North Carolina Newspapers

' ALL THE NEW© f WHILE IT IS NEWS. | L 1 VOL 9 Fly- Wheel In Of Selwyn Explodes, 1 earing H Miraculous Escape From Death of Three Men in Engine Room. Fortun ately no One in Lobby Was Struck. Governor Flew Off While Ice Plant was Being In stalled. Loss, Includ ing Smashed China, is About $3500. Cnarlotte News, April SO. Spinning around at the terrific speed of about 3,000 revolutions a minute, uncontrollable because its governor had i.own off, the eight-foot liy-wlieel of the ice plant in the base ment of the Selwyn Hotel exploded this morning at 9 o'clock, and part of it tore its furious way through the eight-inch concrete floor of the lobby, and, after effecting entrance ilu-re, continued to leap twenty feet; lurtlier to the ceiling, tearing off one large chunk of stucco and leaving the imprssion of its angry fist in an other place, in addition to smashing the five globes o fan electric light chandelier. Shortly before, the orchestra of Mr. Don A. Richardson had left its nation in the north end of the lobby near the dining room doors, and to this fact is due the miracle that there was no loss of life in this part of lotel. There was wild consternation ior a moment or two, and the people in the lobby scurried to a distance n oin the scene of the accident, of which luckily, there had been fair •yarning of what was coming in the wild whirl of the huge driver bounding up from the cavernous re gions below. * Three Men's Miraculous Escape. The greatest marvel of the mishap is that the three men in the ice plant basement, who were installing the :iew machinery, escaped unscathed —! absolutely without a scratch. And: this, toorin spite of ttffe iact that the big iron spoke a. of the splintered driving wheel were hurled in every] direction. Like the fabled three geese in a flock, "One flew east, one flew west, And one flew over the cuckoo's nest." The three men were Mr. P. M. /.day, of Chicago, who was installing the new plant for Fred K. Wolfe &; Co., of Chicago; Chief Engineer Ed.| Putnam, of the Selwyn, and a color-j ed man, who was assisting. The] latter was down under the engine j holding an electric light attached to :i long cord. This cord is responsi ble for the disaster. It became tr.ngled in the governor of the fly wheel, the governor belt was dis placed. and the wheel began its de fctruction-breathing revolutions. Twice during this time Mr. Aday walked ground the hissing death trap, clos ing two valves, pushing up the balls that weighted the governor, in his effort to stop the machinery. He had fnally sent for a monkey wrench, the lest hope, as there was no throttle wheel whereby he might stop the machinery. Mr. Putnam was within ten feet of the fly-wheel, also, when it burst. It is remarkable how they all escaped. There was a smell of ammonia that was overpowering, and would have rendered unconscious Mr. Jetf Colo, and Mr. John Fletcher, whd rushed to the scene, if one of them had not broken open the door. Mr. Fletcher was thrown prostrate. A water pipe was jarred loose in the •tasement which 1 was flooded with water before it could be cut off. Handsome China Smashed. The greatest loss is perhaps that sustained by the handsome china closet of the hotel. Manager Light loot. estimates the total loss at $3,- f.OO, the bulk of which is charged s.gainst the smashing of the china ware. The loss to the ice machinery | i:-; about $l,OOO or $1,500. Mr. Light loot wired Mr. Wood at Boston about lhe catastrophe. A throng of people entered the to see the results of the ex- I'osion. Three heavy pieces of broken fly-wheel lay upon the floor, • ircled by concrete debris. One of iho big fragments must have weighed '- •0 pounds and the other two about each. A gunny sack had been .thrown over the big, ugly gaping, wound in the floor, large enough for i man's body, where the lid had flown «>ff. The piano top that covers the keyboard had a big dent in just above the piano stool, so luckily vacant when the crash came. The ivory Keys were out of alignment, and the ileeyboard looked like a mouthful of U?eth that had been knocked loose in a rough and tumble fight. On hearing the sound of the ex plosion Mr. Jeff Cole, of Danville, Va., sepresenting the Westbrook Machine Company, who was at work on the •.-levator machinery, rushed into the engine room. He Was almost over time by the strong fumes of amonia Mid turned to go out the door he had J»st entered but being unable to open his eyes he lost his way and press tut for knocking down a door would lave boen overcome and rendered unconscious. With difficulty he made his way out into fresh air which re vived him. Cause of the Accident. When asked the cause cf the acci dent Mr. Aday said to a Neva rep resentative: "One of the workmen, In attaching an electric wire allowed it to get tangled up with the governor of the engine and tnis of course caused the governor belt to run off and allow the engine to run away. I was in the engine room at the time and at once shut off the ammonia from the machine and sent a messenger after a wrench to turn the throttle which he finally got and commenced shut ting off the throttle but before 1 could do this the engine had gained such speed that the fly-wheel went to pieces, going around at such a ter rific speed." The throttle of the engine by ac tual measurement is not more than three or four feet which nearness makes Mr. Aday's escape more mi raculous. He said later that when he realized the wheel was gaining speed every second and that it would burst unless the messenger hurried back with the wrench, he tried to but that it had gained such a speed it was impossible. The proper means the governor with his hands ot stopping the engine was the throttle wheel but this had been broken sometime ago and had never i>een replaced. A mere turn of the wheel had it been there would have stopped the engine in a giffy. The refrigerating plant has been installed since Harvey &Wood open ed the hotel at a cost of $O,OOO. It was the best of its kind manufactur ed. A Frightened Crowd. Mr. Sam Pegram, head clerk, was, perhaps, the first man in the lobby to be warned of the accident. He was behind the counter when the first sound of the rumbling noise reached his ears. The floor shook and slow iv began to rise and before he had Lime to think just what to do, give the alarm or run for his life, there was an explosion that hurled a show er cf cement and gravel the entire north wing of the lobby. Just as a News reporter arrived on the scene several men came rushing down the steps with their coats un fer their arms followed by nervous women, bell boys and a dozen of maids. In the street and in the back lot behind the hotel stood a number of servants of several na tionalities talking excitedly in their own tongues, like the folks at the Tower of Bable, and running here ?nd there trying to escape the fumes cf ammonia pouring through the basement windows from a tank con taining 300 pounds. Mr. Aday, pass ing by them, was asked if there was £oing to be any more "blow-up" and when assured that there was not, the foreigners, holding their noses, crept tack into the kitchen. Many incidents, amusing now in view of no lost lives, are told by the guests of the hotel in the spirit of a joke, some of them of course ex aggerated. Mr. Don Richardson was break fasting near Mr. D. A. Tompkins. When the explosion came the Pro fessor reached for a window, and frantically rubbed up the glass, in an effort to raise it. Mr. Tompkins was wanting out at the same exit. Impatiently shoving icichardson aside, jbe said: "Good land man, let me show you how to hoist it," and began making sidewide passes over the g'ass. Dr. E. C. Register was just enter ing the lobby when the explosion oc curred. He made one leap from the cigar stand to the door, one more to the sidewalk and two across the street to the tall building on the ether side, thence up to the third flcor whence he looked out a window to see N lf any of the hotel was left. Died With Secret. New Orleans, April 30. —With sev eral stab wounds about his body, a man was found in a dying condition | here today by a man who was awak ened by several men quarrelling in the i front of his store. Near the man was 1 found a black cloth mask. The man was unable to speak when found and died in a few minutes afterwards. A letter on the body was identified as that of Guiseppe Squatrato, an Ital ian. Much Inuterest in Funeral. St. Petersburg, April 30. —The fune ral of Mme. Madezhda Baradia, the well known revolutionist, who commit ted suicide abroad, aroused the great est interest in revolutionary circles on account of her romantic history. Tornado Struck Coving ton, Tenn. Last Night Memphis, Tenn., April 30. —Meagre reports have been received by the Com mercial-Appeal from Covington, Tenn., of a tornado which struck that place last night, causing considerable dam age, but so far as ascertained, no lives were lost. Two compresses were unroofed and ' the Illinois Central depot was badly damaged. 'lf 'f* The Accident at the Selwyn Hotel This Morning In Which a Fly-Wheel Crashed Through the First Floor Into Charlotte News, April 30. The Lobby. Thousands For The President, After Re ceiving Petitions Con taining Names ot Thou sands of Persons, Asks Pardon for January. Washington, D. C., April 30. —The President in a note to the Department of Justice expresses the opinion that j John William January, of Missouri, i should have his sentence commuted at once, or be pardoned outright. January was convicted some years ago of robbing a postoffice In Oklaho ma, and served the greater portion of a five year sentence at *t He then escaped, and after nine' years liberty was re-arrested in Kan sas City and returned to prison. Many petitions reached the Presi dent asking for his pardon. He had lived in Kansas City under the name of Charles W. Anderson dur ing the time he was at liberty. Senator Warner presented to the President a statement containing the synopsis of the petitions signed by 2,500 persons. He also told the President there was a petition circulating in Missouri al ready signed by 37,000 persons asking for January's pardon. January in Dark Leavenworth, Kans., April 30. —Un- til official news from Washington, War den McClaughrey, of the Federal pen itentiary will not communicate with William January, or Anderson regard ing any steps taken in the case. When January was returned to the penitentiary he was assigned as help er in the laundry. He is considered a model prisoner. Langhorne—Gaff Wedding. Washington, D. c., April 30. —Fash- ionable society folk of Washington and a number of guests from out of town filled St. John's Church at noon today at the wedding of Miss Zaidee Gaff, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. T. Gaff, and Dr. Cary Langhorne, U. S. N. The bride has as her attendant maids her cousins, Miss Rachel and Miss Mary Holmes of Cincinnati, Miss Marion Oliver, daughter of the Assistant Secretary of War, and Miss Mary Sutherland. The wedding cere mony was followed by a reception and breakfast at the Gaff home. The bride made her debut about two years ago and is one of the heiresses of the capital. Dr. Lang horne, the bridegroom, is a son of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Langhorne ol I this city, and a cousin of the Lang | home sisters of Virginia, Jwo of whom are Mrs. Waldorf Astor and Mrs. Charles Daija Gibson. Bishop Gallagher's Anniversary. Galveston, Texas, April 30. —Today was the twenty-fifth anniversary of Bishop Gallagher's elevation to the episcopate and during the day many messages of felicitation were receiv ed at the bishop's residence t Bishop Gallagher is a native of Ohio and oc cupied pulpits in Cincinnati and Co lumbus prior to his being chosen bssliop of Galveston. Attempt Made to Kill President Cabrera Guatemala City, Guatemala, April 30.—An attempt was made on the life of President Estrada Cabrera. While out driving a dynamite bomb was ex ploded near his carriage, killing the horses and wounding General Orella -1 na, chief of staff. The calmness cf the president, who was not injured, was universally com mended, and the would-be assassins are condemned on all sides. HICKORY, N, C., THURSDAY MAY 2, 1907, MUSIC FESTIVAL. Much Interest Over Music Festival This Week. Raleigh, N. C., April 30. —The keen est interest centers in the great May music festival to be held in Raleigh Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week under the auspices of the Raleigh Choral Society, when the fa mous Now York Symphony Club, Wal ter Damrosch, conductor and a number of noted special artists will appear with the best talent of the Capitol City, including a special children's chorus of 250 voices and the Choral Society of over 100 voices. The management is being notified daily of special par ties that are being made up in other towns of the state to come to one or another of the concerts. The local management is headed by Prof Wade R. Brown of the music department of the Baptist University for Women. That it will be the greatest musical event in the history* of Raleigh is as sumed. * v ~ The two batallions of the A. & M. College, consisting of five companies and the band, gave a most creditable public drill last afternoon arond cap ital sc'iare under command of Com mandant Young. There were hun dreds of spectators. There was a spe cial review by Governor Glenn, Adju tant General Rohertsota and Gen. C. A. Woodruff. 100,000 People Are Driven brom Home Odessa, April ;30. —One hundred thousand people are estimated to have been driven from their homes by the overflowing of the Dnieper, Dniester and Dvina. The inundations have Qaused ex treme distress over an enormous area. __l—— INSURANCE MAN ARRESTED. Is Charged With Forging Signatures of Policy Holders. New York, April 30. —Jacon Frank, an agent for the New York Life In surance Company, in this city, was ar rested, charged with forgery in the third degree in connection with the recent'election of the directors of that company. It is alleged the signatures of policy limloders on some of the ballots cast were forged. Frank claims to have had permission from 50 or GO of these policy to sign their names to the ballots. Charters Granted. Raleigh, N. C., April 30.—The sec retary of state charters the Williamson Light and Power Company, of William ston, at a capital of $50,000 by J. D. Biggs and others; also Grover Mercan tile Company of Cleveland County, at a capital of SG,OOO by T. R. Keeler and others. False Appropriations. Washington, April 30. —According to the volume on appropriations made, new offices created, etc., during the last session of Congress which has just been completed the total appro priation for the session was $920,798,- 143. 1 ; Revolutionary Movement Grows More Serious Vienna, April 30. —The revolutionary movement in Montenegro, where the military government has been ' pro claimed and armed bands are report ed to be marching on the capital, is assuming a serious character, accord ing to despatches arriving here. An uprising,, attributed largely to the alleged attempts of Price Nicholas to override the constitution which he bestowed on the country in 1905, and to the incessant drain on the public purse. The Prince is accused of utilizing the taxes and other state funds to swell his private banking account. Even the sums received from Em perors Nicholas and Joseph for speci- I fic public purposes are said to have [been diverted. Two Killed At In Cotlission Between Through Freight And Yard Engine Two Men Were Killed. Consider able Damage Done. Raleigh, N. C., April 30.—1n a collis ion early this morning between a freight and a yard engine, on the Sea board Air Line at Norlina, Engineer Efferman ot Petersburg, and Fireman B. F. Johnson of the throug hfreight were killed. i Both engines were smashed And the main line was blocked for sev eral hours. 1 -. Tho yard engine was just passing off / the main line when the through train crashed into it's side. Kindergartners at Work. New York, April 30. —More than 1.000 delegates, con\ing from almost every State in the Union, Australia, Canada and several other countries, were present today at the opening of the fourteenth annual convention of the International Kindergarten Union. Mrs. Ada Marean Hughes presided over the initial session. The convention is to continue until the end of this week and from all in dications it will be the most success ful and profitable ever held by the organization. Among the speakers to be heard are Dr. Felix Adler, founder of the Ethical Culture Society; Ham ilton Wright Mabie, editor of the Outlook; Arthur Dow, head of the art department of Teachers' College; Miss Susan" E. Blow of New York, Miss Laura Fisher of Boston, Miss Geraldine O'Grady of Brooklyn, Miss Bertha Payne of Chicago, Mme. Kraus-Boelte of New York and Miss Nina Vanderwalxer of Milwaukee. Sons of the American Revolution. Denver, Colo., April 30. —The na tional society, Sons of the American Revolution, began its annual congress in this city today and will remain in session until Friday. The society, which is devoted to the inculcation of patriotism among the people, includes many men of note in its membership, among them President Roosevelt, Ad miral Dewey, former Vice-President Levi P. Morton, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge and Gens. Nelson A. Miles, Horace • Porter, S. B. Buckner and Fred D. Grant. A dinner at which addresses will be delivered by a num ber of noted speakers is one of the principal features of the convention program. Rates on Cotton Piece Goods. Washington, D. C., April 30. —The Interstate Commerce Commission to day gave a hearing in the case of the Warren Manufacturing Company and others of Warrenville, S. C., against the Southern and other rail roads. The question involved in the case is that of rates on cotton piece goods from South Carolina and Geor gia points to New York. Provisional Tariff Plan. Berlin, April 30. —The Federal Coun cil passed the German-American pro visional tariff arrangement. / 8 Buildings Swept By Fire at Lezsville Leesville, La., April 30.—Fire start ed in the Regal Hotel and spread rap idly, destroying 18 buildings, in which were located 25 business firms, includ ing the First National Bank, and Lees ville National Bank. The loss is estimated at between $75,000 and $lOO,OOO. Police 1 kink Ihety Have Two Negroes who Made Murderous TSHE Statesville, April 30. —Tom Merri deth, colored, was shot and probably fatally injured Saturday night about 11:30 o'clock by Lillie Chambers also colored. The woman is the wife of Lawson Chambers, but is separated from her husband. It is said that since she and Lawson parted some time ago Merrideth had paid her con siderable attention. Merideth had also been paying some attention to a young widow, Josie White, who resides in Salisbury, and the Chambers woman had become extremely jealous. The Salisbury woman came to Statesville on Saturday presumably to see Merrideth and the negroes say this greatly enraged the Chambers .wo man. Saturday night she went to the home of Clay Gaither, colored, near the railroad crossing east of the depot, with whom Merrideth lives, and called Merrideth out A few minutes later a pistol shot was heard and when the neighbors- rushed out they found Meri deth with a bullet hole in his back, i just below the shoulder blades, r Meta Gabriel, colored, wife of Gus ' Gabriel, who died a short time ago, and Henry Owens, also colored, engag ed in a row at the home of the wo man on Greene street, near the color ed graded school, Saturday night. The \ woman rushed on Owens and he ran, taking refuge under a house. She pull ed him out and gave him a number of blows as he ran off. At a point on (Walker street Owens turned on the I woman and knocked her down, after which they became reconciled and re turned to the home of the woman. They were arrested by the police on Sunday and in the mayor's court yes- j terday morning each was fined *2.50 and one half the costs, $5.10. Tom Stevenson, colored, who was re cently released from the insane asy lum at Goldsboro, went to Salisbury (j Saturday and came back that night drunk and cra&y. He attacked Clara Seahorn, his aunt, with whom he lived', with a knife and cut an ugly gash in the woman's thigh. -He was arrested J Sunday afternoon, but was released > yesterday morning on account of his mental condition and at the request of the injured relative. An effort will be made to get the man in the asylum again. Mr. J. S. Longfellow, of Baltimore, a traveling salesman for the Armour Fertilizer Company, has decided to make Statesville his headquarters and is now spending his vacation here. He is stopping at Mrs. Mitchell's board ing house, on Davie street. Mr. H. L. Meacham, a freight con ductor who runs between Monroe and Spencer, spent several days with his brother, Mr. M. F. T. Meacham, leav ing yesterday for Charlotte. Mr. George R. Watkins, of Mitchell County, is spending a few days with Superintendent Meacham at the State farm. Heroic Men Undertake Fearful 1 ask of Rescue Johnstown, Pa., April 30. —"Still alive," is the report brought to the sur face by the rescuing party trying to reach the seven men who have been imprisoned in the mine at Foust well. A Daring Undertaking. At 12:30 four men started into the mine in an effort to reach their un fortunate colleagues. They were forc ed to wade and in a crouching position as the passage was but four feet in height. j There was sufficient room between the water and the roof to give clear space for the men's heads. One of the four was a brother of the foreman who is one of the unfortunates. Slung across the shoulders of the : rescuers were air tight cans carrying drinking water and nourishment in a ' liquid form. j Wading up to their necks in black ! and muddy water these crawling and ' stopping, will have a mile to traverse before reaching the heading where the 1 prisoners are said to be located. Through the dark tunnels their way ' can be fcund only by feeling along the ' rough walls, as lights cannot be used for fear of gas explosions. The party was sent in for fear that 1 the unforunates would attempt to 1 come out in their enfeebled condition and meet with further accidents. At the mouth of the mine is a crowd 1 of men ready to follow the four that 1 have already started. 1 Emptied Two Revolvers \ At Pursuing Policemen ; i New York, April 30. —In a running fight with a dozen policemen, Thomas j Donahue, whom the police had sought on a charge of murder, was shot and i probably fatally wounded after he had 1 emptied two revolvers at the police | men. ] Donahue's flight was up and down j fire escapes and over several roofs. |i THE BEBT JOB PRINTING OF ALL. K'NDB AT THIS OFFICE. Norfolk Chief of Police Announces Authorities Have Arrested Two Negro Highwaymen who Committed Murder. • ; Three Women Are Held as Accessories to Crime. One NegrQ Makes a ' 'Partial Confession. > Blames Lassiter. I Norfolk, Va., April 30. —The chief i of police announced his department had } captured two negro highwaymen who r made a murderous tour across Berkley r ward, of Norfolk Saturday night, re - suiting in the death of one one man, * with two or three others assaulted still lingering between life and death. I The alleged assailants are William " Mcintosh and Tom Lassiter, who were ; arrested together with Helen Fisher, Lucy Jones and Irene Williams, the women being held as accessories. 5 Mcintosh has made a confession in , which he says Lassiter was the man - who operated with him, and while ad - mitting his own participation in the ■ crimes, attempts to throw most of the ! blame upon Lassiter. First in the Field. Davenport, la., April 30.—Quietly and without bands or banners the first candidate to make the race for President of the United States In 1908 will be here low. It is the date set for the na tional convention of the United Christian party. William R. Benkert of this city, chairman of the national executive committee, expects dele gates to be on hand from a number of States. They will meet at the watch tower, a pleasure resort near Rock Island. So far there has been little or no discussion as to candidates, the selection being left entirely to the convention. The United Christian party was founded twelve years ago and has had presidential tickets in the field in the last two presidential elections. Tho party advocates government accord ing to the golden rule. At one time it urged the removal of the national oapitol from Washington to the gov ernment island in the Mississippi river opposite Davenport, on which Ihe Rock Island arsenal is situated. FRUIT AL LKILLED. State of lowa Clad in Thick Mantel of Snow—No Hope for the Fruit Crop. Des Moines, lowa, April 30. —Snow covers the entire State of lowa from a depth of three to eight inches. In Des Moines and Central lowa, it is (ight inches, according to the gov ernment report. Interviews with leading horticul turists indicate all small fruit irre trievably killed. Gov. Grants Pardons. Other Raleigh News Raleigh, N. C., April 30. —Governor Glenn has granted pardons for A. D. Hood and W. W. Gilbert, who were offi cers in South Carolina and came across the line into Union county to arrest a fugitive from justice, having to kill the man, as they declared, In self de fense. Having no right to come into this State to make an arrest they were held to be at least technically guilty of manslaughter, although they would not have been had they been North Carolina officers. They were sentenced in Union coun ty last October and the pardon is at the request of the trial judge and the solic itor and of the governor of South Caro lina, who assures Governor Glenn that the two men were excellent officers and were acting as they thought be and were acting as they thought ac cording to law. Pardons are also granted for Ar chie Wilkes, serving five years from Caldwell county for larceny, pardon be ing on account of ill-health. He has consumption. Cager Arrington serving two years from Halifax county for disposing of mortgaged property, pardoned because he has consumption. Governor Glenn refuses a pardon for Newt Mehaffey, who was sentenced in Graham county to serve two years for larceny. The governor says he thinks the punishment is not excessive. State Auditor Dixon left today for Goldsboro and Kinston to look into official business connected with the assessment of bank stock and other corporation assets liable to state tax direct. R. D. W. Connor went today to Ken ansville, where he delivers the address for the closing of the James Sprunt Institute. He will also go to Wilming ton for the unveiling of the Cornelius Harnett monument. State Superintendent of Public In struction J. Y. Joyner left for La Grange and Kinston to deliver educa tional addresses. He will be out of the iCity until May 4th. j