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AOLUMN XLVI. . . i LOClS^pKU, Ji. C., KK1DAY, DKt'KMBKU 21.1917. ? -8 ?J:? HPMUJt t?~
EXECUTIVE MANSION OF CALIFOR
NIA BLOWN UP.
Odo Wing of the Building Destroyed
By Explosion; Governor and Family
Sleeping In Another Wing, Uninjur
ed;-'Believed That Bomb Was Placed
With the .Deliberate .Intention .of
Taking Governor's Life.
Sacramento, Cal., Doc. 18.?What iss
believed to have been an attempt to
kill Governor Wttlliam D. Stephens by
means of a powerful explosive bpmb
at midnight Ia?t night resulted in the
wrecking-of the executive mansioa, the
entire rear-end of the btfilding being
blown out. The Governor and Mrs.
Stephens as well as the household ser
vants, wereaslee p at the time and all
escaped injury.
Two men were seen fleeing from the
hoUffe immediately after the explosion
The detonation of the explosion was
heard all over the city and w'indows
were brokeh~by the force of it two or
three blocks away. It was believed
that from twenty to twenty-five sticks
of dyanimite were used.
?Governor and Mrs. Stephens were
asleep in the wing of the house ad
joining the spot where the explosion
occurred, but beyond a nervous shock
they were unharmed.
The attejnpt occurred just as the
Kuard was being changed. H. Claus
sen, one of the watchmen; was the
first on the scene, having passed the
s pot but a few minutes before the ex
pio.ion. Clausen said he was cer
tain !'???:? o was nothing uiusua! occur,
ring on the grounds. He expressed
the .opinion that the explosion we s
thrown'from an alley which runs
alotijr the rear or the house at a dis
tance on about forty feet, from the
porch under which the charge was set
off. . ? -1 ?i* J'. S
A hole several^eet deep Was torn
the ground beneath a bay window ^t
the rear of the structure and the en
tire wall up to the second story wa?'*
!?lown away. The entire neighborhood 1
was'aroused ana. a crowd was on the
scene a few minutes after the explo
sion. There was scarcely a house :n
the block which waa~not damaged.
A man was noticed lurking about
the executive mansion, it was said, a
week ago. . -
"According to my judgement," said
"Governor Stephana, "the. bombwas
thrown from the alleyway about forty
feet to the rear of the mansion and
did not light as far under the house
as its owner had intended. I am
strengthened in this statement by the
fact that the back gates were both lock
ed as usual and the watchman had via*
ited the basement Just a few minute*
before tho explosion occurred. He
says that when he passed the steps ho
turned his flashlight on the placewhere
indications prove the bomb was placed
and at that time there was nothing
there." f
The Governor was probably tho calm
est of tho_group that surveyed tit*
wrecked mansion.
Detective? searched tho down-tpwii
~ rooming, houses without suscess for
a man ?viid to have been In the neigh
borhood of tho mansion enrly in thi
evening.
^ William D. Stephens became. Gov.
ernor of California last spring when
Governor Hiram Johnson assumed hi"
duties ns United States Senator las
week Govornor Stephens made a serif .?
of patriotic addresses in southern Cal
lfornla, dealing largely with the dutlns
of Callfornlans In suporting the na
tional government during the war.
Farmer* Unlo^ Elects Officers.
At the meeting of tho County Far
tners Union Thursday Mr. Harris de
clined to consider succeeding himseli
as President, and the following were
elected officers for 1918:
John A. Boone, President
G. W. Eaves, Vice President. 1
J. C. Jonos, Secretary-Treasurer.
D. V. Cheeves, Conductor.
W. D. Bowden, Doorkeeper.
Executive Committee, J. O. Green
Rer. J. U. Teague and W. H. Guptt
Bonnie Bunn, Organizer, Lecturer.
The following "TWtntion was adop
ted and tho society was requested ?<
eeita a copy each to the Franklin Time
and the Progressive Farmer.
- Believing that wo can do our besi
work when we have some definite oh
Ject to accomplish, or some specific
-task to perform we make the followln
resolution:
Resolved, that the Franklin County
*V
mm
farmers Union devote all Its energies
In the year 1918 to accomplishing the
following objects: First, to arousing
a greater interest of the farmers la
the Farmers Uulon Tibacco-Warehouae
so that we may obtain a fair share oi
his patronage.
Second, the organization of a cotton
exchange through which the farmers
may pool his cotton and cottonseed
and obtain the highest market price
for each. " .
Third, to induce our board of Co t ?tj
Commissioners to make the necessary
appropriation to secure a cotton grader
for the county so that we may knW
that we are receiving the highest mar
ket price for each grade of our cotton
Fourth, that we organize a branch
of the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance
ounty.
Sixth, thatt we encourage the organ
ization of boys corn and pig clubs and
girls canning clubs In the County.
Sixth, that we encoiiraget the organ
ization of Rural Credit Unions and ?
more active participation in the Na
tional Farm Loan Association...
Eleventh, that twe endeavor to get a
Traveling Library placed in every
school district In the County, and that
we encouragethe organization of de
bating societies in the rural schuohits
tricts and every other agency tending
to promote a happier rural life among
our farm folk.
Eighth, that we make special efforts
to Increase our membership and win
?the banner offered by the State Union
Co the County Union making the great""
est gain in membership. .
We want to do something this year
and want you to help us.
One thing we did not hare In out
resolution but which I think will give
the farmers greaters pride is printed
stationery, you might pay special at
tention to that also during the year.
Yours sincerely,
Joseph C. Jones.
FIRST RED CROSS CHRISTMAS.
Something has happened. A simple
and thrilling thing that brings some
thing of real greatness to our lives,
humble as they may be.
It is the observance of our first Red
Cross Christmas. One cannot have
even the thought of its appropriateness
and its significance in this world of an
gu iThwithout having touched the high
est thoughts of all the world?that
which was given on the fciU' On:"?we
are celebrating?"Behold, I Urlng yo i
good tidings of great joy which shall
be to ?1) people;" and that which was
expressed in the Red Cross Treaty
made by nations, which established
that In warfare the sick and wounded
of the enemy should be sacred to the
Red Cross.
This is a Christmas when we cannot
see our new young soldiers, Strong and
straight of back, without visioninfc
those others whom war has made help
less. We cannot see the hapiness of
our children without thinking of those
little oner, !,i Europe who have starved
to death. !*??. "*e cannot deekxmi
children's i trc.cs without re
memberlnft that He 'n whose honor
they are was" a "man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief."
In the Red Cross campaign for 10,
000,000 new members during the, week
preceding Christmas there is scope for
all our tenderness, all.our richest im.
aginlngs, all our View-born ptaver ot
simplicity of heart, all our possibili
ties of servicei.
The Red Cross Chapters have asked
all members of the American Red
Cross to take part in a simple cere
mony on Christmas Eve?the placing
through a Red Cfiss service flag on
the widow pane. This flag is a piec ,
of white transparent paper, blue-boc
dered, with the sign of the Red Cros
five Inches square In the center, an
smaller crosses to be added for ear
of the household vho V a iiKru:??
lit* Red Cross. It 3 .m i
service in this unexampled tiaao?
symbol so Instinctive tv.at tlie Rr
Cross will glow from the ????'" '*-i
our homes over the length and bread
of the labd. sending out the ChrtHar
message tothe world, and "telling nv
only the passer-by. but our-**- r ; t
that Just' as our boys and mon are f
ng new strength in their now sar
flees, so may we through our now
vice. *
. Mrs. O. L AycorTt lenvpi'to <*ny r *
Norfolk where she will upend the bo'
ldays.
INACTIVITY CONTINUES IN
FBANCE AND BELGIUM
German Naval Forces Again Make a
Foray Into North Sea and Surprise
Convoy of Merchant Ships, Sinking
One British and Five Neutral Ves
sels and 4 Mine Sweepers.
Rome, Dec. 17.?Austro-German for
ces which attacked the Italian lines
on the northern front from the direc
tlon of San. Marino were a riven back
in disorder the war office announced
today.
. In the ?aprllle region the Italians
attacked and then were counter-at
tacked. Finally the enemy had to
withdraw to the positions from -which
he started.
The period of virtual inactivity con
tinues in France and Belgium except;
for reciprocal bombardments in var
ious sectors and here and there small
operations by reconnoitering parties
Only on the northern Italian front
have there been sanguinary encount
ers between the opposing infantry and
in these the Austro-German forces
again were defeated in attempts tj ad
vance toward tho Venetian plains.
Caprille Hill, at the head of the San
Lorenzo Valley, where last week the
Italians were forced fcp cede ground,
again has been attacked by the enemy
but the operations brought him noth.
ing but heavy casualties as he was
driven back to his former line.
German naval forces again have
made a foray iuto the North Sea and
surprised a convoy of merchant ships,
sinking one Lrltish and live neutral
vessels and four mine sweepers.
Of^wo British destroyers escorting
the vessels one. was sunk and the other
damaged. The German forces, so far
as Is knoNvft. consisted of four destri -
ers. Whether any of their vessels
wero hit has not been made known.
That German war craft recently have
been operating close to tho English
coast has been made known officially
in tho House of Commons by an
nouncement that on December 12 two
neutral merebajrtnen and a trawler
weresunk off th^mouth of the Tyne
river.
The official text of the armistice be
tween the Russians and the Teutonic
allies confirm the unofficial deports
that It is to run from December 17 un
til January 14. The compact embraces
..11 the fightng fronts where Russia:*
troops nave been engaged and also
extends *o the naval forces or the con
tracting parties. _
MEN SUBJECT TO DRAFT CAN
STILL VOLUNTEER.
Can Get Into Service, However, Only
Through Local Boards.
Washington, Dec. 17.?Provost Mar"
shall General Crowder today issued to
Governors new rules under which men
of draft age may join the colors
their own request. White men only
will be accepted and they may enlist
only 'in the infantry, signal corps, med
ical corps and quartermaster's depart
nt'.- Supply conditions are such.
General Crowder said, that no men ean
be accepted in the coast artillery, fie'.i
artillery, cavalry or engineers corps.
Volunteer enlistments in the regular
army by men of draft ago ended at
noon last Saturday And thoy may be
inducted Into service now only
through their local boards.
All those going into the infantry will
be sent to Camp Greene, Charlotte, N
C., except men from Pacific coaot
states.
Transportation and subsistence ex
pense to the camps are to be furnished
volunteers by the local boards.
Centra* Committee Appointed.
%County Chairman, W. H. Yarbor
ough has named the following as mem
bers of the Central Committee for!
Franklin County in the Campaign for
the War Saving? Sti.mp Crtinpa-c.n i
who will with himfeelf conduct the cam
paign in this, County: W. H. Yarbor
ough, Chairman, E. L. West, County
Bupeflntendent of Education, Mrs. J
Turner, Chairman Women's Nation
al Defense. Council, Miss Paulino
Smith, Home Demonstration Agent.
A. F. Johnson, C. P. Harris, M. S
C&ifton, ET. H. Malone, Mrs. J. M. Allen
Mrs. F. B. McKinne..
A meeting of this Committee ha:
been palled for this evening at A o'clo ?
for the purpose of organizing t\
County. The meeting *111 be held 1*
the offices of White & Malone an i f
ery. m<-mbor Is urged to be present.
HOW ITALIANS BLEW UP AUS
TRIAN WARSHIPS. .
Work Done By Two Torpedo 6oats
Which Entered Harbor of Trieste?
Washington, Dec. 17.?Two Italian
torpedoo boats under Lieutenant Com
mander Rl*co composed the force
which made the daring raid Into the
Inner harbor at Trieste Sunday night,
December 9,and torpedoed two Aus
trian battleships, one of which was
seen to sink. Details of the explosion
were given in dispatches received to
day by the Italian embassy.
The raid was planned when dt was
learned that the Austrians were pre
paring to send from Trieste two ships
of the Monarch type, with their 240
millimeter guns, to bombard the Ital
an coastal positions. Iileutenant Com.
mander Rizzo, with two boats, dashed
into the harbor, while the remainder
of the torpedi boat division kept out
side in support.
Through a heavy fog the little craft
reached the extremity of Muggla
Pier. Mine fields and other obstruc
tions were located, and eight large
wire cables etretched across the pas
sage were cut. Other obstructions
were weighted and sunk sufficiently
for the boats to pass over.
Austrian searchlights were being
played on the waters, but the torpedoe
boats succeeded in entering the I&nei
port without being sighted.
Two Austrian battleships-were an
chored at the farther end of the~liar^
bor near Point Sabba. The Italian
vessels approached cautlou&ly and at
2:30 a. m. Monday the two torpeclp
boats simultaneously launched foilr
torpedoes at the battleships. All four
exploded. Rizzo reported that the
battleship Wein, nearest the attacking
vessels, was observed to sink 'in five
minutes, 'while the other battleship
cortainly was struck, though it was
impossible to discover the damage,
Austrian batteries opened fire and
searchlights swept over the water?
The lights located the attacking ves
sels and the Austrian guns and torpe
does were fired, but the Italians re
turned safely .
Christmas Savings Clubs A Success.
As will be seen from the:r adver
tisement in another column, and to
which your attention is directed, the
Christmas Savings Club for 1917 of the
First National Bank was a big success'
The total number of meembercs was
/ j
400 and the amount saved totaled
$6,022. This represents a big sav
ing ^rben it is remembered that
tho amounts deposited each' week
were small and only represented small
change that would otherwise been
spent,for something of no value. Tho
system, Which will be continued, is a
splendid one as aside from the advan
tage it offers to save, the small change
it *s an education within itself of hah
itual saving which is so much needed
among our people. If you have not
been a member heretofore Join the new
club for 1918 and you will learn to ap
pfclate It inoi^e every week as the
club advf. ices.
Returns to Loulsburg.
Tho "members of his congregation
SLj many others inv Louisburg ar'i
proud of the fart that Rov. N. IT. D
Wilson has returned to I-outsburg as
pastor of the Methodist Church. Dur
ing his stay here the past year he has
endeared himself to our people through
his thorough consciousnoss of doing
his work on an especially high level
of efficiency and has impressed us wit.i
his earnestness in his work for the
cause of Chrtst. We are glad to know
that he and his good wife will remain
with us for at least another yean
Mr. Watson Resigns .As .Assistant
Cashier First National Rank.
Mr. T. W. Watson, who for the past
six years has been the populejj. and ef
ficient Assistant Cashier of the First
National Bank of this pjace, and wh >
has served the past seventeen years in
the banking business'In Loutsburg an i
Sumter, S. C.f has resigned his poa^tlo.i
with the bank here and will give his
full time to hts insurance buslnes^and
also conduct a wholesale brokerage
husinoss. His resignation takes ef
fect December 31st. .
Mr. Watsoji is oneof the best insur
ance man ?In this section as Is
evidence'' by the large nmount of bus!
ness he do*?s. nnd his lone bu*'ness ex
nerience will assure V-* ??"rce^s in the
wholesale ??nslne?*.- maintain
his offices for thepresent over the
First National Bank.
Bed Cross Seals.
The following paragraph by Gov. T.
W. Bickett will be read with much In
terest: T
"This year a substantial portion of
the proceeds of Red Cross Seals Is to
be devoted to the cure of our tubercu
lous soldiers. Thiss simple statement
should reach the heart of every pa
triot and every lover of his fellowm-in
I know our peojle will yield to the
promptness of their better angels and
w*th their joyous generosslty throw
themselves into the campaign of the
Red Cross Seal against the White
Plague. ? :iu I
(Signed) T. W. Bickett,
Governor."
The Red Crosse Seals are on sale at
all the drug stores and are being sold
by the Boy Scouts of Loulsburg who
are rendering the ladies much valua.
bio aid. your supply before the
holidays.
Franklin County Union.
The Franklin County Union meet
ing will-.fce held with the Cedar Rock
Baptist church Saturday and Sunday,
Dec. 29, 30. Tho following is the sug
gested program:
Saturday. / ? -?
10:A. M. Devotional W. J. Dennis.
10.20 A. M. How can we raise the
Spiritual Tone of iur churches? John,
Bunn, W. n. Hartsell, Geo. M. Duke.
11:00 How can we finance success
fully the enterpriser of our Denom
ination? M. Stamps, John F. Mitch in
er, B. E. Morris.
1:30. Devotional and business meet
ing.
2:00 What arc some ot the more
acute problems growing out of tl\e
war, and how can we solve them?
W. B. Morton, E. B. Cox, Ivey Allen,
T. H. Sledge.
, *2": 45" What about the Lord's second
coming? J. U. Teague, W. M. Gil moro
Sunday.
10;A. M. Sunday School mass meet
ing.
11:00 Sermon, B. E. Morris.
Banks tu Close.
The banks tn Louisburg will closc
on Tuesday and Wednessday of next
week to observe the Christmas hoi i
days.
MEXICAN SOLIMERS FIRE .1*. S.
CAVALRY PATHOL.
Americans Returned Fire and .On?
Mexican Was Seen To Fall From
Horse. -
El Paso, Texas, Dec. 17.?Mexican
Federal soldiers fired on an American
cavalry patrol which accidentally
I crossed the birder on the"Island," neur
IPabens, Texas, late yesterday, killing
one'Vavalry horse and wounding an
other. The American soldiers return.
I the fire and one Mexican soldier was
seen to fall from his horse. No Ameri
cans were hit.
| The firing was reported to division
headquarters heffc today and an. in
vcstigntlon ordered. Fattens is 32 miles
southeast of El Paso :"n> the "Island"
is a large tract of land formed by a
bend in the river on which the boun
dary line is not clearly defined.
Christmas Box of Knitting.
Last weok the Red Cross Chapter
shipped its fifth box of knitted gar
?ments to headquarters. The numbe.*
senl far exceeded the anticipations for
this box. Twenty^ Bets of sweaters,
wristlets and socks were sent.
An Appeal for Sweaters From Camp
Jackson.
Mrs. G. W. Mclver, Wife of General
G. W. Mclver, (in charge of 161st bri.
gade at Camp Jackson,) is asking the
women of Louisburg to help furnish
sweaters for the twenty boys in her
husband's brigade irom Franklin (35un
ly, whose Dimes appear below:
The Red Cross Knitters using "Re*d
Cross Wool." must se^id their garments
to headquarters. This Is a personal
jippeal to the people of our town. The
wool is expensive. If we can get con
tributions we can find krtitters.
H. J. Brewer,\C. F. Collier, H. Gos
wlck,>.n<V Holloway, R. L. Hicks. W.
IT. King, H. C. Layton, W. G. Macoj,
A. B. Pearce, O. ,M. Pearce, W. c*.
Pekrce, W. O. fVuitt, C. Riddle. Win
J. Smith J. I.'White, L. L. Wi lder
Vr. Wnf"? vf. II. Evans, J. it
FrazieryT Frailer.
NEW REGULATIONS ISSUED.
By Food Administration FroklbJLl i$
Laying Aside Big Quantities of
Supplies.
I am just in receipt of a letter fro 1
tile State Food Administrator request
ing me to pay special attention to th*
price of sugar as he has had several
complaints of/ exorbitant charges be*
ing m^de fQr sugar.
One paragraph of section 25 of th*
Food Control Laws reads as follows:
"Whoever shall, with the knowledge of
thet prices of such commodity have
been fixed as herein providedt ask, de
mand, of secure a higher price, or
whoever shall, with the knowledge
that the regulations have been pre*
scribed as herein provided, violate or
refuse to conform to any of the same,
shall, upon conviction, be punished by
a fine of not more than $5,00 or by
imprisonment for not more than two
years, or both. L,
Each separate transaction shall con
stitute a separate offense." t
While I have had several merchants
reported to me I amgladto say tha*.
all who were reported have lowered
their prices on sugar to 11 cents, or
lower, as thQL.law requires.
This regulation applies to^ny exor
bitant charges that may be made upon
any foodstuffs by merchants, wfrile^
salers or Jobers.
The Food Administrator also advis
ed me that he has been informed that
a number of people have purchased
flouaffenouglv to last them until ilv>
nexf harvest, and in regard to r.'.i s he
says "the Food Control Laj? is design,
ed to prevent, and does forbid, hoard
ing by consumers and individuals .13
much as by dealers, and this office de
aires any definite information it can
secure regarding this practice.
Part of section 6 of the FOod Con
person who wilfully hoards any nec^
essaries shall upon conviction thereot
be fined not exceeding $5,000 or be Im
prisoned not more than two years or
both.
Necessaries shall be deemed- to be
hoarded within the meaning of this
act when held, contracted for, or ai
r|nged for by any pprsonin a quantity -
in "excels of his reasonable require
ments for use or consumption by him
self and dependents $or a reasonable
time."
The actual pprfffucer, the farmer who
raises the wheat, corn, meat. etc. 1*
j exempted insofar as those products
raised by himself are concerned..
That is if a man raises more wheat
com, meat, or any other food, than he
needs he may keep it as long as he
pleases, but if he buys these articles of
food it is unlawful for him to buy more
than enough for his reasonable re
quirements for a reasonable length of
time, for if ho does buy more than this
is liable to confiscation and he is li
able to a fine of $5,000 and two years
in prison.
These .regulations may sound severe
but it must he remembered .that we
are at war and our Government re
quires this of us in order that we may
not beT>eaten.
I sincerely trust that we are all pa*
triotic enough to comply with all that
our Government asks of us. even if it
does work some hardships upon us.
JOSEPH C. JOXES.
Spare for the Fooil Administration.
Th's space baa kindly been donated
for the use of the ?ounty food Admin
istration and will publish* In here
each week letters from some, of the
onntoiulinK men and women tell
In^ why this work Us so imperative and
what Is expected of each person in the
County.
The food situation Is much more ser
ious than many of us think and UQle*s
we comply with the requests of th*
Food Administration we are threaten
ed with a srave danger.
Every family, hotel and restauraut
Is silked to observe meatless Tuesdays
and wheatless Wednesdays. That Is
that on Tuesdays no pork or beef will
b^ eateij, and on WednesdayTnoHour
shall be eaten.
These days have already been ob
served so generously since November
thrt in Deceml>er for the first/ time
since we entered tfte war the United
States has been able to send to our
aires the quantity of meat they have
-'"'i of ms for any one month.
T Hcerefir trust that all will remit
letters carefully.
J. C. Jones, Administrator.