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The News and Observer. YOL. XXXVIII. NO. 94. TTGfIE LAGBOISTT ITD®K] ®F ARTS’ GOTMO ©AMUMA [MOIL'S,, BAPTIST CONVENTION SECOND DAY OF THE CHEAT SOUTHERN ASSEMBLY AT WASHINGTON. IMMENSE RELIGIOUS GATHERING. Yesterday .Morning Consumed in Hear ing Reports From the Various Com mittees—Sermon by President Whit sitt, of the Southern Theological Semlnary—Broadus Memorial Ser vices To-day—Secretary Smith has Invited the Convention to Mt. Vernon. Washington, D. C., May 11.—It was ten minutes past 9 o’clock when Presi dent Haralson’s gavel fell and the second day’s proceedings of the Southern Bap tist Convention were begun with prayer by Rev. Dr. Lofton. The reading of the minutes by Secretary Burrows re vealed the fact that this was the fortieth session of the Convention and not the thirty-ninth as previously stated. Committees were appointed on the fol lowing topics with chairmen as named: Time and Place of Next Meeting—W. L. Pickard, Kentucky. Nominations —W. W. Landrum, Vir ginia. Foreign Population—J. T. Christian, Kentucky. Reports of Vice-Presidents—J. K. Pace, Mississippi. Reports of Home Mission Board--A. J. S. Thomas, South Carolina. Treasure! ’.j Report—S. M. Yeatman, District of Columbia. White Population—R. H. Pitt, Vir ginia. Papal Fields—H. F. Sproules, Missis sippi. Pagan Fields —T. B. Thames, Virginia. Financial Policy of Sunday School Board—J. J. Taylor, Alabama Women's Work —I. J. Vaunes, Ten nessee. Young People’s Work —J. L. White, Georgia. Church Building Board- George Nun nelly, Tennessee. Rev. G. A. Nunnelly, of Memphis, of fered a preamble and resolution providing for the appointment of a church build ing board to aid congregations without houses of worship to secure the same. It was referred to a committee of one from each State. Report of Committee on Tithing. The report of the committe on Tith ing was read by Rev. F. M. Ellis, of Brooklyn, who was at time of the meet ing last year located in Baltimore, and made the chairman, and he made the report at the request of the committee. The report said: “Great as has been the success of the Co mntion for the past fifty years, her discouragements and struggles have at times been such as to test the faith and endurance of her most faithful friends and staunchest leaders in the very crucible of official embarrassments, so great at times as to almost paral yze the work of the Convention. These oft repeated embarrassments were not caused for want of numbers nor for want of wealth. We have the numerical strength, the intelligence,and the wealth. These oft-recurring embarrassments are evidently the natural results of our de fective financial system. “Your committee believe that full re lief need not be hoped for until our church members individually and volun tarily adopt the scriptural systematic plan of paying to God at least one-tenth of his income. Then we believe the means will be available ‘for all the pur poses of Christ’s Kingdom.’ We are sons and daughters of God, not slaves and serfs. “What duty can be more plain, simple, just and practical than God’s law of the tenth ? All can give a tenth, no matter how poor. “Is not this law as important as it ever was ? In concentrating wealth is con centrating power. If a tenth of the Jews income and a seventh of his time, was not too much to ask of him, is it too much to ask of the Christian ? Is ours a lower standard than was the Jews ? Will the Christian excuse himself for what was robbed of God in a Jew ? The tenth is sacredly God’s before aught is claimed for ourselves or for others. “Your committee recommend the adoption of the tithing system and that our several State Conventions, District associations, the pastors, churches, and missionary societies increase their efforts to educate our people in paying syste matically to God not less than one-tenth of their income.” Accompanying the report were letters from many prominent members and ministers of the church in support of the plan. Before proceeding to consider the re port, on motion by Rev. T. T. Eaton, of Kentucky, a fraternal greeting was ex tended to Rev. J. E. Gilbert, D. D., Secretary of the American Society of Religious Education, who briefly ad dressed the convention calling attention to the Biblical Conference to be held at Asheville, N. C., in July. Discussiuu of the Report. The discussion of the report of the com mittee on tithing was begun by Rev. E.Y. Millens, of Baltimore. He said that hard times did not cause depleted mis sionary treasuries; depleted missionary treasuries caused hard times. There was mere sense, he said, in the blunt question asked by old Manacbie,“will a man rob God t” than was shown by all the late Congress on the financial question. Rev. Geo. A. Lofton, of Nashville, said that the adoption of the tithing system was the one great need of the Southern Baptist convention at the present junet ure. Without the aid of it, or some other plan for raising money, there was but little prospect of accomplishing more than had already been done. He stated that the best way to make the system effective was for the preach ers in the constituency of the convention to lead in the matter of tithings. Os many thousands of cases he never knew one who made tithing the rule of Chris tian giving, who was not abundantly blessed. Other speeches were made by Prof. F. H. Kerfoot, of the Theological Seminary; Rev. J. R. Purser, of New Orleans; Rev. J. W. Jones, of Charlottesville, Va., who put in a word for the p’eachers, assert ing that they led the church in the matter of giving; B. F. Ray, of Missouri, editor of the American Baptist Flag, who did not believe in the tithing law- it was not enough. Christ’s law required that men should give all they had; Rev. F. H. Ford, of Missouri, who doubted the advisability of adopting the tithing principle in the churches. He did not keep books with the Ixird any more than he did with his wife. The resolution was adopted; also one offered by Rev. Purser, calling upon the preachers to use their best efforts to secure the adoption of the tithing sys tem by members of their churches. Report of Sunday School Board. The report upon the report of the Sun day School Board was read by Rev. W B. Crumpton, Secretary of the Alabama State Mission Board. The committee commended the policy and work of the Sunday School Board; and recommended the continuance ot the publication of the Young People's Leader, and that the management of the publishing depart ment be left to the Board with the un derstanding that the Convention is not to be involved in debt. The report was adopted without dis cussion Rev. J. L. White, of Georgia,reported for the committee on Young People’s Work, recommending that churches organize Young People’s Soc eties, to be under the control of the churches, that pastors hold the societies in closest sympathy with the work of the Southern Baptist Convention; and that the Sunday School Board be requested to furnish such liter ature as will be useful in carrying out these purposes. Rev. E. E. Folk, of Nashville, editor of the Baptist Reflector, was recognized to report from the committee on basis of representation, now two years old. He stated that the committee had found itself unable to come to an agree ment upon any point of change, and it, therefore, recommended that the present basis remain and that the committee be discharged. The report was agreed to and Presid ent Haralson returned the thanks of the convention for the very satisfactory re port (laughter). Rev. D. W. Gwin, of Atlanta, Ga., presented a resolution recommending the establishment of a report of Baptist mission in Palestine, headquarters at Jerusalem. Dr. Keerfoot suggested that this was 1 trgely a matter of sentiment; that in the observation of those who had been in the Holy Land, mission work there was rather overdone as compared with other fields, and on his motion the reso lution wa» referred to the committee on foreign missions. Treasurer Norton’* Report. Rev. H. Wayland Hoyt, D. D,, of Philadelphia, editor of the Examiner, was introduced to the convention. The report of G. W. Norton, Treasurer of the Convention, was presented and adopted. It shows that Berry League, ot Atlanta, Ga., deceased, had by provisions of his will contributed to the general fund of the convention $662. On the motion of Secretary Burrows, Treasurer Norton and Auditor Dr. W. P. Harvey were unanimously re-elected. Rev. Dr. C. Manly, of South Carolina, moved to ap propriate the funds contributed by Mr. League for the use of foreign mis sions. The motion was agreed to. A resolution was offered by Rev. W. H. Gambrell, of Georgia providing for the appointment of a committee of seven to meet with the secraties of State boards, and devise means for bringing the Bap tists of the S .uth into greater co opera tion in the work of the Convention. The necessity and reason for the resolution, Dr. Gambrell said, was shown by the statement that two-thirds of the million and a half members of the Southern Baptist church, gave nothing to the cause of missions. If the Convention is to get the facts that face it, the church boards must be put on a fair footing. Rev. J. B. Hawthorne, D. D , also of Georgia, conceded the benefits to be de rived from ti e appointment of such a comnittee as Dr. Gambrell proposed, but he objected to the statement of facts upon which he based his request for it. The speaker said that as large a propor tion of the members of the Baptist church in the Soul h contributed to mis sions as of any other church in the same section. Rev. S. M Rrown, of Missouri, said that the published figures misrepre sented the facts so far as the Baptists of his State were concerned. Rev. J. N. Prestridge, of Kentucky, moved that the committee thus provided for be directed to arrange for the con solidation of the foreign missionary journal and the home field. This gave rise to a desultory discus sion, resulting in the adoption of the re solution . At the suggestion of Prof. Whitsitt, 4 o'clock to morrow was fixed as the hour for the Broadus memorial services. The Theological Seminary. Rev. T. S. Dunaway, of Fredericks burg, Va., vice-president of the board of trustees of the Southern Baptist RALEIGH, N. C.. SUNDAY. MAY 12. 1895. Theological Seminary, announced to the convention the results of the recent meetings of the board. Prof. W. H. Whitsitt was elected president of the Seminary, vice Rev. John. A. Broadus, deceased; Hon. "oshua Lever ing, of Maryland, President of the board of trustees, vice ex Governor Brown, of Georgia, deceased; Prof. Edwin D. Dar gon, made professor of Homiletics and reelestiology; Prof. Archibald T. Robin son, Professor of interpretation of New Testament; and H. H. Harris, of Rich mond, Va., Professor of biblical intro duction and polemic theology. The hour for the special order having arrived, the services in connection with the historic sermon by Prof. W. H. Whitsitt, President of the Southern Bap tist Theological Seminary, were begun with the singing of the hymn: “Glorious things of Thee are spoken, Zion City of Our God.” Prof. Whitsitt’s discourse was histori cal in its nature, based upon the words in Exodus 14:15: “Speak unto the chil dred of Israel, that they go forward.” At the close of the sermon the Conven tion adjourned until 7:30 o’clock. This afternoon, at 4 o’clock, the dele gates were entertained at a reception glYcu-by the faculty of the Columbian University-.-^. Secretary Hoke Smith has invited the delegates to the Convention to go to Mount Vernon on Monday next. He has chartered the steamer River tjueen to convey the party there. ALLEN HELD FOR MURDER. Waits Harris, Whom he Shot Several Days Ago, is Dead. Special to the News and Observer. Asheville, N. C., May 11. Waits Harris, who was shot by Wilson Allen March 22, died this morning at Mission Hospital where he has been since the shooting. Allen has been out on bond, as it was thought at one time that Harris might recover, but he was arrest ed this afternoon. At the organization of the Zebulon Vance Camp of united Confederate vet erans J. M. Ray was elected Major Com mandant. Robert Ray, who created a sensation in the Federal Court Thursday by draw ing a pistol and trying to escape, was to day sentenced to imprisonment one year. George McDowell, a merchant of Bilt more, was married Thursday to Miss Bessie Alston, daughter of the late Doc tor Alston, of Raleigh. The ceremony occurred at Mitchell Peak in the hotel near Gombroon. DEATH IN A THUNDERBOLT. Mr. J os, J. W . Jones Instantly Killed by Lightning. Special to the News and Observer. Franklinton, N. C., May 11. Jos. J. W. Jones, who lived near here was struck by lightning and instantly killed yesterday afternoon while in the field planting corn. Mr. Jones was the uncle of Rev. Jno. N. Cole, of Raleigh, and was a highly respected citizen. He was 74 years old, and was for many years watchman at the Insane Asylum at Raleigh. GROVER GOES A-FISHING. He and his Party Spent the day Near Leesburg, Virginia. Leesburg, Va., May 11.—President Cleveland accompanied by Secretary of Agriculture Morton and J. S. Miller, took Leesburg by surprise this morning. They came on the invitation of Mr. Henry Harrison to fish his trout pre serve, the big spring and its out flow about two miles and a half north of the town, one of the finest parts of Loudon county. They left Washington at 9 o'clock last night in a special train, and arrived here at 7 o’clock this morning. The party was met by Mr. Harrison, and driven to the sparkling stream, where they have spent the day undisturbed by visitors. At their request their coming was entirely secret, and save to their host was unexpected Catching seventy of the speckled beauties, of which it is said the Presi dent caught the largest, and expressing themselves as delighted with the day and the beauty of this section, the party returned to Washington to-night. ADMIRAL MEADE MUST ANSWER He May Re Dismissed lor Criticising the Administration. Washington, D. C., May 11.—The President has decided that Admiral Meade shall be held strictly to account for criticising the administration, if he was correctly reported in a newspaper interview published yesterday. Admiral Meade, who is now at the army and navy club in this city, has been asked if he is responsible for the objectionable remarks and upon his reply will depend whether he is or dered before a court martial. It is asserted that unless the Admiral can satisfy the executive that he did not make the remarks attributed to him he will be ordered to appear for trial on charges that (if sustained) will terminate his career as an officer of the United States Navy. Providence, R. I , May 11. —All the Olneyville mills were closed at noon to day for an indefinite period. The man ufacturers say they will remain closed until the operatives quit agitation and the Atlantic mills strikers surrender. Ten thousand working people are idle. Richmond, Va., May 11. - Mr. Charles Watkins, one of the largest leaf tobacco dealers in this city, died here to day of typhoid fever. He was a native of Mil ton, N. 0., and married a Miss Ober, of Baltimore. SENSATION AT PILOT MOUNTAIN A Teacher Accused of Improper Con duct With a Lady Assistant. Special to the News and Observer. Winston, N. 0., May 11. The particulars of a big sensation which occurred at Pilot Mountain, twenty miles north of Winston, were received here to-day. A serious report became current about Prof. Whitaxer, principal of the High School at that place, which is a branch of Trinity College, owned by the two Methodist Conferences in North Caro lina. The story against the Professor charged him with being too intimate with his lady assistant, and was told by young men. students of the school. Prof. Whitaker naturally became angry and called for an investigation which was held in the church. A young Mt. Airy lawyer appeared for the principal at the trial, making a three hours speech. Ex citement was so intense that friends stood guard while the attorney plead for his client. The name of the young lady and the result of the trial are not learned. The unfortunate affair has broken up the school for this term at least, and a fight between Professor Whitaker and the young men who got out the report, and their trial before a magistrate were features of sensation. BASEBALL YESTERDAY. At Louisville: Louisville—New York game postponed, wet grounds. At Cleveland: Cleveland—Washington game post poned, wet grounds. At Cincinnati: Cincinnati, 06004000 I—ll Brooklyn, 00001000 0— 1 Batteries: Rhines and Vaughan; Lucid, Stein and Dailey. At Chicago: Chicago, 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 I—3 Boston, 0 15 10 0 10 x—B Batteries: Abbey and Moran; Sulli van and Banzel. At St. Louis: St. Louis, 0 5 00 0 3 3 1 x—l 2 Philadelphia, 00000000 0— 0 Batteries : Breitenstein and Peilz; Hudson, Grady and Clements. At Pittsburg: Pittsburg 2 0 0 2 0--4 Baltimore 110 11—4 Batteries: Hawley and Kinslow ; Esper and Robinson. (Called end fifth inning, rain.) At Lynchburg: Lynchburg 00010100 o—2 Portsmouth 00000000 o—o Batteries: Orth and Schabel; Leach and Vetter. It Lexington, Randolph-Macon Col lege nir.e was defeated by Washington and Lee University this afternoon by a score of 13 to 5. At Memphis: Memphis, 71 100 0 0 0 5—14 Montgomery, 300000141—9 Batteries: Gillen and Omera: Clausen and Rappold. At Norfolk: Norfolk, 00000000 o—o Richmond, 00200010 x—3 Batteries: Herr and Purcell; Knorr and Foster. At Little Rock: Little Rock, 3000 0 11 1 3—9 New Orleans, 000000001—1 sun’s Cotton report. Reduction of Acreage in North Caro lina will he 25 per cent. New York, May 11.—Cotton rose 6 to 7 points and closed steady at a net ad vance of 4 to 5 points. Liverpool 13-32 d on the spot, with sales of only 7,000 bales; futures de clined 2 to 2 1-2 points. Spot cotton here was quiet and unchanged. The Southern spot markets were dull. Au gusta was somewhat weaker. The port receipts were 8,818 against 6,551 this day last week and 2,262 last year. The New Orleans receipts on Monday are esti mated at 2,000 to 2,500 against 3,610 last week and 1,916 last year. The Chronicle states that the weather in the South in the main, has been of a favorable character; that beneficial rain has fallen in most localities, but in the coast section of Texas moisture is needed; that the temperature has been satisfac tory and planting is nearly completed, and cotton is, as a rule, doing well. The North Carolina bureau report claims that there will be a reduction of 25 per cent, in the acreage. To-Day’s Features. Despatches from the South reported much cooler weather, and the signal ser vice predicted light frost in Mississippi, Louisiana and Eastern Texas. The weather news in a word was the theme of most of the bull talk to day and the market certainly showed more strength, regardless of a comparatively unimpor ant decline in Liverpool, where trade dropped to very small proportions and regardless, too, of the bureau report of yesterday, which many board room operators regard as a distinctly bearish factor. On the other hand the bulls contend that the bureau report was well nigh worthless, and certainly it was not enough of a factor to prevent prices from moving upward. More rain is needed in Texas, though the reports from most sections of the cotton belt of late has been somewhat favorable. The crop is late, however, and it is claimed that the indications p< iut to a material diminution in the yield this season. The market had bullish sup port to-day as well as the support which naturally comes from a pretty short in terest. Many local operators deemed it prudent to cover for tear or bullish weathe developments over Sunday. UNIVERSITY CENTENNIAL ODE. Written l»y Mr. Lynch, of Mississippi and (Will be Reud by Mrs. Ligon. Special to the News and Observer. Washington, D. C., May 11. Mr. James D. Lynch, the well known Southern poet and author, formerly of Mississippi, but now of this city, where he is engaged in a great literary work, offered the rendition of his ode, which he has been chosen to prepare for the Centennial of the University of North Carolina in June next, to the Secretary of the Interior, w’hose father was a pro fessor in the University while Mr. Lynch was a student there. Secretary Smith says he appreciates the compliment and would render it, but it will lie impossi ble for him to be at the University at that time. Mr. Lynch has consequently given the rendition of the ode to Mrs. Greenwood Ligon, of Mississippi, who so splendidly rendered his National Ode be fore the Editorial Association of the United States at Asbury Park, New Jer sey, last July. The selection of Mr. to prepare au ode was a high honor, but might have been expected, in view of the distinction he has achieved as a poet. LIVE WASHINGTON TOPICS. Speculation as to Justice Jackson’s Decision on the Income Tax. Washington, D. C., May 11. Representative McMillan, of Tennes see, who is the father of the income tax, in an interview yesterday with a reporter of the Star, on the probable decision on the income tax question, said: “I know no mose about the decision of the court than any one else, but it unquestionably is a fact that Judge Jackson at home has always been re garded as a man who would not add any unnecessary burden to wealth or capital. He is and always has been an extreme Federalist. He certainly would not have received his appointment by a Republi can President unless it had been sup posed that he entertained Federal views of the Constitution and amendments. “It does not necessarily follow, how ever, from that that he will decide that the income tax law is unconstitutional. There is no more extreme Federalist on the bench than Justice Harlan, and he is understood to have supported the the constitutionality of the law. But for that matter, Justice Field, who is radically against the law in all its parts, sat upon the bench when the income tax was decided to be constitutional, both during the war and afterward in the Springer case, and he did not dissent from that view of the Constitution. Willing to Retire. “It undoubtedly is a fact that Justice Jackson will return to Tennessee as soon as possible. He has improved somewhat, but it is not yet clear that he will per - manently recover. Justice Jackson ig abundantly able to retire from the bench without the passage of a specific law to give him a pension. He is a rich man, and his wife is also rich in her own right. Yet it is known in Tennessee that he is quite willing to have a bill passed to enable him to retire in advance of the legal period on full pay. “Indeed, the report in Tennessee is, that the bill to retire Justice Jackson, which was introduced in the Senate and pressed by Senator Harris, was approved, if it was not directly inspired, by Justice Jackson himself. More Revenue Needed. “There is, by the way,” continued Mr. McMillin, “one point in the decision of the Supreme Court as to rents which does not seem very clear to me, and which it will be difficult for most lawyers to reconcile with the decision and the law as a whole. The court holds that rents are exempt from taxation as they are a part of the realty, and cannot be taxed on the ground that such a tax would be direct, and in violation of the Federal Constitution. Yet the law proposes pen alties by imprisonment for a violation of its terms as to taxes, while the only legal remedy for proceedings against real es tate is by an action of trespass. “One thing is altogether certain, if the income tax law shall be declared to be unconstitutional, as many assume that it will by reason of the vote of Jus tice Jackson, it will be necessary for the government to obtain more revenue from some source. It does not seem probable that there will be revenue enough from ordinary sources without the income tax, and the authorities say that they will not sell any more bonds.” A LADY BURNED TO DEATH. The Recent Rains Doing Great Injury to Tobacco. Special to the News and Observer. Scotland Neck, N C., May 11. Yesterday at the home of Mr. D. A. Pope, a few miles from town, Mrs. Bishop, the relict of Asa Bishop, fell in to the fire and was so badly burned she has since died. The lady was quite old and an invalid. Being left alone a short while she fell over into the fire, and the sad accident occurred. The heat was oppressive here yester day, the thermometer registering above 80 at 5. p. m. Tobacco farmers cannot secure plants enough to set all the laud they desired. The great rains ruined the plant beds in some places. Everything Democratic. Special to the News and Observer. Columbia, N. 0., May 8. Columbia, the little town of steady hadits, on the Scnppernong river, on the 6th inst. joined her larger sister in a Democratic victory. She elected the whole Democratic ticket, mayor and four commissioners. PRICE FIVE CENTS. SALEM’S NIGHT WATCHMAN. He Once Carried a Conch Shell to An nounce the Hours. Special to the News and Observer Winston-Salem, N. C., May 11. Within the memory of even middle aged persons there existed in Salem a custom which was unique and at the same time interesting. It was the use of the conch shell trumpet by the night watchman. Parties who visited the World’s Fair at Chicago will remember that one of the most popular places of interost as well as a very expensive point, was Old Vienna. In the midst of the old houses, faithfully reproduced, were music pavilions, lunch tables and an immense throng of people. If the reader chanced to be in this portion of the grounds at nightfall he will re member that a gaily dressed aud stal wart man appeared on the scene, carry ing a lantern and a long pole axe. This man, being a part of Old Vienna, of the middle ages, reproduced, was the night watchman. His duties were to guard against fire and danger, to announce the hours of the night and perform other similar duties. The Chicago Old Vienna nightwatchman occasioned much inter est and his picture appeared in many of the illustrated papers.) In one of the large Moravian congre gations in Germany this same custom existed. As this community was a very religious one, the regular rounds of the night watehman were made the occa sion of conveying a moral and religious impression on the minds of the inhabi tants as they retired for the night, arose early in the morning, or lay awake dur ing the hours of darkness. This was done by having the watchman loudly and clearly sing a couplet, either suggestive of some relig ious or Amoral truth. Thus at 10 o’clock in the evening the watch man sang out in a clear, sonorous voice a couplet which fully translated means: “The hour for rest has arrived; only he can truly rest who has a con science free from offence.” Thus each hour had its announcement and each hour its sentiment. At six o’clock in the morning the watchman announced: “The hour ot six is here. Awake, and to you I now transfer the watchful care of the town.” Thus Herrnhut, in 1730, adopted the custom of the German cities of still earlier days. In 1766 Salem, N. C., was founded and among other customs brought from Europe was that of the night watchman. The days of protection by insurance did not then exist,and to have the home burned was to suffer an al most irreparable loss. Hence the most rigid fire regulations were instituted. Among others the night-watchman of old Vienna and of early Herrnhut. In stead of the song to announce the pass ing hours, a conch shell was used. This trumpet was a large sized conch shell, with a hole to which the mouth of the night-watchman was placed. By a quick, sharp blast he was enabled to produce a loud sound not greatly different in tone from the French horn. The sound was deep and musical, and tbejolder citizens here well remem ber listening on many a night for this assuring note of “All's Well,” as it re sounded in one part of the town or in another portion. Each hour of the night had its peculiar note. Thus, for 10 o’clock there was one prolonged note. At 11 o’clock two loud long notes, and at midnight three long notes. After mid night the blasts upon the conch shell trumpet were short. At 1 o’clock one note. At 2 o’clock two short notes, and so on. The night watchman’s duties were principally to guard against fire, by giving the alarm in case of a confla gration, but as there were only one or two small fires during the first century of Salem’s existence, in this respect he was not often called upon to act. He also had certain police functions, and in true medieaval style carried in the belt, ’which held his great fur lined coat, a large dirk and pistol. In ad dition to this he had a heavy stick, and while not as gaily dressed as the Chicago night watchman at the World’s Fair, in Old Vienna, yet it would be easy to see that the “genus” was the same. During the night the watchman was required to constantly move from oue point to another, and the citizens in every portion of the town ex pected, in case he chanced to have a restless, wakeful hour, to hear the fruit ful conch horn. The story is told of one citizen who complained that he did not hear the blast from this shell trumpet, and hence he concluded that the watchman was not attending to his duties, but: was quietly sleeping by the hotel fire. Com plaint was made, and the night-watch man is said to have ascended the front steps of the complaining citizen’s house each hour of the night and to have given a blast on the loud sounding trumpet that would have almost disturbed the rest of the dead. This was continued night after night aud hour after hour until the one who had lodged the com - plaint was compelled to sue for mercy. Many amusing anecdotes are told of tricks played by mischievous youngsters on the guardian of the night hours, and of his encoun ters with the foes of the public peace and safety. While the custom has passed away of sounding the old conch shell horn, the conservative care of those early days could well serve as an object to the police force of the present day. On the other hand, to the local antiquary the old conch shell horn is a matter of great interest, and if it can be found will be preserved, together with the belt, dirk and pistol, lantern and great coat, as relics of one of the very interesting customs of historic Salem.
The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
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May 12, 1895, edition 1
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