North Carolina Newspapers

A blue mark here tnea.13 that the sub scriber to thus copy of The News us be hind on subscription. Please make a pav- f.nent us soon as con r lenient. Jlent as Boon as con vjy ' Qsy N V VST AyV Q VOL. XXXIV S", , D MOUJY1 AIRY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAYS MARCH 12, WI4. NO. 37 I GEORGE VANDERBUILT OWNER OF BILTMORE HOUSE PASSES AWAY, He Had. Undergone, Operation for Appendicitis, but Was Thought to be Improving. k vasjiingion, jiar-cli b. tieorgt W. Vanderbilt, of Biltmore and Aew York, die! at his Wadiiite- ton residence this afternoon at 1 clock. Mr. Vanderbilt under Went nit operation for appendi citis about ten days ago but hi.s death was unexpected. He talkeal -with friends and relatives -shortJty afternoon, and told his physician, Dr. James 10. Mitchell, that lie felt better than he had in a number of years. Shortly aft er wartts he had a sinkin gspcll from which he never rallied. "Mr. Vanderbilt 's death was the biggest shock' to me I have ever had," said Dr. Mitch.-!! to the Daily News corrsepondent. 'I .1TJ... li l 1 ,i r. L" -vih;imi-, which m IIS III I taliked' with nun short v alterm,,, ,,,,.,,1 f ,i '; , t m i,i . , i , T iii" T,', notitl at the tine, C ol. ( has 12 o clock and I won d have wk-1 ixr xt Vr v, rwl mv lif.i !. 1... .... 4r uic'rz:":" r: n ' fW w , " " than two hours, however, I was nm.nni 4 u:.. v...k.; i i four,,! W5 a 00,;A110 f.,.: r'.. ilietl within a few hours." AshevUle, March 6. Wlien the ijjcntjle aiirit of Georpo W. Van Vlerbilt, possewsor of millions and luaster of Bilbinore house, went WJc to it,u Maker thia afternooji. Asheville and western North Car- tor, while hiuwlreds of people iu . l.ii r , . I wlw imaneuutte section were l)e reft of a true friciwi. It whs Ueorpe "VV. Vantlerbiit who liter ally placed Asheville on tine .map a quarter of a eeutury apo, when, tlrinkirj? in the beauties of the near western slope of the Smok ies with I'isRHh and the Kit on the i!k'y line, from the veranda of the Battery Park hotel, he df-jid-ed' to cast h,:j lot among1 the peo ple of this geetwn a i:1 gave in-. most magnificent private lme 1 on this or the other side of the Atlantic. The Charm oi Nature. How! George W. Vanderbilt fell an easy victim to the wiles of nature in this chosen spot has Ven told and retold to visitors of national and inteniationial fame for more than a decade. He look on! upon tlve tall granite-ribbed senthiela of the day ami the night -ami listened, to the low murmur of babbling brook ami Tealiml that Zeb1 Vance's word-paintings nruX Bob Taylor's picture-twangs hal merely brushed the surface. Jle gazed upon Pisgah, .where "FinlsUing Bub" Taylor once sakl he "stoxxl aiul tickled the feet of angles." and forthwith de ckll to build a home in the fchadow of that granite" dome to 5penl his future years. He did 4Uk1 tob.y ne.stlirg in the heart of the mountains and within flpnr viro f thu eentpr of Aihe- villo is Biltmore House the ifm- sion a jiale of gray granite chi.s- '.leu from the. bosom of surround ing1 poaks Htanding as a monu Tnejit to nuxlenu architecture the man who but yesterday was its mastit'r. Vwulerbilt'i First Visit. The firwt vwit of George Van derfxilt to Asheville was awav lk yonder in 1888 or IBM. lie twne south on & pleasure trip and incvlentAily Moprcd over in LAAheville. Afchevilie at that time was little known. It had then is it has now the irreswt.ihlHr charm but tbi thousands ant! tn.s of thousands of people who pinee bavf. whiled away pleasant and prwlitable) hours 1 ve and hire-' about ditln't km w it. Mr. an t'.?bilt with his pa ty of friends tioppod at th lv"'.tr:y Itrk h'.)n. They cam !o the ni'M, si ihf story g ie and expevt'd t t .tave early " niorr.re lut as the sun broke across Beau oatcher mountain the following morning and kIicI its rayu along the western range across the plateau Mr. Vanderbilt. wa.sj up ami pacing to and fro the long front veranda of the hotel. lb' looked across the valley where the win cut from the morning dew jny raids of sparkling gema and then on to the mountain range until bus very soul tok in v"e freshness and the- glory of sAh scene ami he determine! to linger yet awhile. As Mr. Vanderbilt p;iccd back ward and forward along the hotel veranda his eye glimpsed a till blackened pine away in the. difl- A a 1 I tanee. it was a lonesome en tint' I of the forest standbier nak di and in bold relief against the .tun's early rays but it caught tli-t ye of the man of million am . tor. sng out a liveryman he V'11 11 n W(,rfl Psulle to tirivc to the siKt. t was and over a rough mountain road the futiin owner of Biltmore estate i"k. ins nrsr orive t,o what was destined to becoml ' the center of his thousands of arre-i possession The old pine tne stood on i little lull a ruse. It is not, then- now but in its stead is Biltnion House into the einistruct.it n of which Mr. Vanderbilt with lavish jband is reputed to have poured 'everal millions of dollar. The Coming of VanderbiJt. hoon after Mr. Vanderbilt' ''" "-e, a -ew i orKer. am ff; withal a shrewd : Juwmc.ss ,nan, came to Asheville. ,Af Arv,' i; . i tU i e tMr- MNamee enluteil the an! of "fvpral Asheville men aiul inan l'". Property around Asheville The .sixt of the oid, pine tree was lirst taken, and then all that property now known as Biltmore villaigo changeil hands. Options wero taken on a vast number of ' acres of land' both in aiwl around !AsJuville and then came the an nouncement that George W. Van .1..wi.:u ii. . i . i that he would erect near the vil- la.?e the most magnificent man sion in the world. All the op ticas on all the property that Mr. Vanderhilt desired had been se cured and the "natu'ea" made wise to "somethiiig good" im nunUately began asking city r'w os for woni out tobacco and corn fields. And they ,got them. Fan cy prices were pa:l later h- Mr. anJenbilt for a strip of J and here and another there. tlie- "holdouts." m Srrtv Collins; cf scroeme. Col-J lins owned a few acre? near where the mansion was to rise but be refused to sell, saying on one oc casion that he didn't need the money (which he dYH and beside he "dkln't object to Mr. Vander bilt as a neighbor." There were many other property owners in Buiivoinbe including seme of the Alexanders, the Joneses, KeK the Oinleers. who sold out to Mr. Vanderbilt fcr nice sinus. Buildinf? cf the Mansion. The building of Biltmore Hou-e brought to A-sheville its greatest years of business pnxsperity and attracted more visitors than tin town had eer known before. Hundreds of men skilled in the art of chiselling out of stone beauties for the eye to feast up on and hundreds of other craft men skilled in thus art or that, were "imported' and set to work on the mansion. In instances lull were levelled and hollows filled ; ro,'uls were constructed; and drives laid out. Biltmore became a busy .scene aiul Asheville promptly went on thV map. As the man sion rose and t-k on shape hun dreds and thousand of visitors to Ahe;ville and townspeople ab flnAst daily dfove over die five mile stretch of ru'ul to the sce.ne of eration ami marvelletl at the vast undertaking. As the work progressed anl the mansion mvir enl' completion admission! was made only by card and only up on request at the Biltmore office oouJtl . these permits be secured. Daily the Biltmore. office of the estate was thronged with people seeking admission through the "inner gate" and this continued until the mansion was actually occupied ami tlwn, and since, while tlie owner was away per mission to drive over the estate, has been granted. The Mansion. Biltmore House has In-en d fseribed and its; beauties told in magazine and newspaper. In later days only close friends aiul invited iruests of the Vanderbilts M'lll-tt 1 ...1111 it t t i l.'lw-U ltd ldT-t.-ll-V ..... tw J,,,.-., , . . . . 1 - . 1 I ln the construction, however, me thousands 'wbo visited the place. r.ained almost at will over the house; stfppetf upon the winding stairs; lookel out over the land scape frm the ball room; passtsl through what were to be private apartments; hand'ed the ehisebsl stone and chipped a piece of tfranite fnwii OliLs arch or that as W souivenir. Later all this va.s talMMKtl. Tli!e unnvstricted use of the groumLi nyd tlie Maaskm came when it wtu tliscovensl that it)no granite arch had been; so .scarred and di-sfiguml hy sou venir hunters that it bwame ne cessary to tear it down and build it over. Th.en, too, the &hmil .bery was attacked by visitors h.k! for a lonf time cni)loyes of thf estate wero kept bvusy' resetting sli rubbery ami fbnvers that hal teen rntlilessly torn nj by jMHvple abiding their privileges. The Vanderbilt Sociable. With nil their u-..n1th nnl Iflm . i . . 4 prou.i possessors ( t Isiltinore es late Mr. and Mrs. (Jeorge V'an- dei-bilt ' were democratic i ii N hi-ir ' habits and were charming honht. Mr. VanderbiJt always took a keen, interest iu All Souls' church, where h was one of the vestry men. His cliitrity was lartre and if he ever spoke nnkindlv or harshly to man or beast no one on the Biltmore estate ever heiard of it. 31 rs. Vanderliilt has al ways- been deeply interested in the work! on the e.sitate, especially among the girls and hovs for wl. an largely thmigh hf. influ ence were maintained ihoob of industry ami learning, and in thw hour of her bereavement many a wflii.sTerel prayer will as cend from huiable mountain rot- tage that slix- may be sustained and comforted. Many Amusing Incidents. Duruig the construction of Utlmore Hou.se or about that tmie, when Mr. Vanderbilt sought to buy a little niece of 1m ml here and, another piece there and when "too farw-y" pricv were askel iHH-.ause it was Mr. Vanderbilt who wanted it, many amiusing1 in iiidenhi are told. The negro Col lins, who.se cabin adjoined the IJtiltmore House .-i0t and who "re i fused trt n,.ir .i: f;n., ..ii . ... i- n i'U'Uil sell Ollt, iere. Among to Mr. Vn,lertJU. but he djju't thf . baetball I pot fwni . -rtts-it. -Siiva ti!iiF ana time agivTi reported he. had bex-n oft'enxl. lie told for a few thousand dollars and wins glad to get ift- One spUndid old lady wlio owned a spring ami an acre or two that Mr.. VamU-rlniilt wanted, refused to sell, hvery tune a tanry price ! was plaetil on the spring, etc., she would b.iu'k down. She ju-t "hatel to part with her soring.": J-uiaHy, it in said , she agree.l tof Nll(.V(1 IIn.(i0, dep'itv sheriffs take .'),tXH and Mr. andei bill d (t(u,r nut.horit,; Wl.r wit iu an ef fort to guard against hyr t rm1 ,MMRlip4S lllP any possAdv hitch, went wrth his i qn ...val an ,,1,.,;,,,.,. f,.IM11 r-ent in person and with the $...- Jj..irul( auarim,,i free stol (UK) in gold The negotiating iur , ' t , were cbsed and Mr. Vanderbilt , liad started to count out the gold.! so the storv rniis. when he was : . "M stopH'd. This gocd ladv threw :u" her hands in horror. She told Mr. Vanderbilt that he cmi le.tve none cf his old there; that she had' "just as leave li. fetelod r ii 1. ...1 a savr inn m riuii'Mnmn. amui the twner of Bittlmore House wos forced to carr" his f").(K)0 in gol han-k htnne. Tlie next dtiy he Kent a check and that '.siriin and that acre or two td' land are l'uw jKiit and parcil f the fa mous Biltmore estate. Trustee's Sale. By virtue tf the power confer red upon me bv a l)eed of Trust executed by Varter Moore and wife, Laura Moore, on the 'JOth of February, 1911, to secure a debt of $M00 to 11. W. George, said deiil of Trust heiing recortl ed in Botik 41, page 6G of the Record of Mortgages of Surry County, I will aell to 'the" highest bidder for cash, in front of the First National Bank of Mount Airy, oji Saturday tlu 28th day cf March, 1914, at one o'cleck P. M., the following described real estate to wit : A tract of land in Surry County adjoining the lands of William lSIue, Willis Moore ami others and boundtil as follows: Bejiimii g en a chestnut oak on the tp of the mountain, runs E. with "Wm. 1 Vine's line chains to a pojlar stump Ln Blue's line; thence N. ! ID:, chairs to a post oak N. 4:i u degree a W. 12V- chains to a small post oak on the top of the mountain; thence S. 45 de gree W. to the beginning, con taining 41' acres more or less. This sale is made to satisfy tlie said debt. Thw Feb. 21st. 1914. W. F. Carter, Trustee. TEXAS RANGERS CROSS RIO GRANDE AND SECURE . BQDY OF VERGARA. Invade Hildago, Exhume the Re mains Two Bullet Wounds in Head. Laredo, Tex., March K. Rangers, who secret! v -Texas: croswti' into Mexico last nkgnt. toIav bnnigbt to the American side the mutilate! btxlv t.f C'emente v engara,r?xaj ranchman, and established the fact of his execu tion after he was seizt'1 by .Mex ican Federals. The Hangers were not opposed, acemplisKi their searcb with out 'the lightet violence, taking the body from a grave hi Hil dagM Ceimetery almost within Hight of the Ttxai lMrder. Tlie N'izuro was divestod of possiblv grav iispeet in inbemationil comlpijcations by peavm of the fact that the Hangers were prac tically making use of permission granted officially by Mexican Fetlerali authoritie.- several davs ago for reieoyerv of the bodv. This permission had been given to I'nited Statee Consul Aloivio t'iarntt at Xuevo Laredo, but he did not get the holy because of what he reported as dangers atte-ndu-g search, for it in the wnmedmte viciniitv of Hildaxro Vergara. was shot twice throutrh the heJind once through, the nook, his skull was criLshed as by a blow from a rifle butt and the eharrtvl findings of the left haml inlkatetl that he had been tortured before being put to death. Identification was made by the dead man's son and by numer ous friends, many of whmi were In the party of nine, led by the St.ite border patrol, which made the grim journey to the Hildago Cemetery during the early morn jir? hours today. ! Tlie body was nt badly de composed, depute its three weeks Ar.&n.rw tf addition tl'l" Vergara took ; jilmni miii i frr"" the trousers which endowed1 the .IkhIv and matched it to the coat which his father had on the day crossed the Rio f ramie. Bririr Brdy tc United States. 'rli.. -Ieil v wis brought nv!i tlie ri, - t d Stat(,s at a 1(int 4r mh ,,.fnwf lf iXr(Ho, nnp-xsite r;,,ik on, tilft Vercara . Ami-rnn C-onv-ul C.arrett I " lit eovery cf the body was nu de bv 'a force of Texans. in- lelu.Hiiy friends of the dead man, t- -n. ..v., ivt'uig with the troop of Texas ..iRangoii-, umler Captain Saun- . tiers who have b.'en investigating for Ciovernor Cohpiitt the cir cumst inti's of Vergara 's seizure 1 If ! I.' .1 t .,u.f.-.t i- jii x v o r hum iii.. 'i' invest :gition. iifwhieh many Mex icans luul been questioned. s nndervtood to have trervded the trip into Mexico. leading the force, was a man who claimed to have -been a witmsK to Wh the execution and burial of Vergara. Rangers Assemble. The force gathered near the Wrgara ranch. iMt far from the spot whejs' Vengara crossed the river to meet the Mexican Ftxl erals who promised ri-muiieratiiui for stolen hoises. Moving nilent !y they bevjan the overland march to Hin'lalgo, a distance f a1out five miles. They avoided the ti wn, it wiia said", umler the cover of night ami met no one to ques tion their journey. Grave is Located. Location of the grave where Vergara was suppmed to lie orovtd an easy task, for it has been a center of speculation and ! wonder since it appeared, after a swinging inxiy uaa nn'ii cui d-own from tire place f exw.u tion after the hue ai.l cry over Vergara s dis.iijpearaiH'e started an investigation. The body had been rudely interred, with little of fiirt 'to protect it from the earth. With their burden fixed ion a stretcher carritd by six of the dead man's friends, the pn cession startcul um-halleiied on the return journey whic.li brought 1 1 vl..miite verL'jtra lioim tiiram to the United States. It w uiiderMocd a thorough ex amiiwitmn of the IhhIv has leen ordered by th-e State authorities. How Vergara Was Lured Away. Vergara left hi ranch, near IV.-Iox, Tex., t'nda. Vebtuary and crossed t.ie i . -r in: ' i a i.- -.vife I r . in thr c Federal soldiers that Captain Ajoloni K'wdriguez of the Hidal- - Mjo garrison, wished to settle for 11 horses taken from Vergara' island pasture in th.e Rio (Jrandt Mrs. Vi r;; ra pleaded with he e. nleadeU with tier 1. I . ii k no , . - . a. . : i n I 1 - io rusic seizure nyiJNoiWrn Mexico," y ,th.tt he '"is-.jans, nut disregarding her warmno: o, p., y. ure m ... , . ... -.1 i j. .ii ..i i-.iMny wim nis young '"'" v crgani has since iMj mm she saw her liuUaml as- Governor Cohprtt uud the (Jov saultul by the waiting .sobliers, ; erur aiinou.nc.-.l that to -olve the and alter being kmckid um -on- ,U ion . w,mld re.iMidt'ni s-oiis, carriel off. VerganV hoi.h th.. I-',. l.-.i ..,! ..,;(,.. mphew tack on at the time of the hiw uncle escaix-d at to s'tldy and hwl in the brush un til he could reerossi the river. On the following day Mrs. Ver-,'gaj-a went in search (hf her hus Ixaml and foumt him in the Hid algo jail. So far a.s known there was no charge against hiim. He luul been cruelly beaten, aecord ii'g to tlw! woman. .She dressed the wounds in his hewd, she said, and remained w'ith hi'm until forced to leave. That .was tlw lust she- ever s;iw of him alive, for early next morning he was taken fronn the ujil, snpipcwdlv to be transferred to Piedras Ne- gras and disappeared. Hanged Then Shot When a sevirch was begun for the missing American it was! learned that a man had been ! shot ami his body hanged to a tree outside of Hidalgo earlv SHindarv morninir. February 15. and tife botly left hanging for several days. Soon after I'nited States Consul (Jarrett at Nucvo Laredo starttl his ii inipv. the botly was removed -and a fresh grave was noticed in tiie old i ...1" ''tcrv. ieilns that of VergaiV, arfkUhat th-ey 'kclic-ve.l he was buried in the iicav grave. 'It was finally determined to the satisfaction of the American investigators thai he hikl been executed. Persistent denial was made by the Mexican Federals, and prior to thus- General Alvarez, com ma udirg at Piedra. Negras. had promised American Consul HJock er at Pietlras N'ceras. that Ver gara would be released and his1' captors called to aeci.unt. Th:s allayed the fears tf his friends until lues continued abrce stt in motion an exhaustive investiga tion in which tlie I'nited States (roven uiit rtt tot k' a part. Con ml (rarrett proceeded to Hidalgo, and personally interviewed Cap tain Rodriguez, the man held re sponsible for Vegua's kidniilP ping, but the Federal captain il.-nued all kinwliibie of the ran.'b.man'sj death and sakl that be liad! been sent to Piedras N'e gras, -but lk.ul es'apel en route and that the Federals were cer tain he luad joined the Constitu tionalists. (Vmsul (larntt, however, lifter intervit wing mimertms Mexicans uud others, rtirltti officially thud Versrana had been exeerute!. He add.il tUat he wan coiivinctil frnn the Federals attitmle M'hile was in Hidal'sco that it would have been dangerous for him to demarvl sirrender of the body. fnvestiation Ordered. The uivesjtigutiono was oitlercd continueti by the State Depart ment ami in addition the St arte of Texas also onlere! an investi gation W the Texas Rangers, the vState military ptdice whm guarti the )oixler. The kslaixl pasture tf Vergara where first it had been reported he was assaulU'd, comiplicatfd the affair by the question whether it was Mexican or American territory, until it was found that Vengara had been taken on the Mexican main land. This rendered those re sponsible, safe from State prosecu tion. As the horses were alleged to h;'$e Wn taken from this pas- tore .-However, and county records, tJiowed it to hclng to the State of Texas, Mrs. Vergara filed an affil-gvit ehargii;g Capt-kin Ibxl riguez ami three of his men with horse theft. (Jovernor Colquitt requested fvnnis.sini of the United States Divirtment to send Texas Raing- ers jwross the border to pursue tte "aMuctors and niurden-rs" of Vergara, ami was told Ji.v Secretary of .State Bryan that the United States Ciovommer-.t alone oare-d to take autiliority for sending an armod force f-fo a foreign country. Later, when Mrx. Vergaisi nude th cburige of horse theft, (io.veriior Colquitt avked of the State Department, "whom the I'nited States reoig- IllitT i ('ontltllted Jiiltlmi- te in i . - oiffi'r imghl make riiii-ition under the r titAican in-aiv, jor the tnen i . . i named. TJns question was never hiiw. red to th" s ttUf.M-t i..n of jtiorialLst (iovernors f the State if Neuvf Ia'oii and ( tliihnahua. This was on Friday., auid so far an known, tlie requisition luus not been issued. Disappearance Caused Bitterness Vergara s seizure nnd dlsap-I.-arance cist Hit Texas border counjtry Ln this section into a turmoil. M any bitter ex,prwssioiis have been heard, and wihile there has been no sign of disorder, fei l ir,g has run high. Diss.itijsfa?- ticn was csjXM'ially keen beeaus. of what Vergara 's frinnuls tiionght a delay in demanding re turn of his body for burial, and there had been ruinurs that an attempt might be made t secure it. Interest, in the case was re. I lew til tonight. Named in Mrs. Vergara's com tlaiiat Were Captain Awdonii Hodriguex and the following pri vates of the Hidalgo Federal gar rison: Nito Sierra., Juan Vastil lou, and Andres Rodrigmz. It has been said that they were transferred to another po1 after the Vergara incident, became pub lic. Their arrest was pronrst-d by CeyVl Joaonfui Maas. Fiil- ider a tlie ii.n-tliprn , nit red, brt i't fas rt -s;ii-l whether they would be de livered to the Texas authorities. No further word has ccme from General Maas. Governcr Did Net Authorize. Anstin. Texas, Mar. 8. (Jov. O. B. Colquitt tonight authorized bhe statement that he had not rlpecifically justrisctetl Rapiger Ciptain J. d. Sanders who recov ered Clennente Vergara's Iwuiy to cross the border to get The Jloveriior, however, .said lie had no complaint to make about Sanders action. He wir ed the Ranger captain for full particulars, receiving the reply that owing to lack of telegraph faciiiticH this report would not be available until tomorrow. The Governor announced that; pemLfig receipt of thw report from Cap tain Sanders he would have no statement to make. Unofficially it was said the (itivernor presumed Captain Sap-X tiers' men had pjroeeeded to get the bodv witli the co-ooeration of Mexican authorities. Tlie choaee rf an trly hour for the expedit ion was saitl to have been to avoid suspicions of oiUotoker ami to avoid cla'dies with Mex ican military authoriti. Vergara '8 body tonkrbt still was opposite Hidalgo, 45 miles f rn Laredo. The body will pro bably be taken to Laredo tomor row. Beggar' i Hump a Bex cf Gold. Sari Francisco Dispatch. WHliam Kahler, aged 70, has been huncliiback beggar for 20 years, eating the food he found in ash cans and sleeping wher evtr he could find shelter. A patrolman arrested the old man laH night and took hinn to tlie lockup so he might have a com fortable bed. In searchiig Kahler it was found that his "hump" was un ccmimouly hanl, an-l investigation revaled that it was not a de formity, but a tin lx pa-iked with cold coins ami paper money. Various false pockets in Kahler's clothes were emptied of add it lonal motiey. hen all was coniuttd the total was found to be $11,(MH KaWer's "hump" also contain ed thnv bank books that show ed deixKsits amounting to $2"d,- IH XI. He wa of -agnuicy. ield on a charge 5