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VOL. 28. SMITHFIELD. N. C.. FRIDAY. APRIL 9, 1909. NO. 7
COTTEN IS GIVEN 30 YEARS.
For the Murder of Dr. E. W. Smith,
Of Richmond, Wake County Jury,
After an all-night Session, Finds
the Three Defendants Guilty, as
Charged?Cotten Receives the
Limit of the Law, While Holder- i
field and Hopkins Get Ten and
Two Year* Respectively.
Raleigh, April 4.?After being out '
all night the jury in the trial of '
three men for the murder of Dr. E. j
W. Smith, of Richmond, Va., this j
moruing brought in a verdict of mur
der in the second degree against
Earl Cotten, Tim Holderfield and E.
A. Hopkins, otherwise known as
"Red" Hopkins, young white men.
With regard to Hopkins the jury rec
ommended mercy.
Judge Lyon, of the Superior Court,
sentenced Cotten to 30 years in the
penitentiary, the full limit, holding
him as the leading spirit in the mur
der. Holderfield, because he was in
the employ of Cotten at his cafe,
and because of testimony that he
was of good character, was sentenced
to only 10 years in the penitentiary.
"Red" Hopkins was sentenced to 2
years.
Cotten and Holderfield moved for
a new trial, and then for modifica
tion of sentence. Both were refus
ed and they appealed. Both men,
as they were taken back to jail from
the court room after being sentenced
remarked that they had expected ac
quittal. Public opinion seems to be
that the sentences are by no means
excessive.
On the morning of November 15,
1908, the body of Dr. Smith was
found at the edge of a rock quarry
in the eastern suburbs of Raleigh.
An investigation developed the fact
that on the night of November 14,
he had been seen apparently drunk
In Cotten's cafe. Evidence produced
by the State showed that Dr. Smith
had been drugged to death with
chloroform for the purpose of obtain
ing his watch, ring and diamond
pen, later traced to Cotten; that
Hopkins furnished the chloroform,
that Cotten administered an over
dose which caused the victim's death
and that Holderfield took the body
in a hack to the rock quarry. The
State's witnesses were Ed Chavis, a
negro hack driver, and Richard Wil
liams, a negro cook in the employ
of Cotten. Hopkins was a stranger
whp lac ded here some time ago.
Holden iOld was a cotton mill em
ployee and Cotten is the son of a
prominent Raleigh physician.
Later?Hopkins and Holderfield
have decided not to appeal and have
begun their sentences.
Marion Butler Found Guilty.
Greensboro, N. C., April 6.?
"Guilty" was the verdict rendered by
the jury in Guilford Superior court
this afternoon^ in the case of the
State vs. Marion Butler and his broth
er, Lester P. Butler, who have been
on trial since last Wednesday morn
ing on the charge of criminal libel
in publishing libellous articles in the
Caucasian of and concerning former
Judge Spencer B. Adams, accusing
him of accepting bribes, and official
corruption as chief Justice of the
Choctaw and Chickasaw Citizenship
court.
Judge Long imposed a fine of
$500 on Marion Butler and taxed him
with half of the costs. He fined
Lester P. Butler $250 and taxed him
with half of the costs, adding that
the reason for making Lester But
ler's fine less than his brother was
distinctly on the ground that he was
a younger man.
The chairman of the Georgia State
prison commission has issued an or
der that under no circumstances are
shackles or chains to be placed upon
women prisoners, either in the pen
itentiary or upon what is known as
the "roacj gang." The order was
the result of the furore created upon
the discovery that a Mrs. O'Dwyer,
a prisoner at Athens, was not only
shackeled but chained, after her con
viction on a misdemeanor.
With the heaviest vote in local ;
history, Clark county. Ohio, Monday
of last week, voted "dry" by eleven
majority in the local option election.
The total vote cast in the county
was 17,831. The election affects 97
aaitft pnv Xjnnoa sqi uj suooies
breweries.
A TEXAS CITY SWEPT BY FIRE. |
Large Part of Residence Section of
Fort Worth in Ashes.?Five Mil- !
lion Dollars Estimate of Loss?
Six Persons Killed?Railroad shops
Churches and Many Residences
Burned. 500 People Homeless. I
Fort Worth, Texas, April 3.?Fan
ned by a wind a fire which originat
ed in a barn at Jennings Avenue* and
Peter Smith street, in the southern
portion of this city this afternoon,
swept over an area of ten blocks in
length and seven in width, destroy
ed property roughly estimated in
value to be in excess of 15,000,000
and caused the death of six per
sons.
The fire, which broke out in a
fashionable residence district, was
beyond all control within 15 minutes
after it started and was not check
ed until dynamite was resorted to,
four hours later.
The local fire department being
unable to cope with the situation,
assistance was rushed from Dallas
and Weatherford on special trains,
but even with these reinforcements
the spread of the flames was not
checked until they had eaten their
way to the Texas Pacific Railroad
reservation on the east. On the
south the fire was checked at the
Texas Pacific passenger station, this
steel and stone structure forming a
bulwark that saved the wholesale
district of the city, which at one
time was in imminent danger of
Hostriirtinn
The Texas & Pacific roundhouse |
and 20 engines, the Pacific shops, ?
two public buildings and four church
es and Walker Sanitorium were the
public buildings destroyed. Xhe
others were residences, most of them
new and pretentions in the most
e elusive residence section of the
city.
So rapidly did the flames spread
that people living within a radius of
three blocks of the place of origin
had no time to save anything ex
cept the clothing they wore. A pa
tient whose identity has not been
learned, perished in Walker's Sani
torium and three men were electro
cuted and their bodies burned to
cinders in the Sawyer Electric plant.
Herbert Stacey was fatally burned
in an endeavor to save his dwelling,
and a fireman fell from a house top
and was killed.
Rev. H. O. Cowan, assistant pas
tor of the Broadway Presbyterian
church, is missing. The burned dis
trict tonight is being patrolled by
troops to prevent footing and it is
estimated that 500 families are
homeless. Many of these have gone
to Dallas where shelter has been
offered.
IN WAVE OF PROHIBITION.
Majority in Michigan Carries Over
to the "Drys"?The Election.
Detroit, Mich., April 4,?"We
have broken the backbone of the
liquor traffic in Michigan," declared
Superintendent George W. Morrow, J
of the Michigan Anti-Saloon League
at midnight. Definite returns at
that time showed that of the 27
counties which voted on the question
of abolishing the sale or manufacture
of liquor in their borders today 19
had gone "dry," seven had gone
"wet" and indications were that the
remaining county, Jackson, had vot
ed for prohibition by the slender
margin of 30 votes. Before today's
election eleven of the 83 counties
of the State were "dry."
Backward, Turn Backward."
Backward, turn backward! o|
time In your flight, feed me on gruel
just for tonight; I am so weary of j
sole leather steak, petrified biscuit
and galvanized cake, oysters that
sleep in a watery bath, and butter
as strong as Goliath of Gath. Wea
ry of paying for what I can't eat, j
chewing up rubber and calling It j
meat. Backward, turn backward,;
how weary I am, just give me a 1
swipe of grandmother's jam; let me
drink milk that hasn't been skim
med, let me eat butter whose whis- )
kers are trimmed; let me once more 1
br.vo an old-fashioned pie; then I
am ready to curl up and die.?Ex.
???i
It doesn't take much to satisfy i
most people who are ?elf-satlsfied.? i
Chicago News. i
FIND RUINS OF CITY IN MEXICO.
Wall Which Surrounded Ancient
City in Fair State of Preservation.
It is Made of Giant Granite blocks.
Other Prehistoric Ruins In Vicini
ty of Tonola Which Are Unexplored
Mexico City, April 2.?Archaeolo
gists of Mexico aro much interested
in researches being made in the
ruins of what was once a great city,
standing near the town of 'ionola,
on the Isthmus of Tehuante -y The
ruins are now easily accessible, the
Pan-American Railroad pass
through the new town of Tonoia,
within an hour's Journey on horse
of the ruins.
Dr. George A. Dorsey, curator of
anthropology of the Field Museum
back of the ruins. ,
cently and was greatly impressed
with the magnitude of the ruins and
the possibility for throwing light up
on the prehistoric civilization of
Southeastern Mexico and Central
America. The wall which surround
ed the ancient city is still in a fair
state of preservation. It is made of
giant granite blocks.
Contained 50,000 People.
The city had an area of perhaps
twenty-five square miles and its
population must have been more than
50,000 people. The buildings were of
the type that characterized the earli
est known civilization of Mexico, as
shown by ruins in Yucatan. Some
of them were of imposing nature, and
the ruins still give evidence of beau
tv. Tin to this time verv little ex
ploration has been made.
Dr. Dorsey says that the ruins are
of far more interest than the famous
ruins of Monte Alban, exten
sive explorations have been going on
under the auspices of the Mexican
government for some time. It is
stated that there are other prehistor
ic ruins in the vicinity of Tonola
which have not been explored.
Ingersolt Silenced.
A good story of the manner in
which Ingersoll was once silenced
has been told again in the "Presby
terian Banner." For the benefit of
some of our readers who have not
read it we repeat it here.
Shortly after the noted infidel was
defeated in his race for the gover
norship of Illinois, he was one day
broadly proclaiming his infidelity on
board a railroad train between Chi
cago and Peoria. After being for
si-.-.e time offensively voluble, he
turned to a gentleman near him, and
defiantly demanded: "Tell me of one
great result that Christianity has
ever accomplished?" The gentleman,
not wishing to open an argument
with the boaster, hesitated to answer.
The train had stopped and all was
silent in the car.
Just then an old lady of eighty
years, who sat just behind the infi
del, touched his arm with trembling
hand, and said, "Sir, I do not know
who you are, but I think I can tell
you of one great and glorious thing
which Christianity has done."
"What is it, madam?" said Inger
soll.
"it nas Kept Kobert O. Ingersoll
from being governor of the great
State of Illinois!"
If a streak of lightning had flash
ed through the car the effect could
not have been more marked.
Ingersoll turned literally pale with
rage, and remained silent.
The grand old lady lies under the
prairie daisies now, but her courage
ous act is remembered.?Ex.
Health Record in Canal Zone.
Health conditions on the Panama
canal zone in 1908 were more favor
able than at any time since the
American occupation, according to a
report made by Chief Sanitary Officer
Gorgas of the isthmian canal com
mission. With 43,890 employes there,
there were but 571 deaths, or 13.01
per 1000?Springfield Republican.
Gifts amounting to $176,960 from
John D. Rockefeller to the universi
ty of Chicago were announced at
Chicago last week_ by President Har
ry Pratt Judson at the 70th coiro
cation of the university. The an
nouncement was a surprise, as M
Rockerfeller gave the university 11,
000,000 on January 19. Of the I ? w
Sift the larger part will be de<'>trd
to the development of the colle ? if
education.
TAR HEELS KILL PROPOSITION.
North Carolinians in the Lower
House With the Exception of Mr.
Kitchin, Cast Their Votes Against
The Proposition to Put Lumber on
The Free List.
Washington, April t>.?North Car
olinians stood up today and were
counted against putting lumber on the
free list. The Tawney amendment
was before the committee. The vote
of the Tar Heels stood: Against the
amendment, Webb, Page, Godwin,
Sinall, Thomas and l'ou. Democrats,
' and Mini head. Cowies and Grant,
'lepublicans; and for It, Kitchin. The
, measure was defeated by six votes.
' The North Carolinians could have
passed It.
The Democrats of the North Caro
' llna House delegation, save Mr.
Kitchin, are for the present tariff on
rough lumber. The saw mills of the
South have a vigorous lobby here,
but the consumer is not represented.
In opposing their leader. Champ
Clark, the 39 Southern Democrats
made themselves liable to criticism
from men like John Fitzgerald, who
has been called a traitor recently. As
Henry Clayton, of Albania, went
down to vote against free lumber
Fitzgerald said to him: "Why, Clay
ton, you are in danger of getting read
out of your party. You, the chair
man of the Denver convention that
adopted the Bryan platform; you the
chairman of the House caucus, and
the spanking committee, the one that
chastised me."
In voicing the sentiment of these
Democrats who voted with him, Mr.
Pou said: "I shall not vote to put
lumber on the free list. If the tariff
is a blessing it should be equally
distributed; if a burden, equally
borne. This amendment is not just.
I do not sacrifice my principles as
a Democrat. As a member of the
minority I have a right to insist
that you treat my State and my peo
ple justly, even from your stand
point."
The record vote will come just be
fore the bill leaves the House and
the friends of free lumber believe
that they will change enough votes
to pass the Tawney amendment.
The Senate may let the lumber
schedule remain as it is now. The
Southern Senators favor the $2 duty.
?Charlotte Observer.
From a Scientist's Note Book.
Umbrellas w< re first used in Chi
na and Japan.
Some authorities claim that a diet
of goat's milk makes one immune
from tuberculosis.
Seventy-five per cent, of the meat
consumed in Great Britain is import
ed.
British automobile exports now
amount to about 122,000,000 a year.
At the present rate of increase the
population of this country in 1919 will
be 100,000,000.
The largest pin factory in the world
is at Birmingham, Eng. It turns out
37,000,000 pins every day.
It is likely that a monorail system
will be experimented with in the up
per part of New York city.
Three hundred thousand concrete
cross ties have been ordered for the
Italian State Railways.
A leading German electrical compa
ny has in contemplation the erection
of a new plant for the exclusive man
ufacture of airships and aeroplanes.
It is quite likely that an American
bank will be established soon in Pe
kin. That city has had British, Ger
man, French and Japanese banks for
some time.
The Japanese government is mak
| ing an energetic fight to prevent the
plague. In Tokio alone between 2000
| and 3000 rats are killed and examin
i ed every day in the search for a pos
sible source of infection.
The fire losses of the United States
and Canada for the calendar year of
3908 aggregated to sum of $238,562,
250, which is exceeded only by the
years 1904 and 1906 when the yearly
totals were swelled by the conflagra
tions at San Francisco and Baltimore.
During last year there was no great
j number of large fires excepting the
le at Chelsea, Mass., but there was
ii unusual number of small ones.?
'hiladelphia Record.
Following a quarrel, John Wood
all murdered his sweetheart, Viola
Lovey, at Grove, Okla., Friday and
committed suicide.
CERVERA YIELDS TO DEATH.
' Loser of Battle of Santiago Expires
at Cadiz?Once Taken Prisoner?
Commanded the Spanish Fleet De
stroyed Off Cuba.
Cadiz.Spain, April 3.?Admiral
1 Cervera, who commandt-d the Span
ish fleet which was destroyed at
Santiago, and who was for some
time a prisoner at Portsmouth, N.
H., died here today.
l'ascual de Cervera Topete, Conde
de Jerez and Marques do Santa Ana,
the ranking rear admiral of the
Spanish navy at the time of tho
Spanish-American war, was born Feb
ruary 18, 1839, in the province of
Jeroz, where his father, Carlos, de
Cervera, was a man of immense
wealth and a leading wine merchant
of hpain.
In 1898 Admiral Cervera was In
command of the Cape de -Verde
fleet, with the first-class cruiser
Maria Teresa as flagship. When
the trouble between the United
States and Spain first arose Admiral
Cervera was writing to the minister
of marine advising that everything
in reason be done to satisfy the
United States, for his own navy was
in no condition for war.
Finally under the insistent de
mands of Capt. Gen. lJlanco in Cu
ba that the squadron be sent there
or all would be lost, the government
culled a council of eighteen admirals
and captains, and they decided that
Cervera must sail to Cuba and meet
the enemy. Cervera started for
Porto Rico, but heard that Admiral
Sampson had been sent there to in
tercept him, and he hurried on to
Santiago, entering the harbor unob
served. This was on May 19, and
in less than a week Admiral Schley
and Admiral Sampson had Cervera
bottled up in the harbor.
On June 3 the minister of war sug
gested that Cervera dash out of the
harbor, go to Manila and crush Uew
ey, and then go back and finish the
American fleet at Santiago.
Capt. Gen. Blanco also insisted
that Cervera run the bloc kade, in
spite of the fact that Cervera said it
would mean his annihilation. On
the morning of July 3 the admiral
tried to get his fleet out of the har
bor, but when he saw the fight was
hopeless he ordered the surviving
ships beached and they were then
set on fire. Admiral Cervera was
taken on board the converted yacht
Gloucester, and in due time he was
taken with the other prisoners of
war to Portsmouth, N. H.
While Cervera was coolly received
in Spain after he was released, he
got permission a year later from the
Queen to publish his correspondence
bearing on the war, and the attitude
toward him changed. He was ap
pointed chief of staff of the navy in
1902, was made life senator in 1903,
and was for a year following 1906
chief of the maritime district of Fer
rol.
CHARLOTTE INVITES GOVERNORS
Chief Executive of Thirteen Origi
nal States to Participate In Cel
ebration.
Charlotte, April 8.?The Central
Committee which 1s directing the
j program of exercises to be held
here on the twentieth of May in
celebration of the 134th anniversary
of the signing of the Mecklenburg
Declaration of Independence, has in
vited the Governors of the Thirteen
Original States to come to Char
j lotte for the three days' festivities.
Governor Eben S. Draper has accept
ed.
The people of Charlotte are pre
paring to give Mr. Taft the greatest
reception ever accorded a President
of the United States in a Southern
city. Local officials of both the
Southern and Seaboard Railroads
have given the assurance that ample
train accommodation will bo -"-ovid
ed and that reduced rates will be
offered. Special trains will be ope
rated into the city on the 20th?
"Taft Day"?from all directions.
Pupil? 'Please, teacher, was It a
man or a woman?"?Boston Trans
cript.
A Federal quarantine has been
placed along the Texas border against
yellow fever sections of Mexico.
A human being breathes about 20
times a minute.
DIRECTORS OF PEN MEET.
New Prison Board Reduces Salaries
?J. J. Laughinghouse is Elected
Superintendent. New Warden Not
Chosen.
The new board of directors of the
State's Prison at their initial meet
ing yesterday elected the following
officers.
Superintendent: J. J. laughing
house, of Pitt county; salary, $2,500
per annum, reduced from $3,000.
Prison clerk: T. \V. Fenner, of
Halifax: salary, $1,500, reduced from
$L\000.
Prison physician: Dr. I. G. Riddick,
of Youngsville; salary, $75 per month
The election of these gentlemen
was recommended by Governor Kltch
in, as was also the election of T. P.
Sale, of Haleigh, as warden; but
Mr. Salo is confined to his home with
pneumonia, and the board deferred
the election of a new warden until
the next regular meeting, which will
be held in May. The salary #of the
warden is $100 per month. Until his
successor shall have been chosen
Capt. J. M. Flemming will continue
to serve as warden.
Superintendent Laughinghouse has
already assumed control, and the re
tiring superintendent, Mr. J. S.
Mann, left yesterday for his home in
Hyde county. Mr. Fenner is not in
the city, but was notified yesterday
of his election. Dr. Riddick is also
here, and will move his family to
Rnlnlfli "
I ?????? luimcuiaicij, xiegaruiess
I of his election as Prison Physician,
j Dr. Riddick had already decided to
I make the capital city his home.
All the members ot the board
were present at yesterday's meeting
except Capt. J. M. llavis of Mecklen
burg county, who is confined at home
on account of sickness. The other
members are: George A. Norwood,
Goldsboro, chairman; R. L. Dough
ton, Laurel Springs; George Holder
ness, Tarboro, and George E Hun
ter, Raleigh.?News and Observer.
WRECK ON THE COAST LINE.
Ten Cars Were Piled up Near
Sharpsburg Last Monday.
Rocky Mount, N. C., April 5.?
Caused by a "sun kink" in the
track the Atiai.tic Coast Line freight
train No. 20" >vas wrecked about
one mile :i>ith of Sharpsburg, block
ing the main line. Ten refrigerator
cars were piled up, blocking both
tracks, causing several hours' delay
in all trains.
No one was hurt, though ttt<? de
struction of property will amount to
considerable. The wrecking crew
from this city left for the scene at
one o'clock this afternoon.
According to a report given out
by the company it is hoped that
trains may go through at an early
hour tonight, though it is thought
that it will require some little time
before the wreckage will be cleared
up.
Trains Numbers 49 and 48 are be
ing held at South Rocky Mount, while
numbers 80 and 48 are being held at
Wilson, with no time set for their
arrival at this city other than that
they are expected tonight.
Train No. 208 is a northbound ex
tra, and was composed of about 25
refrigerator cars which were loaded
with vegetables for the northern mar
kets.
Today for the first time in several
months it was impossible to make
the Selma connection.
When One Small Boy Scored.
President Nicholas Brown, for
whom Brown University was named,
was fond of quizzing small boys. One
day, while walking in the streets of
Providence, ho came upon a little fel
low who attracted his notice.
"How do you do, my boy?" said
the president. What's your name?"
"My name is Harry, sir," replied
the child.
"Harry is it?" returned President
Brown. "And did you know the evil
one is often called Old Harry?"
"Why, no sir," answered the boy.
*'l thought ho wa3 called Old Nick."
?Baltimore American.
Gen. William Booth, of the salva
tion army. Is to celebrate the eight
ieth anniversary of his birth next
Saturday. He has already received
scores of congratulatory telegrams
, and cablegrams.