flje ftmitljficlb Befall
??rice One Dollar Per Year , ? "TRUE TO OURSELVES. OUR COUNTRY AND OUR GOO " Single Copies Flv? Cant*.
VOL. 29 SMITHFIELD, N. C., FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1910 Number 9
ONR GREAT HUMORIST PASSES.
Mark Twain Died Last Week After
Being in Feeble Health for Some
time. He Was Known Far and
Wide as the Author of Tom Saw
yer and Huckleberry Finn. He was
Nearly 75 When He Answered the
Last Call. The Great Humorist Be
gan Life as a Printer and Later
Became an Editor.
Samuel Langtf6rn Clemens, better
known as Mark Twain, died at his
home, "Stormfield,"^ near Redding,
Conn., late Thursday evening of last
week, In his 75th year. He had been
In feeble health for sometime and
bis death was not a surprise to those
most closely associated with him.
He was buried at Elmira, New
York, by the side of his wife who
preceded him to the grave some
years ago.
Mark Twain, as he was best known,
was born in Florida, Mo., November
30, 1835, and at the age of 12 was
apprenticed to a printer. Later he
was a steamboat pilot on the Mis
sissippi river and in after years, be
fore he began to write books, was
engaged in newspaper work in the
West. Some of Ills best known books
are "The Innocents Abroad" (1869),
"Tom Sawyer," "The Prince and
are Pauper" (1880), The Adven
tures of Huckleberry Finn" (1885),
"Articles on Christian Science"
(1903) and "The $30,000 Bequest"
(1906).
Several years ago the publishing
house which Mark Twain had found
ed failed and the accumulations of
years were swept away. He was not
legally responsible for the debts of
the concern, but notwithstanding he
had reached the age to retire from
active work he began over again, paid
all the debts of the business and ac
cumulated considerable property.
While his life was given to making
sunshine for others he had many sor
rows and trials. The death of his
wife, many years ago, was a great
sorrow, and of his four children only
one survives. On Christmas eve,
last year, his daughter, Jean, an ep
ileptic, was found dead in the bath
room. She was his constant compan
ion.
Shortly fitter the civil war broke
out Clemens entered the confeder
ate army, joining a company in Mis
souri, and was in the service a short
time. His pen name?Mark Twain?
had its origin in his work as a pilot
on a Mississippi river steamer. In
making soundings It was customary
to call out, "Mark one, mark twain"
(t wo).?Exchange.
A VISIT TO EDENTON.
One of the Oldest Towns in the
State?The Largest Herring Mar
ket and Many Points of Interest in
And Near the Town.
If I were to undertake to write up
all the points of interest connecting
this beautiful old tow;n with the his
tory of the state it would be too big
a task, and an Imposition on your
valuable space and readers. For that
information let the younger people
look up in history and tell It to those
who have out grown their school
days or perhaps who were so unfor
tunate as to not have any?they are
excusable?but no boy or girl who
has the determination to get an edu
cation in this day can be kept from
the fountain of knowledge and render
that excuse in the future, 1 am glad
to say, our Opportunities are so much
greater now than twenty-five to fif
ty years ago.
With a party of about 20 we visaed
the old home place of Gov. Eden
about 12 miles up the sound, the
spot where his home stood Is still
known; also his original burial place.
His remains were afterwards re
moved to the Episcopal burial ground
In Edenton?a beautiful spoi. and
church yard well kept and many old
graves, some unmarked and perhaps
unknown. The remains of other
Statesmen?one a signer of the De
claration of Independence?all found
here with suitable marks and Inter
esting Inscriptions.
The building where our first tea
party was held by 50 good ladies, and
resolutions passed that they would
drink no tea until England's tax was
removed, has been torn down but the
spot is marked and will readily be
recognized by the large bronze tea
pot mounted, near the court house
and Confederate monument.
Speaking of the Court House: It
If the old colonial style, built 1718,
192 years ago. Material all from Ens
land and the solid boards which go
to form the pannel work over mantel
piece all in one and are the widest
I ever saw, over 2 feet wide, and
evidently hewn fr"bm very large trees.
The building la in splendid condition.
The Court room is on the lower floor.
The jury room is over head and as
large as the Court room below, well
ventilated, lighted and has two large
fire places. The building is a large
one, has the usual offices and in ad
dition the Masonic lodge. Unanimity
No. 7 chartered by the Duke of Beau
fort and instituted on the 8th day
of November. 1775?135 years ago.
Two of the most Interesting arti
cles in the lodge room is an old
Bible printed in 1737 when "f was
printed as we now have "s. The
other is a chair, an old Masonic chair
made of Mahogany, elaborately hand
carved and embellished with all the
implements of Masonry. This chair
was one of those presented by Lord
Baltimore to the Masonic Ix)dge at
Alexandria, Va., and was occupied by
Geo Washington "the father of his
country" while Master of that lodge.
During the Revolutionary War, when
the section around Alexandria was
threatened by the British army, the
Masonic lodge at that place was
compelled to suspend its meetings
and protect this property by removal
and in doing so the Master's chair
was intrusted to one Capt. G. B.
Russe 1 (who with his vessel was there
at the time) for safe keeping. Af
terwards liecoming alarmed he ran
his vessel into the waters cf North
Carolina where he remain d until
after the war. He decided to make
this p'a e his home, becam a mem
ber of this lodge, marled and settled
here. Afterwards learning that the
Alexandria LodgeJiad never been re
vived, he on the 6th day of July,
1778, (132 years ago, next 6th July,)
presented the cha'.r to Vnanimity
Lodge, No. 7, A. F. and A. M., as the
old records In the lodge now fully at
test and said chair has occupied its
present position since that date, one
hundred and thirty two years.
Three handsome pictures on one
large card board showing the inter
ior of the lodge room as printed, a
the Court House can be had for $1.00.
separate picture of the chair and of
The entire proceds go to the Oxford
Orphan Home. Neatly framed it
makes a pretty wall picture. I have
one as a souvenir and will keep it as
such. I wanted to visit the old Cup- j
ulo home and see the furniture there
known to be over 150 years old?own-.
ed by 3 old sisters?one was very j
sick on my arrival and died the day
I before I left, of course I missed se-i
ing that. I
I Any one visiting Edenton should
take time to see these places and
things of interest?especially should
he see Washington's chair and if he
I is guilty of prevarlflcatlon, sit in it
awhile, It might do him good?with
some the shock might be too great
and it would then do the work of
the electric chair. So the "big yarn
tellers" who go, be careful for we
are told "Geo. " never "told a lie"
and when you occupy the seat ho
once did. If you are In the habit of
doing that which he was not guilty,
resolve never to tell another?I sat
in the chair about ten minutes?I did
not resolve not to, becau?e I had not
found out it was necessary?you the
reader may. In the next 1 11 tell
you about something now in order
what they are doing down there now
and not over 100 years ago and when
I tell It remember kind reader that I
have once upon a time sat in the
| same chair that Geo. Washington did,
and you must believe every word of
It.
Jno. A. MITCHINER.
Se'.ma, N. C., April 22, 1910.
Sign# of the Times.
In' the Sixth Missouri district the
| Democratic plurality in 1908 was 199j
: on February l it was 3778. In the
Fourteenth Massachusetts district
there was a Republican plurality in
1908 of 14,250 and a Democratic plu
rality last month of 5650. In the
Thirty-second New York district there
was a Republican plurality of 10.167 j
a year and a hall ago and on Tues-(
day there was a Democratic plurality
of 5831. Aldrich, the person chiefly!
guilty of the present tariff law, has
I election. It is not a violent assump
tlon that these are signs of the times, i
?Philadelphia Record.
The Sultan of Turkey has the-mea
sl?s.
I
HUGHES TO SUPREME BENCH.
Nomination Sent to the Senate Mon
day. The Announcement Came as
Something of a Surprise, Despite
The Fact That it Had Been Gen
erally Understood That the Position
Had Been Tendered Him. Hughes
Will Not Assume New Position Till
Next October.
Washington, D. C., April 25.?Pres
ident Taft late to-day received from
Governor Charles K. Hughes, of New
York, a letter accepting a tendered
appointment as associate justice of
the Supreme Court. Five minutes
after the letter was handed to the
President, the nomination of Govern
or Hughes was on its way to the Sen
ate. That body had adjourned for the
day, however, and so the Senate will
not hear officially of the designation
of Governor Hughes to succeed the
late Justice David J. Brewer until
tomorrow.
While it is expected that Governor
Hughes will be confirmed with little
or no delay, it is understood here that
he will remain as the chief executive
of the State of New York until next
October, and will not take the oath
of office until the fall term of the
Supreme Court opens the second Mon
day in that month.
President Taft has been anxious
to secure the best man he could
for the Supreme Court vacancy, and
he feels that he has done so. He
was much slated over the success of
bis tender to Governor Hughes.
President Taft said:
"I am very much delighted to secure
Governor Hughes for the bench. He
is a man of wide experience and
marked ability, and it is a mighty val
uable thing to have on the great
bench of the Supreme Court a man
of affairs. Governor Hughes is 48
years of age, I think, and even if
h' should retire at seventy he will
have had 22 years of solid usefulness
on the bench."
The appointment of Governor
Hughes was received throughout
Washington with the greatest satis
faction. The announcement, howev
er, came as something of a surprise,
despite the fact that it had been gen
erally understood for days that the
position was to be tendered him.
A BIG LIQUOR SEIZURE.
27,000 Gallons Belonging to N. Glenn
Williams on Charge of Irregulari
ties by Government.
Winston-Salem, April 22?The
warehouse containing about 27,000
gallons of whiskey belonging to Mr. (
N. Glenn Wiliams in Yadkin county, j
was seized Wednesday for alleged ir-'
regularities. This is one of the big- i
gest seizures ever made in North Car
olina. It is said that when the State
prohibition law went into effect two
years ago Mr. Williams had in stock
about fifty thousand gallons of corn
whiskey and brandy. Since then he
has shipped at least 20,000 gallons of
the two articles, he having govern
ment license. Deputy Marshal llark
rader, of Charlotte, Is in charge of
the warehouse and stock and he is
having all the goods re-gauged. The
property is being kept under guard
day and night.
REV. B. B. HOLDER DEAD.
For Half a Century a Devoted and
Faithful Methodist Minister.
Dunn, April 22.?Rev. Barney B.
Holder, a superannuated Methodist
preacher, died last Saturday at his
residence on Broad street. He had
been preaching about fifty years,
was 69 years and five months old. I
Two weeks prior to his death his wifef
passed away. He held his last meet
ing in July, 1909, since then not be
ing able to preach. He leaves three
sons, John and Will, of Wendell, N.
C., and Avera, of Rocky Mount; four
daughters. Miss Meta, Mrs. John C.
Cox here; Mrs. Boone, of Benson, and
Mrs. Jones, of Elizabeth City.
He was buried in Greenwood ceme
tery Sunday, the burial services con
ducted by Rev. F. A. Bishop. Mr.
Holder was truly a good man, full of
faith and religion. He was patient
in all his suffering and died in per
fect peace. He is a loss 'to his town,
to his county, his State, his church
and his family.
i
In Nuremburg there are 1700 hous
es built before 1600 A. D., and 3o3?
built in the seventeenth and eigh
teenth centuries.
J ' 1
SEVERE STORM SWEEPS SOUTH.
Most Disastrous Financial Backset
South Has Experienced Since Civil
War. Atlanta Sees Some Snow. Cot
ton Sejd Oil Mills Offering Their
Supp ies to Planters to Reinstate
Damaged Crops?Shortage of Seed
A Serious Menace.
Atlanta, Ga., April 25.?With mil
lions of acres of young cotton destroy
e<i by the cold weather which to-duy
overspread the entire cotton belt with
the unusual April accompaniment in
many s-octions of snow and sleet, the
South has suffered its most disastrous
financial set-back perhaps since the
Civil War. Besides cotton, young
vegetation of every description suf
fered from ttie freezing temperatures
and fruit was more or less damaged
In every Southern State except Flor
ida.
Keports received tonight indicate
that the cold snap has not abated in
Georgia, South Carolina Tennessee,
northern Alabama, Louisiana, Missis
sippi and even further west and for
much of this territory a heavy frost
and freezing temperatures are pre
dicted for Tuesday morning. In At
lanta and tlirofl*;h?ut the northern
half of Georgia, except near the At
lantic, the thermometer has been be
low forty degrees above zero all day,
with tailing temperatures recorded to
night.
Atlanta awoke this morning to find
snow-covered houses and thermome
ter down to thirty-one, an experience
never before recorded after the first
few days 01 April. Snow fell as far
south as Selma, Ala., Columbus, Miss,
and Columbus Ga., and in north
Georgia, Tennessee and parts of north
Alabama and Mississippi the fall
ranged from one to four inches. Cot
ton seed oil mills in this State and
Alabama to-day weie appealed to for
seed for replanting purposes and
State officials implored the mills to
crush no more seed until the far
mers have been supplied. It is doubt
ful. however, if sufficient seed can be
secured, even at the record prices
being offered, to replant one-half of
the area of young cotton destroyed
by the cold.
At Columbus, Ga., tonight one' cot
ton seed oil mill announced that their
entire supply was at the command of
the planters and would be sold for
$1 per bushel. To-day a carload of
peed was shipped from that point to
the Mississippi delta and many tele
grams were received from all sections
cf the South asking for an allotment
of seed supplies.
Snowstorm at Asheville.
Asheville, Apiil 25.?Asheville and
this immediate section is experienc
ing most unseasonable weather and
to-day fear is expressed that the fruit
crop has suffered severely and also
gardens and truck farms. Much of
last week the weather was disagree
able with recurrent frost. Saturday
morning conditions showed some im
provement and there was hope that
the worst was over. During the late
afternoon, however, a cold wind came
up; the thermometer went down and
Sunday morning there was frost with
a flurry of snow. Yesterday was cold
end disagreeable for the most part
of the day and last night there was
again frost with a cold, drizzling rain
about daybreak. The worst of the
wea'.bei conditions came before noon
when the rain ceased and for a few
moments there was a heavy fall of
snow?snow of the large flaked,
watery variety. t
Weather conditions tonight are per
haps the most discouraging in recent
years. A genuine snowstorm came late
this evening and what fruit and veg
etables remained unhurt are prob
ably killed.
Apple Crop Ruined.
Waynesville, April 25.?An unusual
sight greeted early risers this morn
ing?the mountains covered with snow
and the flakes coming down in real
December style. This is the third
snow within ten days, but the former
ones did no damage to fruit and ear
ly vegetables. This one, however, is
more wintry, and the outlook now is
that a freeze will follow the storm
and thousands of dolars will be lost
thereby. The peach crop is abund
ant now and may be too far advanced
to suffer, but the apples are in full
bloom and are in extreme danger of
being nipped.
Heavy Snowfall in Tramylvanla.
Brevard, April 25.?This morning It
i
la snowing to beat the band here.
The ground is already covered with
the snowy fiakos and from present
indications there seems to be no like
lihood of its stopping any time soon.
The leaves on the trees are halt
grown and gardens have been plant
ed. all of which has made it feel and
look very much like springtime, but
the weather man has given us for the
last few days makes it look very
much like winter.
STUDENT VOLUNTEER BAND.
Mission Spirit Strong at the Univer
sity?to Go to Foreign Field.
Chapel Hill, April 27.?The Student
volunteer mission baud received into
membership last week Lee F. Turling
ton, of the senior slass. This band
is now seven strong. The other vol
unteers are Eugene E. Barnette, A.
R. Morgan, W. L. Cooper, J. W. Free
man, C. E. Norman and H. K. Totten.
Barnette goes this summer to Brazil.
Morgan will go to Afghanstan, which
is considered one of the hardest of
the non-Christian fields. Tho last
missionary to this province was mur
dered. Norman, Totten and Turling
ton will be medical missionaries. J.
W. Freeman is leader of tho band.
The volunteer band here at tho Uni
versity is doing a great work. Be
sides keeping alive the spirit of mis
sions among the students the mem
bers of tho band do effective duputa
tion work In the surrounding coun
try. In co-operation with tho twenty
students in the rural Sunday school
extension work tho seven members
of the volunteer band conduct mis
sion rallies at tho various rural Sun
day schools.
Tho mission spirit is stronger here
at the University than it has been in
a col'ege generation. Tho volunteer
baud is larger and more effective than
It has evor been. The student body
has shown a keen interest. Three
hunderd and more students are en
rolled in mission classes. Six hun
dred dollars has aready been subscrib
ed by students to the support of Bar
nette on the field of foreign mission
ary endeavor.
SOME STORIES TIME TELLS.
Government Could Have Bought Morse
Telegraph for $100,000.
It is sixty-five years since the
Postmaster General, acting for the
United States government, inaugura
ted service over the first commerci
ally operated telegraph line In this
country, between Washington and
Baltimore.
On that date (April 1, 1845) Prof.
Morse and his associates offered to
sell his telegraph Invention, now used
in every civilized country, to the gov
ernment for $100,000.
Congress, following one of the most
acrimonious debates in Its history,
appropriated $:I0.000 for the construc
tion of the Washington-Baltimore line
In order that the merits of the inven
tion might be tested and its value as
aa a government perquisite determin
ed should it ever be regarded as a
desirable Federal purchase.
Dismissing the proposition as of too
conjectural a value, the Postmaster
General, to whose Judgment President
Polk deferred, said of the Morse sys
tem:
"Although the invention is an
agent vastly superior to any other de
vised by the genius of man, yet the
operation between Washington and
Baltimore has not satisfied me that
under any rate of postage that can
be adopted its revenue can be made
to cover Its expenditures."
To-day in this country alone the
Morse system is capitalized for $220,
000,000.
Prof. Alexander Graham Bell of
fered to sell his telephone patents to
the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany for $60,000, but the officers of
the company said It was only a toy
and had no commercial value.
This same toy, according to the
annual report of the American Tele
phone and Telegraph Company, Just
issued, earned $150,000,000 last year
and has now more than 5,000,000 tele
phones in use throughout this coun
try.?Washington Herald.
Every Senator speaks to blind Sen
ator Gore, no matter where they
meet him. So expert is Senator Gore
In the matter of sound that he can
distinguish every man In the Senate
by his voice, whether it be In the
elevators, the corridors or one of
the committee rooms.
J
EXPLOSION IN OHIO MINE. ^
Lives of 18 Miners are Snuffed Out
And 7 Bruised and Burned. The In
terior of the Mine Was Wrecked
And All Ventilation Shut Off?The
Cause of Explosion Has Not Beert
Determined.
Stuebenvllle, O., April 22.?The
lives of eighteen miners were snuffed
out In a tremendous explosion In the
Youghiogheny and Ohio Coal Com
pany's mine at Amsterdam last night.
Seven men bruised and burned were
resyued from the mine and their es
cape from death is regarded as mi
raculous. The interior of the mine
was wrecked and all ventilation shut
off. The cause of the explosion has
not been determined by the State
mine Inspectors and mining experts
who are conducting the search of the
wrecked workings for the bodies of
12 victims who have not yet been lo
cated.
The mine had been inspected but
two days before the explosion. From '
the condition of the Interior it is said
the explosion, in point of force, was
the greatest ever recorded In Ohio.
D. L. Ward Succeeds Judge Guison.
Gov. Kltchin has appointed Col.
D. L. Ward, of New Berno, judge of
the Superior Court of the third dis
trict to succeed Hon. O. H. Guion,
resigned. The district is composed
of Pitt, Craven, Green, Carteret,
Jones and I'amlUo counties, and
Ward was strongly endors d in the
district.
Col. Ward vaj a number of the
Governor's staff nnd has served in
the Legislature, lie was the author
of the Ward liquor law. The Watts
law. It will be recalled, restricted
tne manufacture and sale of liquor to
incorporated towns. The Ward law,
passed by the next Legislature, re
stricted the manufacture and sale to
towns of certain size, the restriction
being made to cut out the cross roads
places Incorporated purely to accom
modate liquor dealers.
Judgo Gulon's resignation takes
effect on the 30th.?Ex.
Mothers, Give Attention.
We fail to-understand how any
mother can welcome into the home
for her hoys to read, a newspaper
that carries several largo advertise
ments advising those boys where they
can "buy liquor and soliciting their or
ders for the stuff that can not be
legally sold In the State.?Index.
JOHN T. LEONARD IS SLAIN.
Man Who Robbed Smithfield Postof
fice in 1908 Convicted in Raleigh
And Sentenced to Atlanta Prison
Was Released, Went to New York
And "Blew" on His Pals, One of
Whom Slew Him.
William Banks, Alias "Bangor
Billy," yeggman and postofflce rob
ber, was convicted in New York
Thursday of murder In the first de
gree for having killed John T. Leon
ard, his former partner in crime, who
was convicted in this city in 1908
for robbing the postofflce at Smith
field and sentenced to thg Atlanta
penitentiary. There were several
other criminals who were associated
with him sentenced at the same
I time.
Leonard was released from the At
lanta Penitentiary last Decmeber on
I his promise to aid in the capture of
j the rest of the band with whom he
i had formerly worked. He -went to
Brooklyn and met there with some ot
his pals, who made his house their
headquarters. Leonard kept the Fed
eral authorities posted as to their do
ings. This was learned by the gang,
and Barnes, who will be sentenced on
Monday, slew Leonard In his own
home.?News and Observer.
Benjamin Franklin Aycock, a mem
ber of the Corporation Commission,
died suddenly at his home in Fre
mont Tuesday night. He had been
in poor health for some months. He
was born In Wayno County In 18.">"
and was a brother of ex-Governor
Aycock. Mr. Aycock represented his
district In tfa'e State Senate four
times, In 1889, 1891, 1901 and 1907.
He was elected a member of the Cor
poration Commission lu 1908 and as
sumed the position In January. 1909.
He was one of the State's leading
citizens and will be sadly missed, not
only in his community, but through
out the State.