interest rate which ob talned in most of the States, and of the usual commercial rate of inter est. He admitted that a per cent, tax was necessary ' after the emergertcy had passed ' to force the retirement of these notes, but he contended (hat that amount of tax was too great a burden to put on this money when the emergency. was on and the money was performing the function for which it was created ana relieving tne stringency and distress. He saldTpoints in the Republic show that the that banks that .already had these bonds, as the great financial instltu tions in the great central reserve cit ies could afford to pay this tax and use this money to advantage, but that the banks that did not have these 4 per cent, bonds on hand and could not afford to carry them as a part of their assets, and would nave to borrow there and pay the interest of 2 per cent for their nee, or. to buy them with money w"hlch they could loan at er acent..and lose- the difference, and that in either event this money would cost them 8 1-2 per cent., thoa giving 1-2 per cent, money In a por tion of the cmntry , nd 8 1-2 per cent, in other portions of the country. THREE REASONS FOR HIGH TAX. He- contended that there were three reasons for -a hth tax against emergency currency: First, to prevent this currency from being issued when there was no emergency: second, to prevent too much of it from being issued; and, third, to enforce Ita re tirement when the emergency is over. He said if under the bill banks could Issue this money whenever they desired to do so and in such quan titles as they wished, as in the case of money Issued by banks upon gov ernment bonds, that it would be nec essary to Impose a high tax to pre. vent its being issued when It was not needed or in amounts In excess of what was needed, but he contend ed that under the bill .not a dollar of this money could be Issued until the Secretary or the Treasury official ly determined that there was an em' ergency on,' and that not' a. dollar more could be issued than the Secre tary officially determined was need ed to meet that emergency, and that in this condition there was no neces sity for a high tax to prevent its ue when not needed or in unneces sary amounts; that the only necessi ty for a high tax was to enforce its retirement when the emergency was over and he said that our experience showed that these emergencies gener ally existed about three months. Be claimed tnat nis amendment fixing the rate of Interest during the first three montns at 2 per cent and per cent, thereafter would meet the necessity of this condition. ' AUTHORITIES CITED. During the course of his speech Senator Simmons, read many author ities to show that the so-called coun try banks do not carry bonds of the kind described In the, bill -and this money would cost these banks at least 8 1-8 per cent He was frequently Interrupted by Senator Aldrlch, chairman of the commute on finance, who had appeal ed to the Senate before 8enator Sim mons spoke to vote down his amend ment. Senator Aldrich-suggested that Senator Simmons waa speaking for the banks and not the people. Sen ator Simmons retorted with much ptrlt that It would be a, surprise to the country to know. that the Senator from Rhode' Island felt no Interest the banks, and that as a defender the people against the-banks he was playing a new role. Senator Simmons repudiated the suggestion that he was speaklnr for the banks and declared that under -the . bill of the Senator from Rhode Island not dollar of this money could be issued except by the banka am) that the banks would not lUely issue the mon ey if It was not to their .interest to o so. He said he believed bankers were as patriotic as any class of peo ple, out that the people could not get this money except through the banks and that If It was-agalnst their; I nterest to issue it they would not do so. The Senator read from tha opinions , ..a .In,,. n.Amln.nt honk... In.t,,. ng Mr. Forgan, president of the First atlonal Bank, of Chicago, the larg est bank In the country outside of New York City. senator Aldrlch jrala Interrupted him and said that bankers generally were opposed to -ie bill, that they wanted an .asset currency. The Senator replied that bankers might prefer an asset cur rency. but that the opposition of the banks of his section of the country to this bill wss upon the ground not that they wanted asset currency but because It would oe , or no use to them because ef Its high price, and hat he did not believe that the bank ers of the great commercial centres wre opposed to it and that he be lieved it was framed In their Interert. He said that he was surprlned to find the Senator frtSm Rhode Island lm- (Continued on Page Eight). EARTHQUAKE DESTROYS TOWN. What Havoc Was Not Done by Con Tulsion of Nature Is Completed by f ireee-News of the Disaster Mea 8Te. ,: .- - Mexico City, March 27. Chllapa. a town of IS, 000 Inhabitants In ' the State of Guerrero, has been shaken by an earthquake and burned. The shocks, two In 'number, occur red early last evening and were fol lowed by fires which, originating In a dozen places among the -tumbling buildings, joined In a conflagration that , swept the town. Only meagre facts of the disaster were known here and what has been learned has -Irib- bled In from a half -dozen sources more or less authentic. ; The loss of life, If any, as well as the monetary extent of the property( damage, is problematical, and con tinued efforts to gauge the catastro phe had beenr futile to-night Tele-; graph communication - with Chllapa was severed by the shocks and the town la, two days , by horseback from the nearest railway station. Couriers have been dispatched to Chllapa from Chilpanclngo, some 45 miles distant, and it is presumed that messengers for relief were sent from the burned city early to-day and nossiblv Immediately following the earthauake last night The reports that have reached here agree that the town was destroyed by the shocks and fire and that tne peo Die fled the place terror-stricken. Mrs. Emma Jeannette Dorville, an American, dropped dead of heart dis ease last night In the Tiburclo The atre In Vera Crux, during a panic which followed the earthquake. iNews of the panic reached Mexico City to night. Wnen tne quaKe was ion. m audience rushed for the exits and manv nersons were severely bruised but none was seriously Injured. Dur ing the crush, Mrs. Dorville dropped dead. - A gendarme was killed, IS persons were slightly hurt and one was raiai lv inlured In Mexico City last night bv fallina- beams and walls. All Of these were workmen. . Chllapa has a population of aome 15,000 persons and Is the largest town In the 8tate of Guerrero. To reach the nlace from Mexico City it is nec essary to travel one day oy - train and then four days over, a. rough mountain trail on horseback Reports coming in from various quaxe was leu over a wiae r,. uui that -In no place, witn tne possioie exception of Chllapa, was there any considerable loss or lire or property, MR. HOLT ELIMINATED. His Debate With Mr. Brooks Taken as a Solar Plexu to Illmsell ote f Cltj Items. ' "j ." , Observer Buread, - The BevlU Building. ; ' .V Greensboro, March 8T. " Vhw dtscusslon - between ; Prof. Alien Holt and Solicitor A. L. Brooks, aspirants fo the Democratic congres sional nomination. In the court house last night Is the talk of they town to day, the consensus of opinion appar ently ho1n that Professor Holt is all m In a tori frftltl the COntCSt. PrOfS- sor Holt advertised '.he appointment and invited Solicitor Brooks to , be present and make any reply ne mignt see tit to mane, ino :nenu vm. fessor Holt insisted that he would demolish Solicitor Brooks and came to the meeting, in a highly plated fmm of mind. Mr. Brooks had not spoken two minutes In reply to Pro fessor Holt until he had the crowd with him, and the enthusiasm In creased as he proceeded to tear Into shreds the alleged charges made by his opponent. It Is but stating a fact to say that the annihilation was full and complete. Mr. Brooks real-. ly made a masterly speecn, ana it ap pearances count for anything he won over to his support practically all of Professor Holt's friends in the meet ing. Professor Holt charged the Demo cratic newspapers of the fifth district with attempting to condone and cover up- the alleged offenses -of Solicitor Brooks and complained that he could not get a hearing in the press of his own narty. He also charged that either he. r some - other Democrat must defeat Mr. Brooks, or a itepuD llcan will have It to do. Mr. W. H. Rankin, of Brown sum mit, one of the best-known citizens of the county, has announced his can didacy for the Democratic, nomina tion, for register of deeds. In opposi tion to ReV. A. O. Klrkman,. wh has held the office for 12 or It years. Plana have been accepted for. the new Telfair Sanitarium to be erected in Glenwood, a residence suburb, and the contract will be awarded In a few days. The building will he an elegant two-story structure with- ail the modern appliances and admirably arranged for. sanitarium purposes.; YOUNG MAN KILLS HIMSEIjF. Tviwln Holt. White.' Probably De spondent on Account ot iu neaiin, ; SllOOtS II IIDMll loroniu mo Heart More Than One Effort Re quired to Do the Deed.' the Pis tol Shows Burial In Charlotte. By Bell Telephone to The. Observer. Graham. -March Z7. Edwin Holt White committed suicide to-nignt about 8:18 by shooting himself in the heart with . a 28-caiibre revolver. Mr. White was 25 years or age ana unmarried. Mr.. White's "brothers, Messra j. Harvey and William E. White, were at a meeting of the Masons,, and Ed win went home In the early part of the night and from all appearances bathed hlmeelf ana oressea as ir to LV."a vi wa. Noticed l-ciiia. "Y ' . ----1 ntil his brother wuium went noma fount locked be went fo-W., 1.' .I"n:Jl-rK.n. .?!! bed wKh . the revolver by his side. On. chamber of the w.apo n was empty and a, cartridge In another showed unmistakable signs of having been snapped at The ball entered the left breast In the third interstate, two Inches to the left of the median line, passing entirely through the body and lodg ing' just beneath .the skin over the lett SIXU no. inm D"'iy was finm- Ined by Dr. S. O. McPherson. the' coroner, and he pronounced the case; suicide and deemed an inquest on- necessary. i No cause la known for Mr. White's, action. He hid been, however. In! very bad health for several months and for the last few days had been, In unusually low spirits and very de spondent - . ; The funeral will be held to-morro afternoon from the White home and the interment will be in ElmwoodjS5 years of age. His wife was stand Cemetery lt Charlotte by the aide of p ing at the head of the steps talking hla lather and mother. 'with him when he fell. THE IIEABING AT BALEIGH WILL LAST BUT TWO DATS Mr. Jndnon Clements Hears Evidence In the Case Against the Norfolk A Western For Discriminatory Freight Rates to North Carolina .Foists ' Clerk Brown, of Corporation Com ' mission. Makes Report as to Flnnn clal Conditions of the Road Comparison of Rates llled Wln- ston and Durham Merchants Put on the Stand The Hearing Will End To-Day-Many Railroad Men rrcs- . ent Observer Buresu. , The Holleman Building. Raleigh, March 27. At 10 o'clock a. m. to-day the freight rate discrimination hearing was begun in the Federal Court room. Mr. Judron Clements, of the Inter State commerce commission, presld- in. The corporation commissioners were present as weh as their attor nava. five In number. The rails aye were' represented by the following persons: Louisville 4k Nashville C. B. Comp- ton. trafflct manaaer. and W. G. Dear ing, attorneys; Seaboard Air Line C. R. Caons. renerat freight agent: Tide water 8. M. Adsltt geueral freight sent: Norfolk & Southern It K. Bunch: Norfolk A Western T. S. DeVant vies president and traffic manager: -J. R. Ruffln, general freight agent: Ltjcls.n Cocke, general solici tor;. R. W. Ioe-e and Sydney, F. An drews, assistant special counael, Southern L. Green, freight traffic manager: J. H. Drake and George Thompson, assistant general freight asent: Atlantic Coast Line R. A. Brand, freght traffic manager. The fceaboard Air Line. Tidewater, Norfolk A Southern, Southern and Atlantic Coast Line are not directly concerned In this case, but Indirect ly ' they are and so their people are on the ground. The Richmond cham ber of commerce Is represented by B, 8. Goodwin, its traffic manager. The Virginia cities Richmond, Peters burg, Norfolk. Suffolk and Roanoke which are lnteveners in this suit are represented by Charles H. Davis and R. V. Davis, of Petersburg, and A. Thompson, of Washington. On the other side there Is a strong delegation of fourteen from , Durham. headed by Julian S. Carr, and twelve from Winston-Salem. A- B. Justice represents Charlotte and other towns have representatives also. N. L. Crawford, the president of the North Carolina Retail Merchants' Associa tion, is on hand and so Is Norman H, Johnson, Its chief attorney. In all about 100 persons were in the court room to-day.. VIRGINIA TOWNS OPPOSE ' At the beginning of the proceedings Attorney E. J. Justice,- for, the State, and the corporation commission asked the Intervening towns If they would oppose a reduction in the lites to North Carolina points, whether it did or did not Interfere with the Virginia rates. Davis A Davis, who are at tornsys Tor the ' Virginia towns,, said they -would oppose any reduction , In rates. Attorney Johnson, of the merchants' association, said this was a very slgnmclent admission.' The first witness was Clerk- Henry Clay Brown, of the - corporation com mission, th-jn wbom.no man in North v.aroiina : is neiier, inrormea snout railway rates. On behalf of the com mission he was questioned mainly by Attorney uuxnrie. MR, BROWN'S) EVIDENCE, The evidence given by Secretary Brown, was es to the financial con dition of the Norfolk A. Western Rail. way, showing it to be bonded at 8101.- wu a miie, to nave paid last year 4 per cent dividend on common stock and . 6 on preferred, to have paid a II expenses and to have a surplus. He riled comparisons of freight rates to Virginia snd North Carolina points irom me west; tor example, grain from Louisville to Virginia points, say Lynchburg, 11 cents snd to North Carolina, say-, Durham. 28, the rate from the VlrVlnla cities being 17 cents. This, shuts un the North Car. ollna towns save for absolutely local trade, as tne Virginia points can use the local rate and then undersell the North Carolina points. The meat rate is 27 cents from Chicago to the Virginia points, say Lynchburg, and to Durham, the rate from Lynch burg to Durham being 22 cents. Winston merchants and lobbera gave evidence that they could do only purely local business by reason of tnese conditions, - j. j. Norman, E. D. Vaughan. J. D. Vaughn n, F. S. Ver- nay, j. M. Rogers, c. wl. Thomas and others so testified. Durham business men. Ineludina Julian S..Csrr. Jr., A. U James and A. E. Lloyd, gave similar evidence. Here the ftate rested. The Norfnik A , Western will to-morrow put on a lot or witnesses, including Brand, of the Atlantic Coast Line: Capps, of the Seaboard ; Air Line; Green of the Southern: DeVent and Ruffls, of the Norfolk A Western, The hearlnr will be adjourned to-morrow evening, sa commissioner. Clements must be In New Orleans Monday. It will prob ably be resumed at Washington, ss all local evidence will be completed to-morrow. .' TRIAL OF TRAINMEN BEGUN. Late this afternoon In the Supe rior Court 'here the case of the State against Engineer W. W. Rlppey and Conductor J. M. Oakley, ef the South ern Railway Company, was taken up, having been postponed from last au tumn, when there was a fatal colli sion of freight and passenger trains at Auburn, near here, in which Engi neer Parker and Fireman Burns, of the freight and Fireman Bethel, of the passenger train, were killed. The coroners jury found that Rlppey. Dak Lev anil twA tr.ln - - -"r-lVT" w alnst Bethel. The State put k ws". train dispatcher at Ralelrh- m v p.iTer.tor at a Jh Hamilton, baggage-master on the wrecked passenger train, and T. S. Neal. conductor of the wrecked freight train,, many cars of which were burned.- . . . ., e.-, TJlrel. a Tl- -,. i " , . " f 7.. 7 TUl Special to The Observer, Greenville, S. C, 'March 27. Mr. John D. Wood, a traveling salesman from Sedalla. Mo., fell down a flight of stairs at the Salla Hotel, in , this city to-night and sustained injuries which wilt probably prove fatal. The base of his skull Is fractured: both arms are broken above the wrtxt anl It is thought that he is injured in ternally. - The injured man Is about BOOSEVELT HOUSE TOPIC IS HE A PRESIDENT OR A KING On the Strength of a Story In a Wash ington Newspaper, to the Effect That the President Had Be rated a Representative For Censor ing Judge Wilder Mr. Wllllame, . the Minority I reader, Announces His . Intention of Introducing a her ions Herniation Calling tor an Investi gationThe Representative in Uuestion Warmly Defends the Presi. dent and Absolve Him of Any In. tolerance President Did Xt . Thump Ills Desk" Bnt Uted Vlg- VTVIUi UTBUtUUIUUlIB. HOUSE SUMMARY. ; The question of whether of not President Roosevelt Is an lntoterant man after the fashion of King George HI. arose In the House of Represen tatives yesterday. The discussion was founded on a local newspaper story covering what purported to be the de tails ot an Interview Thursday be tween the President and Represen tative Dlekema, of Michigan. In which the President was represented as thumping his desk and berating Mr.. Dlekema for having joined In tha re port of the sub-committee on the ju diciary concerning Judge Wlldey of the United States Court in China On the- statement ot Representative Wil liams, of Mississippi, the minority leader, that he proposed to offar a resolution to ascertain If the President had encroached upon the privileges of a committee of Congress. Mr. Dleke ma absolved the President from the suggestion of intolerance made by Mr. Williams, and said that the President In the conversation which took place had displayed the greatest liberality In receiving his explanation of the cir cumstances leading up to the filing of the report. He denied that the Presi dent thumped his desk, but admitted that he gesticulated a good deal. Following this Incident the House engaged In a desultory debate on the agricultural appropriation bill, which, however, had not been materially amended when It was laid aside. , : At 6 p. m. the House adjourned. Washington. March 27. Minority Leader Williams, of Mississippi, In the House to-day, gave notice of his in tentlon to introduce to-morrow a res olution "to ask the committee on the judiciary to examine whether or not there has been on the part of the Executive, a breach of the privileges of the House of Representatives." Mr. Williams said that his resolu tion would be based on a news Item appearing to-day In The Washington Post bearing the heading "Roosevelt Berates Dlekema." The story stated that upon the occasion of a visit yes terday to the White House, Mr. Dle kema, of Michigan, who was a mem. ber of the sub-comblttee which Inves tlgated the charges against Judge Wllfley, had been taken to task by the President for having censured the judge. - - " - --. - ' ABSOLVES THE PRESIDENT. Mr. Dlekema got the floor to ex plain just what, happened at the con ference. He completely absolved the President of any intolerance.' . In railing attention to the matter, Mr. Williams said that it was a part of the fundamental laws of the Unit ed States that no representative of the people shall be called to account ror any vote, utterance or report made in his capacity as s Representa tive. "Our forefathers," ha declar ed. "Inserted that clause because It had been the habit of George III to call to the King's palace members of Parliament and to berate them on account of their votes In Parliament. or when members ot Parliament called upon other business, to take advantage of the fact to berate tnem and to class them among the crowd of king friends or no king's friends." Mr. Dlekema said It would have been cowardly, a neglect of his duty and an Injustice to the President did he not make an explanation. The President did not send for me," he said emphatically. "That statement la an entire mltaice." - D1EKEMAS EXPLANATION. He then said he had called to pre sent the Governor of. Michigan and the Wllfley matter incidentally came up. rThe President he said. In sisted that the report of the sub committee would do Judge Wllfley an injustice and Influence an opinion un fairly to the administration of jus tice and the1 prestige, of the Ameri can nation In China. "On the other hand," said Mr. Dlekema. "I endeav ored to explain to him why we arriv ed at these conclusions of law and fact. - - "Not only did he not act as a George III would have acted with s spirit of Intolerance, but he gave me all the time I desired to fully pre sent to him the side of the commit tee." - The President, he said, did not agree with the committee's conclu sions, nor did he with those of the President. . f DEFENDS PRESIDENT. He Insisted that the President had a perfect right to debate the ques tion, with him. "A member of the House," Mr. Dlekema said, "has a perfect right to defend his position, and in spite of the most liberality and of the utmost consideration of a member of the House, in spite of the utmost tolerance the President of the United States recognised that right." Never In the discussion, he said, did the President display the least symp toms of Intolerance, but at alt times the broadest spirit of American tol erance, such as had made our coun try great and such ss has exem plified the deeds of this President in the hlstooy of his career." "Did the ' President thump his desk, as the article states?" Mr. Wil liams Inquired. ' "I am glad to say that the Presi dent did not thump his desk." Mf. Dlekema replied, "but" he added, amid laughter, "the President In hla usual vigorous style used gestures," Mr. Dlekema answering questions by Mr. Williams, denied that the President had 'called him to ac count" or that the President said the gentlemen ef the sub-committee had no right to go on and make these rejections upon Judge 'Wllfley. Condemned Man Gets Respite, a rvuriuia. .. nircn (. Alter a night spent In prayer and preparing' On this point counsel for the ii:?ren for death. Leo C. Thurman. condemn- j iarv commission refusci to tak rrt, ed to die to-day as a murderer, was! neither objecting to nor cons.-nt; r t granted a respite shortly before thethe order, maintaining that the c t hour fixed for the execution, until; was without jurisdiction. April 10. He almost collapsed from the reaction after nerving himself to Comptroller Rulcthy Tto'ns. meet his fats peacefully. The Inter vention of Governor Wilson of Ken tucky, In Thurman's behalf led Gov ernor gwanaon to granting the respite. Thurman is a Kentucklan and this led;ors of his resignation rava t to the Kentucky Executive asking for: a stay. I CQSGBESSMAM USES A GUN SHOOTS OBSTREPEROUS NEGRO. Plucky Alabama . Representative Promptly Attacks Negro Who Re-, sent. His Kind Admonition to Cfeare Drinking In the Presence of ladles Throws Negro From - Trolley car snd Then fchoota Him , In the Head When Negro Slakes Motion to Draw a Weapon An Innocent Bystander ' Is Slightly Wounded by One of Mr. Hellln s Ballets Which Missed Its Mark The Congressman Is Arrested and Afterward Released on 8.1.000 Bond . Shooting Occurs oa Pennslyvanl . Avenue and Creates Great Excite ment Washington, March 27. In a des perate, affray on a Pennsylvania ave-' Due car to-night a negro and a white man were shot by Congressman 'Thomas J. Heflin, of Alabama. . Thomas Lumby, the negro, was shot -In the head and Is In a critical con-' dltion and Thomas McCreary, a New York horse trainer, Is suffering from a wound In- the leg. The shooting ef ' McCreary was accidental. Mr. Het- . Un was arrested and taken to the sixth police- precinct station, where the charge of assault with Intent to' kill was placed against, him. Later ' he was released on 15,000 ball. .The shooting occurred shortly after 7 o'clock as the car reached the cor- ner of Pennsylvania avenue and. Sixth street bound for Capitol Hill- , Congressman Heflin. accompanied by Congressman Edwin J. Ellerbe, ef South Carolina, had boarded the car, at Twelfth street and Pennsylvania, avenue, Mr. Heflin being on his way. to deliver a temperance lecture at the Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal church. Four-and-a-half street and John Marshall' Place. .-Upon board ing the car he observed two negro passengers, one of whom was Thomas Lumby, and who was in the act of taking a drink from a bottle of whla key. There was a number of other passengers. Including several ladles ; Mr. Heflin says he remonstrated with. Lumby and asked him to step 'drink ing, saying: "Don't take that drink, there are ladles hers and it Is not ' right. It Is against the law for you' to do this thing in a street car' and I hope you will put that bottle away." ; The other negro, who was sober, at tempted to take the bottle away from his friend, but - failed. It is said that Lumby became offended at Mr. Heftln'a remonstrances and applied vile epithets As the car reached: Sixth street and Pennsylvania ave- nue Mr. Heflin and Lumby were en-' gaged In a desperate straggle. Mr. Heflin, who Is a large, powerful man.i succeeded In throwing Lumby off the ear as It came to a stop. Most of the occupants of the cAr hastily alighted, Including Mr. and Mra Mc Creary. The negro fell to the ground on being pushed off the car. He rose and it Is said began cursing Mr. Hef lin again and made a motion for his hip pocket as If to draw a weapon. whereupon Mr. Heflin fired at jiim through the car window, missing the negro and hitting Thomas McCreary, who was about 20 feet from the car. Mr. Heflin fired once or twice again,. one of the shoU striking' Lumby In the head above the ear. Lumby ran a short distance snd' fell. Ao ambulance was called and hs was taken to the Emergency Hospital. The conductor of the car disappeared snd Officer George N. Scrlven .. took charge of the car and ran it to Third and Pennsylvanli avenue. There Representative Heflin was escorted by Officer Scriven to , the Capitol Hotel and later was taken to ths police station In a cab. He was hot locked up. Mr. Mo- Creary's wound Is not serious snd af ter treatment at a hospital he , re turned to his apartments. At the Kmersencv Hospital It was said Lum by, though badly wounded and un-. conscious, haa a chance to recover. His skull was fractured out tne sur geons were unable to ascertain to night whether the bullet had entered the head. Mr. Heflin explained at the station his reason for going armed. He is author of a "Jim Crow" car law in the District of Columbia and says that since he introduced the measure he has received many letters ot a threatening chsracter, and secured permission from the authorities to p armed. ' ; Mr. Heflin represents the fifth Ala bama district in which the Tuske gee Institute, of which Booker T. Washington is at the head, is locat ed. ' - ; - - PRTTCTIARD WpXT ABROGATE. Refuses to Revoke His Previous Or ders In Dispensary Matter Au thorise Paying Over of the $1. 000. Special to The Observer. Ashevllle, ' March 27. Judge Pritchard In United States Circuit Court this afternoon denied the mo tion of counsel for the 8outh Caro lina dispensary commission for an al teration or revocation of the court's previous orders snd decisions. The motion was made on the grounds that the Supreme Court of South Carolina had construed "the statute, counaei for the commission contending that his construction should be loliowea by they Federal Court Ccrunsel for he dlsDensary creditors maintained that the Federal Court was not bound hr tha construction of a State law py the court of the State after the Fed eral Court had taken Jurisdiction. The court held to this view and de nied the motion. Incidentally Judge Pritchard maa motion authorlilng the dispensary commission or the receiver to py lover the controverted 11 5.000 for tha prosecution of the alWeJ rafters. nroaee Wanlnsrtrn. D. C. V.rch 17 statement" 1" definitely male t .--' that Comptroller of e Cut- Rldfreley haa at lst rv.re1. I. rent off and on for v- -;. . day the r.nounccm?r.t is ti i
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 28, 1908, edition 1
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