Robeson County Day in Lumberton Great Fourth m July Celebration Don't Fail to Come
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ROBESO
MAN
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VOL XUV NQ.3Q LUMBERTON, NORTH CAROLINA, MONDAY, JUNE 2, 1913. WHOLE NO 2867
1 1 i .. . . z. "
RECORDERS COURTS BEGIN
Machinery of Five Courts in Robeson
Set in Motion Today" Mr. J. A.
Rowland, Recorder, and Mr. W.
Lennon, Prosecuting Attorney, for
Lumberton District, Took Oath this
Morning. -
Machinery for five recorders' courts
for Robeson county were set in mo
tion today. The courts for the five
districts into which the county is
divided for this purpose will hold
their regular sittings at Lumberton,
Red Springs, Rowland, Maxton and
Fairmont. The act of the Legisla
ture creating these courts was pub
lished in full in The Robesonian of
April 31 last.
Mr. J. A. Rowland, recorder, and
Mr. W. Lennon, prosecuting attor
ney, for the Lumberton district, both
appointed by the Legislature to hold
office until next primary, in 1914
took the oath of office this morning,
Owing to the fact that Mr. Rowland
has just gotten up from a long spell of
sickness at the Thompson hospital
the cases that were ready for his
court this morning were disposed of
in the mayor's court. Hereafter the
mayors of the towns named will be
relieved of police court trials.
Section 5 of the act establishing
these courts provides:
"Each court shall hold daily ses
sions, Sundays and legal holidays ex
cepted, at some convenient place in
the township in which the courts are
established. The first session of each
of the said courts shall be on the first
Monday in June, 1913, after the qua!
ification of the recoreder herein pro
Tided.
NEW ROAD LAW IN FORCE.
Effective June 1 Last Meeting of
County Board of Road Commission
era Being Held Today.
Robeson county's new road law
which divides the county for road
working purposes into township dis
tricts, giving each township control
of its own funds, goes into effect to
day. This new road law, enacted by
the Legislature at its recent ses
sion, was published in full in The
Robesonian of March 27 last. It pro
vides for three trustees for each town
ship. Trustees for all but four of
the townships were appointed by the
commissioners, on the recommenda
tion of the county's representatives in
the Legislature, at their meeting last
month and were published in The
Robesonian of May 8. The few ap
pointments that -were not made last
month will be made by the commis
sioners today.
The county road commissioners un
der the old law are holding their last
meeting here today, winding up af
fairs in so far as It possible to do so.
The old board goes out owing some
$11,000, a debt against the road taxes
of the present year for the townships
to take care of pro rata. The Bank
of Red Springs hold notes amounting
to $9,000, and a Maxton bank has
notes amounting to $2,000. This is
less than the usual amount of the in
debtedness of the road commission
ers at this time of the year.
Mr. D. D. French Appointed Postmas
ter. As stated elsewhere in this issue,
in a dispatch from Washington, Presi
dent Wilson has sent to the Senate
the nomination of Mr. D. D. French
to be postmaster at Lumberton and
Mr. French is now just "hanging on
by his eyelids, so to speak, ready to
drop into this berth as soon as his
nomination is confirmed by the Sen
ate; and confirmation will be made
as soon as that august body gets to
the batch of nominations "one of
which Mr. French is whom." Mr.
French was recommended by 90 per
cent or more of the patrons of the
office and his appointment will give
general satisfaction. Mrs. Norment
has given general satisfaction as
postmistress, having served since the
death of her husband, and pleasure at
the appointment of Mr. French is na
turally tinged with regret that in the
nature of things it was not practica
ble to appoint tier.- - - -
Wilmington Star, 1st: A little
after .A o'clock yesterday Mr. John
D. Artiley, rate clerk in the officeof
tVta mirlitar nf freicrht receipts. Atlan
tic Coast Line, this city, lost his life
in the surf at Wrightsville Beach
while, trying to save Dr. Ralph E.
Knouse, pharmacist at the Marine
Hospital, of 'this place. Death was
due to heart failure.
Subscribe for The Robesonian.
FAR-REACHING PROBE.
Investigation of Private Affairs and
Business Connections of Members
of Senate Begins Overman Chair
man of Investigating Committee.
Washington Dispatch, May 31st.
The most searching investigation
ever undertaken into the private af
fairs and business connections of
members of the United States Senate
will be the outgrowth of the "lobby
investigation" which is to open Mon
day morning before a subcommittee
of the Senate judiciary committeee.
While Presiden Wilson's recent de
claration that a powerful lobby is at
work to influence action on the tar
iff bill forms the basis for the inves
tigation, questions prepared tonight
by the committee to be asked of each
member of the Senate are such as to
carry the investigation far outside of
tariff matters.
Each' Senator will be required to
tell under oath whether he has any
interest in any matter affected by any
bill now before Congress, or that has
been before the Senate during his
term; and whether or not he has
lever tried to influence lany other
Senator to vote for a measure in
which he was interested. Subcommit
tee Chairman Overman expressed the
opinion tonight that the questions
would require a statement by each
Senator as to any business interests
he may have that would be affected
by the tariff, currency or any other
legislation.
Many members of the Senate are
openly associated with manufactur
ing trading, livestock, field or farm
ing corporations or interests and un
der the questions of the committee
they probably will be required to
give any such connections in detail
if the tariff would affect their busi
ness in any way. Senators Overman
Reed, Walsh, Cummins and Nelson
were selected early today by the ju
diciary committee to conduct the in
vestigation. This subcommittee has
decided to summon all members of
the Senate. .Each will be put under
oath and required to answer 11 for
mal questions and further questions
that members may ask.
THERE IS YET HOPE
Of Adjusting Freight Rates Third
Conference With Freight Traffic
Managers June 24.
Raleigh Times, May 31.
That there is yet hope of reaching
an agreement with the railroads
whereby the inter-State freight rates
may be adjusted in a manner satis
factory to North Carolina shippers
was indicated today in a statement is
sued by Chief Clerk Maxwell, of the
Corporation Commission. At any rate
the proceedings have progressed far
enough to justify the commission in
having a third conference with the
freight traffic managers of the North
Carolina lines, and this has been set
for June 24.
Chairman Travis, Commissioner
Lee and Chief Clerk Maxwell return
ed to the city today from Old Point
Comfort, Va., where Thursday and
Friday was held the second conferen
ces with the railroad men. Chairman
Travis met with the heads of the. car
riers in Washington several weeks
ago, when a proposition was submit
ted by the commission. The carriers
took this under consideration and put
their experts to work on it. "Some
progress was made" this week and
it is hoped that the controversy can
be settled without strife.
Roosevelt Wins Suit Accepts Nom
inal Damages.
Marquette, Mich., Dispatch, May 31.
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt today
won his libel suit against George A.
Newett, who charged the Colonel
with drunkenness, and waived dam
ages after the defendant had uttered
a retraction. The jury awarded the
nominal damages of six cents pro
vided in such cases by the laws of
Michigan. Each party to the suit will
have to pay his own expenses.
Judge Flahnigan instructed the
jury to bring in a verdict for the
plaintiff, which they did without lead
ing their seats. The Colonel left for
Chicago and the East at 5:30 this af
ternoon, less than two hours after
the conclusion of the case.
Speaking of his purpose in insti
tuting suit he said: .
"I wished once for all during my
lifetime to deal .with those slanders
so that never again will it be possi
ble for any man in good faith to re
peat them." .
Subscribe for The Robesonian.
FAVOR PEACE PLAN.
Eight Nations Have Responded Fa
vorably to I Secretary Bryan's
Peace Plan Progress of the Plan
Washington Dispatch, May 30.
Secretary Bryan signalized the day
commemorative of the country's hero
dead by announcing that eight na
tions have responded favorably to
his peace plan asking that suggest
ions be transmitted in regard to de
tails. The nations in the order in
which they have accepted are Italy
Great Britain, France, Brazil, Swe
den, Norway, Peru and Russia.
Secretary Bryan said that no nation
to whom his peace plan was submit
ted, had replied adversely, although
some had asked more time for con
sideration.
To each of the governments ex
pressing a willingness to enter into
the agreement, a tentative statement
has been submitted embodying details
suggested by the President The
Secretary pointing out that this state
ment was submitted for considera
tion, with no intention of insistence
upon any particular detail, declined
to make public its contents. Mr.
Bryan discussed the progress of his
plan, in the following statement:
"It will be remembered that about
a month ago a plan was, by the
President's direction, submitted to all
the governments having representa
tive here, the plan being in substance
as follows:
"First, that the United States is
prepared to enter into an agreement
with each and every country several
ly, providing for the investigation of
all disputes of every character and
nature by an international commis
sion, the contracting parties agreeing
not to declare war to begin hostili
ities until such investigation is made
and report submitted.
"Second, the investigation to be
conducted as a matter of course, upon
the initiative of the commission, with
out the formality of a request from
either party.
"Third, the report to be submitted
within a given time, the time
to be agreed upon.
"Fourth the parties to reserve the
right to act independently on the
subject matter in dispute, after the
report is submitted.
"The composition of the commis
sion was a matter of detail to be
agreed upon by the contracting par
ties; the time, also, in which the re
port should be submitted was a mat
ter of detail to be agreed upon by the
contracting parties.
Eight nations have up to this time,
responded favorably, some endorsing
the principle and asking that sugges
tion be submitted in regard to per
manent details, others replying that
the proposition is received sympathe
tically and expressing a willingness
to consider details. The nations, in
the order in which they have accepted
are:' Italy, Great Britain, France,
Brazil, Sweden, Norway, Peru and
Russia.
"To those expressing a willingness
to confer in regard to the details, a
tentative statement has been submit
ted, embodying details suggested by
the President; this statement being
submitted for consideration, however
with no intention of insisting on any
particular detail. The exact phraseol
ogy of the agreements may not be the
same in all cases. If the principle is
endorsed the government is willing
to confer with open mind as to minor
points."
Speaking of the reception his plan
has received, Mr. Bryan observed that
within the past two months three
arbitration treaties have been renew
ed for a period of five years. The
treaties renewed are with France, Ita
ly and Spain and President Wilson
has announced his willingness to re
new similar conventions with Great
Britain, Japan, Norway, Sweden and
Portugal.
Annual Meeting Robeson Rural Let
ter Carriers' Association.
At the annual meeting of the Robe
son Rural Letter Carriers' Associa
tion held in Lumberton Friday offi
cers'' were re-elected as follows: A.
S. Pitman, route No. 2, Lumberton,
president; E. L. Odum, route No. 1,
Pembroke, v ice -president? B. B.
Hayes, route No. 2, Fairmont, secre
tary-treasurer. Delegates were also
elected to the meeting of the State
association which will be held in
Wilmington, July 4. Fifteen or twenty
carriers attended the meeting, a re
port of which in detail the secretary
has promised to send The Robeson
ian.
WILL RUSH TARIFF BILL.
Predicted that Senate Will Vote On
Bill by August I Leaders Are Con
fident. Washington Dispatch, May 31.
"Make the Republicans work," is
the slogan adopted by the Demo
cratic leaders of the Senate in charge
of the tariff legislation, who today
predicted that the Senate would vote
on the bill by August 1. Members of
the finance committee declared that
the bill would be out of sub-committees
on June 9, and that the full com
mittee's report should be ready for
the caucus by the following week and
that the revised measure would be
reported to the Senate June 23.
Senator Smith of Georgia said that
the Senate should vote on the bill in
the latter part of July.
"We will keep the Republicans who
want to discuss the bill working and
we will keep at work ourselves from
the very beginning," said the Senator.
"We will meet in the Senate every
day at 10 o'clock in the morning and
keep at work until 6 o'clock at night.
That will prevent the opposition from
delaying the bill by playing with it.
We will tire the Republicans out of
playing.
It was made evident today that the
fight among the Democrats on the
wool and sugar schedules would be
concluded in the caucus and that this
would leave Senators Ransdell and
Thornton of Louisiana and Senator
Walsh to oppose the bill.
More positive than they have ever
been before were the administration
leaders today that the bill would
come from committee and through
party caucus with free wool and free
sugar in three years unscathed.
Amendments to these schedules will
of course be offered on the floor of the
Senate and the Democrats who will
remain avowedly against the bill as it
is reported will be expected to vote
for them. Even then the leaders as
sert the bill can be passed as Presi
dent Wilson approves it, though it
will probably require the vote of Vice
President Marshall unless Senator
Poindexter, the only avowed Progres
ive in the Senate votes for the meas
ure. SHOWS UP HITCHCOCK.
Burleson Says Postoffice Department
Never Did Become Self Supporting,
as Asserted by His Predecessor.
Washington Dispatch, May 31.
Postmaster General Burleson today
made public the report of a special
investigation into fiscal affairs of the
postal service, charging that during
former Postmaster General Hitch
cock's administration, the service did
not become self-supporting, as was
often asserted, but that in 1911 there
actually was a deficit of more than
$750,000.
The report charges that an apparent
surplus was attained by unjustifiable
methods of bookkeeping and that the
efficiency and morale of the postal
service were "sacrificed to a ruthlessly-enforced
policy of false economy,"
that a showing of self-maintenance
might be made. The report attributes
to that alleged condition complaints
against the service.
Mr. Hitchcock, during his admin
istration and in his reports, claimed
that in the year 1909 a deficit of ap
proximately $17,500,000 had entirely
been eliminated and that in the fiscal
year 1911 a surplus of more than
$200,000 was attained.
The report of the "survey" made
at the direction of Mr. Burleson says
that at no time has there been a legi
timate surplus' m postal revenues since
1883 and that the Postoffice Depart
ment under Mr. Hitchcock's adminis
tration in 1911 actually was under a
deficit of more than $750,000.
Change of Superintendents at Lum
berton Cotton Mills.
Mr. F. C. Hall of Taunton, Mass.,
has succeeded Mr. S. J. Webb as su
perintendent of the Lumberton cot
ton Mills, Mr. Webb, who had serv
ed mill as superintendent for a num
ber of years, having resigned to ac
cept a similar position wjthJ1a ,mjjll at
Sylicauga, Ala. Mr. Webb left for
Sylicauga Saturday and will be join
ed by his family later. Mr. Hall and
wife arrived last week.
Alligators Galore.
Alligators are said to be plentiful
in Lennon's mill pond 6 or 8 miles
from town, and some of them are
said to have moved to Lumber river.
One 8 feet long and one 10 feet long
were killed Friday, and some of the
smaller onegwere captured.
AEROPLANE FLIGHT FOR JULY 4
Flying Machine Will Almost Certainly
be One of Attractions in Lumber
ton for July 4th Celebration Ar
rangemerita Being Made for Big
gest Celebration Ever Pulled Off
in This Section.
Mr. Frank Gough, chairman of the
program committee for the big Robe
son county celebration of July Fourth
in Lumberton, has received some at
tractive propositions from the big
gest aeroplane company in the Uni
ted States to give a flying machine
exhibition on this day and it is very
probable that a contract will be made
within the next few days for a bird
man for this big Robeson County
Day.
Preparations are under way and a
big celebration is assured. Besides
the aeroplane flight there will be oth
er attractions. A meeting of all com
mittees appointed to prepare for this
celebration was held Friday after
noon and work was started in earn
est. Another meeting of all commit
tees will be held in the commission
ers' room at the court house Wednes-
day afternoon at 6:15 o'clock and it
is expected that it will be possible to
make some more definite announce
ments in Thursday's Robesonian.
MAXTON BOY DROWNED
Lost His Life While in Bathing in
McRae Mill Pond Yesterday.
Maxton Special, 1st, to Charlotte
Observer.
Marvin Maness, the 17-year-old son
of Mr. B. T. Maness, a well-known
contractor and builder of this place,
lost his life by drowning this after
noon. In company with a number of
other boys young Maness went to
McRae's old millpond, one mile from
town, to go in bathing. He got be
yond his depth and drowned before
assistance could reach him.
The body was recovered shortly af
ter the accident. The funeral will be
held from the home tomorrow morn
ing.
Young Maness was a bright boy,
universally liked and the' unfortunate
and tragic ending of so promising a
life has cast a gloom over the entire
town and calls for expressions of
great sympathy to the bereaved fam
ily.
CONFESSED TO MURDER.
Negro Arrested in Maxton for Minor
Offense Tells of Murder He Com
mitted in Jacksonville, Fla.
Maxton Dispatch, May 31.
Arrested here today on a charge
( :' iarcfy of merchandise f r r:i
Wadesboro store, a negro giving his
name as Leo Davis, and his home as
Cartersville, Georgia, broke down and
confessed to having killed George
Blaine, a sea captain at Jacksonville,
Fla. Davis says there is a reward of
$400 offered for his arrest in that
State. Jacksonville authorities have
been notified of the arrest.
Tampa, Fla., May 31 The murder
to which Davis confessed in Maxton
was committed last fall. Captain
Blaine, a retired sea captain, watch
man at the Tampa Steam Ways, was
found one morning with his head
beaten to a pulp., Two weeks later,
A. T. Gary, who succeeded Captain
Blaine was killed in very much the
same manner.
Guns and Cannon Balls for Court
House Square Secured by Mrs. A.
W. McLean.
For some time Mrs. A. W. Mc
Lean has been corresponding with
the Secretary of the Navy, Hon. Jo
sephus Daniels, with a view to se
curing the loan of two cannons and
a number of cannon balls, to be
placed in the court house square in
Lumberton. Mrs. McLean has been
advised by Mr. Daniels that he will
be glad to send two one-pounder Max
im Nordenfeldt Mark VI guns, and
sixty nine-inch shells, upon the ap
proval of the request by the mayor of
the town of Lumberton and Senator
Simmons The application will be sent
in due form at once.
.Of course, arrangements will
have to be made to pay the expenses
of having the guns shipped from the
Navy Yards, Washington, D. C. and
Portsmouth, N. Hn to LumbertQIU
It is hoped the guns and cannon
balls will arrive within a few weeks.
Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Proctor went
Friday to Graham to visit at the
home of Mrs. Proctor's parents, Mr.
and Mrs. J. D. Kernodle. They will
also attend commencement at Chapel
Hill this-week. -r
BRIEF LOCAL NEWS ITEMS.
Miss Nancy Powell and Mr. Per
ry Taylor were married at St. Paul
Saturday at the residence of the offi
ciating minister. Rev. J. D. Clark.
The old Methodist church, Chest
nut and Seventh, is being torn down
and moved down near the V. Si C.
S. station, where it will be used by
Mr. L. H. Caldwell, who purchased
it from Mr. N. P. Andrews, in build
ing a warehouse.
Miss Maud Mant, of Georgetown,
S. C, has accepted a position as ste
nographer in Lumberton cotton mill
office. She succeeds Mr. W. P. Ryan,
who recently resigned to accept a
position in the Atlantic Coast Line
offices at Wilmington. Miss Fant ar
rived this morning.
"The Lord and the Peasant," Edi
son, and "Too Much Wooing of Hand
some Dan," a Western Vitagraph, will
delight visitors at the Pastime thea
tre this evening. Mr. Bennie Harris,
of Wilmington, who, beginning today,
will be pianist at the Pastime, arrived
this morning, and it is conceded that
he is one of the best who has ever
been heard in Lumberton.
Mr. C. B. Redmond's right hand
was painfully burned Friday after
noon in trying to extinguish flames
which were trying to ruin his Parlor
Grocery peanut roaster on Fourth
street. A leak of gasoline caused the
fire. The roaster which has been
in use 10 years and cost $350 was
damaged to some extent but was
patched up and put on the job again
Saturday.
Fairmont Messenger, May 30:
The First Baptist church of Fairmont
will soon be ready for service. The
finishing touches are being applied
now and when finished Fairmont can
boast of one of the best churches in
Robeson county, Fairmont moves
steadily forward. Pastor Bridges ex
pects to preach his sermon on the
third Sunday morning in the new
structure.
Mr. and Mrs. A. E. White return
ed Friday from Baltimore, Md., where
Mrs. Whiteg had been undergoin
treatment for three weeks. Mrs.
White's condition is very much im
proved, her many friends will be de
lighted to learn, but it will be two
w'eeks yet before she will be able
to get out or receive visitors, the spe
cialists by whom she was treated hav
ing ordered perfect quiet and rest for
that length of time.
Mr. D. R. Rhodes, of Barnesville,
is among the business visitors in town
this morning. He says that he has
a hog at his home "what is a hog,"
and his hogship has outgrown the
name of "pig" or "shote," even though
it is young. He says the pig has not
yet seen three summers and he thinks
it will easily weigh 600 pounds on its
feet. Mr. Rhodes thinks that by the
time his "pig" has grown to be a hog
it will weigh near 1,000 pounds on
foot.
Isabel, Walters, Ruth Edmund,
Mack Campbell and J. C. Batton, all
colored, were before Mayor White
this morning on charges of disorderly
conduct. Isabel Walters was fined
$2.50 and costs, Ruth Edmund and fa.
Mack Campbell were fined $5 each
and costs. Batton had to answer two
charges and was fined $5 and costs in
each case. Campbell failed to pay
his .fine and was placed in jail. These
are probably the last cases Mayor
White will try as the recorder's court
is now in operation.
Handsome Gifts to Chestnut Street
Methodist Church.
Mr. and Mrs. C. V. Brown have
presented the Chestnut Street Meth
odist church a pulpit Bible, which is
one of the handsomest to be found
in any church. It is bound in full
Morocco, has large, beautiful print,
and its size is 11 by 14 inches. This
was given in memory of the mothers
of Mr. and Mrs. Brown and on the
leather on the inside of the front cov
er is the following inscription: "In
fond memory of Anne Thrower Fitts
and Lula Vines Brown."
Master Robt. Clinton Deese and
ittle Miss Mary Julia Jones have pre
sented to this church a handsome
leather-bound hymnal for pulpit use.
It hag, the names of the donors Jn
gilt letters on the front cover.
Rev. J. W. Bradley, pastor of the
church, expressed the appreciation
felt by the congregation of the church
for these gifts at the morning service '
yesterday, when they were used for
the first time.