Established 1899
THE INNO
CENT SUFFER
The Innocent in
the State Prison
While the Guil
ty Have Gone
"Scot-free."
Hampton Kendall and John
Vickers were tried at the Febru
ary term of the Superior court
of Caldwell county for the mur
der of one Lawrence Nelson.
They were convicted of murder
m the second degree and sen
tenced to twenty-four and twen
ty-six years respectfully at hard
labor in the State penitentiary.
They appealed and the case was
argued before the Supreme court
by Messrs. Lawrence Wakefield,
R. Z. Linney, Mark Squires, and
Jones and Whisnant for the de
fendants. This court upheld the
lower court and Kendall and
\ liters thought that the future
contained nothing for them but
a long term of years in prison.
They denied their guilt from the
very first and tried to prove an
alibi; but it was no easy task to
account for the twenty-four
hours of Sept. 25, 1906, and all
t ieir actions during that time,
five months afterwards.
The testimony of Onah Grier,
was what convicted Kendall and
Viekers. From her testimony, it
app -.ared that the defendants ap
proached her and Mag Lewis and
offered them five dollars to- get
Lawrence Nelson out in the
woods as they wanted to thrash
him for something he had said.
That after Nelson was enticed in
the woods Viekers and Kendall
came up and began to quarrel
with him and finally Viekers shot
Nelson from which wound he
died, and his body was not found
until the eleventh of December
following. The other woman,
Mag Lewiss was not put
upon the stand.
At various times Mag Lewis has
stated to different parties that
Kendall and Viekers were not
guilty and that the reason fche
did not go on the stand was
that she did not care to *ec Let
"sweet-heart" in trouble. Last
week a bench warrant was issu
ed for her and she was arrested
and carried to Newton. She h?re
testified that Viekers and Ken
dall had nothing to do with the
killing and were not even pres
ent, but that Sam Green did the
killing and that one George Jen
kins helped to remove the body
and conceal it. Her testimony
as to the time the shot was fired
and the place where the killing
took place is coroborated by that
of Rev. (Jhas. Clark, who swore
that on his way to preaching
Sunday night. he passed . Law
rence Nelson, May Lewis,-Onah
Grier. and a man, whom he
believed was Sam Green on the
railroad track. Taat about fif
teen minutes afterwards he
heard the parties quarrelling and
also a pistol shot. Mag swears
that it was Green that Mr. Clark
saw and also that Jenkins saw
Clark coming- and dodged in the
woods.
The testimony of Onah Grier
as given at Newton conflicts with
that given by her at the trial in
Lenoir. At the first trial she swo. J
that no one was present ftt the
killing, but Vickers, Kendall and
another man she did not know;
now she admits that Sam Green
was present.
From the testimony there
seems to be no doubt but that
Vickers and Kendall are inno
cent, but it will be hard to con
vict Green and Jenkins on „.the
testimony of a woman, who
knowing that, innocent men
where being tried for their lives
hearing them sentenced to a
tt Wi • > ' " - / . •
THE HICKORY DEMOCRAT.
A MEMORIAL MEETING
*The Round Dozen Book Club,
of Hickory Honors the
Memory of the
Dead.
Hickory, 31.—0n the 30th day
of October the Round t)ozen Book
Club held its regular meeting at
the beautiful home of Mrs. C* C.
Bost.
Owing to the death of John
Charles McNeill, for whom many
competent critics are claiming a
place among the South's fore
most poets, it was decided to dis
pense with the regular program
and to turn the meeting into a
McNeill memorial.
The house had been brilliantly
decorated with autumn leaves
and potted plants. Hand paint
ed souvenir cards, representing
a scene in autumn, were distri
buted among the guests, contain
ing beautiful quotations from Mr
McNeill. It was noted by more
than one that the meeting was
held in the same house and the
room where John Charles McNeill
gave his first public reading from
his own poems and many pleas
ing incidents of the pleasant oc
casion ofVhich he was the c 1 •
tral figure, were recalled. The
photograph, smiling du>vn upon
the gathered guests, recalled his
graceful image, standing in the
soft glow of the shaded lights, as
he turned into spoken, words the
fanciful thoughtsthat had gone
singing through his brain.
' 'ln some lone garret let me write.
Not thronged with guests as
here tonight.
Where beauty, passing in and
out,
Is sweeter seen than suag about.
When stranded in some place
I shall recall you, face by face,
As now you seem, 'twill then be
time
To cast this radiance into rhyme,
Your radiance which I would
might cheer
My wifeless heart throughout
the year."
With that gentle poet's face in
sight and the copy of "Songs,
Merry and Sad," bearing upon
the fly-leaf his name where he
wrote it, hard indeed it was to
remember that the gentle pcet
*:ad put away his books and pen
cil forever and that the visions
of glorious sunset by mountain,
streams and wood, the call ot the
partr dge from the dim twilight
hill, the sight of the autumn
flowers flaring scarlet and gold
in the clear sunlight, it seemed
strange indeed that we should
see and hear such sights and
sounds through the poet's magic
no more.
Mrs. C. C. Bost, his hostess on
the occasion of his visit and
reading to the club, paid a beau
tiful and impressive tribute to
the personal characteristics of
the poet who had been a much
prized friend. Mrs. Thomas M.
Hufham gave a most interesting
sketch of his life, showing his
achievements and his even great
er promise. Mrs. J. F. Allen
read a discriminating but syrapa
thetic estimate of his poems and
Mrs. L. R. Whitener read an ex
cellent criticism of his fables,
which were enjoyed alike by
and young. Mrs. J. !• Murphy
sang beautifully ' 'Rest for the
Weary," and more than one eye
was dim as thoughts came of this
gifted child of fancy who had
found the rest, deep and lasting,
for which he sought so long in
vain.— Hickory Cor. Charlotte
Observer.
Mr. Rufus Isenhour visited
his parents in Salisbury last
week
long term in the State prison,
would not open her mouth to
save them. The whole case is a
dirtv one from the beginning to
the end. Jenkins and Green are
[now in jail at Newton.
A Home Newspaper Published' in the Interest of the People and for Honesty in Govermental Affairs
A Hallowe'en
Frolic.
Miss Ma&el Miller entertained
a number of young friends at a
genuine old time Hallowe'en
party Thursday night. They
were received at the door by a
small but very lively ghost
whose flowing garments inter
fered verv much with the giddy
dance it kept up. The hall and
porch we v o lit by pumpkin lan
terns and a black cat would have
scowled from a- white sheet, if
somebody hadn't carried it off
down to the Methodist church
yard where it gteeted the guests
untimely. When the fortune
telling began, the young people
were invited into a room that
looked like a nook of the Aut-
umn woods. Trees covered with
golden and crimson leaves min
gled their branches, Autumn
leaves nade a thick carpet over
the floor. There was no light
save the glimmer from the open
fire and the pumpkins. Across
one corner a sheet was stretched
and on red Autumn leaves the
fortunes «f the guests were in
scribed. Each Was blind-folded,
and chose his dietiny blindly, as
in life. Then the three fateful
bowls were presented, and each
blindfolded victim was given an
other chance. In the parlor Mrs.
S. F. Watson told the guests the
names of their future partners in
life, and predicted to the young
ladies the employment of their
future husbands. A ghost story
was then recited in due form,
with chills down your back at
the right spots. One poor young
man will never have his fortune
told any more. His best girl
didn't see; o to have any name,
at least nor.- was given, the
bowl test predicted bachelor
hood, and, vvhen he picked his
destiny, it was as follows:
"You'll marry with a scolding wife
Tlie fourteenth of November;
She'll make yon weary of your life
By one unrnly member."
Gunpowder Dots
The farmers are most through
gathering corn. The crop is very
good. Wheat sowing is pro
gressing nicely. > We had a fine
rain Sunday and Sunday night.
It seems a rain could never have
fallen at a more opportune time.
Stalk land was most too hard to
plow, but the rain has put it in
very good rix for plowing.
The fourth and last quarterly
conference for the Caldwell cir
cuit, was held at Grace Chapel
Saturday, with preaching and
the Sacrament Sunday. Rev. J.
H. Weaver, P. E., was present
and presided. The different
churches were well represented.
At ten o'clock Saturday a Sun
day, school and Missionary Ral
ly was held, in which most all
the schools on the circuit took
part, by a recitation and a song
by each school. At eleven Dr.
Weaver preached a missionary
sermon, which was very practi
cal. Dinner was served, after
which the quarterly conference
was held. The repoi ts from the
different churches was reasona
bly good. The prospect for
meeting all the claims of the
church is good. Sundry at elev
en Dr. Weaver preached ore of
his most admirable sermons on
the joyous, consecrated Christian
life, from I Thess., V. 16, 18,
after which the Sacrament of'
the Lord's Supper was celebrat
ed. Owing to the inclemency of
the weather, there was not ~ a
large congregation attended the
Sunday services, but those who
did attend were amplv rewarded
in the splendid sermon of Dr.
Weaver. Detter.
The Democrat Office will be
open on Friday nights to 8:30
o'clock to transact business.
HICKORY, N. C., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7.1907.
State News
, /
t
One of the most terrible items
of news printed in any North
Carolina paper fecently is that
from High Point telling of tha
treatment received by a little
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. P, C.
Field. The parents had let the
little girl, only four years old,
visit relatives by the name of
Shoaf in Thomasville. These
people, man and wife, got drunk,
tortured the child until they
thought her dead, then threw
her, tied m an «ld tow sack into
an outhouse. Her left arm was
broken, skull crushed, leg badly
{bruised, bad bruises over the
body. The people of Thomas
ville wished to lynch the fiends
who did the work, but were re
strained with difficulty. If ever
lynching were justifiable, it
would be in this case.
The Yadkin Valley Fair drew
the biggest crowd that ever
gathered in Salisbury at one
time, so say the artists in num
bers. This fair seems to have
been a success In every way, so
far as learned.
The Noble Red Man has been
giving some more trouble. * The
Ute Indians at Thunder Butte,
South Dakota, thought themsel
ves ill-used bv their agent, Maj.
Downs. From representations
made by Capt/Johnson, it seems
there is little doubt the tribe has
been harshly treated. The Nav
aj »troubles in southern Utah
and New Mexico are at an end,
with three Indians killed
The new railroad bridge near
Fort McKinley, in course of con-
I struction over the Pasig river,
Philippine Islands, collapsed,
carrying 60 men down with it.
Three Americans and 20 filipi
nos were injured.
The great railroad strike in the
British Islands will cause terri
ble suffering if it lasts much
longer.
Governor Glenn will speak in
Hunters ville to-night.
James McKay, a young man
who had only been in Asheville
a short time, went for a hack
drive with a man who was al
most a stranger to him. When
a few miles from the city, he
was attacked and badly beaten,
robbed and left in an unconsci
ous state by the road side. The
police arrested Horace Melton
and the black driver. McKey
identified_JMelton, and part of
the money stolen from the young
man was it-covered.
Young Ernest Hard wick, son
of Dr. Harrlwick, was desperate
ly injured Wednesday night, it is
supposed by a fall from a train
at the railroad fill at the Cataw
ba river bridge, ten miles this
side of Statesville. He was un
conscious when found but came
to his senses enough to ask for
friends. It is feared his injuries
are mortal. The Landmark states
that his friend Mr. Pooe, of the
Statesville depot force had him
taken to the hospital at Ashe
ville.
The Corporation Commission
have issued orders that union de
pots are to be established at
Wadesboro and Lincolnton. We'
don't know so much about
Wadesboro, but * Lincolnton will
not get her depot before she
needs it.- And ob, Hickory f But
let us have peace.
W. R. Junker and N. M. Jones
have been added to the employ
ees who are to be tried for tam
pering with the mails in the
Charlotte postoffice. If they
don't watch out they won't have
enough help left to open the
mails.
The 8,750,000 cigarettes seized
at Norfolk from the British-
American Tobacco Co., have
been passed over to the United
States marshal.
James Calloway, a negro who
killed his landlady, Elizabeth
Harris in New York, and who
was traced to Raleigh and arrest
ed in Salem has been sentenced
to ' 'not less than 20 years nor
more than his natural life-time."
This is under the new law in
New York.
The negroes of Macon, Ga.,
are holding an agricultural fair
in Macon. Mayor Bridges Smith
of Macon opened the fair with a
speech in which he praised them
for their advance in the indus
trial arts. *
The Wilkesboro Chronicle
makes note of the ruling by
Judge Ward in regard to the pay
fo jurors and witnesses. This is
to the effect that when a man
serves both as juror and witness
in the same court he can onls
draw pay in one capacity. Wit
nesses in more than one case will
be paid simply by their time, and
will not draw double pay. This
sounds like common-sense, and
some of us can hardly see how
any other rate of payment could
be expected.
About two miles from Khod
hiss Saturday night while Wil
liam Helton and his ccusin, John
nie Helton, a lad of fifteen, were
out possum hunting, William cut
down a tree in such a way that
it fell on the lad killing him in
stantly.
George Greenlee, the colored
detective, arrested William San
ders, alias John Jones, in Abbe
ville Thursday. Jones is wanted
in New Berry, S. C., for the
brutal murder of his wife and
daughter.
The elections in different
states are not causing any great
excitement outside state bounds.
New York will elect but two
state officers, two judges of the
court of appeals, who will be
elected next Thursday. But the
elections of county officers are
stirring up as much strife and
commotion as state elections usu
ally do. For one thing, these
come closer home to all the peo
ple. Ohio holds her first elec
tion under the new law which
separates municipal from gener
al elections. The contests in
Cincinnati and Cleveland over
the mayoralty are said to be ag
gressive, to say the least. In
Columbus, the great issue is the
Sunday and midnight closing of
the saloons.
The report is that E. H. Har
riman has bought the Central of
Georgia, but this is not certainly
known. The Harriman lines
would thus have another outlet
on the Atlantic.
On the last day of October, 100
saloons closed in Knoxville as a
result of the Pendleton law un
der which cities in Tennessee
can re-incorporate without sa
loons. The temperance forces in
Knoxville won by nearly two
thousand last March.
Banks throughout the South
are using every means to pre
vent anythinglikearun, follow
ing the troubles in cities further
North. The press generally
holds that tne strength of finan
cial circ le 3is in the small banks
which a o prosperous in the ex
treme.
One of our citizens who occa
sionally wipes the dishes for his
wife, became tired of the job and
refused, saying that "it is not a
man's work." Not feeling dis
posed to lose his help she brought
the Bible out to convince him of
error and read as follows from
II Kings 21.13: "And will wipe
Jerusalem as a man wipeth a
dish, wiping it and turning it up
side down." It is needless to
say that he is still doing his oc
casional stunt
Democrat and Press, Consolidated 1905.
Debts.
There needs to be an awaken
ing of the public conscience ofj
the subject of contracting debts.
Tx> often debts are made with
LO thought of where the money
with which to pay them is to
come. Renewed interest in this
subject is awakened at this time
for the reason that in many
towns associations known as,
"Bad debt collecting association"
are being formed. As we under
stand these, the object is for the
merchants to protect against
the dead baats in the town. That
the merchants need protection
against these deadbeats no one
will deny, but there are cases in
which the honest man needs pro
tPCtion against a certain class of
merchants. We refer to that
class who encourage the boys to
contract debts without the
k'lowladge of the parents. No
merchant should say to a Jboy,
"Now if there is anything you
want, just come and get it
whether you have the money or
not. It will be all right." By
this means many merchants in
duce boys to go into debt and are
rdil enemies of the boy's welfare
and do the parents of those boys
a real injury. We have heard of
merchants instructing their
clerks somewhat after this fash
ion, "If such and such a boy
comes in and wants anything let
him have it; the old man is alt
right and he afford to
repudiate a debt contracted by
his son." This is wrong and
while there is protection being
sought for the merchant it might
be well for the suffering parents
to organize in such a manner as
to cause those merchants who do
business with boys without let
ting the parents know to realize
the true character of their meth
ods of conducting business. Mer
chants who use special induce
ments to get the boys to go into
debt with the hope of collecting
it out of "the old.man" are not.
to be pitied if they fail to collect
some time. The making of a
debt is a very serious matter.
The honor and veracity of the
contracting parties are at stake
and no one has a right to act so
that the good name of any one
suffers. Debtors, pay what
you owe; Creditors, be careful
how you sell on time.
Justice.
Church News.
The twenty-eighth session of
the Wesleyan Methodist annual
conference will convene at Hick
ory, on Nov. 13, 1907, in the
Wesleyan Methodist church
(formerly the old Presbyterian
church.)
Also revival services will
gin Saturday night, »Nov.
and will continue until confer
ence. Everybody is cordially in
vited to attend these services. I
am requested by the president of
the conference to announce that
sister Mary Lane Clark, one of
our returned missionaries from
Africa, will be with us during
the conference session You
who have.never been interested
in missionary work in foreign
fields ought to come and learn
something as to the need of
sending the gospel to those who
sit in darkness and the valley
and the shadow of death.
Let us remember it was a mis
sionary spirit that has given the
gospel to us.
Yours for Jesus,
Rev. J. N. Patton, Pastor.
Mr. W. A. Self spent last week
in Rutherfordton on professional
business.
"Talk with Haithcock" is the
heading oi Mr. Haithcock's real
estate advertisement which ap
pears in this issue. Those desir
ing to buy real estate will find it
to their interest to see Mr.
Haithcock, now at new offices
over McComb Bros. Store.
Professional Cards.
) D. L. RUSSELL
ATTYORNEY 'AT-LAW
Prompt attention given to,all matters
of Legal Nature
s Office:
> .vlain St., Russell Bldg., Hickory
Dr. T. F, Stevenson
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
■ Residence formerly occupied by Dr.
W. L. Abernethy
Office at Home
Calls answered at all hours
Phone 295 - Hickory, N. C.
Dr. Walter A. White
DENTIST
Office over Menzies Drug Store
Hickory, N. C.
DR. W. B. RAMSAY
DEMIST
Office: Second-story Post Office
Hickory, N. C.
Hickory Markets.
PRODUCE
Corrected every week bv the
leading grocerymen
BUYING PRICES BASED ON
FIRST-CLASS QUALITY
Corn, per bushel 70
Oats, per bushel 65
Peas, per bushel 1.25 to 1.50
Potatoes, Irish, per bu 50
Potatoes, sweet " 50
Onions, per bushel 60
Spring Chickens 12 1-2
Hens, per pound .8
Roosters, per pound .03
Butter, per pound, 12 1-2 to 20
Eggs, per dozen 20
Wheat, per bushel 1.00
COTTON MARKET
Strict Good Middling 111-2
Good Middling 11 1-4
These are prices paid to wagons.
Administrators Notice.
Havinin qualified as Administrator of
Wiley D. late of Catawba
County N. C. This is to notify all
persons having claims against the es
tate of said deceased to exhibit -them
to the undersigned or before the 23rd
day of October 1908, from date or this
notice will be plead in bar of their re
covery. All persons indebted to said
estate will please make immediate pay
ment. This 23rd day ofOctober 1907.
S. E. Killian, Administrator.
Notice! Notice!
Having qualified as Administrator of
the estate of J. W. Nichols deceased
All persons are notified to present their
claims against said estate within one
year from date below bar will be plead
All persons indebted to said estate are
requested to make prompt payments.
This 24th day October, 1907.
Thomas M. Hufham Atty. (D. E.
Nichols, Administratrix.
Sale of Valuable Land.
By virtue of an order of the Superior
court of Catawba county made in an
an action therein pending wherein
Mrs. Lina A. Arthur, W. A. Stilley,
Mrs. G. A. Weston, Mrs. Ruffin Swin
dell and others are plaintiffs and Ma
mie, Charlie, and Neppie Brothers, in
fants defendants, the undersigned
commissioner appointed by the court,
will resell, at public auction, to the
highest bidder, in front and from the
steps of the First National Bank of the
City of Hickory, N. C., on
SATURDAY, NOV. 30th, 1907 _
at 12 o'clock M. the following de
scribed property
One two-story frame shingle roo
dwelling, situated in West Hickory,
near the Hickory shops, on South
Morganton street, south of railroad!
near property of Willie Wilfong, and
known as the Dick Maynard prop
erty
The above property is well located
and very desirable, and is sold for par
tition among the tenants in common,
heirs of the late Ma J. James A. Wes
ton. The bidding to begin at $935.
Terms are cash upon confirmation of
sale by the court. Final sale.
George McCorkle, Jjflii
1 v ..Commissioner, **4 --