Newspapers / Oxford Public Ledger (Oxford, … / Jan. 20, 1911, edition 1 / Page 4
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OXFORD PUBLIC LEDGER, FRIDAY JANUARY 20. 1911 OXFORD PUBLIC LEDGER, f'm. pinnix. Editor and Owner. ONE YEAR - . . SIX .MONTHS . $1.00 . .50 Entered through Oxford, N. C' Post Office as mail matter of the KRorsnrl class, in accordance with the Act of Congress March 3 1879. PAPER CHANGED HANDS. My brothers, W. M. and M. K Pinnix desiring to make other ar rangements, I have taken charge of the Ledger. After an absence of nearly ten months it is a pleasure to be back at the ink slinging bu siness and I promise the subscribers of the Ledger my best efforts in getting out the Ledger. I am very proud of the kindness with which the paper has always been treated and hope to have the continued sup port of the people. Very respectfully, F. M. Pinnix. BROTHER MANNING ILL. , The Ledger is very sorry to see in the Gold Leaf that' its editor.Mr. Thad Manning is quite ill in a Richmond hospital. Brother Man ning has the deepest sympathy of all his fellows in the business, and the Ledger heartily joins them in wishing him a speedy recovery and return to his desk. THE LATE COL. HICKS- The state has just lost a valua ble man in the death of Colonel W. J. Hicks. In his long career of use fullness" in the state-he has left many marks of his ability and his works will long survive. His lat est labor, his term of service at the Asylum, is a suitable crowning of them all, and his peaceful sink ing into slumber terminates a life nobly lived. THE MURDER TRIAL. The Ledger is particularly glad that no disturbance of any kind took . place while Nathan Montague was upon trial since all sorts of sensational reports have been cir culated in connection with it, all of which have been found to it with out foundation. The trial was fair, impartial, conducted in a dignified manner, so much so that no civil suit could have been put through with more ease and less friction. Aroused and heated as the people hav.e righteously been their conduct tion which it is receiving from all quarters- It would be a hard matter to say where all those lurid rumors of wholesale purchase of weapons.big consignments of whiskey, dire plots, etc., originated, and it is now un necessary to say that they were all bosh. There were plenty of peo ple just after the happening black as well as white that might have been ready to stretch Nathan at the end of a rope, but after matters had subsided and after it was found that he would be given a speedy trial, there was no danger of any trouble whatsoever. Some people have been angry about that piece of artillery, but after all it does not make any dif ference.The governor must have had sufficient request for military help thought the artillery might be sent along for display. TWO GOOD MOVES. Notice is carried in the news col umns of this paper of a movement to launch a vegetable and fruit show for the month of July- Super intendent Webb who is implicated an the move and if he is the auth or of it he deserves a feather in his cap. The amount of products tak en from Granville gardens every year must total a considerable sum and anything causing an increase in amount adds that much to the sum total of the county's wealth, it is human nature . to brag . about garden work and a little public at tention will cause considerable more interest in garden work. This is right in line with the general pro gress of the county and let every body give it a helping hand- The second movement that the Ledger is so glad to see is the effort to get small stockholders in the Granville County Agricultural Association. Under any plan that would be put in operation or under any plan by which the capital stock is to be raised, the Association will do a fine work. But if hun dreds of shares of .stock are tak en in very small amounts, the in terest of those stockholders will all the greater on account of them. Necessarily, when the fair gets under way everybody is going to feel a deep interest in it, and the question now is simply as to make that interest the keenest. SENTENCED TO DEATH. . . (continued from page 1) and hair on well. Questioned by the defense, witness stated that he could not tell anything from the footprints. Other Witnesses at Fire Melvin Hunt, the next upon, the stand, ran out when Mr. Overton called him and was the first at the fire. Doors all open, fire, raging couldn't see inside house,but as flames were not coming from roof when first arrived, witness thought it must have originated in front room. J. T. Milton was the third man upon the scene. Found condi tions similar to other witnesses. Saw body 2 or 2 1-2 feet from fireplace and two others between window and fireplace. Dishpan of charred corn was found near a body. . The small est body was near the largest which was lying upon its back with head towards the window. Witness tes tified to Hester's picking up the burning skirt which 3 or 4 jumped upon to stamp out the blaze- This was the first suggestion of crime and foul play. Told of discovery of knife and identification. Testified as to bloody condition of well and finding of hair exactly like dead woman's. Said that struggle was indicated by tracks and that some body had been dragged to or away from a locust tree. Witness has seen none of the victims since that day. Helped Drag Out Remains Frank Hester was the young man who found the burning skirt which was imbrued with fresh blood. Dis covered it about fifteen feet in front of the door, and a foot and a half away hesaw a little puddle of blood near the ditch where a body had been dragged in a north and south direction. Corroborated conditions at well given by preced ing witnesses Identified" hair.Swore to seeing xther hair four feet from locust. Helped ex-sheriff Fleming take out bodies. Identified them as human by teeth and skull. Ex-sheriff S. A- Flmeing who lives a little over a mile from the late Saunders whom he has known for 30 years was informed of the happenings at 10; 10. Arrived at scene found house caved in and part of the walls tumbling in.Body was found four feet, from fireplace and from outside could see skull and backbone. Two other bodies in southwest corner of the room. Took largest body out first. Limbs and arms were burned off, but from hips up not all flesh had been burned. Right lobe of lung was burned to acrisp but -heart not de stroyed. Witness ran finger in body's mouth and found his teeth sound but worn. Saw hair at well and on ground, putting chip of wooc over latter tuft. Was summoned by Sheriff Wheeler and at 1;30 was present with latter R. E- Starnes, and Hester at taking of prisoner. Prisoner had '"idiotic silly giggle" but said little. Bloody Clothes. R. E. Starnes was the man who discovered the irrefutable evidence of the negro's guilt. With Sheriff Wheeler he reached Montague's house at 1;15. The sheriff knock ed and was answered from within. Ho replied ; by asking the owner of the' voice to get up, strike a light, and open, the door. Prisoner came to door in night clothes, his wife and child being in bed. Montague was told that crime was committed and officers were on search of party- Prisoner replied that he didn't know anything about it. Wit ness went up stairs and was at once rewarded by finding incrimin atory evidence, a bundle of cloth es on his right. Found man's shirt, pants, woman's skirt and under skirts, coat and undershirt- The undershirt, of a man, was very, bloody, and the coat was found to have blood and hair upon it. Mon tague was immediately handcuffed and carried to Hester, where a con veyance was waiting, for quick transportation to Durham. Return-r ing later to the negro's house.where he was sent by the sheriff for fur ther evidence, Mr. Starnes found other articles. A wet rag was picked up in the middle of the floor and a washpan containing half a cup full of bloody water was nearby. A bloody hat and a hand kerchief and other articles were also found. The blood upon the various findings was not yet dry. Prisoner Searched in Durham. Sheriff Sam Wheeler succeede( Mr. Starnes -upon the stand and gave similar testimony as to what he saw at the fire and what took place at the arrest. Told of con versation when prisoner came to door and of . his disclaiming all knowledge of the crime. Arrived in Durham, with assistance of serr geant Fendergrast and another man, searched person of prisoner. Right knee was found badly bruised, right elbow skinned, both hands scratch ed, and traces of scratches upon Lis face. His underclothes were bloody, blood was discovered upon his shoes, and a stran or two of light hair was picked from him.Two little pocket-books, a bunch of keys, and a watch chain was found- in the left hand hind pocket. Upon cross-examination, the sheriff sta ted that the negro offered" no re sistence to arrest. Next day, he examined the scene of the fire,saw the tracks but could not tell of the probable number of people en gaged nor of the size of the shoes Welding of Chain of Evidence. Sergeant Pendergrast of the Dur ham police, corroborated the sher iffs statements as to the examina tion. He pulled from his pocket the hair taken at the examination and, comparing it with the hair picked up at the scene of thecrime, pronounced it all as alike. George Mangum, father-in-law ol the condemned man, as black as the ace of spades and an old-fashioned "dis here, dat ar'" darkey, told of taking his daughter away after the arrest. He further assist ed in the welding of the chain of evidence by telling of the finding of foreign wearing apparel, a top dress, shirt waist, towel, and a number of other articles that he recognized when put before him for identification. He had them I put in a "je-wano sack" and placed in a corner. Later he told Hart Overton of his find, this taking place on the day of the late Mr. Saunder's burial. -., Mrs. Saunders Recognizes Articles Mrs. Saunders widow of the mur dered man, and mother of the out raged; woman; who was upon a "vis it in Oxford at "the time of the terrible catastrophe in her home described tne interior of the room in which the bodies were fousd,and swore that the articles found "ByT the father-in-law oi. Montague were taken from that room Where they had been in a locked bureau draw er. She also identified the articles taken from the negro in Durham, the watch chain being her husband's and one of the purses that of her daughter. She said that she had never seen Montague before the day of trial. Josie Currin saw the negro and Mr. Saunders talking a few steps from the well, between sunset and dark, upon the evening of the ca tastrophe. Abel Boone, colored, saw the deceased near the cowpen with a man who looked like Monta gue. He had on a - light hat, and was the man whom he had seen earlier in the day at Overton's wear ing the same clothes and hat Case Goes to Jury. Under the questioning of Judge Graham and the solicitor the evi dence was apparently so strong that it was deemed that no speech es were necessary. Maj. Gattis arose and stated to the judge that the prosecution was ready for the case to go to the jury. Neither Messrs. Brummitt nor Lassiter of the defense desired to speak, . so the judge charged the jury for about 15 minutes and sent it to the rear room for verdict- v The judge's charge was limited mainly to the definition and appli cation of the law in reference to murder, which was devided into murder of the first degree and mur der of the second, the penalty for the first upon conviction being death and for the second being from 2 to 30 years imprisonment at the discretion of the court. : He stated that to obtain a verdict of murder of the first degree that guilt must be established beyond the shadow of a reasonable doubt and that premeditation or malice must . be established- He stated that the defense would maintain that there was no proof of any crime and that the defendent came into court an innocent man until proven guilty. The prosecution.on its part, was confined to circumstan tial evidence entirely, which he briefly reviewed. He went through enough damning pieces to convict the prisoner over and over again. He finally charged the twelve men to whether Montague killed Mattie Saunders, and if so after: a wilful and deliberate intent to do it. If such were found the case, the jury was instructed to bring in a verdict of murder in the first degree; but; if murder were committed by the defendent but not in a wilful or premeditated manner, to bring in a verdict of murder in the second degree. If f I not so guilty, find him innocent. - The Verdict and Sentence. At .4; 10 the jury solemnly , filed out and in exactly eight minutes the twelve men quietly marched back to the jury box prepared to announce the verdict. Before asking the decision of the foreman Judge Ward warned the spectators that, though he sympathized deeply with the people of Granville, he could not permit any demonstration. He ordered the sheriff to station his deputies in the audience and bring before him any who might make any noise. Then turning to the jury, he received from the mouth of the foreman, Mr. S. Crawford Hobgood, the verdict of guilty. Compelling the prisoner, who dur ing the whole trial had not exhibit ed a semblance of emotion, nor even of interest, to stand up, the sentence was read. Judge Ward told the condemned man that he stood convicted of a heinous crime and that the evidence all pointed to at least five other counts upon which he would be entitled to a death sentence, to wit, two of murder, and one each of arson,rape, and burglary. He then directed that Montague be handed over to the sheriff who was ordered to de liver him to the warden of the penitentiary, the latter to keep him until Wednesday, the 15th day of February, when between the hours of 8 a. m- and 2 p. m., the warden shall cause to pass through his body a sufficiently strong current of electricity to cause his death. When the prisoner was asked if he wished to state any reason why death should be pronounced or if he wanted to make any statement he mumbled out. almost inaudibly, "What did you say?" The words were repeated several times, when his counsel said that he did not care to talk. The condemned man sat down, apparently unconcerned, indifferent, and patiently waited the pleasure of those around him. The sheriff, General Royster, in full uniform, and deputy Turner, surrounded' the condemned man and when the people had quietly filed out of the room he was car ried away irom uranvme never more to be se'en in these parts. ' Compliments People. The judge paid a public compli ment upon the way the trial was conducted, the quiet, sober interest, and good behavior of the people.and the def endent's counsels' defense. The grand .jury who sent in the true bill was composed Qf: C. R- Gordon, foreman, R. H. Ro gers, W. S. Suitt, T. W. Burch, B. H..' Oakley, C. C- Currin, C. S. El ixson, J. Scott West, O. B. Breed- love, S. T. Lloyd, J. M. Blalock.E. J- Nance, G.P. Adcock, W. T. Fara bow, John, B. Booth, W. T. Monta gue, C. J. Gee, and J- H. Pickett. The. jury that rendered the ver dict comprised these citizns: S. Crawford Hobgood, foreman, R. L. Watkins, S. H. Veazey, C. R. Chapelle, E. G- Currin, B. E. Cur rin, A. H. Owen, Ed Lumpkin, W. C. Daniel, L. D. Blackwell and Os car Yancey. f- " - -'--,-5if. Have just received and opened up the best and pret tiest line of Muslin Underwear that has ever - been shown in Oxford. The quality, as well as workman ship, and extra good and. the prices we think very reasonable. : - ' - v 3.5 Laces. We have always had the repu tation for having the best line of laces in town. The new line that we have just received surpasses by far anything that we have ever shown from the 5ct ones up in Vals, Cotton and Linen Torshons and Cotton and Lineii Clunys. You Will Have to And Don't Forget we are Offering Some Big Bargains in Odds and Ends all Through our Two Big Stores. t djf Make our store your headquarters when in town. All conveniences now for everybody. Come to see us Always glad to see you and to show you. PIJ71M Main Street, Crenshaws r2 WHAT NATHAN MONTAGUE SAYS Gave Alleged Confession to Times Man En Ronte to The Peniten r tiary Alter Trial. Nathan Montague, while on the way to the state penitentiary after his conviction, gave a signed state ment to a Times Reporter telling of the crime for which he will lose his life. Here, Nathan's alleged confession.or rather his method of making a confession, is distrus ted. Several days before the trial he made a confession, telling his story so as to put a minimum amount of blame upon himself, and implicating other negroes, and after several days effort, they were un able to substantiate any part of Nathan's story. His wife and his brother, even, contradicted his as servations. However, the officials will always keep their eyes open and if any part , of the condemned man's story is, true they will find it out. Here is the report as giv en in the Times reporter. Enroute to Oxford Tuesday morn ing, where he was being conveyed by a special train for trail, Montague was -very quiet and did not seem to care to discl'ss the affair. However, such was not the case coming back, as he talked freely and gave the following signed statement of the c;ime to a representative of , The Daily Times: "When I left Mr- Overton's house that evening it was getting dusk. I ' met Albert Cook on the -railroad track waiting for Lonnie Bridgers, who had gone to Mr. Saunders 'Al bert said, 'Come down here and let's wait for Lonnie, as he is on behind. It was getting right smart dark when Lonnie came along. We went on down the railroad to my house and when we got there they said 'Let's go down to Allies' (referring to some colored woman whose last name he could not recall.) She liv ed below Mr. Saunders' and , we went on down that way. Just be fore we got to Mr. Saunders' Lon we said let's go yonder and rob his and get his money.' I told him I was not going in there. Albert pul led out a bottle and said, 'I'll go with you all down there, but I'll not go in- The house had three doors. Lonnie went to the back d6or and called this man (Mr. Saunders) and I was at the other. When, the man came to the door I heard a lick. After that Albert and Lonnie both went in the house. I was at the door to the east, the door that Lonnie called the man to was to wards the south. After they stay ed .in there scouring around a lit tle while the girl came to the door where I was. Albert told me to catch her and not let her get away and ' I caught her. She said.Don't do nothing to me; I won' go off. Ahd'I said, 'Well you are not go it?g off then. I am not going to dd nothing to you- 1 See Them to Know Really Are. mm Old .Stand. "She came back in the house and went out the south door and some one of them, I don't know which one, went out and got her. They stayed in the house 10 or 15 minu tes and then called me and told me to come in and see what we can find. I went in there and found some clothes. Saw Mr. Saunders lay ing on the floor dead. Did not take special notice of him, but noticed blood all over the floor. Saw the little child laying near Mr. Saun ders. She too, was dead. Largest girl was on the bed- Don't know about her being dead, but suppose she was, as she did not say any thing. I got some clothes. Lonnie and Albert got Mr. Saunders' cloth es. Then Lonnie broke the lamp on the floor and set the house afire and we left. '"I went home and they went to wards Tar River station." (Signed) NATHAN MONTAGUE." When asked about his knife be ing found in the back yard Monta gue said he had traded knives with Albert Cook before they went to the house. Asked why he would not give the alarm and summons help when the other negroes were in the house Montague said he was afraid to do so, as he would implicate himself in the crime. He did not seem to know it was a death penalty to rob a house. Montague said he was willing to suffer his penalty for the part of the crime he committed, but he wanted the other negroes to suffer for their share-" COST NOT GREAT. The Special Trial to Try the Mur derer -Will not Cost the County $400. Register of Deeds Jim Powell says that the cost of the recent murder trial will be only between $350 and $400. '.'You can tell 'em", he said.," that it will not cost over $400 at the outside." These figures include everything, special term, special train, military protectlon,jur3 expenses, and everything. The amounts have been footed up and the figures can be relied upon. It has been feared that the expense would run up very high, some peo ple actually believing that several thousand dollars would be involved. UNEQUAL EYES. Do you see equally well with both eyes? If not, both may be defective one certainly is- Have them prop erly examined. We prescribe glass es only when absolutely necessary, and guarantee satisfaction. Dr. N. Rosenstein will be at Oxford Tues day, Jan. 25th, at the Exchange Ho tel And at Creedmoor Wednesday, Jan. 25th, at the Hotel. Call to see his about your eyes, charges most moderate - (It) Embroideries. And the same is true of our new line of Embroideries. The biggest, best, and prettiest line that we have ever shown. All the new patterns and work are here. We always show the newest things that come as early as they are gotten out. How Pretty They Oxford, N. C. GRADED SCHOOL HONOR ROLL. Second Grade Honor Roll. Ida Kerr Taylor, Ruth Howard, Pransford Balloji, Annie May Wat kins, John Perry Hall, Lorene Tur ner, Olive .Webb, Lillian Cheatham, Thelma Lou Hester, Foy Tilley, La Very Harris, Irvin Jackson, Mabel Sizemore, Chandler Watkins, lone Wheeler, Thad Par ham, James White, Willie Howell. Third Grade Honor Roll. Sam Hall, Roy Upchurch Louise Currin, Eeulah Fargis, Viola Hes ter, Minnie Patterson, Mary Day, Rassie Hobgood, Fourth Grade Honor Roll. James Ballou, Sii'die Crews, Ni na Cooper, Fannie Taylor, Robert Parhwn, Junius Cooper, Lula Hunt, Jewelle Thomasson, Julian Abbitt, Charlotte Carroll, Frances Mitchell, Sallie May, Jessie White, Tresa Gor man, Daisy Williford, Mozelle Par rott, Robert Day. Fifth Grade Honor Roll. Irene Pierson, Georgia Winston, Sudie Adcock, Joe Ragland, Flora Covington, Edward Ballou, Annie Sue Covington, William Pace, John Covington Easton Parham, Thelma Averett, Henry Shaw, Sophronia Loc nam, Rial Loonam, Forest Long mire, Mattie Burchette, Joseph Bry an Robert Fort, George Cheatham, Lorena Perry. Sixth Grade Honor Roll. Fannie Buchanan, Compton Bobb itt, Dorthy Royster, Muzett Daniel, Susan Webb, Lila Currin, Edward Abbitt- Seventh Grade Honor Roll. Alva Le Currin, Ercelle Burchette Hettie Hunt, John G. Webb, Marie Meadows, Carrie Harris Eight Grade Honor Roll. Paul Daniel, Hellen Paris Harvey Renn, Robert Mallard. Ninth Grade Honor Roll. Lucy Wyatt, Esther Mitchell, Vir ginia Carroll, Annie S. Pierson, Myr tle Fagan Thomas White, Littie Hester. Fortiscue-King. Mrs. Benjamine Franklin Fortiscue requests the honor of your presence. i at the marriage of her daughter Addle Lawernece. to Mr. . Moses Armstrong King on Thursday evening, January the thirty-first one thousand nine hundred and eleven, at nine o'clock 114 West Second Street I ' Washington 5 North Carolina . Mr. King is the proprietor of the pool room at the armory and is a pleasant young man. His friends will be glad to welcome the bride and groom to Oxford- SEE CALLIS FIRST, if your wheels need new rubber. He uses the "White Diamond Brand", the ucoi, auu viciucsi iu uc lj uuUt s ui ly guaranteed for twelve months He makes the price right. ' r. .
Oxford Public Ledger (Oxford, N.C.)
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Jan. 20, 1911, edition 1
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