Newspapers / The Robesonian (Lumberton, N.C.) / July 14, 1913, edition 1 / Page 1
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r E ROBESONIAN Established 187Q. Country, God and Truth. Single Copies Five Cents VOL XUV NO. 42 T . LUMBERTON, NORTH CAROLINA, MONDAY, JULY 14, 1913. WHOLE NO 2879 PREVATT GETS 15 YEARS; VERDICT 2D DEGREE MURDER ; Slayer of Emory McNeill Goes to State Penitentiary for 15 Years .Sentence Reduced From 21 Years Jury Out 3 Hours Hard-Fought Case in Which There Was Intense -'Interest. After three hours deliberation the Jury in the case of Barfield Pre vatt, who shot anf fatally wounded j Emory McNeill in Lumberton on the night of March 29 last, returned a verdict Saturday afternoon of murder in the second degree and Judge C. C. Lyon sentenced the prisoner to 15 ;years service in the Sate penitentia ry at Raleigh. Judge Lyon first pass ed sentence of 21 years in prison, but later yielded to earnest pleading of counsel for the prisoner and re duced the sentence. This brought to a close one of the hardest-fought cases ever tried in Robeson county and one in which more interest was manifested than in any other case tried in the county in many years. Argument of lawyers and the judge's charge occupied the time Friday , morning until Saturday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock, Including a session Friday night. Ar gument for the prosecution was open ed Friday morning by District Attor ney H. F. Seawell of Carthage and was closed Saturday about noon by Solicitor N. A. Sinclair. Others who argued the case for the State were, in the order in which they spoke, Messrs. T. L. Johnson, H. E. Stacy and E. J. Britt. Messrs. S. Mclntyre, A. W. McLean, R. E. Lee and L. R Varser spoke for the defense. The case was given to th3 jury at 1:30 Saturday afternoon and when at 4:30 o'clock, three hours later, the ringing of the court house bell indi rated that the jury was ready to render its verdict, people hastened 'from all directions to the court room, which was filled to standing-room ca pacity before the prisoner was brought from the jail. After the ver dict was rendered counsel for the de fense asked for time in which to go over some matters before sentence was passed and Judge Lyon agreed to hold the matter open till 6:30 o'clock, when sentence was passed. ine vermct ana sentence were received by the prisoner with Indian ..stoicism, his nerve, which had not failed him once during the trial; sus Gaining him apparently unmoved through the final ordeal. Consider ing the fact that a number of women of the families of the deceased and the prisoner were in the court room all during the trial it. is rather re markable that not more than ojice, and that during the argument of one of the counsel, was a tear shed. . Barfield Prevatt is 23 years old .and is one of 14 living children of Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Prevatt, who live three miles from Lumberton on the Carthage road. A report of the proceedings of the trial since The Robesonian went to press Thursday follows: Reported for The Robesonian. The session of court Thursday af ternoon was largely taken up in prov ing the character of both deceased, .find defendant. The first witness placed on stand was Needhara Con oly of East Lumberton, who swore that he had known McNeill for 8 or 9 years and that his general reputa tion in the community for danger and violence was bad. In the cross examination of Conoly the fact was brought out that two years ago he and deceased had some altercation Mr. F. J. Thomas, agent for the Southern Express Company at Lum berton; was placed on the stand to prove that on the night of the hom icide there was delivered to McNeill a package of whiskey. The records of the company were produced in court and showed that after the ar rival of the V. & C. S. train at 6:30 " p. m. there was delivered to the de ceased 2 gallons of spiritous liquor. As to the hour of the delivery, Mr. Thomas stated that he left his office at 7:00 o'clock and went to his sup per and that the paackage was de livered by one of his clerks after he had gone. Mr. J. G. Stephens of Boardman stated that he knew deceased, saw him evening of homicide between 5 and 6 o'clock and that McNeill gave him a drink. J. A. Spivey of Lumberton stated that he knew deceased and that his reputation for drinking and fighting was bad. Asked as to the character of the defendant, he stated that it was bad. B. B. Warwick testified that he was in Lumberton a week prior to kill ing. Saw defendant on Main street. (Continued on page four.) NO SIGNS OF PEACE. Balkan States Appear to be Again in Melting Pot Greece and Servia Decline to Agree to Armistice. London Dispatch, 13th. The Balkan States appear to be again in the melting pot. There is no sign of peace at present. Greece and Servia have declined to agree to an armistice. The Turkish army is advancing by forced marches from Tchatalja and Bulair apparently with the consent of Greece and Servia to attempt the recapture of Adrianople and Thrace. Rumania is said to be preparing to occupy a much larger extent of Bulgarian territory than she pre viously claimed, and Greece is burn ing to avenge the Bulgarian massa cres, concerning which horrifying de tails continually appear in official re-' ports issued from Athens and Salon ika According to this report ears and fingers of Greek women still bearing ear rings and rings were found in the pocketsof Bulgarian prisoners. There still is talk of Russia inter fering and it is reported from St. Petersburg that the Powers in con cert have notified the Sublime Porte they will not permit military opera tions beyond the Enqs-Midia line fixed bythe London conference. No fresh fighting is reported and it appears that rumors regarding a revolution in, Sofia are without foun dation. The Bulgarian government accuses Greece of circulating false accounts of Bulgarian atrocities with a view of preparing the ground for future territorial claims and expresses it self as willing to submit the whole matter to an international investi gation. In Bulgarian official circles in London it is announced that an agreement ha3 been reached with Turkey to regard the Enos-Midia line as a provisional frontier pending fi nal delimitation by the international commission. BULGARIAN ATROCITIES. King Constantine Protests to Civiliz ed World Last Hope of Arbitra tion Destroyed. London Dispatch, 12th. King Constantine's protest to the civilized world against Bulgarian atrocities destroys the last hope that Russia would succeed in inducing the belligerents to accept arbitration. The atrocities destroys thel ast hope that spectators of the struggle have been confident throughout that Servia' would be amendable to the counsels of moderation in view of the appalling losses she sustained in ejecting the Bulgarians from Macedonia, but were less hopeful that Greece would lis ten to reason, as her people and army were obviously intoxicated by the victories over the dreaded Bulgars. In his protest, the Greek King de clares: "I see myself compelled to wreak vengeance in order to inspire these monsters with terror and make them reflect before committting more out rages of this sort." The strength of King Constantine's language and dispatches from Con stantinople late tonight indicate that Bulgaria may not merely be stripped of the fruits of her victory over" the Turks but possibly may have to sub mit to diminuation of her own terri tory for Rumania is credited with the intention of annexing a larger strip than she at first proclaimed, while Turkey is joining hands with Servia and Greece and has already ordered her troops to advance. Beyond briefly chronicling the un opposed advances of the Rumanians, Sofia maintains a significant silence regarding the operations of the Ser vians and Greeks. Athens, July 12 From King Con stantine, the Greek Minister of For eign Affairs has received the fol lowing message: "The commander of the Sixth Di vision reports that Bulgarian soldiers carrying out the orders of their cap tain, gathered together in the court yard of the school at Demirhissar two priests and over 100 notables whom they massacred. The bodies have been disinterred in order to prove- the crime. Bulgarian soldiers, outraged girls, one of whom resisting was cut to pieces. "Protest in my name to the repre sentatives of the civilized' Powers against the acts of these monsters in human form. Protest also to the en tire civilized world and say that, to my regret I see'myself compelled to wreak vengeance in order to inspire these monsters with terror and make them reflect before committing more outrages of this sort. "The Bulgarians, have surpassed all GREAT PROGRESS. Some Wonderful Changes That Have Taken Place in Robeson Within Ten Years. Written for The Robesonian. In September 1897 we taught our first school. A good fortune, placed us at Rozier, where we were most pleasantly domiciled in the ever-hospitable home of Dr. and Mrs. S. B. Rozier. The nearest railroad points were Rennert on the A. C. L., Lum berton, on the S. A. L. Agriculture was at low ebb, the best farmers not raising more than a bale to every three acres, and lands were worth about ten dollars per acre. The roads leading to Lumberton were miserable. A few days ago we made our first trip from Lumberton to Rozier in more than a dozen years and we hard ly knew where we were. The road is now a boulevard bordered on either side by broad and fertile acres which have taken the place of the forest. If there . is to be found anywhere a more modern and up-to-date farm than that of Sheriff Lewis, we would like to see it. Why, in these years that have passed he has produced order out of chaos; and we want to say right here, by way of parenthe sis, that there is not a better fellow anywhere than Bob Lewis. At Rozier we missed the once fa miliar faces of Dr. and Mrs. Rozier, Mrs. Rozier having several years ago been gathered to her fathers. How ever, the head of the house is still Dr. Rozier (Dr. R. G.), and he is not only a successful physician, but a model farmer. If any Robesonian reader wants to see the finest stock of every variety, visit Dr. Rozier. We were sorry to have missed seeing Mrs. Rozier, who was visiting rela tives at Lillington, but we are going again. In those days of the now long ago, Prof. Poole was teaching at Barker's and the schools of Robeson were at a low ebb. Now Robeson stands in class number one along educa tional lines, and Poole is considered one of the old North State's best superintendents. Lumberton was then a village. Now she is a city and growing every day, and no one can foretell her future. We thought that if the next ten years produced as many changes as the last ten along all lines that Robeson will have even a greater record of which to boast, for within the next two years she will furnish the State her Governor. F. B. Ex-Sheriff McNeill Returns From a Visit to Texas. Ex-Sheriff E. C. McNeill of Row land is in town today. He returned Saturday from a trip to Texas, where he spent about six weeks visiting relatives. He spent a few days at Cleburne, Texas, with his brother-in-law Judge McKay, and from there he went to Sylvester, Texas, to see his son Mr. Jno. Duncan McNeill, and thence to Groverton, Texas, to see another son, Mr. Austin McNeill. Sheriff McNeill's daughter went with him, but did not return. She has accepted a position to teach in the graded school at Sylvester, and will hardly com home before next sum-, mer. Sheriff McNeill says that the crop prospects, especially cotton, are good in Texas. He says cotton is prac tically made. He brought several full grown cotton bolls home with him, and says the first bale of new cotton was sold at Houston last Wed nesday, the 9th. He says it is cer tainly a fine country. He came over from Rowland this morning and will probably return this afternoon or to morrow. the horrors of barbaric times and have proved that they no longer have a right to be reckoned among civiliz ed people." The Commander of the Seventh Di vision reports that the town of Seres has been burned with the exception of the Jewish and Mussulman quar ters. Many men, women and chil dren were found murdered or burn ed in the homes. Twenty thousand persons are without shelter. A long statement issued by the Minister of War gives details of crimes alleged to ' have been commit ted by the Bulgarian troops while fleeing from the Greek Army. 'Priests, old men, women and' chil dren,?' says the statement, "suffered martyrdom after being subjected to unspeakable treatment. Incendiarism was the order of the day. Not a sin gle church was respected and the savings of many people were stolen by Bulgarian officers and soldiers." Subscribe for The Robesonian. HONOR MEMORY OF "O. HENRY. Memorial Association Formed to Raise Funds for Memorial in Ra leigh. Greensboro Dispatch, 11th. "O. Henry Memorial Association" was an organization perfected here last night by a number of patriotic men and women, many of whom knew personally O. Henry in his youth. Dr. W. P. Beall, a leading physician and once an intimate friend of the youth, was elected president, and Miss . Emma King, of the faculty of the State Normal and Industrial College, was chosen secretary. The purpose of the organization is to com plete the raising of funds for the O. Henry memorial to be placed at Ra leigh. Leading in this movement is Dr. Archibald Henderson of the Uni versity of North Carolina. It was by his efforts that the organization here was formed. About $1500 for this purpose has been obtained and about this much more is needed. William Sidney Porter, known as O. Henry, was born and reared in Greensboro. He has relatives still living here. His father was a drug gist here in the days when Greens boro was scarcely more than a village and for several years young Porter worked in the drug store now known as the Fariss-Klutz Drug Company, the Carljle old houne, Walnut street, Even then he exhibited great literary s where he will reside until his' new activity, though he did more drawing home is completed, than writing in those times. He left Work on the Farmers and Merch here when a youth and spent many , ants Bank building, Chestnut and years on the plains, engaging1 in Fourth streets, which was started newspaper work and writing some about a month ago and stopped about for the larger papers and magazines, two weeks ago on account of the fail He finally landed in New York City J ure of some material to arrive, was where his best known stories were resumed this morning. Practically all written. The widow of the famous ' of the material has arrived and it is short story writer now lives in Ashe- expected that the work will be push ville, which was her home before the ed forward until this handsome new marriage. building is completed. The work of raising- the funds for a The work on Mr. Saloom Saleeby's memorial has so far advanced that it new brick building, Elm street, is is now assured. It will be placed ki moving along nicely and it is expect Raleigh, where visitors to the State ed that it will soon be completed. All Capitol may see it and be constantly j the brick work has been finished and reminded, of North Carolina's greatest ( the carpenters are now on the wood gift to literature and one of the first work. fiction writers of his age. Good Prices for Tobacco. Mr. E. Nye of Orrum was among the business visitors in town Satur day. He told a Robesonian reporter about selling some tobacco last Thursday at Fairmont. He sold his sandlugs, the first barn, for 10 cents per pound, and said that he consid- yesterday. This is the first time a ered that he would have been doing f Democrat has had charge of the local well to have gotten 5 cents per pound postoffice in nearly 14 years. The for this tobacco. His brother sold late Dr. R. M. Norment served in that for even a better price. The highest ' capacity for 13 years and since his price paid on the opening day was death his widow, Mrs. Maggie Nor 214 cents. Mr. Nye says the prices ment, served as acting postmistress are best he ever knew for the open- j for 11 months. ing of the tobacco season. j Mr. French had practically no op- Mr. J. S. Oliver of Marietta was position and everybody is satisfied in town Saturday and said that one j w'tn ni appointment. That he will of his tenants sold his sandlugs last "H tne office to the satisfaction of all week at Fair Bluff and eot 15 cents per pound. Mr. Oliver thinks this is doing fine. He says the tobacco men at Fair Bluff had a big opening last week. It is understood that over $10,000 were paid out Thursdayfor tobacco at Fairmont and the sales were also ' good Friday and Saturday. Examination of Public School Teach ers. County Superintendent J. R. Pooh I held examinations for public schools j teachers at the court house Thursday, ! Fnday and Saturday of last week, j Thursday 37 white teachers 30 wo- men and 7 men stood the examina tion for public school teachers and four men and one woman stood the examination for high school cer tificates. There were no applicants for 5 year certificates or for the entrance examination to the A. and M. College at Raleigh, Friday 26 color ed teachers 23 women and 3 men and Saturday 16 Indian teachers 7 women and 9 men stood examina tion. The Indian teachers are fin ishing up today. At Work on Auditor's Books. Mr. J. D. Hightower, an expert ac countant of Greensboro, is assisting County Auditor J. M. McCallum in straightening out the records of the county so as to check in the new au ditor witha clean slate. The work probably will be completed within a week or ten days. For Cuts, Burns and Bruises In every home there chould be a box of Bucklen's Arnica Salve, ready to apply in every case of burns, cuts, wounds or scalds. J. H. Polanco, Del valle, Tex., R. No. 2, writes: "Buck len's Arnica Salve saved my little girl's cut foot. No one believed it could be cured. The world's best salve. Only 25c. Recommended p all druggists. ... MUCH BUILDING GOING ON. Mr. J. P. Russell will Build R-sinVnce Mr. G. E. Kanck Tearing Down and Re-building Work on Bank Building Resumed New Brick Building Nearing Completion. Mr. J. P. Russell will build a home in Lumberton. He purchased last week from Mr. Sandy McLeod a lot adjoining the McLeod old home on the East side. The lot is on the corner of Walnut street and Eliabeth road. It is just across the road to the north of Mr. A. E. White's residence. Mr. Russell's son Mr. James Russell is drawing the plans for the house and it is expected that work will be started at once. Mr. Russell says that he hopes to be able to move into the home by the first of January, 1914. It will be a modem two-story residence. The house on Elm street, where. Mr. Russell and family are now living is owned by Mr. R. R. Car lyle and Mr. Russell says that he has received notice to vacate the house by August 1st, but so far he has been unable to find a vacant house in town that he can get until -he builds his house. Mr. G. E. Rancke, Sr., is having his old house on East Seventh street torn down and will erect a nice two- story house. He moved last week to NOW POSTMASTER FRENCH Lumberton Postoffice Now in Charge of Democrat for First Time in 14 Years. Mr. D. D. French, recently appoint- ; ed postmaster by President Wilson, I took charge of the Lumberton office "one who knows him doubts Mr. Ira Mullis Goes to Yancey Coun tj. Mr. Ira B. Mullis, civil engineer, . who for two or three years has had , an office in Lumberton expects leave tomorrow afternoon for Burnesville, where he will have charge of the road engineering for the Yancey county road commission. Mr. Mullis says that he likes Lumberton and its peo- Ple nne nd he hates to leave. The financial consideration is the thing tnat is carrying him away. Mr. Mul- 113 has a host of friends here who Wl11 re&ret to learn of his intention to leave. Mr. E. C. Derby of Fair mont, who for several months has been surveying for the Beaufort County Lumber Company, has ac cepted a position as assisttapt engi neer to Mr. Mullis. He will leave for Burnesville one day this week. Blease Makes Up With War Depart ment. Washington Dispatch, 10th. Relations between the War De partment and the militia of South Carolina, broken off recently becausj Governor Blease refused to comply with the Federal regulations, Were resumed today. when Secretary Garrison received a telegram from the Governor announcing his inten tions to co-operate with the Federal authorities in every way. Secretary Garrison, immediately telegraphed Governor Blease that he had issued orders for the continuance of Federal aid to the militia of South Carolina, and also had revoked a former army order which would have prevented the attendance of the regular army officers at the forthcoming State en campment. Carts- Old Sorts, Otkir Rtatditt Vn't Cora Tht worst nin, no matter of how long standing, are cured by the wonderful, old reliable Dr. I';a and iicais it the same time. 5c, Doc, jloo. BRIEF LOCAL NEWS ITEMS. Cotton today, 12 cents. Tht county commissioner are noldirg a special session twlav to recivt the tax books. "The Penalty Paid," Pathe Wes tern, and "Flaming Forge," Selig, will oe the two interesting pictures shown at the Pastime theatre this evening. Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Mclntyro began housekeeping last week on East Fifth street, between Walnut and Pine, in a house belonging to Mrs. Nannie Stephens. An interesting account from Red Springs of a baseball game between that town and Laurinburg finds its way into the waste basket because the writer failed to assume responsibil ity for his article. Maxton Scottish Chief, 11th: The excessive heat last week caused the death of one mule belonging to Mr. Chanler and one to Mr. James Mc Bryde on the McKay place. Oth ers belonging to the United Lum ber Company were in a bad way. We have not been informed whether or not they recovered. Mr. G. P. Higley had the mis fortune yesterday afternoon about three o'clock at his home in the east ern part of town of getting his left arm broken just above the wrist. He was sitting on the edge of his porch and started to move and in some way tripped himself and fell to the ground, catching on his left hand. Gen. and Mrs. F. A. Bond of Hunters' Lodge, near Lowe, are now sojourning at Portland, Me. Gen. Bond, who recently underwent an op ertion for a wound he received dur ing the Civil War, writes: "I am doing well. I was at Gettysburg cel ebration. It was a great show and all the boys in blue were especially kind to 'weuns.' I could not r.? eny one from our State that I knew Mr. L. R. Varser and family mov ed last week into their new home on Eaat Fifth street formerly the Baptist parsonage, which Mr. Varser has remodeled and practically, made new since he purchased it some months ago. It is understood that Prof. R. E. Sentelle, superintendent of the Lumberton graded school, and family will this fall move jnto the house vacated by Mr. and Mrs. Var ser, Walnut and Sixth streets. Among the Sick. Mrs. D. B. Lewis of Barnesville is undergoing treatment at the Thomp son hospital. Her condition has im proved since she entered the hospital last Wednesday. Mrs. Lewis is a daughter of Mr. Owen Ward who lives near Barnesville and who was in town Friday. Mr. Mack Oliver of Marietta, who entered the Thompson hospital ten days ago for treatment for malarial fever, left last night for Baltimore to have his eyes examined by an eye specialist. He was accompanied by Mr. T. C. Johnson. i Mr. Raymond Reynolds who has been at the hospital since Friday for treatment for stomach trouble. His condition is improved, Mrs. Geo. B. McLeod, who or a week or more has been sick at her home, Elm and Fifth streets, is no better. Mrs. Alf H. McLeod has been sick for several days at her home, Elm and Tenth street, but her condition today is thought to be much better. The condition of Isabel Mc Leod, daughter of Mr and Mrs. Alf H. McLeod, who for about three weeks has been sick at the home of her parents with typhoid fever, is about the same. Her condition is possibly somewhat improved. Miss Myrtle Barnes, daughter of Mr. K. M. Barnes, Pine and Third streets, has been sick for several days with fever, but her condition today is thought to be somewhat better. The condition of Miss Mary C. McNeill who for several days has been sick at her home in eastern part of town with typhoid fever, is without much change. Mrs. Mattie Smith, trained nurse of Red Springs, arrived last week to be with Miss McNeill. Capt. L. R. Breece, who suffered a stroke of paralysis some weeks ago, remains confined to his bed at his home on the. corner of Walnut and Fourth streets. Town Board Makes Paving Order. At a called meeting of the town commissioners Thursday night it w-i oc"ered that the sidewalks on ' onrth street between Elm and Wa t r be raved, aiso the sou .h side o Tnird r.t eet between Elm and Mr. M i-i.rker's residdi.- This will give pavement on the south side of Third from Elm to Water, the walk in front of Mr. W. I. Linkhaw's resi- dence having already been paved
The Robesonian (Lumberton, N.C.)
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July 14, 1913, edition 1
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