I
1he Monroe Journ al
Volume XVII. No. 33.
Monroe, N. C, Tuesday, September 13, 1910.
One Dollar a Year.
BOTH OLD AND YOUNQ.
The Spirit of Progressivcncss in
Farming Methods Embracing
Both the Old Men and Young-
An Example in Messrs. Alfred
Funderburk and Lex Funder-
burk.
The spirit of progress that is rev
olutionizing the farming methods in
this county, as it is all over the State,
is not confined to anv class of men,
but embraces all. Side by side with
the boys in their corn clubs are
working old men who never had the
advantages that are now being of
fered, but who are as fully alive to
them as the young fellows. In com
pany with Mr. T. J. W. Broom, the
editor of The Journal one day last
week had the pleasure of visiting
two neighbors who illustrate this
truth. They are Messrs. Lex Fun
derburk and Mr. Alfred Funderburk,
who live some seven miles below
Monroe.
Mr. Alfred Funderburk is on up
towards seventy years old, but last
year he had a demonstration field of
corn that produced more than fifty
three bushels to the acre and won
him the ten-dollar prize. This year
Mr. Funderburk has a field that
would have beat his last year's had
the seasons been favorable. At one
time it was too wet and lately the
drouth which struck his farm was
very injurious to his corn, but Mr.
Broom makes the guess that he will
make forty bushels anyway. Mr.
Funderburk is showing a lively in
terest in modern methods, and only
regrets that he did not have when a
younger man the opportunities that
exist today. But he and his sons
are building a large new barn, hav
ing found that their old ones would
no longer accommodate the crops
that they will be growing from now
on. They have three pretty mares
from which they expect to raise three
colts, and when hitched to one of
their rubber tired buggies, two of
these animals make as pretty a pair
as will be seen in a day's drive. Mr.
Funderburk is a fioe old gentleman
whose hospitality is so well known
that years ago he had to build an
edition to his house to accommodate
the travellers who were fond of stop-
Ding with him. lie never took so
much pride in his farm work as to
day, and if he keeps a fair degree of
health for a few years he will make
the young fellows hustle to keep
ahead of him. He is now greatly in
terested in selecting his seed corn
for next year and has come to the
conclusion that the prolific variety is
the best.
Mr. Lex Funderburk, who lives
seme nearer town, has already estab
lished a reputation as one of the
most progressive and successful
young farmers in the county. He
drove his mowing machine out of a
field of peavincs and cane, and while
the mules rested in a nearby shade
showed his farm to the visitors a3
man who i9 on his job and is master
cf it. Mr. Broom is now making his
rounds among the demonstration
farms for the purpose of emphfiMz
insr croDer seed selection, and he
and Mr. Funderburk talked on this
subject like two experts in any other
line of business would discues teen
nieal noints. Verily, the basis of
modern farming is knowledge, and
the practical farmer is the man who
learns what the science teaches ana
uses the best judgment in applying
it. Mr. r underburk is the kind of
farmer that Sheriff Gritlith once said
Tom Broom was one who both
knows and works. Last year he
made more than four bales on two
acres. And did he put that same
field in coiton this year? Not a bit
of it. That field has now got a wire
fence around it and colts and cows
are browsing on it, and his fine field
of cotton, which will make more than
a bale per acre, is in another place.
Six acres of bis corn he hopes to
make yield fifty bushels per. He
has five pretty yearling colts and
you couldn't buy one of them from
his little boys for a million dollars.
Mr. Funderburk is thoroughly con
vinced of the necessity of live stock
on the farm and he is preparing to
try some pure-bred beef cattle. He
has his fields fenced so that at the
proper time they can be pastured,
lie certainly has the foundations for
an ideal farm and is ambitious to see
what he can do. His success is as
sured. Mr. J. L. Scott, manager of the
Monroe Oil Mill, sold Stack & Hud
son 109 bales of cotton Saturday at
12J cents. It was cotton that he
bought in the seed last spring to use
in testing his gins, and was not a
good grade.
Government Employees Forbidden
to Be Politically Active.
In July the United States Civil
Sei vice Commission published a bul
letin giving the various laws in re
gard to political activity of govern
ment officials in the competitive class
ified service. It says:
"Persons who by the provisions of
these rules are in the competitive
classified service, while retaining the
right to vote as they please and to
express privately their opinions on
all political subjects, shall take no
active part in political management
or in political campaigns.
"It is the duty of the commission
to see that the provisions of the civil
service act and rules are strictly en
forced, and it will employ every
legitimate and available means to se
cure the prosecution and punishment
of persons who may violate them.
The commission requests any person
having knowledge of such violation
to lay the facts before it that it may
at once take action thereupon.
"The following forms of activity
have been held to be forbidden by
this provision: Service on political
committees; service as delegates to
county, State, or district conventions
of a political party, although it was
understood that the employees were
not 'to take or use any political ac
tivity in going to these conventions
or otherwise violate the civil service
rules'; service as officer of political
club, as chairman of a political meet
ing, or as secretary of an anti- saloon
league; continued political activity
and leadership; activity at the polls
on election day; the publication or
editing of a newspaper in the inter
ests of a political party; the publica
tion of political articles bearing on
qualifications of different candidates;
the distribution of political litera
ture"; etc.
Union County Man Killed in Ar
kansas.
Mr. Frank Williams, son of Mr.
Bryant Williams of east Monroe
township and brother of Policeman
J. A. llhams of Monroe, was killed
some days ago by his son in-law
David Childs, at Eldorado, Ark. Mr,
Williams left this county for Ar
kansas twenty years ago. He was
57 years old and leaves a large fam
ily. A newspaper report says that
the killing is the result of an old
family feud that broke out at Mid
way at a public speaking. Mr. J
Smith, who undertook to prevent the
shooting, was shot and desperately
wounded, Ihe killing followed
difficulty between Williams and Scott
Childs and David Childs. Smith
stepped in between Williams and
David Childs and Childs drew his
pistol and undertook to fire over
Smith's head at Williams, the bullet
hitting Smith s shoulder and lodg
ing in the back. Three more shots
were fired at Williams, one of them
striking him in the breast. Wil
liams fell on his face, dying instant
ly. Scott Childs then seized a neck
yoke and dealt Williams several
blows on the head.
Hr. J.
J. Cox Dies of Blood Poison
ing.
Mr. J. J. Cox, a well known citizen
of Lanes Creek township, died last
ednesday night of blood poison
ing, lie deceased was a good man,
a good neighbor and a good citizen,
and a member of the Baptist church
He wa9 a member of the 23rd Regi
ment in the Civil war. Mr. Cox was
70 years old. He was a native of
Anson county. His father, the late
Mr. Peter Cox, moved from Lilesville
to Lanes Creek township, this coun
ty, when the deceased was but a boy.
Mr. Cox married Miss Mary J. Bar
rett of Anson county, who with seven
sons and four daughters survire.
The sons are Messrs. W. D. and Wal
ter B. Cox of Georgia; J. T., Luther,
C. C, G. C. and A. B. Cox of this
county. The daughters are Mesdames
II. D. Leonard, Duren Smith, Baxter
Riggins and Cyrus Moore. Mr. J. B.
Cox of Buford township and Mr. P.
M. Cox of Orlando, Fla., are broth
ers and Mesdames V. T. Chears, B.
F. Parker, Fletcher Moore, S. Smith
and R. Smith are sisters of the de
ceased. Young nan Loses His Mind.
Mr. Spurgen Griffin, son of Mr.
John Griffin of Bentonville, sudden-
y became insane last Friday. No
reason is known for it. He is a quiet
and industrious young man, a paint
er by trade, and has been married
about six months. On Sunday he
was very violent and imagined he
was Charles Plyler sentenced to the
electric chair. His people were
breed to put him in jail till he could
be sent to Morganton, which was
done this morning.
PREU.1INARY TRIAL OF BELKS
Three Brothers who are in Jail for
the Killing of Ben Hunter are
Arrainged in Recorder's Court
and all are Recommitted to Jail
to Await Superior Court in No
vember. Gus, Will and Winnifred Belk,
the three brothers who are charged
with the murder of Ben Hunter in
Buford township in the first week in
August, were arrainged in the court
of the Recorder yesterday. The de
fense put up no evidence but used
many of the State's witnesses as their
own for the purpose of getting their
testimony. This is a custom usual
ly pursued for the purpose of finding
out evidence of the State before the
general trial in the Superior court
After hearing the testimony the Re
corder remanded the prisoners to
jail to await the November court
alter Stack, the man who was
with Hunter when he was killed, and
the only eye witness to the shooting
except the prisoners themselves, was
put on the stand by the defense
His testimony was very brief. He
said that he and Hunter had been to
Joshua Baker's and had started
home. The Belks overtook thera on
the road and ran in on the right side
of their mule. They began firing
without saying anything. Uus shot
first and the ball went through my
arm and the other in the back of the
buggy. Then Will and Winnifred
went to shooting. We started to run
and Hunter fell down and I ran on
through the corn field and they shot
at me through the corn field.
Many other witnesses testified to
the appearance of the body of Hun
ter. Ihey said that when it was at
first seen the body was lying on the
left side, and there were two bullet
holes about half an inch apart in the
right temple which went through the
head and there were three holes in
the back. One went below the shoul
dcr blade and two about the smal
of the back, one on each side of the
spinal column.
Mrs. Sidney Starnes said that on
the riternoon of the killing Ben
Hunter and Walter Stack passed her
house going to her father s, Joshua
Baker s. borne time after that in
nifred Belk came along with a Win
Chester rifle. He asked where Hun
ter and Stack were and I told him
they had gone on to pa's. He said
that he was going to take the rifle to
Gus and Will, and he gussed that
when they met Hunter and Stack
somebody would die. He went on
toward pa's and some time afterward
Hunter and Stack passed, and pretty
soon the three Belks came along in
a trot and it wasn't very long till I
heard the shooting. Hunter is some
kin to her.
Mrs. J. 0. Baker, mother of Mrs,
Starnes, said that the three Belks
came to her house, Will and Winni
fred riding in a buggy and Gus
walking in front. Will got out and
flourished a pistol and will said I
needn't be afraid of it as it wasn't
loaded, but that he had, slapping
his leg, the thing that would do the
work. innifred had the rule be
tween his legs. G us asked me where
Hunter was. Saw Winnifred and
Hunter talking that afternoon at my
house and they seemed to be friendly,
Mr. Baker also testified, that they
came and he heard part of the con
versation and that ill seemed to be
tight.
Mr. Jehu Lancy said that the
Belks were at his house in the after
noon and Will pretended that he
was going to shoot Gus, but had no
loads in his pistol.
Mr. and Mrs. K. t. Laney were
the first to get there after the shoot
ing. Thev found their oldest son
holding Hunter's mule. Their young
son. Charlev. said that he had start
ed on ahead to church. Stack and
Hunter passed me, and after getting
about a hundred yards they stopped
and Hunter got out and put his foot
on the wheel and 1 heard him say
we have got to go to Dudley tonight
Three men drove up in a buggy and
all began to talk but I couldn't un
derstand. They began shooting.
After two shoots I saw Stack run
through tbe corn field and then I ran.
Tom Starnes, near whose house
the killing occured, said that he had
gone to bed, and heard shooting and
voices and jumped up. Someone
said stop him, G d d n him, and
one said, Come back, Gus, G d
d n it, don't you see you've shot
him down.
A great many more witnesses were
examined, but many were of little
consequence. As said above the def
ense put up no witnesses of its own,
and the Belk version of the affair is
still unknown.
Engagement Announced.
Miss Mary Davis most graciously
entertained a number of friends Sat
urday evening, September 10th, com
plimentary to the Misses Hoyle of
Charlotte.
The guests were received by Mrs.
Davis, Mr. and Mrs. N. C. English,
Mr. and Mrs. Kobt Pharr, Mr. and
Mrs. W. C. Stack. Punch was serv
ed in the punch room by Mrs. R. II
Lvans. Alter engaging in conver
sation for a short time the guests
were shown into the dining room,
where their eyes were greeted by
very suspicious uecroations, viz.
hearts, cupids and lily of the vallev,
Great bunches of this sentimental
flower tied with yellow tulle hung
from the chandelier. Directly un
der the chandelier was the table sup
porting an immense yellow heart in
its centre, and floating above this
were tiny cupids. Out of the heart
ran a number of yellow ribbons, and
each guest pulled a ribbon and found
tied to the end a card with wedding
bells bearing the names: Mr. Jeese
Lee Hoyle, Miss Bright Swindell Og
burn, Oct. 26, 1910. The blushing
couple were showered with rice, got
ten from tiny satin bags tied to the
cards. Ihe happy pair were deluged
with congratulations. Yellow cream
and cake, together with yellow mints
were served. The colors so unique
ly carried out were the colors of Miss
Ogburn s beloved society, the Adel
phia. Miss Ogburn wore a beautiful pink
flowered organdie, while the hostess
was charming in a lace gown over a
Pursian lining. Miss Hoyle wore a
lovely copenhagan messalene, and
Miss Helen Hoyle flowered organdie.
The guests so fortunate as to be
present at this most elaborate and
enjoyable affair were Misses Bess
Austin, Anna Chreitzberg, Alice
Scales, Pat Adams, Ola Bruner, An
nie Nelson, Kathleen Nelson, Alice
Stack, Mildred Stephenson, Mary
Covington, Susie Covington, Bright
Ogburn, Maude Hoyle, Helen Hoyle,
Caroline, Parker, Florida Morris,
Mary Stewart, Katherine McDowell;
Messrs. Frank Gritflith, Boyce Wil
liams, Pete Redfern, Pickett McLar-
ty, L. P. Wilson, Frank Ogburn
Frank Lee, Code Morgan, Emsley
Armfield, Dr. W. Ashcraft, John
Yann, Lee Hoyle, C. E. Bowden, W
J. Pratt, Clayton Laney, Hal Adams
John Parker, ulie Love, Jeff Sew
ell.
A Day of Pleasure.
Corrf itpondr nee of The Journal.
On Labor day, September 5th, at
the home of Mr. K. C. Nesbit, in the
Mt Prospect neighborhood, a num
ber of relatives and friends were
gathered. Among the guests were
Sheriff Hunter and Mr. Wesley El
liott of Lancaster, Messrs. Mobley
Parks, Ransom Plyler and Thomas
Lathan. Ihe day was greatly en
joyed. Mr. Nesbit is one of Union
county's most progressive farmers
and a line mail carrier. lie opened
his liberal heart and made all very
happy. Sheriff Hunter is a star m
Lancaster county and a specimen of
chant. He met a number of his old
friends, among them Messrs. Thomas
Lathan and Alexander Nesbit, father
of Mr. U. C. Nesbit.
The morning passed very pleas
antly and at noon a grand dinner
was served, which was greatly relish
ed by all present. In the afternoon
Sheriff Hunter bestowed his love
upon the children of the occasion;
his purse was opened and the chi
dren were presented with the sum of
S4.50. Sheriff Hunter was told
that an old lady in that section was
in need, and without question his
purse was again opened and he con
tributed $5. I could name numer
ous things of this kind done by Mr.
lunter, but it is useless. e know
him; none go in need in the reach of
Sheriff Hunter's charitable hand.
Mr. Elliott made the remark that
the occasion was an event in his life.
The rest of the number enjoyed the
occasion to such an extent that lan
guage was inadequate to express
their feelings. All went away feel
ing that it was good to have been
there. Spectator.
Struck by Lightning.
Quite an electrical storm passed
over Marsnviue rriday aiternoon.
The home of Mr. R. C. Newsom was
struck by lightning and one room of
the house almost completely demol
ished. The house was set on fire by
the bolt and his little daughter, An
nie, badly shocked. The fire was
put out before it had gained much
headway. A fine cow belonging to
Dr. M. P. Blair was also struck by
ightning during the storm and
killed.
COTTON.
Local market today, 13 25.
Farmers' L'nion 5ays Ten Millions.
The National Farmers' Union, in
session at Charlotte last week, gives
as its opinion after careful investi
gation that the coming crop canuot
exceed lO.OUO.OUO. The report of
the special committee reajs asfol
lows:
Alabama. We find that in Ala
bama the acreage has botn reduced
about C per cent.; the deterioration
of the last three weeks, together with
the lateness of the crop, will bring
the condition down to about 08 per
cent of the normal crop, or approxi
mately i,auu,uuu bales.
Arkansas. In Arkansas we find
that the condition is somewhat bet
ter than last year, and we approxi
mate her total at 775,000 bales, or
bo per cent, of the normal crop.
riORiDA. In Honda we find that
the increase in acreage has been
practically 100 per cent, but as this
is not a short staple cotton State,
and the condition being about 05 per
cent of the normal crop, we place
the estimate at 2.5UU bales.
Georgia. In Georgia we find that
the acreage is practically the same
as last year, placing her total esti
mate ai i.ouu.uuu wnn very poor
stands, and the condition of 75 per
cent, of the normal crop bales.
Lousiana. In Louisiana we find
greatly decreased acreage due to
the fact that the boll weevil was very
disastrous to cotton in that section
of the South last year, and with the
condition of 50 per cent, of the nor
mal crop, we think we are conserva
tive in putting her total at l'0,000
bales.
Mississiiti. In Mississippi we
find the decrease 10 per cent, in
acreage. Some destruction by boll
weevil and a condition of 05 per cent.
of the normal crop, placing her total
at 1,000,000 bales.
Missoi ni. In Missouri we find an
increase oi acreage oi about 4 per
cent, over last year, but on account
of excessive rains, practically 11 per
cent, over last acreage has been
abandoned, making a decrease of
per cent over last year. We find
the crop to be at least three weeks
late, and due to the latitude in which
this State lies the danger of an early
frost together with the condition of
C7 per cent, of the normal crop,
places her crop at approximately
4o,uuu bales.
North Carolina. In North Caro
lina we find an increase of about
per cent, over last year, but on ac
count of the deterioration of the last
three weeks which has been remark
able, we place the condition at 05
per cent, of the normal crop, or ap
proximately 400,000 bales.
Oklahoma. In Oklahoma we find
conditions up to two weeks ago ideal,
dui deterioration nas set in and we
predict that only 75 per cent, of the
normal crop will be raised, or about
850,000 bales.
South Carolina. In South Caro
lina we find an increase of 2 per
cent., but with the crop three or four
weeks late place the estimate at (S
per cent, of the normal crop, or ap
proximately 900,000 bales.
Tennessee In Tennessee we find
the condition about 70 per cent, of
the nor,mal crop, with some deteri
oration, and approximately the crop
at L'oU.OW bales.
Texas. In Texas, where practi
cally one-fourth of all the cotton of
the South is raised, we find the con
dition alarming. Some sections re
porting an entire failure, and the
general exodus of the farmers of
those sections into other sections.
where work can be had to provide
maintenance for themselves and fam
ilies until another crop can be start
ed. The increase in receipts at the
present time at all the leading ports
in Texas over last year we believe to
be due to the excessive dry and hot
weather which has prevailed through
out the entire State for the last few
months, thus causing the cotton to
open more rapidly than it would oth
erwise. The reported rains of the
last few days in the central and
northern portions of the State can
not possibly effect the general yield,
for the boll weevil has everlastingly
eliminated the "top crop" scare.
Taking all these facts into consider
ation, we place the total yield of the
State of Texas at 58 per cent of the
normal crop, or 2,500,000 bales.
Summary. Taking the States as a
whole, bringing up the totals, we
find the condition of the crop of the
entire cotton belt, to be 65 and 9-10
per cent, or a total of approximately
9,500,000 bales.
e believe we are safe in the as
sertion that the short staple cotton
crop will not exceed 10,000,000 bales
for the year 1910.
Col. Green Was flighty Useful.
( fcar.uiie ('hrunir)e.
One of the men behind the scenes
in the present convention of the Na
tional Farmers' Union is Mr. J. Z.
Green, the State organizer and edi
tor of the Carolina Union Farmer.
His newspaper training and his long
connection with the organized work
of the farmers have stood him in
good stead in the present instance,
lie has been a guiding hand in mak
ing up the detailed arrangements
for the big meeting of the farmers,
and to his foresighted efforts are due
much of the smoothness with which
the affairs of the meeting are being
pulled off. All this work has been
done in a quiet way and but for this
notice he would not be likely to fig
ure in it publicly, but he has done a
good and successful work and de
serves public acknowledgement of it.
Low Rates to Jacksonville and
Tampa.
The Seaboard will give an aston
ishingly low rate to Jacksonville and
Tampa, Fla., Tuesday, September 27.
Rate from Monroe and all points be
tween Charlotte and Polkton, $8 to
Jacksonville, $10 to Tampa. Tick
ets will be 6old for following trains:
Rutherfordton to Hamlet, Nos. 4G
and 44; Wilmington to Hamlet, No.
39. Connecting with special train
from Hamlet to Jacksonville. Tick
ets good returning on any regular
train scheduled to leave Jacksonville
on or before October 4, 1910. A rare
opportunity to spend a few days ia
the tropical cities of Florida. Ap
plication for Pullman space should
be made any time in advance.
lor further information call on
G. T. Slattery, Agent,
Monroe, N. C.
Marshville a Credit to the County.
Ourllnn.e. '
In his report of the condition and
progress ot the school? of Lmon
county, Superintendent R.N. Nisbet
well said that Marshville manifests
her leadership in the county, in
things educational, by the erection
of a first class school building, cost
ing about $10,000. Prof. Nisbet
may rest assured that educational
interests of this town will be well
looked after, and that means that
other things in the line of progress
are not to suffer for attention. Our
school building would be a credit to
any town in North Carolina and we
trust that other needed improve
ments will come along at an early
date.
Mecklenburg Presbytery rieets To
night. Mecklenburg Presbytery will con
vene in the Monroe Presbyterian
church tonight at 8 o'clock, and will
be opened with a sermon by the
moderator, Rev. J. E. Berryhill of
Paw Creek. There will be ministers
and elders in attendance from Meck
lenburg, Stanly, Union and Anson
counties, and the presbytery will be
in session daily until Friday.
There will be preaching each day
at 4 p. m.. and in the evening at ;
o'clock. The public is cordially in
vited to attend not only these ser
vices but all the meetings.
Home from Oxford.
Mr. Harry Trantham. accompanied
by his brother and mother, of Cam
den, visited Mrs. I. A. Covington,
the latter's sister, last week. Mr.
Trantham was on his way to Baylor
University, Texas, where he takes
the chair of Greek. He has just
completed a three years' course at
the great English University, Ox
ford, Eng., being one of the young
men of this country who won a
Rhodes scholarship there.
Union Is Going to Get In Front
Rank.
Our Honif .
One by one the counties of the
State are forming good roads organ
izations ana going aoout the matter
of road improvement in a business
like manner, which is the only way
to accomplish anything. Stanly
county now has such an organiza
tion. Let's get busy and push Union
right up in tbe front ranks.
Oysters. Oysters.
John R. Simpson & Co.. the old
reliable oyster dealers, have their
first shipment today. They are as
fine as can be and were put up bv a
concern that prides itself on cleanli
ness and niceity of handling, hile
in Norfolk a few days ago Mr. Simp
son visited their place and made ar
rangements to get only the best oys
ters that can be had. ion can get
some for supper today.