The Weather Today: Fair; Slightly Colder.
The News and Obser ?*\
VOL. LI. NO. 03.
LeadsallMorthCaFdinaßailies in N@w sandGireulatioii
WE MUST FIGHT THE
EERMAWSJHEYSftY
A Sensational Dispatch From
Washington.
NONSENSE, SAYS WHITE
Oar Military and Naval Authorities
Think War Inevitable.
’ rWILL COME SOONER OR LATER, ’ TIS SAID
Ambassador White Says This is Bosh. Germany
Hopes to Arrange With Venezuela With
out Conflict. Hay Satitfiid With
Germany’s-Position.
(By the* Associated Press.)
Berlin, Dec. 30. —The Tageblatt this
evening prints a double-leaded cable dis
patch from Washington setting forth that
the principal military artid naval authori
ties there consider that war between the
United States and Germany, sooner or
later, is inevitable.
The United States Ambassador, Andrew
D. White, informed the German newspgr
per men who called at the Embassy today
that the reports of the possibility of
war between the United States and Ger
many were the “thinnest kind of sensa
tional nonsense.” Not one of the authori
ties referred to in the Tageblatt’s dis
patch, he added, would, under any cir
cumstances, disclose such an opinion,
least of all when the relations between
the two countries are so good as at pres
ent.
"Moreover,” said Mr. White, “President
Roosevelt, the commander-in-chief of
both the army and the navy, ii is well
nown, entertains not only official but per
sonal predilections for Germany, which
have been made known not only officially
to the German Government, but which
. have long been known among his friends.
He studied in Germany, reads and loves
German literature, and has a most sin
cere personal respect for the German Em
peror.
"Any utterance of the kind alleged by
an officer of either service, would be
sternly rebuked by President Roosevelt.’’
DIED FROM A MULE KICK.
Jonesboro to Have an Up-to-Dato Hotel. Death
of a Young Lady.
(Special*to News and Observer.)
Jonesboro, N. C., Dec. 30.—Mr. Joseph
E. Wicker, died early yesterday morning
from the effects of a mule’s kick. He re
turned home about ten o'clock Thursday
night and unbridled his mule as usual,
but instead of going to the stable as was
expected it seems that the mule began
kicking and struck Mr. Wicker on the
Aemple, inflicting a bad wound, which
caused his death in a few hours. The
exact time and other particulars can not
be learned, and will ever be a mystery,
as the unfortunate man was not found
until early Friday morning, but the facts
as given above are generally accepted.
Miss Carrie Berryman, the 18-year-old
daughter of the late John Berryman of
this place, died near here Thursday. She
was in excellent health until a few
rnomhs ago when she was assailed by
that dreaded disease consumption, which
brought a bright young life to an early
end. She is survived by one sister, Tula,
who is only 18 yearfe of age, her mother
having died only one year ago. Her
body was interred at the family burying
ground near here on Friday.
Jonesboro is to have an up-to-date
hotel in the early part of the year of
1902. Mr. S. H. Buchanan is making ar
rangements to build ar hotel that will be
qujte a step in the way of progress for
Jonesboro, as well as a convenience to
the traveling public. We understand it
will be conducted by Mrs. Coley, who re
cently got a judgment from the Southern
railway. We are always glad to give
everybody the glad hand of welcome who
comes to our town and we earnestly hope
she will come.
Mr. W. A. Graham Clark, the efficient
secretary and treasurer of the Eugenia
Manufacturing Company, spent several
days in Raleigh this week with his
father, Judge Walter Clark. Although
he has only been a citizen of our little
town for a few weeks he is very popu
lar with all; old and youhg alike.
Rev. W r . Crump Wicker, pastor of the
Christian church dt Newport News,. Vir
ginia, is here the guest of Ins father,
Rev. J. D. Wicker. He has been quite
successful as has a number of North
Carolina boys who have gone to adopted
States.
Rev. D. C. Britt, who lias been pastor
of the Baptist church for some time, has
resigned to accept a call to Rockingham.
It is thought that Rev. C. A. G. Thomas
will be called to this church.
Houston Merriraon Better.
(Asheville Citizen.)
Houston Merrfmon has almost entirely
recovered from his illness. He has been
out of his room for some time and is
practically well, with the exception of his
arm which, however, does not give him
much trouble. The ball that took effect
in Mr. Merrimon’s arm entered about one
and .one-half inches below the arm Joint
and ranged upwards into the joint frac
turing the bones. He resigned as teller
of the bank the day he was shot.
I
FOUR BREAK OUT OF JAIL
All But One Are Back Again. Trestles on
Mooresville Road Washed Away.
(Special to News and Observer.)
Winston-Salem, N. C., Dec. 30. —George
Brown, Jim Dunnigan, Jim Nelson, Will
Baily, the latter a boy, broke out of jail
Saturday night. The two first: named were
captured last night at Yadkin river, Dun
nigan jumped into the river expecting to
swim across, but turned back on account
of high water. The Baily boy went home
and returned today. There is no trace of
Nelson, who is wanted for blackmail.
The Yadkin river is thirty fret above
the common water level this afternoon.
Two railroad trestles on the Mooresville
road were washed away. The passenger
train was cancelled today.
Pres. Pidcock Critically 111.
(By the A.ssocated Press.)
, New Brunswick, N. J., Dec. 30.—John F.
Pidcock, president of the Georgia North
ern Railroad, is critically ill at the home
of his brother, James Nelson Pidcock, Jr.,
at the White House. Nearly two months
ago Mr. Pidcock went there to be mar
ried and was obliged to undrgo an opera
tion. An hour before he submitted to
the knife he married Miss Jeanette Davis,
daughter of Justice and Mrs. John B.
Davis.
The operation proved successful, but
jaundice set in and before Pidcock had
fully recovered from that he became af
flicted with dropsy.
Torpedo Boat’s Successful Trial.
(By the Assocated Press.)
Washington. Dec. 30.—The Navy De
partment has been advised that the tor
pedo boat Biddle made a successful trial
iun off Port Royal on aSturday.
Dead From Overdose of Morphiae.
(By the Associated Press.)
Na/shville, Tenn., Dec. 30—Davis C.
Shafer, a well known turfman and one
of the owners of Terminus, was found
dead in bed at Gallatin today. Shafer
complained of feeling nervous and sent
to a drug store for morphine and his
death is ascribed to an accidental over
dose of the drug.
COL, COWLES IS DEAD
A Gallant Confederate Officer,
He Served His State Also
in Congress.
(Special to News and Observer.)
Wilkesh, N. C., Dec. 30.—C01. William
H. Cowles, ex-Congressman, died at
his home here today. Colonel Cowles
was a distinguished officer of the Con
federate army and served four terms in
Congress.
He will be buried tomorrow. He had
served as Solicitor and member of the
National House of Representatives, and
was one of the most brilliant officers in
the Confederate army.
Colonel Cowles was twice married.
His first wife was a daughter of Mr.
David Worth, of Ashe county, by whom
he leaves two Carrie, the
wife of Mr. Thomas Finley, a leading
attorney of this place, and Cora, the
wife of Mr. J. A. Gaither, a prominent
merchant of Newton. His second wife
was Miss Laura Bost, of Newton, who
with five children, survive him.
JEFFRIES AND SHARKEY MATCHED-
They Will Fight in March or April for World's
Championship
(By the Associated Press.)
New York, Dec. 30.—Jim Jeffries and
om Sharkey were matched today for a
fight, which will involve the heavy
weight fistic championship of the world.
"Billy” Delaney, who is Jeffries’ man
ager, met om Sharkey and his manager,
Barney Reich, at a resort here this af
ternoon. Delaney said that he-was anxi
ous to induce Bob Fitzsimmons to meet
the champion once more, and he had
given him due notice of his whereabouts,
but neither Fitzsimmons nor any repre
sentative of his put in an yappcarance
so Delaney clinched the bargain with
Sharkey. According to the articles of
agreement the fight will take place on
any day between March 17 and April 30
before the club offering the best induce
ments.
Immediately James C. Kennedy, repre
senting J. W. Coffrotb, of the Yosemite
Athletic Club of San Francisco, big 62)4
per cent of the gross receipts, and the
men immediately agreed to fight in San
Francisco under that club’s auspices.
There is just a possibility that the
men will not meet, and that according to
the articles of agreement, is the chance
that Sharkey is defeated by Peter
Maher in their bout in Philadelphia in
(he third week of next year. The bout
will be declared off should Sharkey suc
cumb to Maher.
ROLLING IN WEALTH.
North Carolina Preacher’s Son Becomes a
Financier.
(Winston Journal.)
Last week North Carolina editors were
notified that a young journalist from this
vicinity had become a millionaire by a
lucky strike in oil stock. Now comes the
announcement that Mr. H. M. Holleman.
son of a minister at Apex, has become
president of a Boston Automobile Com
pany with several million dollars of capi
tal stock The little slip upon which
the announcement is made tells that Mr.
Holleman is also interested in ten other
corporations and that he is likely to be
come u "Napoleon of finance.”
RALEIGH. NORTH CAROLINA. THE,SPAY MORNING. DECEMBER 31. 1901.
TORRENTIAL RAINS
SWEEP THE SOUTH
Three People Drowned at
West Point, Georgia.
THE STREETS ARE RIVERS
Traffic on Several Kailroads in Geor
gia Tied Up.
TRAINS WEST OF ASHEVILLE BLOCKED
French Broad Within a Foot and a Half of High
Water M irk. Heavy Loss of Property
in Georgia. Washout Causes
Wreck.
(By the Associated Press.)
Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 30.—The torrential
rains of the past two days in Geor
gia, Alabama and East Tennessee and
portions of North Carolina caused the
death of four persons as far as known
and inflicted serious damage to all kinds
of property. The rains have been fol
lowed by much colder weather, accom
panied by high winds.
The weather bureau announced today
that the Chattahoochee River would -con
tinue to rise during the next 36 hours
and it is feared much damage will re
sult.
Three people were drowned at West
Point, Ga., while attempting to cross tl;e
turbulent Chattahoochee, and Thomas
Russell, an engineer on the Atlanta and
West Point Railroad, was killed in a
freight wreck caused by a washout near
Notasulaga, Ala.*
Thousands of dollars worth of property
have been destroyed at West Point and
there is much suffering. Today the wa
ter in the streets of West Point was
from one to five feet deep. Many of the
people spent the night in Fort Tyler. No
trains have been sent through from At
lanta to Montgomery over the Atlanta
and West Point jroad since Saturday and
the Southern Railway’s New York and
New Orleans limited last night was sen*
around by Birmingham and Meridian
A washout is reported on the South
ern between Asheville and Knoxville. At
Columbus, Ga., the Chattahoochee regis
tered 38 feet. The property damage is
already heavy. Nearly five inches of rain
have fallen in the vicinity of Rome, Ga.
Two washouts are reported on the main
line of the Louisville and Nashville Rail
road south of Montgomery.
TRAIN SERVICE CRIPPLED-
Trains on Asheville-Spartanburg Division
Water-Bound at Campobello
(By the Associated Press.)
Asheville, N. C., Dec. 30.—The storm
of the past two days has cripnled train
service. Traffic from the west on the
Southern Railway has been completely
blocked since yesterday morning, trains
being waterbound at White Pine. N. C.
Trains on the Asheville-Spartanburg di
vision are waterbound" at Campobello but
passengers are coming through about six
bcurs late. At Tunnells, on Black Moun
tain, the French Broad River is within
a foot and a half of highv.ater mark
*
Bam Damaged SIOO,COJ.
(By the Associated Press.)
Anderson, S. C., Dec. 30.—One hundred
and fifty feet of the Anderson Light and
Power Company's dam at Portman Shoals
in Seneca River has been washed away.
The damage is at least SIOO,OOO.
Several Bridges Swept Away.
Bristol, Tenn., Dec. 30. —High water
has washed three spans of the Virginia
and Southwestern Railway bridge at
Elizabethtown, two spans of the bridge
at Butler, half a mile of track between
Elizabethtown and May Mead, and sev
eral trestles on the Tennessee Division
of the road, forcing suspension of traffic.
The East Tennessee and Western North
Carolina Railway has also suffered seri
ous washouts.
The Tennessee Rising.
Knoxville, Tenn., Dee. 30.—The Ten
nessee River was 29.5 feet above the low
water mark at 10 o’clock today with the
prospects that 30 feet will be reached
today when a decline is expected. Re
ports indicate that high water is prevail
ing throughout upper East Tennessee.
The river has risen 14.7 feet since Sat
urday at 1 p. m. Two inches of snow
fell here last night and is melting today.
MINISTER STILL AT HIS PO3T-
No Truth in Report That He Has Left Alter
Quarrel With Castro
(By the Associated Press.)
Berlin, Dec. 30.—The German Foreign
Office authorizes the Associated Press
to announce there is no truth whatever in
the dispatches from Caracas saying that
the German minister has left the Vene
zuelan capital after a heated exchange of
words with President Castro. The Ger
man Charge D’Affaircs, Herr VoifPilgiim
Baltazzi, is still at his post, and is con
tinuing negotiations with President Cas
tro. There has not been any question of
breaking off diplomatic relations with
Venezuela,
The German minister to Venezuela, Dr.
O. Schmidt L-eda, who has been on a
vacation here, is now on his way to Cara
cas/
The Foreign Office, again solemnly re
iterates the statement that it does not.
contemplate territorial acquisitions in
Venezuela.
Replying to Gemany’s assurance to the
United States regarding the former’s plans
in connection with Venezuela, the Foreign
Office here has received an answer frdin
Secretary Hay, expressing full satisfac
tion with Germany’s position. Germany
still hopes to collect her claims peace
ably.
Merchants Remove Goods.
Chattanooga, Tenn., Dec. 30.—An aver
age of three inches of rainfall over the
Tennessee River Basin since Saturday,
sent the water over the 33 foot danger
line here today. The water is now rising
at the rate of four inches an hour. The
Tennessee flood warning service an
nounces that the river will reach 38 feet
here by 10 o’clock tonight, and will go
over forty feet by tomorrow afternoon.
Merchants in the business section of the
city are removing all goods from their
basements in expectation that they will
be flooded.
Into a Washout.
Montgomery, Ala., Dec. 30. —All out
going trains from Montgomery were an
nulled yesterday on account of the wash
out. Last night, however, tracks on the
Central of Georgia and the Plant system
were repaired sufficiently to admit of
trains being run. On the Louisville and
Nashville the passenger train from the
South ran into a washout near Busby
Creek. The engine and the postal and
baggage cars went into the vVashout, but
nobody was hurt as the train was run
ning very slowly. trestle on the main
line eight miles south of Montgomery
is down, hree hundred feet of trestle was
washed away near this point. One hun
dred feet of track was washed away at
Catoma Creek.
Fifty feet o fthe big dam across the
Tallapoosa river near Tallapoosa, is out.
The dam had just been completed and
cost half a million dollars.
DRANK ACIp DIED
Sad Suicide of Miss Minnie
Evans at Kinston
Yesterday.
(Special to News and Observer.)
Kinston, N. C., Dec. 30.—Miss Minnie
Evans, aged 27 years, governess in the
home of Mayor Geo. B. Webb, committed
suicide this morning by taking a large
quantity of carbolic acid. Miss Evans
came here from Grifton, and had been a
member of the Webb family several
years. By them she was held in esteem
as a woman of exemplary character.
There seems to have been no cause for
the rash act other than that she had,
while a member of the Webb household,
several despondent spells in which she
threatened to commit suicide.
The act was a deliberate one. She
awoke about 7:10 a. m. and went out of
her room where the acid was kept for
sanitary purposes, deluted a quantity,
drank it and returned to her room,
dying in some twenty minutes there
after.
Since the suicide a letter from an aunt
om Miss Evans' has ben received, ex
tending to her an invitation to visit her
fit her home near La Grange, conveying
the intelligence that her grand-mother
was living and would be delighted to see
her. x
Why Miss Cropsey Must Have Been
Murdered.
(Special to News and Observer.)
Kittreil, N. C., Dec. 30.—1 have always
heard that a drowned man floated face
dawn; a drowned woman face up. If this
is true it would show that Miss Cropsey
must have been dead when thrown into
the river.
Fincher’s Alleged Murderer Arrested.
(By the Associated Press.)
Sealle, Ala., Dec. 30.—Sheriff Hodges
has arrested Uriah Porter, the alleged
murderer of William Fincher. Porter
defied the community and Governor Jelks
ordered out a company of militia Sat
urday to aid in his capture. Porter is
now in jail at Opelika.
THE DUKE AND THE ACTRESS.
Miss Knight Says Suit Against Manchester
Will be a Fight to Finish.
(By the Associated Press.)
London, Dec. 30. —Messrs. Boxall and
Boxall, counsel for the Duke of Man
chester, declare there is absolutely no
truth in the, report, published in the
United States yesterday, that the Duke,
with the assistance of his father-in-law,
Eugene Zimmerman, of Cincinnati, had
offered Miss Portia Knight, the actress,
$20,000 in full settlement of her claim for
damages resulting from alleged breach
of promise of marriage.
Miss Knight said to a representative
of the Associated Press this evening:
"There is absolutely no talk of or
thought of a compromise of my suit
against the Duke of Manchester. I am
promised that the hearing will come off
early in January, and so far as I am
concerned, it will be a fight to a finish.”
NORFOLK PEANUT MARKET.
Norfolk, V a., Dec. 30.—Pqanuts dull;
fancy 2%; strictly prime ‘>y 2 : prime 2 to
Now—Fancy 3c.; strictly jSrime 2% *to
27a: prime 2% to 2 , / 4. Spanish 72T£ to 75.
WILCOX IS REMOVED
FROM ELIZABETH
CITY
Taken Under Cover to Nor
fold. Wili be Brought
to Raleigh.
GUY HALL IS TOLD TO GO
Intense Feeling Against Him. Belief
in Wilcox’s Guilt Grows
Deeper,
FUNERAL OF MISS CROPSEY SUNDAY
A Mournful and Impressive Scene. The Church
Was Packed to Suffocation. Yester
day the Body Was Sent to
the North,
(By the Associated Press.)
Norfolk, Va., Dec. 30. —The body of Ella
M. Cropsey passed through here today
accompanied by her uncle, A. G. Cropsey,
lawyer, of No. 3 Chambers street, New
York.
A large crowd met it at the depot.
Lawyer Cropsey will return to Elizabeth
City and assist in the prosecution of Wil
cox.
Wilcox has been taken from Elizabeth
City under cover and is on his -way to
Norfolk in a wagon. He is expected by
the county authorities here and will in
all probability be confined in the county
jail, though there is a probability of the
city jail being used. This step has been
taken by the Elizabeth City authorities
for the protection of the prisoner. It" is
thought that he will be carried away
from here tonight to Raleigh, where he
will be confined in the penitentiary until
his trial in March, unless he is bailed
prior to that time.
THE FUNERAL OF MISS CROPSEY.
An Immense Throng Attend the Services
the The Church.
Elizabeth City, N. C., Dec. 29.—The fun
eral of Nellie Cropsey was held this af
ternoon in the presence of about 1,500
people.
“I don’t hesitate to say that I believe
the prisoner is innocent,” declared the
Rev. Dr. Lewelyn, of Christ's Episcopal
church. "I want to caution you, my hear
ers, against forming and expressing opin
ions condemning a fellow-man until you
have read the 110th Psalm. I will say that
I condemn some things in his past life
and had he been a member of my church
I should probably have censured him from
the pulpit, but now I believe he is inno
cent of the dark charge which hangs over
him. Though the young lady is dead, and
it is very sad, her character was vin
dicated and I think now your sympathy
should go out to the defendant’s family
in their great sorrow.”
In referring to the closing of the sa
loons on the evening of the body’s dis
covery as a precautionary move in view
of the excitement and threatened vio
lence against Wilcox the Rev. D. H.
Tuttle spoke as follows from the Meth
odist pulpit; “The dry goods stores
were not closed, the grocery stores, the
iewelry shops and other places, were
not shut up, but at this time, in pur
suance of official request, the liquor
saloons were closed and they were
closed as a protection to a supposed
criminal, when on other days they re
main open and corrupt the innocent.”
In a storm of intermittent wind and
driving rain and in the presence of the
largest crowd which ever assembled at
a church in this city, the funeral ser
vices over the remains of Miss Ella
Maud Cropsey, wore held this after
noon in the Methodist church. There
were 1,500 people packed in the audito
rium, balcony and annex, and hundreds
could not gain admittance. The de
ceased became a member of this church
thirty-eight days before her disappear
ance. The handsome black walnut casket,
laden with three white and green flora!
offerings, was borne down the central
aisle by the following pall-bearers, some
of them members of the Citizens’ Commit
tee: H. T. Greenleaf, Roseoe W. Turner,
L. A. Winder, W. M. Baxter, A. K. Kra
mer and Prof. W. M. Hinton. Among
those in the funeral cortege were Judge
and Mrs. Cropsey, three daughters and a
son, and Lawyer Andrew G. Cropsey, of
New York. The remains are lying in the
Methodist church annex tonight, and will
be started to Brooklyn tomorrow morn
ing.
Pastor Tuttle was assisted in (he ser
vice by Rev. Messrs. Ferrebee and Dunks,
both Baptists. In the opening prayer
Mr. Tuttle sail: “A sad and mysterious
Providence has ccme to a home in our
community. We thank God that the fam
ily has been sustained in their sorrow. We
thank Thee, that she accepted Christ be
fore being taken away.’’ He then read
frem the 15th chapter of Corinthians. Mr.
Tuttle made a strong funeral oration
Horn which these are extracts: “All
deaths arc sad, but oh how inexpressibly
sad it is to be cut off in the bloom of
young womanhood and like this, though
mystery surrounds her death, we have
this promise about this beautiful life:
‘There is nothing secret that shall not
be made manifest. Be sure your sins
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
will find you out.’ If one die by the
hand of an assassin, as our President
died, remember it was His will. No act
is without its penalty. This was God's
child, and He said touch not one of
them, and He will forever hold to ac
count the agency.” He then quoted,
"He that sheds man’s blood,” etc. Mr.
Tuttle read from the records she ques
tions and answers on the occasion of
Miss Cropsey’s joining the church, Oc
tober 12th, this year. "These are the
vows she assumed a few short weeks
before going,” he continued: "I am so
glad she did. Though absent from our
midst she is present wlfch her God.”
There was quiet weeping and many mfist
eyes among the auditors.
The military company which has been
guarding* the jail since Friday evening
was discharged at 5 o’clock this morn
ing. Sheriff Granby says it is only tem
porary, for the Reserves are subject to
his orders. Lynching is not greatly
feared.
The jail in which young Wilcox, who
was arrested for alleged participation in
Miss Cropscy’s death, lies is only a
stone’s throw from the church. Wilcox
knew the funeral was in progress, but
showed no emotion and merely inquired
if a large crowd were present. He is
more nervous than yesterday, but retains
much of the easy manner that has char
acterized him all through. Public senti
ment is strong against Wilcox but there
is less talk of lynching.
Today the remains w r ere shipped to
New York, accompanied by the uncle. The
ever present committee and a crowd of
citizens followed to the depot and saw
them off. This is the way Elizabeth City
people do things. This is the end of Miss
Nellie Cropsey in Elizabeth City, but the
conviction of the murderer is still in the
hands of the committee and they hove
not disbanded, but will hound him to his
grave.
There is in town one Guy Hall today.
Crowds collected on the corners and de
cided to ask him to leave the city. Yiall
is the man who was run out of NorfoY.c
because of his connection with the Can
non affair. He has been run out of F’len
ton f or a similar offense and cannot re
turn.
On the night of the disappearance of
Miss Cropsey about eleven o’clock Cap
tain Ownes and his mate on a barge saw
a skiff glide across from the opposite
shore to the Cropsey side and skim under
the bushes. From his actions and other
things it is believed he Is Wilcox’s ally.
But time will show.
Thiseasepromises to eclipse even tin
Cluverius case in interest. Almost every
one now believes Wilcox guilty.
It is understood that the mayor today
told Hal! that if he did not leave town
he feared he could not protect him. The
preliminary hearing of Wilcox takes place
next Wednesday morning. There is still
thirty minutes for him to account for on
the night the girl was missing and every
one is eager to know how he will do it.
H. A. CHAPPELL.
FOUR DEADi WRECK
I
Train on the C. and 0. Dashes
Into a Landslide Near
. Reusens,
(By the Associated Press.)
Washingon, Dec. 30.—The official ver
sion of the wreck on the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railroad yesterday was telegraphed
today to the office of the company in this
city by ITesident Stevens at Richmond,
Va. The dispatch from Mr. Stevens says:
"Number 9, composed of engine, one
baggage car and one coach struck a land
slide two miles west of Reusens on the
James river branch of Chesapeake and
Ohio Railway about seven o’clock last af
ternoon, derailing the engine but doing
no further damage. Conductor Whitaker,
Engineer Fisher, Baggagemaster Thomp
son and Express Messenger Shannon with
others pushed the coach back out of the
way of possible danger and were engaged
in pushing the baggage car back when
another slide came in, striking the bag
gage car and throwing it into the river
with the four men first mentioned, all
of whom were killed. No other persons
were injured except slightly.”
MURDER OF AN ENGINEER.
Four Men, Two Prominent, Commit a Crime
That Lynchers May Avenge
(By the Associated Press.)
Memphis, Dec. 30.—Four men today
killed J. M. Rhea, a railroad engineer of
Vicksburg, who was a passenger on the
northbound Yazoo and Mississippi Val
ley train just out of Leland, Miss. They
then took possession of the train, com
pelled the engineer to uncouple the en
gine and to carry them on up the road
where they tried to escape.
hey were all captured. Their names
are Ashley Cocke, A. M. Phipps, Tom
Lauderdale and a man named Blackman.
Cocke is a wealthy planter and mer
chant of Cleveland, Miss.; Phipps is post
master at Shelby, Miss.; Lauderdale is
a relative of Phipps. Cocke had a re
volver. Blackman and Lauderdale each
carried Winchester rifles. Phipps was
unarmed. Indignation is intense, and it
is feared there may be an attempt at
lynching.
Hunters in Washington.
(Special to News and Observer.)
Washington, N. C., Dec. 30.—Dr. How
ard A. Kelley, the distinguished gyneco
logical surgeon of Johns Hopkins Hospi
tal. Baltimore, and his nephew, Mr.
Robert Lewis, of Philadelphia, are here
with Dr. John C. Rodman, of this city,
and have been to Ocracoke on a hunting
trip. They returned yesterday morning
with a large quantities of geese, brant
and ducks and report the shooting fine.
The distinguished surgeon will stop a x
few days with Dr. Rodman to shoot
partridges.