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Established 187Q. ... Country, God andj Truth. Single Copies Five CenU
VOL XLII NO. 41. LUMBERTON, NORTH CAROLINA, jTHURSDAY, JULY 13, 1911. WHOLE NO. 2682
GRAND JURY'S REPORT.
A Bouquet for Judge Whedbee
Hit Remarkable Swiftness
in Disposing of Business Com
mendedThere Can be no
Complaint of the Law's De
lay Where he Presides Jail
Now in Good Condition and a
Prisoner Has Been Assigned
the Job of Keeping it So
Other County Institutions.
The grand jury of the present
term of court completed its work
Tuesday and submitted the fol
lowing report to his honor Judge
H. W. Whedbee, judge presid
ing: "We passed upon 114, bills find-
. ing 89 true bills and 25 not true
bills. We returned two present
ments. COUNTY HOME.
We visited the county home
in a body on the first day of
court. We found the home in
good condition with the excep
tion of one house in which we
found some odor. We also found
some vermin, but this has been
remedied since then. The in
mates seem to have abundance
of nourishing food and seem con
tented with their lot. The keep
er, Mr. F. G. Meares, who has
been in charge only a short time,
seems to be doing the best he
can to keep conditions as they
;should be and we find no criti
cism of his management. The
county home is an institution
which should lie very close to
the hearts of our people and our
county commissioners should see
to it that any reasonable request
of the keeper of the home as to
food, bedding, repairs, etc.,
should be promptly complied
with.
CHAIN GANG.
We visited the chain gang by
committee and found the gang
in Alfordsville township. We
found 24 convicts engaged on
the road work in charge of Mr.
F. A. Prevatt, the keeper, and
three guards. We think the con
victs should have better sleeping
accommodations but we are in
formed that the road commis
sion, having this matter in
charge, has already, at its last
meeting, made provision for the
purchase of portable houses. We
strongly approve this move as
the convicts can then be well
cared for in rainy or stormy
weather when they cannot work
on the roads. The prisoners get
a sufficiency of food and things
seem to be in good order and
condition around the camp. Mr.
Prevatt. the keeper, has had a
firood deal of experience in such
work and he seems to be doing
the best that can be done with
the force at his disposal. W e
find no criticism of his manage
ment of the force or the work
they are doing under his super
vision.
COURT HOUSE.
We examined the several of
fices in the court house in a body.
The glass in the transom over
the door leading from the grand
i'ury room into the court room is
iroken and should be repaired
before the meeting of the next
grand jury, as we were disturbed
to some extent in our deliber
ations by what was going on in
the court room. The janitor is
giving better attention to his
work and is keeping the building
fairly clean. We cannot too
; strongly impress upon the au
thorities having the matter in
charge the prime importance of
keeping our court house in good
condition and clean. We have a
beautiful building, put up at
great expense to the county, and
it should be cared for in the best
manner. We are pleased to note
that our commissioners are, tak-
ing steps to remedy the sound
conditions in the main auditor
ium and that they have engaged
experts to endeavor to discover
whether the trouble in hearing
can be remedied. We trust this
- defect in the building can be
corrected before another term of
v court.
COUNTY OFFICES.
We visited the offices of the
; sheriff, clerk, treasurer, auditor,
superintendent of education, etc.,
. in a body. We find the offices
well attended to and the records
, and books neatly kept and in ap
parent good order and condition.
We congratulate the county
on the fact that the new index
; ia the , office of the register of
deeds is nearing completion.
This will be of much benefit to
our people in investigating titles
to their property and in search
ing the records of the county.
We regret to note that Sheriff E.
C. McNeill is confined to his bed
with sickness and we pray for
him a speedy recovery.
COUNTY JAIli
Some complaint has, been made
to us to the effeclTthat the jail
was not in a sanitary condition
and that the prisoners were not
well cared for. We visited the
jail in a body on the first day of
court and also sent a committee
to examine it carefully from bot
tom to top on another occasion.
Many prisoners were confined in
jail and under these circum
stances we can understand and
appreciate the difficulty of keep
ing it in just the condition it
should be in. The large numbef
of prisoners crowded in jail,
bringing in vermin, and often of
uncleanly habits themselves,
makes the task of the jailer in
keeping the premises clean no
ft T i X 1 1
easy one. we report mat we
find no vermin and that today
the jail is clean and now in good
condition. We recommend that
a oath tuo De installed in tne
jail for bathing purposes. We are
also glad to note that at this term
of the court his honor assigned
one oi tnose sentenced at mis
term of the court to jail with the
task of keeping it clean. This
was needed and we trust judges
succeeding the present judge
will adopt a similar course. It
will take about all of one man's
time to keep the jail in the con
dition it should be in and as it
often happens that some prisoner
cannot well do service on the
roads on account of his health or
for some other reason, it is well
to keep such a person on duty at
the jail to keep it in good sanitary
condition. i
We are pleased ond proud to
note that the county commis
sioners, in connection with the
board of commissioners of the
town of Lumberton, are now en
gaged in the work of putting
down cement walks in the court
house square and also similar
walks around the entire en
closure and that steps are being
taken to beautify the square
with grass and flowers. Our
court-house square was long an
eye-sore to people coming to the
county seat and we congratulate
out board of commissioners in
taking this step. In our opinion :
the beautifying of this square
fills a need which has long been
felt in our county. We are ad
vised also that a fountain is to
be installed near the Confederate
monument both for man and
beast.
We cannot close this report
without respectfully congratulat
ing the people of the county
upon the acquisition of his honor
who has presided over this term
of the court. Much is being
said these days about the delay
of the law. We beg to venture
the assertion that no such com
plaint will be made wherever his
honor goes. Twice during this
term of the court his honor has
had to stop and wait upon the
sending of bills from this grand
jury. We believe such a thing
is unheard of in this county.
There were about 175 cases upon
docket and yet the docket is clear
and clean on this Tuesday of the
second week of the court. This
is a record of which his honor
and the solicitor may well be
proud, as we are proud. The
rapidity and efficiency with
which the work of this court has
been dispatched has not only
been noticed by the bar and by
this grand jury but must be ap
parent to, and has been com
mented upon, by many citizens.
We wish for your honor a term
of long and useful service upon
the bench you adorn.
R. 0. Pittman. Foreman.
Hoke Smith Elected to the Sen
ate. Atlanta, Ga., Dispatch. 12th.
Govenor Hoke Smith was elect
ed United States Senator from
Georgia cn the first ballot taken
by the House and Senate in joint
session at noon to-day. He suc
ceeds Joseph M. Terrell, who
was appointed by Governor
Brown to fill the unexpired term
of the late Senator A. S. Clay.
He announced that he would
not resign his office as Governor
until after the present session of
the Legislature, and probably
not until December.
SUPERIOR COURT.
Adjourned Tuesday -Cases
Disposed Of
Whedbee Makes
-Many
Judge
Splendid
Impression.
The criminal term of Robeson
Superir Court which began Mon
day of last week closed Tuesday
afternoon, Judge H. W. Whedbee
of Greenville, who presided, and
Solicitor Sinclair having worked
themselves out of a job for this
term. On every hand one hears
favorable comment on the way
Judge Whedbee conducts his
court. No grass is allowed to
grow under anybody's feet.
Everything moves along smoothly
and rapidly and cases are dis
posed of with dispatch. The fol
lowing cases were disposed of
from Monday noon to the closing
of court:
Jim Byrd and Warren West,
murder; Byrd guilty of man
slaughter: 12 years in peniten
tiary; West not guilty. As stated
in Monday's Robesonian, the
trial of this case began Monday
morning and the solicitor asked
for verdict of second degree.
Byrd and West were charged
with killing Wm. Smith in East
Lumberton April 7 last.
Hector Gavin, retailing; plead
guilty; 6 months on roads.
Lester Jones, abduction; plea
of nolo contendere; judgment
suspended on payment of costs.
John Blue, retailing; case re
moved to Hoke county.
Marshall Roper, retailing; 6
months in jail, to be assigned to
work in and around court house
and jail and to give bond in sum
of $500 to the next term of crimi
nal court to show good behavior
and that he has sold no liquor.
H. C. Adcocks. assault with
deadly weapon; judgment of $50
and costs changed as to fine to
$25.
Lawrence Bartlev. assault with
deadly weapon; called and failed;
judgment nisi, sci fa and capias;
if bond in sum of $300 filed in 30
days forfeiture to be stricken
out.
Luby Prevatt and Joe Stone,
assault with deadly weapon; not
guilty.
Len Mourning and Frank Bell,
murder: plea of manslaughter
accepted; Mourning 15 years in
penitentiary and Bell 10 years.
Killed Alfred Cheek, colored,
near Fairmont last April. Sen
tence later changed to 12 years
for Mourning and 7 years for Bell.
Andrew Pratt, retailing; plead
guilty; 2 months on roads.
Ab McRae, retailing; guilty; 3
months on roads.
M. K. Cooper, assault; guilty;
30 days in jail, assigned to work
on public roads. This case was
sent up from Mayor White's
court Monday, as mentioned else
where in this paper.
Lowmack McRae, assault with
deadly weapon; plead guilty;
judgment suspended on payment
of costs.
Dock Porter, assault and dis
turbing religious congregation;
plead guilty; 3 months on roads.
Will McArn, carrying con
cealed weapon: plead guilty; 3
months on roads; if $10 fine and
costs paid, defendant to be dis
charged. Herndon, embezzlement; plead
guilty; 4 months on roads.
Andrew Pratt, retailing; plead
guilty; 2 months on roads.
John Gibson, secret assault;
2 months on roads, changed to
250 fine and costs.
Alex Blount, retailing; plead
guilty; 3 months on roads.
Catherine Blount, retailing;
plead guilty; 1 month in jail.
Chas. Brown, retailing; plead
guilty; 12 months in jail, to be
assigned to work on public roads.
Vester Brown, retailing; plead
guilty; 30 days in jail.
Will Stephens, murder; re
moved to Hoke county.
Murd Watts and Earnest
Watts, assault with deadly weap
on; plead guilty; judgment sus-
pegded on payment of costs
Nol. Pros, has been
entered ;
in the following cases:
Love, carrying concealed
Buddie
weap
on, uem mourning arm rranKcea!ed weapon; mrylvey. aff
Bell. assault with deadly weapon ; sault with deadlv weapon; Jim
J. V. Faulk, nuisance; Walker !KIlv. assault with deadlv wean-
Hodge, trespass; Thos. Rush and
Baxter Rush, carrying concealed
weapon; Jas. Sealy, retailing;
county commissioners, nonfeas
ance; Richard Parham, attempt
at rape; Alfred Davis, larceny;
W. C. Lewis, carrying concealed
weapon; Jane Hanchey, retailing.
The following cases have been
B. Carlyle
Tribute to
Wk Forest Special. 11th. to Raleigh New and
OberVr.
The remains of the beloved
North Carolina educator, Dr. J.
is. Ctrlyle, were laid to rest at
Wake Forest this afternoon. At
the funeral there were gathered
all the members of the Wake
Forest faculty, who were not too
far away to come for the funeral,
a nurjiber of the college trustees,
the entire summer law class,
about seventy-five Masons, repre
sentihg lodges in Wake Forest
and neighboring places as far
north; as Henderson, and numer
ous ranspeople, many of them
fromj a distance. Dr. Carlyle
had a host of friends who loved
him and believed in him.
The church service was held
in Memorial Hall on the Wake"
Forest campus, where the por
traits of men who have done
noble service at the college were
an appropriate reminder of Dr
Carlyle's great services to his
alma matter. In this hall there
was gathered a large congre
gation oi mourners, including a
great, many young people, and
in the gallery upstairs the col
ored people who had been em
ployed by Dr. Carlyle's family
The hall was almost completely
filled.,
The funeral service was con
ducted by the late Dr. Carlyle's
friend Rev. J. A. Campbell, of
Buies Creek Academy, in obe
dience to a request made by Dr.
Carlyle shortly before his death.
Those who assisted Mr. Camp
bell were Rev. W. N. Johnson,
of Wake Forest; Dr. W. R. Cul
lom, of the college faculty; Pres
ident W. L- Poteat, of the col
lege; President F. B. Hobgood,
of Oxford College, representing
the Wake Jborest College board
of trustees, of which board he is
president; and Dr. W. B Royall,
of the faculty. The music, in
which a choir of about fourteen
voices took part, was under the
charge of Mr. Hubert Poteat,
formerly a student under Dr.
Lanyie. ine services were a
beautiful tribute to the dead
man and his life work.
Edward L. Travis, of Halifax
Appointed Corporation Com
missioner. Raleigh News and Observer. 12th.
The announcement came from
the executive office yesterday
afternoon that Govenor Kitchin
had appointed Hon. Edward L
Travis, of Halifax, member of
the North Carolina Corporation
Commission to succeed the late
Henry Clay Brown. Immediate
ly after appointment the oath of
office was administered to Mr.
Travis by Associate Justice Wil
liam R. Allen, of Goldsboro, and
he will assume the duties of his
new office today.
Mr. Travis is a prominent law
yer of Halifax, and has long been
in the front ranks of the Demo
cratic party in North Carolina,
serving in some of its most im
portant fights. He has been
county chairman since 1898, aud
has served three terms in the
State Senate. He has also been
a memoer or tne btate Demo
cratic executive committee since
1898. In the celebrated cam
paigns of 1898 and 1900 he took
a leading part, and while in the
Senate in 1899 he was chairman
of the Senate committee on con
stitutional amendments and help
ed frame the Constitutional
Amendment which gave the
white man control of politics in
North Carolina. All during his
political career he has been one
of the wisest party leaders in
the State, always standing four
square for pure Democracy He
was born in Brunswick county,
Va., in 1866.
continued: Hector Gilchrist, re
tailing; Marshall Pittman, re
tailincr: Will McArn. carrvinsr
concealed weapon; Willis D.
Britt, assault with deadly weap
on; Marry lvey, carrvmg con-
on; Sam Pugh, murder, defen
dant held in $2,000 bond; Jas.
Pearson, retailing
Constipation causes headache, nausea,
dizziness, languor, heart palpitation.
Drastic physics gripe, sicken, weaken
the bowels and don't cure. Doan'a
Reguleta act quickly and cjre constipa
tion. 25 cents. Ask your druggist.
Funeral of Dr. John
An Impressive
Hi life Work.
Buildings That Project Upon
Sidewalks. Must Be Mored
Back Committee Appointed
to See About Fire Pump.
At a meeting of the town com
missioners Tuesday night an or
dinance was passed requiring all
buildings that enroach upon
sidewalks to be moved back even
with other buildings. The build
ings that will be affected are the
Columbia hotel building, occupied
by the Farmers & Merchants
Bank, the Dixie cafe and
Meares' barber shop, and the
building occupied by J. H. Wish
art and H. C. Boylin. These
buildings are on opposite corners
of Elm and Fourth streets. The
Robesor.ian has several times
called attention to the way these
buildings mar the appearance of
this street. Work must be be
gun on this change within 90
days
Messrs. H.
B. Jennings and
were appointed a
W. J. Prevatt
committee, to
man, of the
which Supt. Pit-
light and water
plant, and Fire Chief
J. P.
inves-
Townsend were added, to
tigate the matter of the fire
pump which was purchased some
time ago. There is some hitch
about the company from which
the pump was bought agreeing
to the terms given by its sales
man. The board will be in session
again .tomorrow night, when
other important matters will be
considered.
Contract Let For Remedying
Acoustic Defects of Court
Room in Court House.
At a meeting of the county
commissioners Monday the H. W.
Jones-Manville Co. of Baltimore
was awarded the contract for
remedying the acoustic defects
of the court room in the court
house, the contract price being
$1,500. As has been stated in
The Robesonian, Mr. E. J. Britt,
county attorney, has had this
matter up for some time with
acoustic experts and recently a
representative of the Jones-Man-
ville Co. came hce to investi
gate the conditions to be reme
died. It la proposed to lay off
the middle ceiling in panels.
which are to be covered with
what is known as acoustic felt.
and this will be covered with
burlap which will be colored so
as not to mar the appearance of
the building. The contractors
guarantee a first-class job in
every respect and to make the
acoustic properties of this room
perfect. Under the terms of
the contract they are to receive,
no pay until the work has been
thoroughly tested by the com
missioners and is to their entire
satisfaction.
It will be a source of gratifica
tion to every citizen of the coun
ty that this work is to be done,
for this is the only defect of the
new court house. The work will
be begun within the next ten
days and will be completed by
the September term of caurt.
Average Increase in Valuation
of Robeson County Farm
Lands 39 1-2 Per Cent
The county board of equaliza
tion of taxes is in session again
today and it is found that the
average increase in valuation of
farm lands in Robeson county,
as shown by returns of list
takers, over the valuation 4
years ago, is 39 h per cent. Tne
average for the county in 1907
was $7 28; this year it is $10.07.
ine greatest increase, do per
cent, is shown in Howelidville
and St. Paul's township's, while
Lumberton township shows a
decrease of 11 per cent. The
board has not yet determined
whether it will make an increase
or decrease in any township.
Mr. Alex. Leggett, of Route 2
From Fairmont, Killed by
Lightning.
Special to The Robesnian.
Fairmont, July 12. -During a
thunder storm this afternoon
about 3 30 o'clock Mr. Alexander
Leggett, who lives about 5 miles
from here, on rural route No. 2,
was killed by lightning. He was
struck as he was taking the
bridle off his mule' at his barn
door and he and the mule were
both killed instantly. Mr. Leg
gett was about 40 years old. He
leaves a wife and several small
children. A heavy rain fell here
all the afternoon.
LOCAL BRIEFS
The condition of Sheriff E.
C. McNeill, who has been sick
for some time with typhoid fever,
is not thought to be any better
today.
Cantaloupes are bringing the
best price ever known on the
local market Mr. H. F. Bissell,
of route 4 from Lumberton.
brings a load to town every day
and sells them in a few minutes.
Sixteen applicants are stand
ing examination today before
County Superintendent Poole for
public school certificates, 3 frr
high school and 3 for A. and M.
College. Colored teachers will
be examined tomorrow and In
dians Saturday.
-Mr. J no. Duncan of Bellamy,
who was in town Tuesday .selling
peen peas, said he brought 60
bushels with him and sold them
in town-and at the factories at
the rate of 60 cents per bushel.
That was making money some
on peas -$36.
F. L. Jernegan, principal of
the Oak Dale Academy, Marietta,
last term arjd who has been en
gaged to teach next term also,
beginning some time in October,
has accepted the principalship of
the Magnolia school in South
Carolina near Fair Bluff, N. C.
He will only teach a summer
school thereuntil his other school
at Oak Dale begins in the fall.
-Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Caldwell
and Mr. K. M. Biggs returned
yesterday from Wake Forest,
where they went to attend the
funeral of Prof. J. B. Carlyle,
who was an uncle of Mr. Biggs.
Owing to the crowded condition
of the paper a more extended ac
count of the life of Prof. Car
lyle than appeared in Monday's
Robesonian is held over for the
next issue.
During the heavy rain and
electric storm yesterday after
noon lightning struck a large
oak tree in the vacant lot near
ex-Judge T. A. McNeill's resi
dence, Elm and Tenth streets,
riving it, and Mr. L. R. Varser
says that balls of fire played
about over the Presbyterian
manse, Chesnut and Tenth,
which he and his family occupy,
about the same time. The rain
was a hf avy downpour and the
lightning at times was exceed
ingly keen.
-Miss Margaret McNeill and
Mr. W. E. Garrett, both of Red
Springs, were married Monday
in the Presbyterian manse at
Fayetteville. the ceremony being
perfermed by Rev. R. W. Jop
ling, pastor of the Red Springs
Presbyterian church, assisted by
Rev. W. M. Fairley of Fayette
ville. The bride is a daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Jas. A. McNeill
of Red Springs and the groom is
head of the firm of Garrett &
McNeill and president of the
Carolina Bank & Trust Co.
Mr. T. F. Reeves, manager
of the Fairmont tobacco ware
house, was a Lumberton visitor
Tuesday and says that they will
be ready for business on the
'20th; and he says further that
among their buyers tor tnis sea
son will be Mr. W. M. Lewis, of
Danville, Va., who reprensents
the American Tobacco Co., and
Mr. R. W. Watson, representing
the Imperial Tobacco Co. These
are .old buyers at Fairmont and
are well known to the host of
farmers that raise tobacco in
that vicinity.
Lives Lost In Railrosd Wreck.
Bridgeport. Conn.. Dispatch, llth.
Twelve battered bodies in the
morgue, 44 suffering in the hospi
tals and a mountain of junk at the
foot of a twenty-foot embank
ment at the western end of the
city tell the tale tonight of the
worst wreck in 58 years' history
of th New Y Nw Haven
and Hartford Railroad.
Washington. July 9. The 40,-.
000 odd rural free delivery car
riers in the United States are to
receive salary increases as a re
n'llt of an order issued WUv fcv
Postmaster General Hitchcock.
The order provides for the dis
bursement during the current
fiscal year of $4,000,000. whh
will mean an increase of $100
over the present salary of 9J0
for all carriers on standard
rouP9. vith Drooortionate in
creases in shorter routes.