North Carolina Newspapers

lawson says HENRY TOLI) him Names McAdoo As Cabinet Officer In Stock Scandal. Positive and Em phatic Denials Come Promptly From All the Accused. Chairman Henry Goes on the Stand. Swore That at No Time Had He Mentioned to Law son Names Financier Brought Out On Witness Stand. (News and Observer.) Washington, Jan 15. ? Thomas W. Lawson, haled before the House Rules Committee to tell what he knew or had heard about a stock market leak on President Wilson's peace note or be punished, calmly declared today that the mysterious Congressman who told him a Cabinet officer and Senator and a banker were engaged in a stock gambling pool was none other than Representative Henry, chairman of the committee. Then before his hearers had time to recover from the shock, Lawson sprung one sensation after the other by declaring that the Cabinet officer referred to was Secretary McAdoo; that the banker was H. Pliny Fisk, of New York, and that he knew the Sena tor only by the initial "O." To complete the explosion, Lawson went on to charge that Paul M. War burg, of the Federal Reserve Board, had knowledge of the leak machinery; repeated a rumor that Count Von Bernstorff, the German ambassador, had made two millions in the stock market, and to mention a list of well known men whom he thought should be questioned. The committee prompt ly issued subpoenas for all of them. Mr. Lawson said he had been told that Malcolm McAdoo, the Secretary's brother, knew of the leak, as did C. D. Barney & Co., and Stuart G. Gibboney, of New York. A Mrs. Ruth Thomason Visconti, of this city, he said, had de clared to him in the presence of her attorney that Secretary Tumulty "re ceived his bit" and that W. W. Price, one of the White House correspond ents, was "the go-between for Tu multy and others." * * * When Lawson had finished his re cital, Chairman Henry took the stand and swore that at no time had he men tioned to Lawson the names the finan cier brought out on the winess stand; that he had no information then, and none now of his own knowledge, and denied generally and completely all of Lawson's testimony relating to him. ^ When he had concluded, Lawson rose and solemnly declared that every word he had uttered on the stand was the "truth, so help me God, without variation." To back it up, Lawson said that im mediately after leaving Henry at their first conference, he laid his in formation before John O'Hara Cos grove, Sunday editor of the New York World; Erman J. Ridgway, president of Everybody's Magazine, and Don ald McDonald, publisher of a Boston financial paper. "Call these men," he demanded, "and they will bear me out in what I say." Almost in tears at Henry's absolute denial of his statements Lawson shouted : "I'll make good here, and I won't go to jail as the goat." Secretaries McAdoo and Tumulty and Mr. Price at once issued state ments denying Lawson's references to them. The committee promptly order ed subpoenas for Ridgway, Cosgrove, Warburg, Fisk, Price, White, Malcolm McAdoo, Gibboney, Barney and Com pany, Mrs. Visconti and John R. Ra thom, editor of the Providence Jour nal, who published some articles about "Leaks." Secretary Tumulty and Mc Adoo, will appear without subpoena. With that the committee adjourned until tomorrow morning, to resume its hearing on the most dramatic charges of scandal the capital has seen in years. Snow and Ice In the South. The Southern States from Virginia to Texas are having some wintry weather this week. At Memphis, Ten nessee, the snow attained a depth of five inches. Greensboro had the rough est weather of the winter yesterday and Charlotte was getting acquaint ed with winter's chilling blast. Snow has fallen in Mississippi, Eastern Arkansas, and Texas. Sleet and ice are present in many States. The man who loses his temper can n^t find th# road to success.-"? Ex COTTON RISES THEN, REACTS. Renewed Liquidation Follows Further Sharp Rise. Ginning Figures Discounted. The reaction in cotton, which many had expected and predicted, came around mid-week, but only after a further substantial upturn. Specula tive holders were much encouraged by additional gains at the outset, fol lowing last Saturday's sharp rise, and the May and July options subsequent ly crossed the 19-cent basis before the advance was definitely checked. Thus, there has been a recovery of about $12 a bale from the low levels reached on the December slump, while spots have rallied fully as much. With the market regaining so much ground in less than a month, many on the long side were disposed to realize, and un der pressure of liquidation, partly in duced by the depression in stocks and grain, prices lost about 40 points net on Wednesday, while the tendency was decidedly irregular in the later dealings. With 11,045,225 bales ginned up to January 1, the Census Bureau's gin ning report on Tuesday about met expectations, and was not much of an influence one way or another. The figures compared with 10,(536,778 in the previous year, but the ginning from December 12 to the end of that month was only 200,552 bales, as compared with 330,469 in 1915 and 470,917 in 1914. In fact, the total was the smallest for the period in many years, and many people called the showing bullish. Yet others think that the aggregate of over 11,000,000 bales foreshadows a larger crop than the 11,511,000 bales, excluding lint ers(/ estimated by the government in December, and it is regarded as sig nificant that the ginning in some States already has exceeded the offi cial allowance. ? Dun's Review, 13th. GENERAL NEWS ITEMS. An explosion in the Fushun col liery in Manchuria Saturday buried 900 Chinese miners, say despatches received at Tokio. Only 138 have been saved so far and it is feared the oth ers have perished. m ? # Every American citizen over sixty five who is incapable of manual la bor, and whose annual income is less than $200, would get a pension of $2 a week under a bill before the House Pension Committee. Representative Sherwood, of Ohio, is author of the bill. * * * The estate of Col. William F. Cody, who died at Denver Wednesday, has been estimated by Judge W. L. Wall, for years Colonel Cody's attorney, at not less than $65,000. It consists, in the main, of three ranches near Cody, Wyo., and an equity in a hotel in that town. * * * Four men were killed and two se riously injured Saturday when an ex press train on the Pennsylvania Railroad ploughed through a gang of section hands at Bellevue, near Wil mington, Delaware. The men had steped from the path of a freight train directly in front of the ex press. * * * Wheat, ncludng flour, exports from NorthyAmerica for the week ending January 11 aggregates 8,006,415 bushels, against 6,502,961 the pre ceding week. For the twenty-eight weeks ending January 11 exports are 200,353,536 bushels, against 228,797, 863 bushels in the corresponding pe riod last year. ? * * The nation's food supply has failed to keep pace with the growth in pop ulation during the past sixteen years, according to figures just completed by the Department of Agriculture. While the population has increased about 33 per cent during this period, statistics show there has been a de cline in per capita production of foods constituting 75 per cent of the country's diet. ? * * Eggs at 7% cents each before the winter is over and 75-cent eggs within two weeks is the forecast of Dr. R. H. McKenzie, president of the Chi cago Poultry Breeders' Club. He says speculators have only 15,000,000 eggs left in storage in Chicago, with the consumption averaging 1,000,000 eggs a day. Eggs sold at 58 to 60 cents Saturday. Potatoes are retailing at $'^40 per bushel, the highest in forty years. THE NEWS IN SELMA. Talk of Celebrating Selma's Fiftieth Birthday. W. M. Weeks Made Chief of Police. Death of Mrs. l'atsey Jane Blackman. A Hospital Needed In Selma. Selma, Jan. 15. ? Mr. J. II. Griffin, our Chief of Police, tendered his res ignation a few days ago, which was accepted, and Mr. W. M. Weeks was elected to fill the vacancy. Mr. A. Byron Sreech, a former citizen of our town, was here Monday shaking hands with his many friends. Mr. Creech now has a nice position with a cigar manufactory to sell ci gars in Texas and Oklahoma. We are always glad to hear of the success of our boys wherever they may be. Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Spiers and sons, J. A., Jr., and Harry Louis, spent the week-end with Dr. and Mrs. R. J. Noble. Miss Alice Noble, of Chapel Hill, spent a few days with her cousin, Miss Anne S. Noble. She returned to her home Wednesday morning. Mr. E. D. Parker, who has been at Rex Hospital for an operation for appendicitis, returned home Sunday, feeling fine, and looking much better than when he went to the hospital. Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. Deihl re turned from their weddtng tour to Jacksonville and Atlanta last Friday. We wish them a long and prosperous life. Rev. John A. McMurray, of Char lotte, spent Monday with Mr. M. A. Hooks, at the Wyoming. The pastor of the M. E. Church, Rev. Mr. Proctor, is drawing large crowds to his services, at the Wed nesday night prayer meeting as well as the Sunday night's services; and at his last Wednesday night prayer meeting, he put up as the motto: "If I can, God expects it." This has put a great many to thinking. Mr. W. M. Weeks, our new Police, has moved into Mrs. Noel's house on Raiford street, where Tie can see the "speeders" ? and by the way, it is "Raiford" street and not "Raeford" as some spell it. "Raiford" street was fiamed for Mr. Patrick Raiford, of Princeton, who was at the time Selma was started, Road aMster on the North Carolina Railroad in 18G7. As this year 1917 makes Selma just fif ty years old, why can't Selma cele brate on May 1st? It is customary to do such things and the exercises could be made very interesting. Dr. Noble is now the oldest citizen of the town and Mr. H. D. Hood the next. The town was laid off in April, 1867, by Mr. John W. Sharp, and the lots sold on May 1, 1867. So the day of the sale of lots was the birthday of Selma. What say the people of Selma as to the celebration? We regret to announce the death of Mrs. Patsey Jane Blackman, of our town, which occurred Friday last. She was one of our oldest citizens, though she had not lived in town but a few years. She was born about one mile west of town at the old "Peedin Place." She has seen Selma grow from a turpentine distillery to its present size. She leaves to mourn their loss three sons, James, John and Noble Blackman, and five daugh ters, Mrs. W. Mills Rose, of Prince ton; Mrs. Walter Rix, of Rocky Mount; Mrs. J. F. Brown, of Selma, and Misses Effie and Leone Blackman of Selma. She was buried at the Pee din grave yard from* the Baptist church, Rev. C. E. Stevens, the pastor, officiating. The following were pall bearers: Messrs. W. B. Roberts, Pres ton Mozingo, S. R. Lee, J. M. Oneal, W. D. Anderson and Wade Brannnn. All her sons and daughters with their husbands, wives and children were present. A good woman has gone to her reward She has been a member of the church since early girlhood. There is a great need for a hospital here. Why cannot the old Academy be given by the School Trustees to the town for a Hospital? At very little cost the building could be made an ideal Hospital. The people of the town would take an interest in the Hospit al, and it would be a success from the beginning. EL I'ASO BABY CROP FINE Triplets Born To Six Mothers There In December. Austin, Texas, Jan. 12. ? Triplets were born to six mothers in El Paso in December, according to a report is sued by Dr. W. A. Davis, State Reg istrar of Vital Statistics. CHILDREN LOSE LIVES IN FIRE. 192 Were Burned to Death Last Year. Mrs. Juhn S. Cunningham Talks to (?uilford Teachers on Necessity For Fire Prevention. (Greensboro News) The second quarterly meeting of the Guilford County Teachers' asso. liation yesterday heard an address by Mrs. John C. Cunningham, who has charge of the educational work of the State Insurance Department. She talked to the teachers on "Safety First." She explained first the work of the department under which she is working that it does not sell insur ance, but supervises the insurance companies doing business in the State; collects insurance and pays over to the State thus materially helping to run the machinery of the State. The department also prose cutes men who are selling fraudulent insurance. James R. Young, who is at the head of the department, made his department the best State insur ance department in the United States, she stated. Fire drills to teach the children to get out of a building quickly were urged by Mrs. Cunningham, especial ly if the building is a two-story structure, as manyj of the school buildings of the State have poorly constructed stairways. She asked the teachers to try to keep the boys from smoking and especially to warn the little tots about carelessness in hand ling matches. "This carelessness costs us many fires each year, and we be lieve it is time for the State to take a hand in it," stated Mrs. Cunning ham. "This State loses every year about $3,000,000 worth of property, and $2,0.00,000 of that amount is caus ed by carelessness. Last year in the State 192 children were burned to death. No one burned these children intentionally. A fender before the fire costs about 50 cents, and yet year af ter year these little tots too small to have any sense of danger fall too near the fire and are burned to death. I am urging the mothers to see that there are fenders put around open fires. In the schools of the State I find all kinds of stoves, and not one in five is set up right. The most of them are set right on the floor, and the pipes run all the way across the building and are hung so loosely that a little jar will knock them down. "I have often been very much struck with the carelessness with which the school grounds in the south are kept. If you could visit the school grounds in the north you would be surprised to see that there is not a particle of leaves or trash around the school buildings. It does not take any money to pick up the papers and brush around the school buildings. These things blow back under the school buildings and around the fence and are a source of danger." REPORTS SHOW GREAT GAIN. Three Billion Dollars In Mineral Production. In 1880, when the output of the mines of the United States barely ex ceeded in value one-third of a billion dollars, the first Director of the Unit ed States Geological Survey made this prophecy: "The mineral indus tries of the United States will soon reach an annual money yield of a thousand million dollars of value." This mark was in fact attained in 1899. Speaking before the American Min ing Congress in November, 1907, an other Director of the Geological Sur vey referred to the probability that that year would mark an epoch in the mineral industry by reason of the mineral output reacing two billion dollars in value, and later the com plete statistics verified this state ment. Now less than 10 years later the advance estimates submitted by the Geological Survey to the Secreta ry of the Interior indicate that the total value of mineral production in 1910 may reach the three billion mark. News comes out from Washington City that Admiral Dewey is desperate ly ill, and has only a few hours to live. The Admiral just a short time ago celebrated his 79th birthday. The Nation will mourn the passing of the Hero of Manilla Bay. On account of weather conditions and the Census report of December consumption, d about three dollars yesterday. Orleans RAPID CHANGES IN WHEAT. Markets Apparently Overbought and Early Gains Are Subsequently Lost. With prices rallying: about 35 cents in less than a month, it was not strange that wheat should have ex perienced re-action this week. The trend on the opening day was decis ively upward, mainly because of small cash offerings, and the revival of speculative confidence was reflect ed in predictions that new high levels would be established. Yet the markets apparently were in an overbought condition and when pressure was ap plied ground was rapidly lost, stop orders being uncovered on the decline. Renewed talk of peace accelerated the break, which carried the May de livery at Chicago back below $1.81 and Jyly under $l.4(>, against $1.90 and $1.55, respectively, touched in the early trading. Underlying sentiment, however, continues bullish on the sup ply and demand situation, though di vergent views are expressed as to the probable extent of future European buying. In view of the rapid fluctuations in wheat, it is not surprising that the flour trade continues unsettled. Val ues have been revised upward to conform with the recent sharp ad vance in the raw material, though when wheat reacted around mid-week flour did likewise. Business in the local market has Jaecn disappointing since the year opened, as buyers are holding off as much as possible and sellers are not pressing for business, owing to the apparent scarcity of cash wheat. Production of flour at Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Duluth during the latest week amounted to 280,000 barrels against 205,000 in the previous week and 448,000 barrels a year ago, according to the North western Miller. ? Dun's Review. STATE NEWS. Beginning next Monday the banks of Wilson will close at 2 P. M. each day except Saturday. ? ? ? Private William Henson, of Com pany D, Second North Carolina in fantry, died at the base hospital at El Paso, Texas, Saturday, of pneu monia. His home was in Goldsboro, N. C. He was 18 years old. ? * * Leaping upon a taxi driven by Sid ney French, white, in which was J. Fred Taylor, president of the Kin ston Cotton Mills, shortly afternoon Saturday at Kinston, a masked "man" struck Taylor with the butt of a re volver, compelled French to drive them out of the city, and escaped with about $1,800 taken from Taylor. The money was intended to be paid to a portion of the mill employes. * * * After having been quoted at 18 cents for several days the past week, cotton on the Wilmington market Sat urday dropped to 17 Vs. Receipts have been rather light recently, only 103 bales being received there Saturday, according to records kept by the Chamber of Commerce. This makes a total for the season of 74,864 bales. On the same date last year receipts were 379 bales, to 138,395 for the season. The price quoted was 11% cents. * * * John D. Austin, well known i throughout Robeson and adjoining counties, was killed instantly Satur day afternoon when an oil tank wag . on he was driving was struck by an Atlantic Coast Line passenger train ; on the Bennettsville branch at the D. A. Patterson crossing a mile or > two south of Maxton. A gin house i near the railroad and the public road, it is believed, prevented Mr. Austin seeing the approaching train and the engineer from seeing the tank wagon until it was too late to avert the ac cident. The birth place of Jefferson Davis, Fairview, Ky., is to witness the erec tion of the highest monument in the i world barring the Washington mem irial. The obelisk is to be 350 feet i high and will cost $150,000. General i Julian S. Carr, one of the three great ! Southern Confederate leaders, upon ! whom has been imposed the task of memorializing the former president of the Southern Confederacy, an i nonnccd the tentative plans at Dur ham Saturday before leaving on his ; three months tour through Japan i and China with the Honorary Com merce Commission of America. TEUTON GAINS AND LOSSES. Advance on Sereth Line But Lose in KeRion of kasino Kiver. German Attack Near Lake Babit Said to Have Been Repulsed. British At tain Foothold in German Trenches at Serre. Artillery Active. The war news of Saturday is thus summarized in Sunday's Columbia State: Further successes by the Teutonic allies on the lower line of the Sereth river near its junction with the Dan ube, officially reported Saturday, are partly offset by a Rumanian advance and the capture of trenches of the Austro-Germans along the Moldavian fronter, in the region of the Kasino river. At another point on the Molda vian frontier, north of the Slanic val ley, the invading army delivered a strong attack and drove the Russians from a height, capturing some ma chine guns, mine throwers and 174 men. Fierce fighting along the lower Sereth line resulted in the capture by Turkish troops of the Rumanian town of Mihalea, northwest of Braila, and 400 men of its garrison. Others of the defending force, attempting to escape, were drowned in the Sei*eth. The Bulgarians have taken a monas tery near the confluence of the Buzeu and Sereth rivers. Heavy fighting is in progress on both sides of the Oituz valley in the mountains of Moldavia, where strong attacks by both invaders and defend ers were repulsed. Aside from the Rumanian war theatre, activity was developed in the Riga sector of the Russo-German front and at Serre, on the Somme front in France. A German attack by heavy forces south of Lake Babit, at the northern end of the Russian front, was repulsed. British troops launched a new at tack against Serre and gained a foot ing in one of the advanced German positions. Otherwise, only artillery fighting in the region of Chaulness is reported along the French front. The usual artillery duels were maintained along the whole Austro Italian line. Entente forces advancing toward Sharvina, in Macedonia, were checked. A Russian squadron is reported to have raided the Autolian coast of the Black sea and sunk 40 Turkish sail ing vessels carrying food to Constan tinople. PNEUMONIA SEASON AT HAND. State Board of Health Advises Every Precaution Against It. "Pneumonia as a cause of death is about a top notcher," says the State Board of Health," as it ranks third and is outclassed only by tuberculo sis and organic heart diseases. It is a seasonal disease and we are now in the midst of that season. During the winter and early spring season pneu monia is greatly on ihe increase and causes about ten percent of all deaths. "One of the most predisposing causes of pneumonia is the presence of other diseases, especially those diseases producing a debilitating ef fect. Such diseases might be men tioned as colds, grippe, bronchitis, and other respiratory diseases. De bility developing from any cause in creases susceptibility, therefore it is all important that all functions of the body be kept in good working order and resistance be kept as high as pos sible "Resistance is lowered by overeat ing, lack of exercise, lack of fresh air to live, sleep and work in, lack of reg ular sleep and taxation, and irregu lar living habits. Excesses of all kinds decrease resistance and predispose to pneumonia. Excessive heat, worry, fa tigue and undue exposure to cold are factors predisppsing to pneumonia. Alcohol has been calld by the United States Public Health Service 'the handmaiden of pneumonia.' "It is a well established fact that pneumonia is a germ disease. Peo ple sick with pneumonia should not be visited for two reasons: Their chances for recovering will be better without visitors, and the chances for the spread of the disease will be re duced." Private William B. Swindel of com pany A, Second North Carolina in fantry, died at the Fort Bliss Hospital f on the border, Wednesday from pneu monia. He came from Lake Linden, N. C.