fTTVTF XT
the ma m u r u i ,
THE WEATUI2X
Fair Tonight
JJ JUL, J
VOL. XVII.-N0. 311
FIRST EDITION
KINSTON, N.C, FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1916
FOUR PAGES TODAY SSSStIains
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WILL BEGIN GREAT
OFFENSIVE Ail
TURKS AND BULGARS
Allies Hope to ; Eliminate
Them rom War, At One
Stroke, Rome Hears
TO END WAR DURING FALL
Is Object Troops of Four
Nations Concentrated ' At
Salonika While Russians
Continue to Advance On
Bagdad
Paris, May 26. The French re
pulsed violent German attacks on the
West Meuse iBank, end northwest of
Verdun in last night's - fighting, as
well as gaining on the east bank, the
war office today reported. By smash
ing a counter attack the French re
captured a trench' lost yesterday
near Thiaumont. There has been no
cessation . for thirty-six hours in the
cannonading around hill 304 and Av-
ocourt
PREflppii PLAYING
VHANDSOFFDf SECOND
(Reproduced from New York Her
ald of May 24th).
A "President Wilson has no part in
the Democratic primary contest be-
, tween Representative Claude Kitch
In. Democratic floor leader of the
House, "and Clingman W. Mitchell,
for nomination to (Congress from the
Second Congressional district of
North Carolina, and -he intends to
take no part in the fight despite the
fact that Mr. Kitchin set out to op
pose the White House policies.
The position of the President is in
keeping with a rule laid down by Mr.
Wilson soon after assuming office.
This is that he will not participate
in factional political contests in any
State. This stand has been describ
ed by Joseph P.-Tumulty, secretary
to the President, in letters to the Secr
ond district, where there has been
some misunderstanding as rto Mr.
Wilson's attitude.
"Administration officials yesterday
and itoday read with interest the spe
cial dispatches to the Herald from
Wilson, N.' C.i describing the prog
ress of (the contest between Mr. Kit
chin and Mr. Mitchell. They have
heard in the last few weeks all sorts
of reports about the probable out
come of the . race, but accepted the
Herald's estimate of the situation as
correct
"The administration has been on
the alert to get any : information
about the Second district fight, since
its policies, which Mr., Kitchin op
posed, have been the issue. The of
ficials wanted to know if they had in
terpreted correctly the sentiment of
the people in favoring better milita
ry preparedness and other questions,
and .are well satisfied with the knowl
edge that they did. . '
"No matter who is nominated at
the North Carolina primarily on June
3, the White House will throw what
ever support it can to the regular
nominee.; Such aid will be unneces
sary, however for there will' be no
Republican nominee in the Second
istrict 'v:"'v
"This policy of supporting the reg
ular nominee of .the party la to N
followed throughout 1 . the country.
Once a nomination places , a candi
date in the November contest he is
regarded as the duly chosen nominee
and entitled to whatever support can
be given by the parry organization."
The man who gets the Democratic
nomination in the" Second will worry
through against any Republican can-1
didaie.
DURHuT EU:: SWAGS
INTO TIIE IiEUSE RIYER
(By the United Press)
Durham, May 25 The - contract
for the construction of ten and one-
half miles of sewerage line from Dur-
to Neuse river was let tonight
TAFT WILL SUPPORT
I i. IF NOMINATED
AT CHICAGO, TIIO'G'T
Former President Refuses
to Comment, However
f Roosevelt Will Have to
Toe the Line if Western
ers Follow Him .
. Washington, May 26. If Roose
velt wins the Chicago nomination
Taft will be for him. according to
information from friends very close
to ooui men. ine eame sources,
however, said western Progressives
will refuse to follow Roosevelt if he
does not adhere- strictly to the Pro
gressives' routes.
Mr. Taft today refused to confirm
the report, merely chuckling, and
saying, "Why should I comment on
such, a violent hypothesis?"
LENOIR CROPS DOING
FINE; A SUCCESSFUL
POTATO 'EXPERIMENT'
Crops in Lenoir county are in fine
condition generally, according to
to Mr. H. H. Grainger, who is one of
the best informed men on the .ag!
cultural situation. It is probable
that the "stands" are better than at
this season for several years past, he
states.
Of course, the cool weather has re-
tarded cotton, but the staple is in
very satisfactory shape, nevertheless.
Tobacco is doing fine, Mr. Grainger
asserts. Some of the weed is knee-
high. Potatoes are short, of course;
the crop is all over the country. "The
'tato crop was experimental, r er
tjlizers were scarce and the prices
were high." Lenoir county potato
planters experienced a handsome
streak of luck, though,, considering
the acreage. "The demand is big,
and it will continue big. A govern
ment estimate put the shortage at
.90,000,000 bushels." New potatoes
are retailing here now at $1. Mr,
Grainger expects !to see them sell
for 6 and $7 a barrel.
TAKES DIVINE TOUCH
1U KMlUKt dm
Last night Rev. Luther B. Bridgers
addressed one of the largest audiences
that has yet attended the Queen
Street Methodist revival services. He
read from the eleventh chapter of
John the story of the death of Laza
rus and the appeal that was made to
Jesus to .restore him to life.
The picture of Lazarus was taken
by the speaker as a type of the sin!
ner's condition in this world. Death
means a separation and so sin always
separates man from God and all that
is highest and nobles't in life. Then,
just as Lazarus had no power to re
store himself, so the sinner is impot
ent but must tely for restoration com-
nletelv on the mercy of God. It takes
the divine 'touch to restore a man
from sin. No man ever overcame the
power of the devil as evidenced in
temptation within himself. It is al
ways the power of God that does it
The natural drift of the unregenerat
ed life is away from God;, and God
alone can change the drift
; The speaker laid much stress on
the thought that salvation is always
the gift of God, and is bestowed with
out fail when-man decides for him
self to be saved from ain.
The call resulted in a large num
ber going forward to the ajtar.
; This morning's service was of a
character to contribute mightily to
the upbuilding and strengthening of
the Christian life. It was a conse-
era tion service based on PhiHipians
3:7 and following which Paul s com
plete consecration is bo graphically
j set forth. .
Both Mr., Bridgers and -Mr. Milan
are excellent musicians and music is
made an effective part of every ser
viced Mr. Bridgers usually prefaces
his sermons by singing a well-chosen
solo. Tonight he is to sing an at-
tractive selection which is a produc-
tion of Mr. Milan, the choral director.
NO RIGHT TO WHIP
CONVICTS IN THIS
COUNTY, SAVS BOND
Judge Orders Jury to Find
Guard Guilty in SuDerior
Court Case
RESOLUTION OF COM'RS
Was Authority for Lashing
of Junius Potter by Big
"Walking Boss" Lash
Regularly Used , Court
Learns In Trial
Margaret Partello, accused of
murdering Harry Stein in March,
took the stand as the first wit
ness in Superior Court today. She
had been on between two and
three hours when the noon recess
came.
Members of the bar declared
her to be an ideal witness. The
woman, fair-looking and rath
er well dressed, answered every
question in the cross-examination
with snap and decision. All
attempts of the State to break
down her self-defense statement
failed. -
She related a story to the ef
fect that Stein had been her lov
er for months. They had had a
split and reconciliation. He was
jealous, she declared. He threat
ened, she saidr on the night of
the fatal shooting to kill her.
She produced a revolver and
shot him. He had mistreated
her, she stated.
W:,JIm"cherrirtSiralWngT)bis'r of
the county roads force, was found
guilty by a jury in Superior Court
late Thursday of whipping Junius
Potter, a' White convict, after Judge
W. M. Bond, presiding, had instruct
ed the jury to bring m such a ver
dict if they believed the evidence,
Sentence was not passed. He was
put under a $500 bond.
Mincher has been in court several
times since being employed by ithe
county, on charges of cruelty to pri
soners, gambling, etc. He is a man
middle age.
James Benton, who has served six
months on the roads and has an un
savory reputation from his own ad
missions, was a witness against Min
cher in the case. Ben'ton "guessed"
that Mincher struck Potter with a
strap some 15 or 20 times. Other
witnesses were Bryant Taylor, sup
erintendent of . the county roads
force; Dr. H. Tull, ex-Chairman of the
County Commissioners, and (County
Physician Albert Parrott Taylor
had instructed Mincher to whip Pot
ter for insubordination, it developed.
A resolution passed by the Board of
Commissioners empowered the roads
authorities to use the lash. No other
witnesses admitted that Mincher . had
struck Potter as many times as Ben
ton thought he had. About a half
dozen ' lashes was the superintend'
ent'a estimate. Or. Parrott -had ex
amined Potter for a disease and had
failed to find any signs of a beating
on him." ' '
But Judge Bond held that whipping
of convicts was illegal. The resolu
tion of the commissior.ers was void
in his opinion and. he quoted decisions
held by him to annul any such ac
tion by local authorities. The com
missioners, it is said on good authori
ty, contending that whipping of un
ruly convicts is essential to discipline
in the camps, will appeal the case,
whatever the judgment may be. to
the Supreme Court. Frequent cases
of whipping were admitted-
It is understood that Mincher it to
be tried on other counts. '
Partello Case Started.
After concluding the case against
Mincher the court started into the
hearing of the case against Margaret
Partello, a South Kinston women
charged with shooting Harry Stein,
a well-known tnercharft who died as
the result of a revolver bullet-woand.
The j'Jry hal not been secured when
recess was teUen.
WAlTEj CONFESSING,
TELLS COURT ABOUT
Fi
Murderer Does Not . Think
He drazy; "Never De-
HE IS MAKING NO DEFENSE
Intended to Kill Wife, Her
Parents and Her Aunt tq
Secure Peck Millions Nq
Plot In Tombs to Fake In
sanity! (By the United Press)
New York, May 26. A calm ad
mission tha he planned to kill his
wife as welf: as her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. John '(Peck, of Grand Rapids,
and Miss Catherine Peck, her aunt,
was made yDr. Arthur Warren
Waite when he today . resumed his
amazing concession of an arch poison
plot through; which he hoped to gain
the Peck millions.
GEORGE SUGGS SHOWS
RAJUGH REAL STUFF
Only 29 Men Faced Him In Capitals-
Asheville Game Thursday There
With Stiok, Too "PretUeat Exhi
bition in Many Days," Say a Newa
and Observer of Game
Tftriav'a Rjilflio-h News and Obser
ver's sporting pag;e carried the fol
lowing, at the top of the first col
umn;.,.. .f.. .
George Suggs, a Kinston boy who
has more than once turned back big
league batters, yesterday came into
his, own. and convinced not only local
fans, but the iParamounts that he can
yet pitch grand baseball! Suggs not
only gave the prettiest exhibition of
twirling seen on the home lot in
many days, but he won his own game
in the eighth inning when his eingl0
to right-center sent Manager Heinie
usch across the coveted rubber with
what proved the winning run. How-
ever, to make the score aafe, another
run was added an the same frame am
the Capitals defeated Asheville 2 to
"When Bradshaw, the first visiting
batter to face Suggs, got a scratch
hit between first and second in the
initial inning it marked the begin
ning and ending of the Paramounts'
slugging. No matter how hard they
tried or how often, Hickman, Fenton
and Bitting, the Asheville trio of
swatters, came to bat the matter of
hitting always remained the same.
Seven visiting batters swung in vain
trying to connect with Suggs offer
ings and only once did, the Kinston
tcher show any mercy in the form
' passes. -
"Sucrirs had everything and 'then
some that a pitcher should have Co
win games. He showed more stuff
than has been seen in the league in
some time, and whenever he was not
puzzling a batter he was working on
runner on base. Only 29 batters,
two extra ones, faced Suggs during
the nine innings of play."
Dispensaries for typhoid vaccina
tion are to be held, throughout Pitt
county this summer. More than 4,000
persons took - the ' treatment - last
summer. . . - .'
Subscribe to The Free Pros.
PLAN TOjil
01
PFIRMAJION OF DRAPT pp.il
WITHOUT VOTE AGAINST IIIJI PREDICTED
OLLOWIKG MEETING
' ' (By t&0 United Press) '; '
Washington, May 26. The confirmation of Brandeis
by the Senate this afternoon
vas forecasted at a meeting
he Judiciary Committee. .
Only Sutherland is opposed to.such;a program. The
plan is to have the confirmation without a roll call
WORST OF 'MYSTERY
FIRES; THREE WERE
TAKEN IN CUSTODY
T. W. Chase and Two Young
Daughters In Charge of
Sheriff This Afternoon
PYROMANIA THE CAUSE?
Lonp; String Strange Blazes
At Farmhouse South of
the City May End With
Arrests If Suspicions Are
Borne Out
Mis Lavinia Chase, about 17,
and Novella Chase, her sinter,
several years younger, are in
custody at the Sheriffs office
here' this afternoon, together
with, their father, T. W. Chase,
to await an examination by phy
aicians to determine is either of
the three is afflicted with pyro
mania. It is suspected that one
cf the, trio was responsible for
the long series of fires at the
"mystery house" on the H. P.
Loftin plantation, south of here,
and a, fire on an. adjoining farm
this morning which destroyed a
farmhouse. '
Both girls, especially the old
er onel are greatly perturbed.
Miss Chase cries almost con
stantly. A married 1 sister who
was present when a deputy, sher
iff took them in charge fainted.
Chase, does, not know, what to j
think of the situation. The past
week has been one of the worst
for him in his life. .He cannot
believe either of his daughters is
to blame, ne has never known
either of his daughters to be to
blame. He has never Jknowil
either, to act other than normal
he declares,, , . -
A small tenant house on the farm
of G, F. Loftin, four, or fiva mjles
South of here, was destroyed by fire
between 10 and 11 o'clock today. The
plantation adjoins the farm of II. P.
Lof tin. on which there sits the "house
of mystery" in which scores of fires
have occurred since last Saturday
morning.,, 1
Children of T. W. Chase, the ten
ant of the mystery house, spent the
night in the burned house, it is said.
It is only a short distance away from
Chase-'s home. No one admits see
ing the fire Ibis morning start. II.
P. Loftin and others unhesitatingly
declared belief today, that, there is a
person in the family or the neighbor
hood afflicted with pyromania, too
shrewd to be detected.
Many times in the past five days
have blaesj always caught in their
incipiency; by "the watchful and dis
lresed family, been started by some
undetermined agency. Suspected per
sons have been watched without re
sult, The best, clue up till thi3 after
noon' that a, person was responsible
was the discovery of a number of
matches, some, of which had been
struck, in a place where children of
Chase's large family were accustomed
to play.
Greenville has a building boom on.
Ten permits for buildings of consid
erable cost have been issued since
May i.
. Single-etalk. cotton culture is be
ing taught Oaven county planters
by a Federal agriculture expert,
REPUD'C'N MEMBERS
without a vote against him
of Republican members of
TAFT SAYS COUNTRY
HAS RIGHT TO WAR
to nnruniT OTnirr
u riiLvmi oiiurci
Perfectly Constitutional for
U. S. to League With Oth
er Nations ,f or Such Pur
pose Takes . Issue With
the Commoner
(By th UUtod Pmt) V
Washington, May 26.-r-Willim H.
Taft, speaking as a jurist, today
places his O.' K. on the pla'tform f
the League to EInforce Peace. He de
clared it is constitutional for the
United States to bind itself with oth
er nations Ho declare war on any
country that starts war without first
resorting to arbitration.
LANSING DOES. MIT
INTEND. TO RESIGN,
DECLARES DEMENT
Rumor That Secretary of
State Would Quit Eman
ated in a Questionable
Source and Was Foster
ed by Propagandists
(By the Tjnited Press) r .
May 26. Denying unqualifiedly a
press association report thalt Secre
tary Lansing will resign, ;the State
Department today declared circula
tion of, the rumor part of a propar
AMERICANS GET DAD
OF
HIS BAND, IN MEXICO
Cervantes Attacked Engi
neers and lxst His Life -Troops
Pursued Remnant
of Party and Baggi, An
other Brace, Said
Field Headquarters in Mexico, May
26. jCandelario Cervantes, a bandit
leader, who has terrorized the sec
tion about Cruces, was killed after
attempting to Tush a party of engi
neers repairing a road six miles to
the south of Cruces, with 20 of his
followers. ' 1 ' "
COMMITTEE AGREES 'ON
ARMY AtPROPR'N BILL
(By the United Press)
Washington, May 25. The army
appropriation bill, carrying $145,000,
000 and including provision for car
rying out the Kay-Chamberhin . re
tiganization bill, was agreed to today
by the flouso Military commitee. Tfm
bill , includes provision for a council
of. executive information for co-ordi-
na'tion of industries and resources in
of ': industries and resources in war
war time. ;
CAROLtNA RAILROAD
- TIME TABLE Wo.f- '
HBST-CLASS FKEIGHT AND
PASSENGER SERVICE.
Southbound --' Northbound
132. i . 83S
A. M, '' P. M.
7:35 Ar,... Kinston ....Lt. 5s(K
7:29.. v Hines Junction S:06
7:06 PoU ...... ..f 50
7:00....... Dawaon 8:27
6:47....... Uiennem e:i
6:40 Suggs Siding ...f 5:50
6:80 Lt.... Snow Hill ...Ar. 6:00
An -mtrym nvemA h tha Norfolk
Southern rules while uing the track
from Kinston to Hines Junction, and
subject to the orders of its upsrin-
wndent . . . . . -
, The abort scbeduie is giran as in
formation only, and is supposed to b
the 'time that trains will arrive and
deDaxi. but is not uaranTeea.
. General guperigteadet, ,
MAN WITH SCORE
RECORDER SAYS THE
jHALL BE JUDGE OF
Tiir rnunT II n'Tt
iiil uuuiu aluiil
Wooten Questions Right. o
Judge Bond, to , Review ,v
Court's Findings
TOO, HAVE OPINIO!?
'Superior Court Judges Are
As Prone to Err as the
Sparks Are. to Fly Up
ward.1 , Declares r The
Habeas Corpus Case . ;
. The following ; igned( comm,vnicaV
tion was handed The JJreo Presa ,by
Recorder T. C Wooteiv tkis morning, v
In. it he . questions the' right, of the
Superior Court to rcviewtthi findings
of his court except by PPalt and do- ,
clares that he will continue to con-'
trol the procedure of his court, as he
has done, irrespective of the ruling .
of Judge Bond entered upon the Sii- ?
perior Court records t Thursday'
session. Judge ' Wooten biaintalns
that his court ia one, of-"perpetual
motion," does, not adjournji iu.t sim
pljr takes recesses, and; that he hU ,
continue to alter, his decision when
they appeal to the conscience, of tho ;
court," lie promises to explain ithei
:habeas corpus case disposed of , on
Thursday later. His communication
in full follows; , , '
MWe are settled In our opinion a
to the powers and limitations of the
Recorder" Court, for these are like
wise based " upon rules ' ' announced
from the Supreme Court We shall
n$y guided Jbj exjwrte opinion , ,
of Superior Court Judges, given to
grand juries; The (Superior.' Court ,
can only review the R.ecprderV Court
by regular and proper appeal; not
by .'a free lanoej It is righj that we
should be govern e4 by higher author
ity. Superior" Court judges are as
prone to err as the sparks are to fly
upward. This is Verified by 170 Su-,
preme Court reports; a good load for ;
a mule 170 'books of errors!
; "We, too, nave an opinion. It. is
to the effect that the .Recorder's Court
of Kinston moves, automatically, and
is under the 'bill! perpetual motitfn ;,
personified. I( neverf adjourns, takes
only recesses. The impact from Mon
day morning to dead Saturday, night
keeps the 'thing' quivering, till during
morn of Monday again.. Perpetual
motion, you see.. Irrespective of tho
opinion of learned jurists, W shall
be the judge of the court alone. We'
shall do as we have done control the
procedure, judgments and ; penalties, ;
ant ; tomtra mnrtiflialinna vlltn . tVifl
appeal to the conscience of. the court.
"We have.' done our best to. make
the Recorder' Court, useful and ben-
eficial in every respect, and we have
been assured by many that; it, has
accomplished its purpose ' .
"We discovered the court to v be
out of- harmony wjth recorders''
courts soon after he. left , the .. .
'trenches! in. the, .'charge, We were , .
impressed . with the solemnity of his
strictures and criticism f or the rea
son the deadly aim was carried into
execution without a 'joke.' No pause
for myth or mirth.
"We are constrained to say we
shall conduct Ithe court on our own
ideas and, opinion based upon, the .
law until. we receive Qnal orders from
the Supreme Court Any mandate fro
a court of competent, jurisdiction will
be respectfully, obeyed till overruled.
We do not adhere to the erroneous
idea that .the Recorder's Court is un
constitutional. - The question as to
its constitutionality settled by no less
authority ithan the Supreme Court.
"When the cases leave my court
on tappeal to the Superior Court we
will do as we have always done, ex
ercise no jurisdiction or attempt to
do ap. If the appeal is withdrawn
by consent of the State, the judge
and the defendant, we shall take ju
risdiction to modify the judgment if
justice and mercy demand. This we
have a right to do under the rull j
of the Supreme Court If some learn
ed jurists are correct, an real t .k-
(Continued e Taje Jl :c)