North Carolina Newspapers

ie News ha.s the Largest Ci rculation of Any Afternoon Peeper Published ir the Two Ceirolineis THE ONLY EVENING ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWSPAPER IN CHARLOTTE. ESTABLISHED 1888. CHARLOTTE, N. C, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 5, 1908. PRICE 5 CENTS, iviC Pen Picture Of Feafyl Disaster In The School Building Nebraska Democrats Endorse Hon, Wm. J. H1 i ,'"f' f Bryan Hi, E m m m m i& m & m m x .11 JlLA If 0 Up to This Morning 165 Vodics Had Been Taken From Ruins Several Children At is sing Cause of hire Alvstery. Graphic Desciiption of Panic That Followed Outbreak of Fire And of Jhe Terrible Loss of Life. Associated Press. .". claim. O., March 5. One him-. : ami sixty-five lives, all but two in wore children between the : or i and are known to hoon lost in the fire which yes- destroyed the public school in Collinwood i i al others still are missing and bodies may possibly be in the Identifying Bodies. probably will be several days the exact number of the dead i a irately determined. j give you one week to quit a job; the 103 bodies recovered. 10S!vou find a knife if you don't.' 'been identified. The remain be.lios are so blackened by fire smoke, so battered and bruised .. ;u:pling feet that it is only by of some article of wearing :il that their identity can be 'iained. cause of the fire, which, aided frantic panic, narrow hallway doors which it is claimed, by were made to open inward, is a mystery. was at first supposed it came an overheated furnace or an ex ,': boiler in the basement. It has t stablished there was no explo- Was it Incendiary? R. Gardner, member of the i board, is positive in his asser ihat the fire was of incendiary :i. There were no electric light : in the portion of the building . the fire started. There were ..a ol0 and 350 pupils, the a A -as overcrowded. lU ciiers retained their self : rs. . and showed great courage liK' of imminent death. Horrible Sights. rente horror, the scenes round the rear door of the cheol house have had few Little school ' children lay Uht deep, while men and ntagled .with desperation to hem until they were com srive way before the flames .::a;;- Watched Children Burn to Death. Or.- v.-ipinan found her daughter in : press and tried to keep the -s away, hut the child was WK.il to death while the mother v.1 ' ;.. Th..: !o nt door never was fully v. . i ht a dense pile of little av; :;v in the blackened wreckage a ;-!: Lis point. V.'h-si the fire broke out the teach - promptly formed the pupils in .as ei march, according to the 'b-np bat when the head of the r.:..a was nearing the front door a oi j'iames met it and some of - aii'in ii dashed at the door in an ') upon it, while others turned i '!':; wildly up stairs. "' " column above kept pressing a and within a. few seconds there a jam, panic and struggle on " siairway and behind the half 1 1 foair duur that nothing could P. w)iii-h cost the lives of all 'iv'e. v.ii Uiu it. The Worst Tragedy. vmhso tragedy was enacted i'-n- in the rear. This, it is , opened inward like the front n nrder to reach this entrance dls were compelled to march A ' ru:.. !ovlh ii he stairwav. make a sharp 7 i " ! : I i : ia I Jl.'IJi li'.e i the narrow hall, and so to or. It was the lack of space hail and the sharp bend at the the stairs that cost so many it this point. Bodies Trampled. 1 i i i-l0U1 t-ae fjre jn front, the -bainu came rushing and tumbling ,lf,,u' s'.airs in a frenzy of terror. At t1!' botKjm of the stairs somebody -ba a! and fell. In another instant v.ere down and in less time l:i 'i b can be told the doorway hall toot of the stairs were packed !;iUe bodies; wedged so tight bia: ;ht; rescuers struggled and until their own hands were :"f ' ; 1 a d almost to cinders and still ' a d i Move no child from out of the " -oid could save no lives beyond a ";'" ih:,t they lifted from the top. -b !i e while, until death closed :''"lr :o,s- the children were shreak ,: l'or aid. v ,v ,,f tiie women stood by hold the hands of the little ones until !!'' J aa.es drove them away. aae agonized men were strug in the doorways and frantic ' :i' ' were standing by, they could T .', :';I1"k; rising up from the floor fl'"'!;ing away above the heads of c-.niidrtm. Outside women drop ;! T 'be ground in swoons. : Ki'-at was the mass of children i'.,,(!l(; l,oi,it that when the floor tlirough the top of the heap of blackened bodies reached from the basement floor to the level of the ground. Dead May Number 180. As the day wore on the belief be came general that the number of dead will reach ISO. Second Tragedy JV as Threatened By Associated Press. Grand Rapids, Mich., March 5. Grand Rapids was threatened with a repetition of Cleveland's tragedy of yesterday, on even a larger scale, when tire broke out in the Central High School, while 1,200 pupils were in midst oLtheir morning Avork. The signal for the fire drill was given an the children marched out m nerfect order, the building: heme emptied in two and one-half minutes. The damage by fire was light. Note from Blackhand. By Associated Press. Birmingham, Ala., March 5. Chief of Police Bodeker, of Birmingham, received through the mail, with a Bessemer, Ala., date and postmark. note reading: "Chief Bodeker; we; On the reverse side of the note was a hand in black ink. To Investigate Charges. By Associated Press. Washington, D. C, March 5. The house committee on rules decided to report favorably the resolution by Rep. Lilley providing for appointment of a committee to investigate the charges of corrupt influence in con nection with the authorization of sub marine torpedo beats. In Honor of Senator Proctor. By Associated Press. Washington, D. C, March 5. The senate and house adopted resolu- tions of regret and adjourned out of respect to the late Senator Proctor Committees were appointed by the two booies to accompany the re mains to Vermont. Gov. Glenn and Dr. Kilgo to Speak. Snecial to The News. Winston-Salem, N. C, March 5 Gov-1) ernor R. B. Glenn and Dr. J. C. Kilgo, president of Trinity College, have ac cented invitations to address the For syth County Teachers' Association here Saturday. Election Of S. C. Senator Special to The News. Columbia, S. C, March 5. The first ballot in the joint session of the legislature for United States senator resulted today as follows: Gary, CO; Walker 43; Coker 29; Mauldin 16; scattering 6. The vote necessary to a choice is seventy-nine. Second Ballot. The second ballot resulted, Gary 68; Walker 51; Mauldin 19; Coker 13; Jones 5; Holiday 1. A Mysterious Meeting. Special to The News. Saiisburv, N. C, March 5. At the meeting called by Mr. Morton, of Wilmington, to be held at 4 o'clock, a number were present. The list of names is unootainable. Secrecy seems to be round the gathering up to this hour. Whether the meet ing will be public or behind closed doors is not known. It is regarded as an anti-prohibition gathering. Kmc Leaves London. Bv Associated Press. London, March 5 King Edward left London for Biarritz for a month's holiday, after which he will make a cruise of the Mediterranean in compa ny with Queen Alexandra. Fish Hatcheries. By Associated Press. Washington, D. C, March 5. The house committee on merchant marine and fisheries agreed to report favor able bills to establish fish hatcheries in South Carolina and Florida. Gen. F. A. Harond Dead. Bv Associated Press. Brandford, Conn., March 4. General Frang A. Hargond, who gained his ti tle in the Confederate service, is dead at his heme in Stony Creek. He was aged 79 years. German Car Withdrawn. T?,r Associated Press. "Ormond, Fla., March 5. Before the hour scheduled for the start it was announced that the German car nau been withdrawn and the 120,horse power American car, driven by Harry Shefts, could not start. Will Electrocute Them. By Associated Press. Richmond, Va., March 5 The sen ate concurred in the house bill today for the execution; of all death sen tences at the penitentiary here by electricity. Miss Sadie Stanback, of Mangum, is the guest of Mrs. Isaac Persop Qaldwell. "WHAT DO WE CARE AEOUT Federal Vs. State Court Special to The News. Columbia, S. C, March 5. A clash between the state of South Carolina and Judge Pritchard seems inevit able. Governor Ansel today sent a spe cial message to the general assem bly, in extra session, urging it to pass legislation preserving the state authority and protect the dispen sary funds from federal court inter ference. Will Hold Special Election for School Tax Special to The News. Salisbury, N. C, March 5. At the regular meeting of the board of county commissioners this week the citizens of Unity township petitioned the board for the privilege to hold a special elec tion for the purpose of voting a spe cial school tax and their request was granted. The citizens have also made a propo sition to assist the county in macadam izing three miles of public road in their section and their proposition was ac cepted. - Guilford Republicans to Hold County Convention Special to The News. Greensboro, N. C... March 5. The re publican factions here are hard at work this week, tting things in shape for the primaries Friday, and the county convention Saturday. These meetings are to select delegates to the state convention and interest attaches by reason of the split on Cannon and Taft. The Cannon boomers declare that they will have Guilford delegates in structed for Uncle Joe, while the Taft element say that by Saturday there will be no Cannon men worth speak ing of. The practical fight hero is the old one on State Chairman Adams, the line-up being just as it was two years ago, except that Blackburn is not permitted to do any leading. Mr. R. H. McNeil, of Wilkesboro, credited with being a side partner of ex-Senator Butler, was here last night. He is strong for Taft, and is advocating the sending of Judge Furches, of Statesvifle, as a delegate to the nation al convention. Judge Furches is a great admirer of Taft. The Report of The Southern Special to The News. Raleigh, N. C... March 5. The report of the Southern Railway Company of North Carolina business for the quarter ending December 31, 1907, has just been filed with the corporation com missioner and shows a grand total of earnings for the month of the quarter: October, $1,317,482.52; November, $1, 031.77S.09; December, $S96,S69.43. Of the sum total of the above $987,262.51 was intra-state earnings. The Southern is the only road in the state that has yet filed its report for the last 1907 quarter although these reports were due February 1. Lunatic Taken to Virginia. Special to The News. Salisbury, N. C, March 5 W. J. Disbaron, the unfortunate young white man who was taken from a train here several months ago a raving maniac, and who has been confined in jail since his people in Danville claimed they were unable to care for him, was yes terday taken to that city and placed in charge of his relatives. There is no improvement in his condition. Died in Jail. Special to The News. Wilson, N. C, March 5. Old man Lewis, who last Saturday shot his wife, died in jail here early this morning. iJw pl A STRONG PARTY ORGANIZATION? To Confer Over Freight Rates Special to The News. Raleigh, n. C, March 5. Chairman Franklin McNeill and Secretary Hen ry C. Brown, of the corporation com mission have gone to Washington to confer with the interstate commerce commission relative to the suit against the Norfolk and Western Railway Com pany, alleging unjust, unreasonable and excessive freight rates charged to North Carolina points, Winston-Salem and Durham compared to Virginia cit ies. General Manoger C. H. Hix, of the Seaboard Air Line, files with the cor poration commission a petition to be allowed to discontinue the shoo-fly be tween Raleigh and Weldon, on the ground the train operated is a losing proposition. The report sho rv that it costs 13 cents per mile more to operate the train than the earnings per mile; that is 62 1-2 cents cost and earnings only of 49 1-2 cents a mile. Raleigh business men are opposing its discontinuance. A charter was today issued the Winston Drug Co. at a $10,000 capital subscribed, by T. L. Farrow, Jr., and others. Boy Killed His Bather Special to The News. Wilson, N. C, March 5 A fearful tragedy occurred in this county this morning when Cad Pages, promi nent farmer, while beating his wife, was shot and killed by his 15-year-oid son, Ernest. It's said the old man was drunk. Coroner's jury is holding an inquest this afternoon, and it is the opinion the bey will be considered justifiable in his deed. LighiThrown on Black Murder By Associated Press. New Orleans, La., March 5. Accord ing to a telegram receiver here by the nolioe. fionrso Hamilton .in.t P.hnrles Weatlierbee, the young men who were recently arrested here on the charge of smashing show windows, are want ed lor muruer in JNorioiK, va. Following is the message: ''Rome, Ga. George Hamilton, alias W. Vail, and Charles Weatherbee, alias T. C, Folker, wanted for murder. Large reward. Letter on way. ((Signed) G. E. Berry." The arrest of Hamilton and Weather bee came as a sensational climax to a series of daring robberies perpetrat ed in the heart of the business section by persons who selected jewelry win dows as the scene of their crimes. Sev eral hours after receiving the message from Rome, Inspector O'Connor was called up by R. B. Berry, of Chatta nooga, Tenn., who, through the long distance said he positively identified the published pictures of . Weatherbee and Hamilton as the men who murder ed his brother, A. H. Berry, in a ho tel in Norfolk, October 20th, 1907, and robbed him of $2,500 in money, and a valuable diamond ring and some small trinkets. Hamilton and Weatherbee deny the charge. Story of the Murder. Rome, Ga., March 5. The murder being in vestigated by the New Or leans police, in connection with the arrest of Hamilton and Weatherbee, wa scommitted in Norfolk, Va. A. ri. Berry being a young man of Rome, who had gone to Norfolk to see the Jamestown exposition. Berry was found in his night clothes with stab wounds in his neck and evidences of having been struck over the head with some heavy weapon One of the men in New Orleans is supposed to come from Dalton, Ga., while the second is said to be a resident of Monroe, Va. The elder Berry acompanied the detec tives to New Orleans late last night WHAT WE WANT IS 'PIE'! " Opinion Of Supreme Court Special to The News. Raleigh, N. C, March 5 Opinions are delivered in 16 appeals by the su preme court as follows: Manning vs. Fountain, Edgcombe. Error. Sherrod vs. Newsome, Edgecombe. Affirmed. Clothing Co. vs. Bagley, Martin. Affirmed. Avery vs. Lumber Co., Craven. Affirmed. Caho vs. N. & "B. railroad, Pamlico. Affirmed. Gillikin vs. Canal Co., Carteret. Af firmed. Sutton vs. Jenkins, Pitt. New trial. Whitehurst vs. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. Affirmed. Geroch vs. Telegraph Co., Bertie, affirmed. Young vs. Lumber Co., Hailfax. New trial. Canal Co. vs. Burnham, Camden, reversed. Carr's will case, New Hanover, dis missed under rule 17. Mills vs. Harrison, Wilson. Dis missed for failure to print. Chance vs. Atlantic Coast Line, Mar tin. Per curiam affirmed. Daughtridge vs. Batchelor, Nash. Action abates. Furniture Co. vs. Mercer, New Hano ver. Dismissed at appelants cost. Appeals to be Called. On next Tuesday March 10th the ap peals from the fifth judicial district will be called for argument in the su preme court in the following order: State vs. Southern Railway. Motion to retax costs. State vs. Tillman. Yelverton vs. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. (Settled,) Bryan vs. Eason. Bank vs. Jones. Goodwin vs. Cotton Mills. (Defend ant's appeal.) Goodwin vs. Cotton Mills. (Plain tiffs' appeal.) Whitfield vs. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. Jones vs. Life Assurance Society. Perry vs. Perry. Motte vs. Irwin. Corporation Commission vs. South ern Railway. Walker vs. Taylor. Watson vs. Manufacturing Co. (Plaintiffs appeal.) Battle vs. Lewis. Overman vs. Atlantic and North Car olina RailrQad. Watson vs. Manufacturing Co. (de fendants appeal.) Thinks Anarchist Was Alone in His Attempt By Associated Press. Chicago, March 5. "Lazarus Aver buch was alone in his attempt to take the life of Chief Shippy. Three days and nights' hard work on the case has brought me to this conclusion. I am going ahead, however, arresting all his "friends I can find, in the effort to sift this thing to the bone." Assistant Chief of Police Schuettler, who has taken charge of the anarch ist situation in Chicago made this statement last night. Watch For Insane Man. Special to The News. Winston-Salem, N. C, March 5. Sheriff Ziegler is in receipt of a let ter from the superintendent of the state hospital at Morganton, request ing him to, look out for and arrest Francis Hanes, one of the four insane men who escaped from the asylum Monday night. Celebrate Their Golden Wedding. Special to The News. Winstcn-Salem, N. C, March 5. Mr. and Mrs. B. L. Bitting, of Rural Hall, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary last Monday. They were married in Raleigh, March 2, 1858. Assistant Postmaster Bradford is suffering with an attack of the grip. Prohibition Campaign Begins in Salisbury Special to The News. Salisbury, N. C, March 3. Miss Eliz abeth Moore, organizer of the Wo man's Christian Temperance Union, will speak to the ladies of this city in the auditorium of the First Baptist church tonight. The meeting is held under the auspices of the local Anti Saloon League, and is the first move ment to enlist the good women in the temperance campaign. The league is preparing l'or an aggressive campaign. Among those who will take the stump in Rowan are ex-Govrnor Ay cock, Governor Glenn, Mr. John A. Oates, and Judge Jeter C. Pritchard. New York Bank Scandal. By Associated Press. New York, March 5 Misconduct of affairs of the Oriental Bank, which is in the hands of receivers, is charged in the report written by ex aminers employed by the receivers and made public today. The report says: "The bank has been conduct ed in the most, slipshod, loose, un businesslike manner, and has been permeated with irregularities, frauds and crime." Defy Nine-Hour Law. By Associated Press. Montgomery, Ala., March 5. Con tending that the Southern Railway in Mississippi is state and not an interstate line management, accord ing to a report from Mississippi, it has refused to obey the nine-hour law. The orders have been sent out, it is said, to all station agents and operators to proceed as they have been in the past. Tokio Exposition. By Associated Press. Washington, D. C, March 5. The house committee cn arts and exposi tions today decided to report favor ably the bill appropriating $500,000 for participation of -the United States in the exposition at Tokio, in 1(J12. Member of A. P. Staff Dead. By Associated Press. Washington, March 5. Francis Car roll Mattingly, a member of the As sociated Press staff of the Washington office, died after an illness of several months. Cottages For Reformatory Superintendent Thompson And Mr. Cool, of Con cord, Consulting With Local Architects Over Proposed new Buildings That work is soon to begin on the Stonewall Jackson Reformatory and Manual Training School at Concord. Mr. Walter Thompson, who will be the superintendent, and Mr. J. P. Cook, of Concord, who is really the father of the reformatory idea in North Carolina, having advocated it for years before there was the slight est hope that the state would establish one, were here yesterday on an im portant mission. They consulted with two of the city's architects about bids on two cottages to go up at an early date. Mr. Thompson in speaking of the matter to a News man last night, said that the cottages, which would really be large dormitory buildings, would be of brick. They will be three sto ries high, counting the basement as one story. On the first floor there will be a large dining room, kitchen, re ception or sitting room, and living rooms for the superintendent and his family. On the second floor will be dormitor ies for 30 boys for the reformatory is to begin with that number. In addi tion two rooms there wil be set apart for officials of the institution. The basement, which will be en tered from the rear, will contain show er baths, toilets, wash rooms, each boy to have his own spigot and towel. Mil itary order will be enforced. The superintendent and boys will go into the first cottage until the second one is erected, when there will be more room. The cottages will be just alike. The reformatorw has 227 acres of the finest kind of land, picturesquely situated just south of Concord. Mr. Thompson and Mr. Cook have planned far ahead, and the earliest buildings put up will be so situated as to har monize with those designed for later on One of the next buildings after the cottages will be an administration building. An old house now on the place will be used temporarily for school purposes. It is expected that at least one of the cottages will be ready by September or October., Stock will be raised on the planta tion and a large dairy maintained to supply pure milk to the children. Mr. Thompson is assured from all over 'the state of hearty sympathy in this great cause. Mr. Thompson is enthusiastic in this great life-work ahead of him and the state is fortunate to have a man of such ability at the helm. Delegates Named by Slate Convention for Denver Meeting Are Instruc ted to Vote for Bryan as Party Candidate. Air. Bryan Spoke to En thusiastic Crowd Num bering Over 5,000 Pop ulists for HimSome of The Issues. By Associated Press Omaha, Neb., March 5.-Twelve of the 1C dfdpfr.it C3tv- nuui AVCDIU&KU lO Hie democratic national convention were selected by the congressional dis trict convention of the party this morn ing. Four delegates at large are to be chosen by the state convoni imi whiVh scheduled to be called to order at t ocioc-K tins afternoon. All l(j will go to Denver instructed to vote for W. J. Bryan a.3 the presi dential candidate of the party. Interest in the convention will renter o nthe speech which Mr. Bryan is ex pected to make to the delegates and on the platform, which wiU probably reflect his views on national politics. The entire' occasion, in fact, has been planned, so as tlbo give him lull opportunity to indicate the issues paramount in the coming campaign. The gathering this afternoon will be one of the largest ever held bv uie party in the suite. Full delegations are in attendance and in addition there are numerous alternates and district leaders who have come to Omaha. An audience of over 5,000 people greeted Mr. Bryan this afternoon. The state convention of the populist party is also to lake place and its leaders will support Eiyan. OLD SONGS AND BALLARDS. Presbyterian Cd'ege Choral. Ciass Class Will Give Recital. On Tuesday evening, March 17th, the Musurgia Choral Class of tiie Presbyterian College will give u con cert in the college auditorium. The first part of the program will include piano and organ numbers, while the second will be devoted to the render ing of old songs and ballads, such as "Home, Sweet Home" and "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean." A small admission fee will be charged, the proceeds to be divided between the class and the Daughters of the American Revolution. CAPT. FINCH CCME3 HERE. He Will be Associated With the Clinch field Cca Corporation. Captain Kenneth Finch, of New York, formerly with the Seaboard rail road, and well known in Charlotte, has arrived in the city and will make Charlotte his home in the future. Captain Finch has accepted a posi tion with the Ciinchheld Coal Corpora tion, which will make Charlotte head quarters. He will be associated with Mr. V. G. Morris, the general mana ger of the company in this city LAND TRANSFERS. 280 Acres in Lerr.lv Township Sail for $1,200. One deed was filed far registration in the office of the clf-rk of the superior court today, from Jane V. Davidson to Sadie E. Davidson, for four tracts of landy lying in Lemloy township, aggre gating 2 SO 1-4 acres, the consideration being $1,200. Marriage in the County. The ma ri rage of Mrs. W. V. Dunn and Mr. W. M. Crowell occurred last night at the home of the bride, three miles east of the city. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Harris Mallinckrodt, rector of St. Peter's Episcopal church. The mar riage was a quiet home affair, only im mediate relatives and a few intimate friends being present. Both Mr. and Mrs. Crowell are well known in Char lotte. Mr. Croweii conducts grocery stores on West Trade and East More head streets. Death of Granville Reddick. Greenville Reddick, one of the best known negroes in Charlotte, of the old school type, and for 17 years a trust worthy employe of the compress, died last night at 8:15 o'clock. Reddick was 5i years old. Ho- came to Charlotte from Norfolk, Va., with Ca; tain Ed wards in 187C, in connection with the compress, which was built by Mr. J. L. Harvey. With the exception of two years he was engineer at the compress ever since coming here. Cars to Chadwick Next Weak. Owing to inclement weather the first street car to the Chadwick and Hos kins Mills, four miles west of the city, will not be run until next week. The company had hoped to end out the first car Saturday. Cotton Recsipts. Twenty-three bales were sold at the nlatform today at 11 3-4 cents, against 28 bales at 11 cents on the same day last year.