TZZ ATSOCIATZD
PETS3
DISPATCHES
LAST EDITION
4:00 P. IL
Weather Forecast: V '
-.'".,' SHOWERS. " ', ;(
1
VOL. XVI. NO. 172. -
ASHEVILLE, N. C, MONDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST 28, 1911.
3?PERCbP7
WIFE'S MOTHER
ON THE STAND
Surprise Sprung in Beattie
Case Mrs. Owen Says
Daughter Was Sad and
Had Crying Spells.
A SCATHING ATTACK
MADE ON TESTIMONY
Effort of the Defense to Show
That Scherer, Detective, Ap
proached Defense's "
; i Witnesses.
SURVEY
OF STATE
FROM TIE CAPITAL
Wake County's Medico-Legal
Battle Comes to a Head-r-Damage
to Cotton Crop.
Chesterfield Court House, Va., Aug.
28. A scathing attack upon Detective
Luther Scherer' testimony - ' was
made by counsel for the defense when
the Beattie trial was resumed at
10:30. Scherer, who worked up the
case for the prosecution, gave Satur
day the most vital broadside thus far
directed towards ' Boat tie. Under
cross-examination today the prisoner's
counsel attempted toBhatter his tes
timony. - Hill Carter . directed the
cross-examination. ,
The prisoner arrived at the court
house at 10 o'clock. When brought
into the court room Beattie seemed
refreshed after Sunday's rest. The
defense's counsel directed certain
questioning; with, the apparent purpose
of developing whatever Scherer had
coached witnesses, Including Paul
lieattte and Beulah Blnford.
ITnd Discussed It With Them, .
Scherer admitted lie has discussed
the case with Paul two . times and
with Beulah perhaps 20 or 25 times.
Referring to Scherer' testimony Sat
urday, Carter pointed to the alleged
conversations between Beattie and
Bcherer after the murder.
, "Did Beattie tell 'you he failed to
Stop at any houses along the way be
cause he knew there was a physician
at the Owen home where he was tak
ing his wife?" ...
- Sharer replied: "I asked Beattie
simply FTie slopped at any of the
houses along the rout to set people,
on the trail of the man who he said
shot his wife. Ha said he was hurry
lng to get a doctor. I then asked if
he did not know his wife was dead.
He answered that he tried after she
was shot to feel her pulse and heart,
but could not tell If she was dead.
He said he stopped only to fix his
lights."
The defense proceeded then along
the line to show that Scherer had ap
proached the witnesses for the de
fense. Veiled Woman Is Brought In;
After Scherer left the stand Sher
iff Gill was asked by Prosecutor Wen
denburg to bring Into the court house
the blood stained clothes worn by
Beattie the night of the murder.
A woman, veiled In heavy black,
suddenly was brought Into the court
room at 11:60 o'clock, and took the
stand. " She was Mrs. Owen, the moth
er of the dead woman. She came In
a taxlcab. Her entrance was dramatic.
"Your namef asked Wendenburg,
simultaneously as Beattle's clothes
were brought.
"Mrs. R. V. Owen."
"Your hornet"
"Dover. Del." ' ''
"You were the mother of the dead
woman?" . -
"Yes." " ' .-'
. 'T wish you would tell the Jury all
about your daughter's living happily
with her husband," said Wendenburg.
There was a pause while counsel for
the defense conferred. 'The presence
of the woman In mourning caused a
sensation in the court room. Her
coming - was entirely unexpected.
Beattie fidgeted nervously.
Asked concerning Mrs. Beattle's
home life. Mrs. Owen said: "She was
fad and had frequent crying spells."
The witness spoke in a low, weak
voice. Facing the Jury she lifted her
veil, showing a pale, wrinkled race,
but she did not look at the prisoner,
"Do you know the cause of Mra
Beattla'a sorrow?
"I do rot know; sh did not tell
me.
"Did she show you anything as a
cause for looking sad or having cry
tn spells?"
"We object." snapped the defense's
counsel. The prosecution announcea
that It proposed to show that Beat-
tie's nhvslcal condition, due to aism
patlon, cauaed hi wife's sorrow. On
objection ths prosecuting attorneys
deferred tha nueiitfon.
"Did Beattie ever go out with his
wife alone?" Mrs. Owen was asked,
"Not until that night"
.' Witness said that on tha night of
the murder she cautioned Mrs. Beat
tie not to go out alone with her hus
band.
Gazette-News Bureau, .
The Hotel Raleigh,
Raleigh. Aug. 28.
Ninety-three candidates, including
one woman and three negroes
stood the examination today to prac
tice law In North Carolina. This is
the largest class in the history of
state, 15 more than ever took the
examination.. "...
A Child Drowned.
Sherwood Rogers, aged eight years,
fell from a rock into the' Cape Fear
river at Buckhorn hydro electric plant
late yesterday, and was drowned in 80
feet of water. The body was recover.
ed two hours later, after the dam was
drained.
Authorative announcement" Is made
of the purchase of the Academy of
Music building by Dr. J. R. Rogers, H,
E. Lltchford, ' ex-Judge R. W. Win-
ston and F. K. Ellington from a Char
lotte man, who formerly owned the
building. It Is proposed to issue stock
for the purpose of remodeling the
building and the promoters believe
that the citizens of Raleigh can build
a splendid theater and at the same
time earn six or seven per cent on
their Investment The building is on
a good corner and is easy of access.
Depreciation of Cotton.
Reports from many counties In this
section are to the effect that the cot
ton' orop has been damaged at least
25 per cent during the present month.
John E. Ray, superintendent of the
Blind institution, has returned from
the counties of Wilson, Nash, Edge
combe and Johnston and reported cot
ton as In this condition. Leaves have
fallen and in cases where such Is not
the case the leaves have turned a red
dish brown. , W, Lt Wlggs, supervisor
of roads, says the same, conditions
exist In Wake county. . ,
- Fine Rnsslaa Bloodhounds.
Victoria .II., bred In the Imperial
kennels of , Mostoc, Russia, and her
son. Prince, were taken to the county
home this afternoon, where they will
remain. They are as two fine Russian
bloodhounds as ever drew breath and
look the part of royalty. As black as
ravens. With the exception of white
tips on their feet Victoria and Prince
are somewhat larger than the
St Bernard dogs. Prince IS only
thirteen months old andw elghs 148
pound The dogs are the property
of Frank Wilson and will be trained
by Road Supervisor Wlggs to trail
escaped convicts and criminals.
New Building Site at University.
Dr. J. Y. Joyner, state superintend
ent of public Instruction, has return
ed from Durham and Chapel Hill,
where he went In the Interest of his
work. At Chapel Hill Dr, Joyner
helped In selecting the site for the
new educational building, which will
be erected on the university campus
at a cost of $40,000. The money was
provided by the Peabody fund and the
building will not coat the state a cent
The site selected Is the late residence
of Prof. J. W. Gore, whose death oc
curred several years ago, ar d Is In front
of Commons Hall. This will be an
ideal site for the new building. The
committee which selected, the site also
reviewed plans, but none were found
suitable, Frank P. Mllburn being
selected to confer with the committee.
The members are: Dr.. Joyner, chalrt
mrin; ex-Judge James B. Manning,
Durham: John Sprunt Hill, Durham.
and President F. P. Venable, Chapel
Hill.
Ix-gal Battle Brought to Head.'
-With the declination of Dr. -W. 8.
Rankin, secretary to the state board
of health, to honor the suggestion of
D. T. Johnson, chairman of the board
of county commissioners, as to the
appointment of a new sanitary in
spector, the legal and political battle
that has been waging between Dr. J.
J. L., McCullers. appointed by Dr.
Rankin, and the board of county
commissioners, was fairly brought to
a head. Dr. Rankin declined to p
point another man because the posi
tion had already been tilled ana de
clined to take cognizance of the po
litics being played by the comml
sioners. Dr. McCullers, It Is claimed,
was legally appointed and his fees
fixed: the commissioners, who want
ed another man, refused to accept
him and have barred him from the
Jail and other county Institutions. Dr.
McCullers Is also county health of
ficer. .,-.. - .
Bart M. Oatllng, counsel for Dr. Mc
Cullers, snnounced that he had ssso
clated with him In this case ex-Oov.
C B. Aycock, and added, "the tight
ha lust begun." The matter will be
MANY KILLED III
WILD STAMPEDE
Moving Picture Film Parts; an
Excited Boy Raises the
Cry of "Eire" and
Panic Ensues.
Like West Indian Hurricane-
Charleston, Beaufort, and C,
Georgetown are
. Isolated. .
I DEAD AND DYING WERE
PILED TEN FEET HIGH
NO DAMAGE TO CROPS k
OR PROPERTY KNOWN
Mostly Women and Children
Twenty-Six Taken Out Dead
and More Than Fifty
Injured. -
And No Reports of Loss of
Life Telephone and
Telegraph Wires ;
Are Down. ;
COAST STRUCK ;
BY HAUD 0 1 '
New York Herald and The Oazette-N ews.
UNCLE SAM'S LATEST
RAGE TROUBLE FEARED,
STARTEOBY A FIGHT
The Fight Started Over a Pint
of Whiskey One Man
Was Killed.
BOUGHT ONE COFFIN AND
Huntsvllle, Ala., Ars. 28. Race
trouble Is feared as the result of light
over a pint of whiskey at a barbecue
last night, when one negro man was
killed and a white man wounded.
Edward Evans, the negro, was kith
ed by a shot In the head.
John Dameron was severely ' cut
with a raxor. Two whites and six ne
groes have been arrested.
vha nrnuntlnn'a Iflpa. aDnarently
m.. tn nrnv. thnt Beattie killed his i threshed out in the courts and unl
wife becaune of fear that his father, the law is found to be unconstitu
tional, tne appointment oi ut. jh crul
lers will have to stand
might learn of his condition and cut
him off fmm his family.
Th. risari viri'i mothnr came from
Delaware lat nluht. Her appearam Statcavllle Boy Dies After Running
R'.iS secretly arranged by thesf.rose- w rire. ,
cutlon anil she was unheralded. , -
Seattle, rwotinuing the blink-clad Btateirvllle. Aug. 88. Firs, which
woman', dinned his h''1"1 forward, heaan In the boiler room of the
...tni,. g riitlf., Mrs. Owen, It Htatervllle lumber company's plant
Is snld, hi-r datixhti-r's confidant near the depot at 11 o'clock Rtitur-
r1i ki'irw of i..milf's relations with dny morning, completely .destroyed
t),H :),... I i 1 1. M. Owen told of th,. plant and conaldprable littnbor.
)j, r , ,, , , ,t t .iiltli h"inc on ,,. ! f-Unmted at chotlt t "!",
t. , . v . , m i, V iv ,; ! l,inian.. 1'Mn-in IS r-
; 1 . I- t 1 I r Or 1 " ' ', " 1 '
SOU CHARGED WITH THE
UOBDEB OF HIS FATHER
Knoxvtlle, Tenn., Aug. 28. The vi
cinity of Etowah Is greatly excited
over the discovery of the mutilated
hody of James L. Miller,' aged 85, a
well to do farmer, who roslded with,
In two miles of that place. Miller's
son, Koscoe, Tnomas uenier ana u.
W. Rose arid wife, the last two tenants
on one of Miller's farms, are under
arrest, charged with the murder, and
have been spirited away to the Jail at
Athens on account of the high feel
ing against them at Etowah. Officers
claim that one of the quartet has
confessed. According to the confes
sion. Rose Is said to have planned the
murder, mvenge being his motive, the
elder Mills- having nrosecuted him a
short time ago on the charge of steal
ing corn. ' ""-
Miller had been to Etowah Frliy.
It Is believed he was killed while re
turning homt that nlclit y':
Tttenty-Thriw TAMal Kaxlngs nanks
DoUrnatcd.
f
WiiHhlnRlon, Auk. 2S.-W(th the
i l.ill of II iMiMnineaill 1
Georgia Deacon Becomes An
gry, Kills Another Deacon
and Suicides.
Ashburn, Oa., Aug. 28. R. O.
Whidden, a well-to-do farmer and a
church deacon, living near her shot
J. M. Lawson, a neighbor and also a
deacon, Saturday at a church on the
Whidden farm and then committed
suicide. Whidden, It Is stated, had
quarreled with other members of the
church and the pastor, the Rev. Dun
can Mas?ey, over a trivial matter, an I
had sworn that the pastor should not
praech In the church again. Satur
day was the regular day for services
at4he church. Whidden Is said to
have armed himself with a shotgun
and proceeded to th church. The
Rev. Masaey had not arrived at that
time. Seeing Lawson, Whidden open
ed fire on him, killing him Instantly.
Returning home he locked himself In
a room and killed himself.
Whidden was in Ashburn Friday
and bought a coffin. Several years
ago he built a vault tiear his horn to
receive his body when he died.
Cannonsburg, Pa., Aug. 28. Mourn
ing emblems fluttered from more than
a score bf houses today, the result of
Saturday night's panlo in a-moving
picture theater, causing 26 deaths
and scores Injured. Children made up
a large part of the disasters.
The moving picture machine devel
oped a slight defect. A small boy
shouted "Are," at the same time start
ing for the narrow exit. Bolus Du
browskl, a foreign miner, one of the
dead, a giant in proportions, jumped
from his seat and ran wildly for the
same exit. In a moment there was a
fighting, struggling mass after him.
At the head of a narrow stairway,
which led to' the street, the foreigner
tripped. As he rolled down the stairs
he swept others before him who were
waiting their turn to enter the thea
ter, and soon there was an. Indescrib
able pile of human beings at the foot
of the steps, battling like mad. With
the exception of three persons, all of
the dead are local people,
All Quickly Over.
It was all over within a short time.
Volunteer firemen, several policemen
and a few level-headed citizens un
tangled the human mass. The un
hurt and those slightly injured were
pulled from the top of the pile. As
l,nu MlMaA .1. .... nH
screaming "tiKi inartia'Js " to alT 'part's of
the small town. Next came the more
seriously Injured, and those were sen
home or taken to nearby houses, while
a few were rushed, unconscious, to
the hospitals.
Then the rescuers came to the si
lent forms of those who had reached
the fatal stairway first One -after
another the victims, many of them
women and small children, were car
ried to the sidewalk. All had been
suffocated and the faces showed ter
ror. Coroner James Hefran has be
gun a rigid investigation. He arrived
at the scene early Sunday and within
a short time had selected a jury,
A Film Parted.
The moving picture machine oper
ator was about to conclude the first
performance when a film parted.
Some of the audience already had
commenced to leave the building and
other persons were on the stairway
coming up. Dubrowskl's wild flight
through the theater and his subse
quent stumble down the stairs Into
those entering the building was also the
beginning of the death struggling Jam
at the foot of the stairs The bodies
clogged the doorway. Men walked
over them and fought for positions
of safety unt'l, overwhelmed by the
weight from the moving mass they,
too, were crushed to death. When
the doorway had been filled, still
Information has been received here other persona walked over the bodies
by the revenue department that one I of those who had gone down and.
of the men, who is alleged to have ureaamg tne glass transom over tne
, . .. , . . ,h iaoor, crawiea mrougn ana aroppea
been Implicated In the shooting of '
Deputy collector tienry. ouring a ManaKer Ferguson had endeavored to
raid on moonshiners in Wilkes county I stop the panic. Accompanied by his
a week or two ago. has given himself wife he started for the stairs when
h. .nthnritu. ThU man i. w" eiven, but seeing
, , . I there was no escape, then made his
Zonia Nance. It is said that he ad- way to th. ag& Calling loudly to
mits that he was connected with the (the frightened people to follow him
distillery but denies that he had any-1 he led the way to the rear of the
thing to do with the shooting. He 1. W. r " escaped In this
to oe tnea peiore me uniiea oiaies Thlrtwn Children,
commissioner August 10. I The alarm had been quickly spread,
Just before the shooting of Mr. I persons standing on the street at the
Henry, two men were arrested but entrance to the opera house endeav-
three escaped. These were Roscoelored to extricate struggling men and
Lane and two Nances. There was alWOmen from th rapidly raised pile
reward of l00 offered for Ion is 0f bleeding flesh, but to no purpose.
Nance and $600 each for tin other I An alarm of fir was sounded and
two. ' Iniumen and police hurried to th
Mr. Henry returned to Ah: a I scene. When they arrived they lent
few days ago and Is at his home. It I their efforts to saving those still
is said that he continues to Improve, I within the building and to opening
up th doorway. In ten minutes the
ALLEGED ASSAILANT OF
Zonia Nance Admits Being
Connected With Still De
nies Shooting.
Declares It Was tht Work of Wreck
era.
Mlddletown, Conn., Aug. 28. Of (0
passengers Injured In the wreck -of a
New York, New Haven Hartford
railroad train last night, one Is re
ported dying. Superintendent Wood
ward, after an investigation, declares
It was the work of wreckers, '
8 iKKincr and Strainer Collide.
New York, Aug. 28. Th British
steamer Hellenes today brought news
of a collision with tha schooner Jan
Palmer off Nehska Point, "il. Hel
lenes was stripped of hT afterdeck.
Iloth vexnels were abl t' proceed to
port. The schooner Wtoa bound from
Norfolk to Homon.
l'alr WcAllirr for t.ooni-ry Texts.
Knnxvllo Adopts Commission Gov-1 opera house was empty and In half
eminent. Ian hour 20 bodies had been recov,
erd. Of th 28 dead, II wer chil-
Knoxvtlle, Aug. 19. Th rot In th Idren. seven pupils of th public
election for commission form, of gov-1 schools. Arthur McPeake, aged 20,
ernment her was overwhelming for I whose name Is among th dead, was
th adoption of tha new form of mu- I passing whan th bodies began to pile
nidpal government, being 1144 to I up at the door. The young man
soma of 'th larger wards not having rushed to th rescue, and .was In the
given even -a semblance of opposition. I act of dragging a body from the pile
Even th wards wher th "ward when a man came hurtling down the
heelers" are always active, there were etalrsi H struck McPeake on the
good majorities. In no Ward were I back and tha young man's neifk was
there less than twice as many for as I broken.
against the amendment, th banner I Sydney Rlttlger, aged 10, of Youngs-
ward showing 211 for 7 against, I town, O., was at th performance
with his fiancee. Miss Lulu Fisher,
Frost Reported In NorUwm Nobraaka. aged 28, of Olen Campbell, Pa. Be
fore entering th building they had
Norfolk, NebH Aug. 28. Froat Is re-Igtonped at a Jewelry store near by,
ported from northern Nebraska and Rltlger had boimht the ring that
points. .Tender plants were killed. I was to have been nm-d at their wed
dlnr. ISoth were killed,
Judge t-ane and Solicitor Reynolds! Wilrrier Lane, a volunteer flrrmin
are In Iirevard today to attend tne 1 1: ui tn-ii to annwcr the alnrm nt
Aneuet term of Superior court for the.l4 working I'm i n i t ! , i
Washington, Ang. 28.
Weather . bureau reports indi
cate a storm central over South
Carolina, near the coast. Storm
warnings are ordered display
ed on the Atlantic coast from
Ft Monroe ' to Jacksonville. ,
Communication with Charles
ton and Savannah is unestab
lished. It is reported a flood
has .reached Charleston. A
message this afternoon from
Branchville states there are .
three feet of water in Charles
ton depot. No trains have left
Charleston since 8 o'clock last
night. ' It is impossible to as
certain 'the storm damage.
Wind 60 Miles an Hoar.
, Macon, Ga., Aug. 28. The
Central of Georgia railroad has
rece.ivqd.the following from, Sa-., ,,
vannah: "Wind GO miles an '
hour. Windows blown in,'
signs and awnings torn : down,
trees stripped and blown, tele
phone and telegraph wires tan
gled. Shipping .: apparently 1
safe. Charleston it is believed
got worst of storm."
Highest Since Tidal Wave of
1886.
Augusta, Aug. 28. A tele
phone message from Ridgeville
says the wind at Charleston is ,
blowing CO miles an hour. The
water front is considerably
damaged. No loss of life;
railroad tracks are inundated.
Along the Charleston water
front the water is highest since
the tidal wave of 1886. ' '
Columbia, Aug. 28. -Telegraph and' '
telephone communication with
Charleston, Savannah, Beaufort and
Georgetown, Interrupted by yester
day's storm, has not been restored.
In tha absence of reports from coastal
stations the local weather bureau
office Is unable to determine the di
rection the storm center Is moving. -No
damage to crops or other proper-
ey Is reported. The storm, which
swept up the Georgia-Carolina coast.
resembled a West Indian hurricane.
No lives Known to Have Been Lost.
Savannah, Aug. 2 8. Charleston,
Beaufort and other smaller South
Carolina points are completely cut off
from communication with the outside
world as a result of a severe storm
which broke over this section early
last night. Th wind here reached
velocity of (0 miles an hour and
did considerable damage to property, '
So tar as is known no lives have been
lost Complete details will be delayed
on account of the destruction of all
wire communication.
South of Savannah there la slight
damake to wires, the storm's opera
tions being confined to this city and
the region north of here.
Early last night the local wireless
station was In communication with a
number of ships at sea. Th Clyde
liner Apache from New York was oft
the Charleston harbor, unable to go
In on account of the rough seas. The
Mohawk of the same Un was unable
to leave Charleston.
All vessels In communication with
the local wireless station report un
usually heavy seas, rising suddenly
Very high tides are reported from
Tybe Island, and earlier, before the
wires wer lost from Beaufort, 8. C.
fcfforts to get Into communication Vv
wireless with CharlfHton also fuii-1
and nothing is known here of t i
extent of the daPjaKe there.
, The storm cstle a a sudden e -
prlae to shipping,
and struck almost
Kxctimloniats fn
riving here liiat n:
authnritiei. httd 1
iionifca and I i
of Tiilm? in !
fcurri'i to r ' '
,t Ml,
It whs Imrn at
H I! mut wn '
on fl.ail. ,!
M report t:
n to ! i
A inf.
llM'nOicr
ttUil of criminal und rl1
rliiiiliMl d'" ti l. ! H
I .'! ! ,
il ten's. T!,
V