?jr jvmittjfiHd Xeralb.
VOL. 29 SMITHFIELD, N. C., FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 1910 Number 26
$1.00 per Year Education Good Roads Good Health Progress 5 cents ^ Copy
OLDEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD.
Mme. Baba Vaillka Was Bom in
May, 1784 and Still Lives. Cen
ury Spent On a Farm. Native of
Bavelsko, Bulgaria, Lives on Pen
sion Paid by Descendants Who
Number More Than Hundred. Ev
ents of Her Earlier Career More
pi?tinctly Impress on Her Mind.
Berlin, Aug. 20.?The claim of
Frau Dutkiewitz, of Posen, born on
February 21, 1785, to be the oldest
wr.man In the world, Is now conlest
ed by Mme. Baba Vallska, who was
bom In May, 1784, In the little Bul
garian village of Vavelsko, where
she has lived ever since. The rec
ord of her birth Is preserved in a
neighboring monastery of the Or
thodox Greek faith.
She is the daughter of a peasant,
aud has worked herself as a peasant
up till a comparatively recent date.
For more than 100 years she regular
ly worked in the fields, according to
the custom of her country, where
women are employed in all sorts of
manual labor.
The events of her life up to the
time when she attained the age of
i igbty are far more distinctly im
pressed on her mind than the hap
penings of the last forty-six years.
Her son Todor, following the fam
ily tradition, has also worked in the
fields as a peasant nearly all his life,
but he has also taken part in various
wars and rebellions in the Balkan
peninsular. He is not quite so fresh
and vigorous as his mother, although
hp is still capable of doing a good
day's work, and enjoying such small
luxuries of life as a pipe and the
tTr ng spirits drunk by the Bulgar
ian populace.
The oldest woman in the world is
said to enjoy fairly good eyesight and
good hearing, and she is able to
walk without support. She lives on
a pension paid to her by many of
her descendants, who number more
than 100.
THE THIRD DEGREE.
Prof. Burdick Accuses Police of Ex
torting Confessions by Torture.
"Being somewhat familiar with this
country, and having witnessed arrests
In such cities as New York, Chicago,
St. Louis, and San Francisco, and
comparing the treatment accorded to
the rougher class of petty wrongdoers
in America with the methods of the
police in London (Whitechapel dis
trict), Paris, Berlin, and even Con
stantinople (during the revolution of
1908), I believe there is no doubt that
the American policeman leads the
world in his unnecessary and brutal
use of the club.
"Brushing aside these minor mat
ters, what about the treatment of
prisoners arrested for felonies, from
whom the police desire to obtain evi
dence? The mere arrest may be
quietly made, but then comes, in
many cases, that American iniquity
known as 'the sweatbox.' 'the third
degree.'
"A Chinaman is arrested for a
Tieinous crime. He is placed in a
cell; continually questioned by a
relay of detectives and other offi
cials; forcefully kept without sleep
for two or more days, in the expecta
tion that the mental torture and the
physical exhaustion will become so
&cute that he will be glad to confess
in order to obtain relief.
"A woman is arrested for murder;
at midnight the corpse of the victim
is brought to her cell, that the dra
matic horror of the scene may com
pel her to 'confess.'
"Another prisoner is denied food,
another is brutally beaten, 'slugged'
Is the word, nutll he t? forced to
speak. Other atrocities are prac
ticed, such as highly salting the
food, and denying the water to the
victims; placing them in solitary con
finement, or in bitterly cold cells,
when the weather aids, or in fright
fully superheated rooms at other
times. Red pepper has been blown
into their cells and other indignities
'oo numerous to mention perpetrated
in order that a 'confession' may be
tortured from the helpless wretch.''
~Prof. W. L. Burdlck, In the Yale
l*w Journal.
In the past five years about 50
''**? have been lost In France In
>ubmarine boat disasters.
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETS.
The Resignaion of Prof. J. P. Carta
day Accepted and Prof. L. T. Roy
all, of Benson, was Elected o Suc
ceed Him.
The County Board of Education met
here yesterday in called session to
consider the resignation of Prof. J.
P. Canada}', County Superintendent
of Schools. For the past several
#eks Prof. Canaday has been in
failing health and realizing that he
could not do justice to the great
work committed to him, he sent his
resignation to the Chairman of the
Board last Saturday.
At the meeting of the Board here
yesterday Prof. Canaady's resignation
was accepted and Prof. L. T. Roy^ll,
I Superintendent of the Benson High
School, was elected to succeed him.
Prof. Canaday's friends throughout
j the county, and they are many,
will learn with much regret that he
had to give up the work in which he
was so much interested. And their
hopes and prayers will be for his
complete restoration to health.
The selection of Prof. Royall to
succeed Prof. Canaday will meet with
the approval of the friends of edu
cation all over the county. He has
been in charge of the Benson school
for the past few years and has built
up one of the best schools in the
County.
RALEIGH'S HOME COMING.
Thousands of North Carolinians
have migrated to all parts of the
country. This State has played a
great part in the winning of the west
and in the development of all sec
tions. North Carolina virility, pluck
and ability have proved notable fac
and ability have proved notable fac
tors in many other States. People
from the Old North State have set
their mark everywhere but have nev
er lost their love for their mothr
State, North Carolina. Complete ar
rangements have been made for a
great "Home-Coming Jubilee and Re
union" for all persons born in North
Carolina; this is to be held at Ral
eigh during the fiftieth State Fair,
October 17-22. Mayor J. S. Wynne is
chairman and Fred A. Olds secretary
of the committee which has this mat
ter in charge and they desire to ob
tain the names and addresses, as
far as possible, of any people from
this community who now reside in
other States, in order that invita
tions may be sent them.
COMES TO LIFE IN COFFIN.
Boy, Thought Dead from Injuries,
Causes Shock to Watchers.
Pittsburg, Pa., Aug. 24.?Stanley
Zonchesky, eleven years old, who
was struck and terribly mangled by
a Baltimore and Ohio passenger train
yesterday and taken for dead, caused
wild panic in his north side home to
day when his parents ran from the
house shrieking, "Our boy has come
to life.''
Young Zonchesky was palying with
I companions when Injured yesterday.
I He was carried home, his crushed
j body showing all signs of dissolution,
J according to physicians. The lad's
mother and father summoned an un
dertaker.
At an early hour to-day, while the
mother and father watched in the
room where their son lay, apparently
dead in his coffin, the lad sighed.
Physicians were immediately call
ed, but little hope is expressed for
the lad's ultimate recovery.
Neither Godwin Nor Clark.
The special committee appointed to
I investigate the muddle in the Sixth
district in which both Hannibal L.
; Godwin and O. L. Clark are claiming
| 'o be the nominee for Congress made
i Iti report to the Democratic Exe
? cur.ive Committee in session In Ral
eigh Wednesday night and declared
lhat reither Godwin nor Clark was
duly and lawfully nominated. The
tommittee ordered a voting primary
to be held in the district sometime
not later than September 15th under
rules to be prescribed by the eom
TiUteo.
Emperor Francis Joseph of Aus
tria and Hungary celebrated his
80th birthday anniversary last week.
SAD KILLING IN CLEVELAND.
Last Saurday Mr. Ransom Bridgers
Shot Mr. Oko Coats, Killing Him
Almost Instantly. Bridgers Was
Arrested and Placed In the Cus
tody of An Officer. Solicitor
Agreed to a Fifteen Hundred Bond |
For His Appearanc > At Court.
Mr. M. P. Coats, commonly known
as Oko Coats, of Cleveland town- J
| ship, was killed last Saturday after- >
I noon by Mr. Hansom Bridgers who j
i used a shot gun. Last year Mr. |
| Coats lived on some land belonging1
to a brother of Mr. Bridgers. It j
seems Mr. Ransom Bridgers had j
something to do with settling the
rent. At the close of the season
Mr. Coats claimed that Mr. Bridgers
owed him ninety-eight cents. They
had talked the matter over between
themselves a time or two. Last Sat
urday morning Mr. Bridgers went out
hunting and stopped at the home of
John McCullers, a negro. He was
making cider and asked Mr. Bridgers
to remain and help him. About ten
o'clock Mr. Coats, In company with
another man, went to the negro to
buy some cider. They drank about
a half gallon and then filled up a
two gallon jug which they took with
them on a buggy. Before Mr. Coats
left he had some words with Mr.
Bridgers about their account. About
two o'clock Mr. Coats came back)
to the cider press and he and Mr.
Bridgers had a quarrel. It is said
that Mr. Coats pursued Mr. Bridgers
around a house to the place where
j Mr. Bridgers had left his gun. The
quarrel grew worse, some times Mr.
Coats would give back and some tim(t
he would advance on Mr. Bridgers.
Neither of them showed any disposi
tion to leave the place or give over
his side of the matter. Finally Mr.
Coats made another advance and
when he was about six steps from
Mr. Bridgers was shot just below the
heart. It is said his heart could be
seen from the shot wound. Mr.
Coats exclaimed: "O Lordy," and
turning, walked off a few steps and
fell. He was taken home on a bug
gy. His life was gone in less than
an hour after the shooting. Mr.
Bridgers was arrested and sent here
Sunday and was placed in the cus
tody of Mr. Z. L. LeMay at the ho
tel. On Tuesday the case was set
for a hearing at Goldsboro before
Judge W. R. Allen. Instead of the
hearing, arrangements were made
with Solicitor Armlstead Jones for
Mr. Bridgers to give a fifteen hun
dred dollar bond to appear at court.
Bridgers gave the required bond
and was released from custody.
HOKE SMITH WINS IN GEORGIA.
Beats Joe Brown by 4,000 Popular
Majority.
Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 24.?Former Gov
ernor Hoke Smith won the nomina
tion for governor over the Incumbent,
Joseph M. Brown. Smith's popular
majority in the State was approxi
mately 4,000. Two years ago Brown,
whom Governor Smith had removed
as chairman of the State Railroad
Commissioner, defeated Smith for re
election by a popular majority of
more than 10,000. Smith's majority in
the convention will be about 35 votes.
Among the few contests for other
Slate offices, J. A. Perry won over
O. B. Stevens for railroad commis
si* ner; M. L. Brittain defeated B.
M. Zettler for State school commis
sioner; T. S. Felder won over the
incumbent, Hewlett A. Hall, for At
torney General.
SIX DIE FROM HEAT.
Hot Wave Lasts for Weeks In North
ern Texas.
Dallas, Tex., Aug., 24.?The Intense
heat caused six deaths in Dallas and
Fort Worth last night and to-day. The
hot wave has continued unabated
since the beginning of August, the
mercury reaching every day to not
less than 100 in the shade, and
yesterday going to 106 degrees.
Team of His Own.
"So Bronson doesn't play on your
! ball team any more?''
"No; he's married, settled down
and is the father of twins."
"I see; he has a bawl team of his
own."?Boston Transcript.
i
McMURRAY GETS RICH ON FEES.
Holds Many Contracts Wit'i Indians
And all at Big Figures. Still Want
ing More. His Productive Dealings
With Tribes Brought Out at Hear
ing.
Sulphur, Okla., August 19.?It was
brought out to-day in the testimony1
of J. P. Me Murray before the con
gressional committee investigating
Indian land affairs, that he held as
many as half a dozen contracts with
the Indians for legal services all i
convening the same period of time. |
Mr. McMurray testified that for
general services he had two contracts
with the Chickasaws at $5,000 a year j
each, two with the Choctaws at
$5,000 a year each, and another con-1
tract for special services at a fee j
only $3,000 of which was paid; a
yearly expense allowance of $2,700,
under one contract, and other gen
eral expense allowances amounting to
$180,000.
All of this money was in addition
to the $750,000 allowed his law firm
as a contingent fee in the citizen
ship cases and in addition also to
the contracts by which he now seeks
to obtain 10 per cent., or $3,000,000 as
a contingent fee on the sale of $30,
000,000 worth of asphalt and coal
lands.
"How is it that having so many
contracts to represent the Indians
generally on regular salaries, you got
a special contract on a contingent
fee basis every time any special case
bobbed up?" asked Representative
13. W. Saunders, of Virginia, a mem
ber of the commission.
Mr. McMurray replied that he had
been identified with the Indians for
so many years that they had come to
look to him to t ke care of their af
fairs. He said hardly an act had
been passed by their tribal councils
without the sanction of his legal firm.
Many of the expense allownaces, the
witness said, had been collected by
him without the knowledge of the
Department of the Interior. Also, he
said, many acts passed by the tribal
legisalture were not submitted to the
President of the United Sates as
it was asserted was required.
Asked by Representative Miller, of
Minnesota, whether his work had not
tended to lead the Indians away
from a close relationship with *he
government, Mr. McMurray said he
always had done his utmost to bring
the Indians and the government to
gether.
Chilly Weather Is On Its Way Here.
Washington, August 21.?Chilly wea
ther is on its way, according to the
general forecast for the coming week,
issued by Professor Willis L. Moore,
chief of the Weather Bureau. The
chilly wave will begin its sweep
across the country the middle of the
week, starting from the Northwestern
States and reaching the Atlantic
coast by Fridaj' or Saturday. Its ap
pearance will be rendered the more
disagreeable by reason of the fact
that it will be preceded by moderate
ly warm weather, so that the drop
in temperature will be the more se
verely felt. As a result of the sud
den change, there will be almost con
tinuous showers in the Southeastern
States. During last week tempera
tures slightly below the normal ruled
throughout the country, and there
were light frosts in the extreme
Northwest.
Little Gracie Whitley Dead.
On last Wednesday morning, Au
gust 17, the death angel visited the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Whitley
and took from them their little
daughter Gracie. She had been sick
about three weeks. All that could
be done for her was done, but God
knew best and He took little Gracie
to a brighter world than this. She
was a year and six months old. Her
stay on earth was short and she will
be missed so much by her kind and
loving parents. She will be missed
by her two little sisters, Robelia and
Callie. Grade's funeral was preach
ed by Rev. Worley Creech at eleven
o'clock on Thursday and she was
buried at Antloch church. Weep not,
kind parents, for Gracie Is only sleep
ing and waiting for you.
A FRIEND.
The population of Canada on March
31 was 7.489,781.
FELL 1,000 FEET TO DEATH.
Lieut. Vivaldi, of Italy, Is Killed In
Aeroplane In the First Flight of
His Machine.
Rome, Aug. 20.?Marquis Vivaldi, a
lieutenant ill the Italian army, was
killed this morning by a 1,000-foot
fall in his aeroplane. He had made
a trip In the early morning hours j
from the military aviation field at >
Centocelle to Civita Vecchia, on the
Mediterranean Sea, 88 miles from
Rome, and was returning to Rome
when the accident happened. A few
miles outside of Rome, for some un
explained reason, the motor stopped,
and the machine dashed to the earth,
crushing the olficer Into an unrecog
nizable mass.
Lieut. Vivaldi had returned earlier
from Chalons-Sur-Marne, France. He
used a Fartnan biplane. He started
from Centlcelle, accompanied by
Lieut. Savoia In another aeroplane,
but the latter was unable to keep
pace with him in the race, and re
turned to Rome before reaching Civ
ita Vecchia.
Lieut. Vivaldi was a member of a
noble Genoese family, and had the
title of marquis. He was a brilliant
cavalry officer. He took his cer
tificate as an aviator at Chalons-Sur
Marne, and having purchased a Far
man biplane made his first flight with
it to-day. He was accompanied by
Lieut. Savoia, one of the Wright
pupils.
NEWS NOTES OF INTEREST.
Central Vermont engineers will re
ceive an average wage increase of
20 per cent.
Independent Democrats of Tennes
see will hold their convention In
Nashville September 14.
Ten cases of bubonic plague were
reported at Guayaquil, Ecuador, dur
ing the first fortnight of August.
After killing his wife, John O'Keefe,
of Montreal, shot himself dead be
fore his six little children Friday.
The population of St. Louis is
687.029, an Increase of 111,791, or 19.4
per cent., as compared with 575,238 in
1900.
The Georgia lower House has pass
ed a bill prohibiting night work for
messenger boys under 16 years of
age.
Census returns for Atlanta, (,1a.,
154,839, an increase of 64,967, or?I2
per cent as compared with 89,^*2 in"
1900.
The Massachusetts Cotton Mills-in.
Lowell shut down until September 6,
throwing 2500 operatives out of
work.
The population of Detroit is 465,
766, an increase of 180,062, or a 63
per cent as compared with 285,704 in
1900.
There were 222 business failures In
the United States for the week ending
August 18, against 231 for the week
previous.
The Louisville conference of the
M. E. Church, South, will be held in
Russelville, September 28. Bishop
J. C. Kilgo, of Durham, N. C., will
preside.
Woolen mills in Sanford, Kenne
bunk and Springvale, Me., will be ope
rated four days a week because of
few orders received. About 2000
workers are affected.
The output of pig iron in the Uni
ted States forms a record for the
first half of the year. It was over
14,761,000 tons, which Is 1,500,000 tons
more than In any previous half-year.
After three weeks, during which
time 700 veniremen were examined,
twelve men were sworn in as a Jury
in Chicago Friday to try the case of
Lee O'Neil Browne, charged with
bribery.
Tuberculosis is the greatest scouige
of overcrowded Vienna. Seventy
persons in 10,000 die from this dis
ease In the working class quarters,
as compared with sixteen in the
other districts.
Work of Providence.
"The man died eating watermel
ons," someone said to Brother Dlck
ey.
"Yes, suh," he said, "Providence
sometimes puts us in paradise befo'
we gits ter heaven."?Atlanta Con
stitution.
MAN DIED IN THE CHURCH.
Mr. William Melvin Expire# Sudden
ly in White Oak Baptist Church
On the Night He Had Intended
to Join?Sermon Was Preached
While Body Lay Dead.
Aa Elizabethtown correspondent
of the llalelgh News and Observer
tells this remarkable story, which
appeared In Tuesday's issue:
A very unusual occurrence took
place at White Oak Baptist church,
about twelve miles from here last
week. A revival meeting was in
progress. Evangelist A. Corey, of
Jamusv;i>, N. C., was conducting
the meeting, and had been preach
ins about ten days. There are a
great number of people living in and
around the village, and great
crowds were attending the services,
regularly. There seemed to be a
coldness !n the church and he had
been preaching very strong gospel
sermons and making strong appeals
to the church people in warning
them of their duty and people all
around were waking up to their
Christian obligations.
On last Tuesday night Mr. William
Melvin who was about fifty-five years
of age, and had given up the church
some years ago, was warned to a
sense of duty, and desiring again to
take a firm and decided stand for his
Creator, he ate a hearty supper, walk
i-d a mile or more to church and was
there early. It was his custom to
sit in the rear of the church when
he would attend any service, but on
this occasion he went up to the very
front. In the amen corner. There
had been several songs and prtyers,
and taking a seat among the breth
ren he seemed to be enjoying the
devotional part of the service, when
Mr. Corey had just read the lesson
for the evening, Luke, 16th chapter,
verses 19-31, the lesson of the "Rich
Man and Lazarus," and made a brief
prayer and just as the people were
rising from the .praying position. Mr.
Melvin, who had bowed arose in his
seat and just as he arose, death
struck him. The men next to him
caught him and before they could
place him on the carpet in the aisle
he was dead, there being about
five hundred in the congregation,
the people began to arise to their
feet almost ready to go in a regu
lar panic, but quick thought and
splendid management on the part of
Mr. Coruy, the congregation was
brought to their senses and quietly
seated, and just what was to be
"done must be decided quickly," so
the Evangelist consulted the church
officers; they said proceed with the
service, and everybody seemd to
ralize that God was there in per
son and power. So well was the
situation managed no one became
specially excited. A short sermon
on the "Way to Heaven," the sub
ject having been previously an
nounced. was preached and no change
made. A splendid picture was shown
of the two ways shown in the scrip
ture and when the appeal was made
many came forward to pray, from the
boys to old gray haired sinners.
It was a great sermon indeed. Af
ter the service was concluded the
congregation was quietly dismissed
and the dead man taken out and
carried to his home. He was buried
in the cemetery belonging to the
church and adjoining the church
lot.
Mr. Melvln came to the church
that night to reunite, but died be
fore the opportunity was given. He
leaves a wife and two daughters
and one son.
Mr. Cannon To Fall.
Mr. Cannon need not concern him
self much over the question whether
he shall be a candidate for Speaker
in the next House in the improbable
event of Its containing a Republican
majority. California has Just nomi
nated two Insurgents to replace Reg
ulars in the House. In Nebraska the .
Insurgents have named five of the six
Republican candidates for Congress.
If he prefers to die with his boots on
he will undoubtedly be gratified. It
would hurt Mr. Cannon a great deal
less to be beaten by a Democratic
majority than to be defeated In the
Republican caucus, and the Indications
are that he will get it both ways -
Philadelphia Record.