VOLUME 38.
SMITHFIELD, N. C. TUESDAY DECEMBER 30, 1919.
Number 102
ELLIS ISLAND JAMMED
WITH IMMIGRANTS
Examination Of the Newcomers Is
Being Carried On At Night As Well
As Day—“Reds” Clutter the Place
—Large Number of Radicals Await
ing Deportation Blamed With The
Congestion At the Gateway for Im
migrants.
New York, Dec. 28.—More than 3,
000 immigrants were clamoring at
the gates of New York tonight for ad
mission into the United States. Ellis
island is congested and many hun
dreds of the incoming passengers are
being detained on board steamships
for examination.
Immigration inspectors and special
boards of inquiry are working day
and night to relieve the unprecedented
conditions. In the meantime hundreds
of friends and relatives of the detain
ed passengers from all over the coun
try are assembled here impatiently
awaiting the release of the immi
grants.
Police and coast guards are on duty
at the piers and the Ellis island ferry
entrance to hold in check the crowds
which gather at the gates daily. Sev
eral attempts have been made by
friends and relatives of the detained
passengers to storm the piers in an
effort to reach the ships. They can
not understand the delay and fear
their friends are to be deported.
Immigration officials claim that
their work is delayed to a large ex
tent on Ellis island because of the
congestion there due to the detention
of a large number of radicals and un
desirables, being held for deportation.
The greater number of the immi
grants being detained are Italians, it
was stated. Several hundred Greek
passengers are also held.
Although the steamship Patria has
been in port five days, 733 passengers
from the 1,880 that came from Italian
ports, are still being detained. On
the Giuesppi Verdi, another Italian
liner, approximately 700 steerage pas
sengers have been held for further ex
amination.
Less than 300 of the 1,620 steerage
passengers on board the liner Europa
which arrived December 18 have had
a first examination. Four hundred
and thirty of the 2,050 steerage pas
sengers on the Royal Italian Mail lin
er Taormina and 50 of the steerage
complement of the Mauretania are
detained.
Another steamship, the Megalis
Hellas, the largest ship of the Nation
al Greek line, is tied up in Brooklyn
with 139 of her 412 steerage passen
gers still detained on board. Many
others are reported to be detined on
smaller steamships, including several
passengers on the Ward line steamship
Monterey, which arrived today from
Mexico and Havana. — Associated
Press.
FIVE MORE DEATHS FROM
DRINKING WOOD ALCOHOL
United States Marshal Arrests Four
Men on Federal Warrants At Chi
copee.
Chicopee, Mass., Dec. 28.—United
States Marshal Edward J. Leyden to
day arrested four men on Federal
warrants, two charging violation of
the wartime prohibition act and two
illegal transportation of liquor from
State to State. The arrest resulted
from his investigation into the deaths
of more than fifty persons in the Con
necticut Valley since Christmas from
drinking wood alcohol contained in a
mixture sold as whiskey.
Five more deaths had resulted since
early this morning from alcohol pois
oning, three in Holyoke and two in
Chicopee, bringing the total for the
Connecticut aVlley, not including
Hartford, to 53, divided as follows:
Chicopee 37, including two women;
Holyoke, 9; Springfield 4, including
one woman; Greenfield 1, and Thomp
sonville, Conn., 2.
Those under arrest on the Federal
warrants are John Nasaizewski of
Chicopee and Harry Sharpe of Spring
field, truck drivers, who are charged
with bringing the liqoor into the val
ley; Adam Ostrowski and John W.
Starszyk, both of Holyoke, charged
with violation of the wartime prohibi
tion act. They will be arraigned be
fore a United States commissioner
Monday morning. All were released
under $500 bonds.
Marshal Alfred Caron of the Chico
pee police left this afternoon for New
Haven, Conn., with warrants charging
murder against four men who have
been arrested in that city. The war
rants were sworn out, the police say,
on information given by William* Bak
er of this town, who is held on a man
slaughter charge, and Harry Shapiro
of Springfield.
Although several new cases of the
poisoning were reported today in the
valley, the number decreased consid
erably over Friday and Saturday. The
number increased in Holyoke, giving
the impression that some liquor
brought in that city may have bee*
consumed since Friday, when the first
signs of the poisoning became evi
dent.
DEATH OF GEN. WILLIAM R. COX
Former Representative of the Raleigh
District In Congress Died Friday
In Richmond—Led One of the Last
Charges at Appomattox.
Saturday’s daily papers carried an
account of the death of General Wil
liam R. Cox which occurred at Rich
mond, Va., Friday evening. Death
is said to have been due to toxic pois
oning brought on by old age.
General Cox was a brave soldier
and fought in the Confederate army
until the last. It is said that he led
one of the very last charges made at
Appomattox court house. He was
wounded eleven times during the war.
At the close of the war he became
secretary of the United States Senate
and served under both Republican and
Democratic administrations. He was
later elected solicitor of the Raleigh
district and then was sent to Congress
for several terms.
William Ruffin Cox was born in
Halifax County March 11, 1831. lie
received his early schooling at Vine
Hill Academy at Scotland Neck. He
then went to Nashville, Tenn., for his
preparatory training and entered
Franklin College, graduating with dis
tinction. After practicing law awhile
in Tennessee he returned to North
Carolina and later opened a‘law office
in Raleigh. Then came the war. He
raised and fitted out a military com
pany at his own expense.
For a number of years he was a
leader in the political life of the State.
His son, Col. Albert L. Cox, who lives
in Raleigh, was in the war in Europe
and proved a worthy and acceptable
leader.
NEWS FROM THE SIXTH.
One of the Congressional districts
which is going to furnish a lot of
newspaper talk for the next several
months is the Sixth, the district now
represented by Hon. Hannibal God
win of Dunn. Tom Bost writing from
Raleigh sends the following to the
Greensboro News:
“Judge Watt P. Stacy, of Wilming
ton, and the sixth district was in Ral
eigh Saturday night on his way to
Elizabeth City where he holds court
this week and begins the circuit at
the beginning.
“Judge Stacy, asked as to his atti
tude on the congressional race, said
that he had not reached any decision
and really could not discuss the po
litical situation now. He knew that
many of his friends are interesting
themselves and others in making him
a candidate, but he indicated that he
had neither encouraged them nor re
pressed them. The election of a con
gressman in the sixth has not yet
taken the judge’s mind off the bench.
“There are many things in the dis
trict which weigh against Judge Sta
cy’s going into the contest. In Lum
berton, Robeson county, there is a
strong pressure bearing on L. R. Var
ser, of the Lumberton bar, and law
partner of A. W. McLean. Senator
Horace Stacy is a brother of the judge
and is a member of the big law firm
of that city. The purpose of sixth
district Democrats to give Hannibal
Godwin a beating this time is stronger
than it ever was, but to go into it with
Varser and Stacy opposing each other
would be as lucky a play into Godwin’s
hands as that fairly fortunate individ
ual has had, and he has been more
than happy in the opposition that his
enemies have given him.
“Judge Stacy has not indicated
what delays him in reaching a verdict
but his friends seem to stense it. Ev
erything is going to be done to avoid
a head-on between two strong men.
Should the judge enter the race the
Democracy would do its best not to
have a contest between him and Var
ser, and if Varser comes out, of
course the tendency would be to close
the entries. The effort to beat God
win hitherto has been fruitless when
a candidate in every county has been
brought out.
“Judge Stacy is generally regarded
the strongest man in the race. He is
young and good-looking, has perhaps
the best public-speaking voice in the
entire east, is a superb orator and de
bater, and universally popular where
he has held courts.”
Not Taking Care of Cotton.
The United States Railroad Admin
istration has just completed a series
of tests at Little Rock, Arkansas,
showing the loss that occurs when cot
ton is carelessly handled. Cotton
bales were stored under different con
ditions, and the loss in weight noted.
The results are a revelation. The
first bales of cotton, carefully stored
and protected, lost only two pounds
during the test. A second bale, on
dunnage, and covered with a tarpau
lin, lost four pounds. Another bale,
left on the ground on edge, and un
protected, lost 122 pounds. And a
fourth bale, left flat on the ground
during the test, lost 232 pounds, or
nearly half of its entire weight. This
clearly shows what happens to the
cotton owner who refuses to take care
of his product.—Southern Ruralist.
NEGRO LYNCHED IN FRANKLIN
COUNTY SATURDAY NIGHT
Angry Crowd Pursues Officers After
They Place Colored Man Under Ar
rest Following the Homicide'—At
tempted to Rush Man to Raleigh for
Safe Keeping But Failed.
(News and Observer!
Franklinton, Dec. 27.—Less than an
hour after he had shot and instantly
killed R. M. Brown, proprietor of a
motion picture theatre here, a negro
named Green was lynched by a mob
that overtook officers who were rush
ing the negro to Raleigh for safe
keeping.
After being taken from the officers,
the negro escaped from the mob but,
after being re-taken, it is stated was
dragged for about two miles and then
strung up by the neck to a tree. The
killing of the theatre proprietor oc
curred tonight at 9 o’clock across the
street in front of the show house as
a result of words when Mr. Brown
warned the negro against striking
matches in the theatre.
During the show the negro, it is
said, started to strike a match. Mr.
Brown quietly asked him not to strike
the match as it was dangerous. The
negro became excited, began cursing
and the two came down out of the
building together. They crossed the
street, Brown in front and the negro
following. Just as Mr. Brown stepped
upon the sidewalk, the negro whipped
out his gun and shot, his victim fall
ing to the ground dead.
Policemen were on the scene and
immediately rushed the negro to the
lockup. A crowd immediately form
ed about the jail and began to threat
en the negro. Dr. Ford, mayor, and
Chief of Police Winston begged that
the law be allowed to take its course
but the crowd was in a bad humor and
clamored for the murderer. It was
decided to try to rush him off to Ral
eigh for safe keeping. An automobile
with one of the fastest drivers in town
at the wheel was secured and the
start was made but machines loaded
with a crowd bent on wreaking veng
eance followed. .
When just opposite Mr. C. S. Wil
liams’ residence"'about one mile from
here the car with the officers and
prisoner was overtaken and the pris
oner captured. The officers, who w«re
badly bruised in the fight with the
mob, returned to town not knowing
what happened, but believed the negro
was shot to death, as fifty or more
shots were fired.
Mr. Brown was highly esteemed and
was quiet and inoffensive. For a num
ber of years he had been manager of
Green Hill farm, owned by Mr. S. C.
Vann. He was a Mason of high stand
ing and prominently connected in the
county.
After the return of the officers it
was learned that after the mob took
the negro away from the officers, he
broke loose from them and ran but
was overtaken. A rope v/as fastened
around his neck and tied to a car. He
was dragged about two miles by the
neck before he was hanged, it was
stated.
STATE NEWS.
Last Tuesday night while revenue
officers were searching the premises
of Ellis Ginn, twelve miles from
Rockingham, Irving Brigman, a white
man, came up and began firing on
them. The officers returned the fire,
killing Brigman instantly.
The Social Department of the Ral
eigh Woman’s Club, gave the inmates
of the State Prison a Christmas tree
Tuesday night before Christmas. All
in the prison save the twelve in the
death cells under sentence of death
were present and enoyed the festive
occasion. Presents and big paper
bags filled with things to eat were
distributed to all. Both the Govern
or and Mrs. Bipkett made talks to the
prisoners.
D. B. Smith, a Charlotte lawyer, has
been appointed assistant district at
torney to succeed Clyde Hoey who has
just been elected to Congress to suc
ceed Webb.
Rev. Fred Collins, formerly pastor
of the Baptist church at Clinton, was
married Wednesday at Louisville, Ky.,
to Miss Genevieve Kimbrough. They
will reside at Ahoskie.
The revenue officers working out of
Asheville have bagged 40 illicit dis
tileries this month.
Speaker Gillett, of Massachusetts;
Senator Cummias, of Iowa, and sever
al other national lawmakers have been
spending the holidays at Pinehurst.
Wilbur Nelson accidentally shot
and killed his brother, Charlie Nelson,
while out duck hunting last Wednes
day near Atlantic.
Berry Taylor a ad a negro are re
ported to have burned to death in an
automobile accident in Saulston town
ship in Wayne county last week.
To Return Railroads March First.
President Wilsoa issued a procla
mation Christmas eve authorizing the
return of the railroads to their owners
on March 1st.
SECRETARY ORDERS BOARD
OF AWARDS RECONVENED.
Will Revise Recent Recommendations,
Which Have Been Source of Con
troversy—Two Other Officers Fol
low Admiral Sims.
Washington, Dec. 26.—Secretary
Daniels tonight ordered the Navy De
partment’s board of awards recon
vened Monday, January 5, to revise
the recent recommendations as to nav
al awards, which have been the source
of a controversy brought to a head
a few days ago by declination of Ad
miral Sims to accept the Distinguish
ed Service Medal while the wards re
mained as at present.
“While approving in the main the
recommendations of the board of
awards,” said Mr. Daniels in his or
der to Rear Admiral A. M. Knight to
reconvene the board, “my examination
into the subject has convinced me that
there are a number of cages requiring
further examination and there have
been additional recommendations since
your board adjourned which require
examination by a board of officers.”
The order to reconvene the board
was made public late tonight follow
ing receipt of reports from Newport,
R. I., that Vice-Admiral Ililery P.
Jones and Capt. Raymond D. Has
brouck had followed Admiral Sims in
refusing to accept the medals bestow
ed on them, disagreeing with the
policy determining the officers to be
rewarded for services during the war.
Secretary Daniels, it was said at the
Navy Department, however, had re
ceived no information as to the decli
nation of Captain Hasbrouck or the
reported declination of Admiral Jones.
Richardson-Godwin.
The many friends of Mr. Hooks
Richardson and Miss Bettie Godwin
will be interested to learn of their
marriage on Wednesday evening, De
cember 17, at 7 o’clock.
The simple but impressive ceremony
was performed by the Rev. S. H. Sty
ron of Pine Level, pastor of the bride.
She was lovely in a coat suit of
dark blue tricotine with accessories
to match. The only attendants were
Mr. Eli Godwin, Jr., brother of the
bride, as best man and Miss Ora At
kinson as bride’s maid.
Only immediate members of the
family were present.
Immediately aftei the ceremony
and congratulations the bride and
groom, with a few ti lends, drove over
to the home of the groom’s fit,her
where they wore warmly received and
served a delicious salad course follow
ed by refreshments.
Mrs. Richardson is the pretty and
accomplished daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Eli Godwin, Sr., of Lucama,
while Mr. Richardson is a son of Mr.
and Mrs. Joe Richardson of near Ken
ly. Mr. Richardson is a prominent
young farmer with sterling qualities.
We wish Mr. and Mrs. Richardson
much success in life.
Kenly, Dec. 20.
Getting Drunk Popular in Atlanta.
Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 26.—Two hun
dred and eighty persons who violated
the law during Christmas Day faced
Police Judge Johnson here today,
making what court attaches said was
the largest attendance at his “wati
nee” in many years.
The majority of the cases were list
ed as “plain drunks” for which Judge
Johnson has a standard fine of six dol
lars. A pistol duel between two ne
groes in which both were wounded
was the only shooting affray of the
holidays so far. To date approximate
ly 22,000 cases, or five thousand more
than in 1918, have been tried in police
court this year.
Farmers Living High.
The High Cost of Living does not
worry the American farmer. A study
of what farmers were buying in a
typical rural community disclosed
that farmers were paying an average
of from $500 to $700 for player pianos
and from $125 to $250 for phono
graphs. Farmers’ wives were paying
$145 to $300 for suits, $10 to $18 for
waists, and $3 to $4 for hosiery. In
the meantime, farm boys were buying
suits at $45 and $50, silk shirts at $10
to $12, Stetson hats and silk collars.
The farmer seems to have come into
his own at last—Southern Ruralist.
$4,000,000 Boston Drydock at Work.
Boston, Dec. 25.—The Common
wealth drydock, largest of its type on
the Atlantic coast and capable of ac
commodating the largest vessel afloat,
has been placed in commission here.
The bottleship iVrginia was selected
for the distinction of being the first
to test the dock.
The dock cost the state $3,000,000
to construct, and was recently sold
with a large tract of adjoining land
to the United States Government for
$4,100,000. It is 1170 feet long and
114 feet 9 inches in width. The depth
over the sill at low water is thirty-five
feet.
STETSON WORKERS FARE WELL.
Rich Hat Maker Distributes $330,000
To His Employes As Christmas
Awards.
Christmas, which was formally cele
brated yesterday morning: at the John
B. Stetson Co. auditorium, has a sub
stantial meaning to the employes. The
value of gifts distributed this year
totaled $330,000.
The awards included:
Cash bonuses totaling $280,362.
An additional $7500 for foremen
and apprentices.
Six hundred and ninety-five shares
of stock in the Stetson Bunding and
Loan Association, each worth $200 at
maturity.
To the most deserving on the rec
ord shares of John B. Stetson Co.
common stock, worth $350 each.
Five-thousand-dollar twenty-pay
life insurance policies to Jacob Schaaf,
’■"rank Hess and Albert Weighman.
For the 2846 married employes tur
keys weighing 42,000 pounds.
For the single men, 520 hats.
For the women workers, 1500 pound
boxes of candy and 1100 pairs of
gloves.
Special awards, thirty-five watches
and thirty-seven chains, mostly to ap
prentices.
In the chief address of the annual
Christmas program J. Howell Cum
mings, president of the company, told
of the development of the present
plan, started by Mr. Stetson fifty
years ago. It is the one time during
the year when the entire organiza
tion is gathered together, salesmen,
directors, officials and all employes.
“The preparation for these exer
cises include the compiling of a com
plete history of each employe’s work
and conduct for the preceding twelve
months,’’ Mr. Cummings said. “In
this history of two volumes you will
find the names of our 4500 employes,
the numbers of dozens of hats each
one has formed or sized or finished
or trimmed, the number of ‘knock
downs’ made, the number of days ab
sent, the cause, the wages earned, the
amount of bonus paid, whether the in
dividual has been awarded Stetson
common stock or loan association
stock; in fact, every item of interest
pertaining to their employment during
the last year.” *
Mr. Cummings stated that 307 per
sons on the payroll have served twen
ty-five or more years. He emphasiz
ed an important development in the
recently-organized classes in Ameri
canization. Nearly 400 have enrolled
in the classes in English and natural
ization with excellent attendance. A
bureau has been organized to assist
the men in preparing for examination.
Up to the present time ninety-seven
have filled out their first papers and
sixty-nine their second papers.
A feature of the exercises was the
unveiling of the memorial tablet in
•lonor of the employes who were in
federal service during the world war.
These numbered 560, with seventeen
making the supreme sacrifice.
What the Stetson Co. and the em
ployees did toward winning the war
had additional significance with Mr.
Cummings’s summary of subscrip
tions and donations to war activities,
which totaled $3,407,700.—Philadel
phia Ledger, Dec. 25.
Family Reunion and Christmas Tree.
On Christmas Day Mr. and Mrs.
Adam Whitley’s home was the scene
of a family reunion. The house was
beautifully decorated with potted
plants and fruit. All enjoyed the old
time Christmas dinner. All the good
things to eat, including cake and sill
abub were in evidence.
The most interesting feature of the
day to the children was the shining
Christmas tree, decorated with Christ
mas bells, tinsel, and pop-corn. It
was loaded with toys and gifts, not
a gift except useful ones, altogether
numbering over a hundred.
Santa’s visit to the children on
Christmas eve made it still more in
teresting because he asked each what
he most wished for.
There were twenty-four present, all
the children and eleven grand child
ren. It was a day long to be remem
bered by both children and all others.
President Celebrates 63rd Birthday.
Washington, Dec. 28.—President
Wilson observed his sixty-third birth
day quietly today, much improved in
health, surrounded by the members of
his family with the exception of Mrs.
W. G. McAdoo, who was unable to be
present. Mr. and Mrs. Francis B.
Sayre arrived from Cambridge, Mass.,
last night, and Miss Margaret Wilson
has been at the White House since
her father’s illness.
The President took his usual walk
about the sick room and later sat
out on the South portico for more
than an hour. Part of the day was
spent by Mr. Wilson reading many,
of the hundreds of birthday greetings
that came from prominent officials
and friends not only in the United
States but abroad.
FINE CLOTHES DEMAND
MAKES CLOTHING HIGH
If People Would Be Content With
Good Substantial Raiment, Prices
Would Fall—Not All In the Cloth.
Boston, Dec. 28.—The insistence of
the public upon cloth made from fine
wools is a large factor in the present
high prices of clothing, according to
William M. Wood, president of the
American Woolen company.
Mr. Wood, who recently charged
that some of the merchants in Law
rence were demanding excessive pric
es for necessaries and were in the
habit of raising prices with every in
crease in wages in the company’s
mills in that city, gave out a prepared
statement tonight in response to a re
quest for his views upon the high
cost of clothing.
“If our people would consent,” was
his conclusion, “to wear good substan
tial, durable clothes made of the coars
er wools, clothing would be purchased
at considerably lower prices than
those which now prevail.”
Iiis statement in part follows:
“ft is generally thought that the
cost of cloth is the controlling factor
in the cost of clothing, but the fact is
that the cloth cost is less than half
the cost of a completed suit, and oth
er factors contributed to the price of
clothing quite as much as the cost of
the cloth.
“In the last five years the price of
cloth in the ordinary suit of clothes
has advanced no more, indeed, has ad
vanced a little less, than the cost of
labor and other materials that go into
the making of the suit. The follow
ing figures show this, which I have
front a manufacturer and merchant of
clothing of the highest prominence in
Boston.
The cost in 1919 of the cloth for a
suit of clothes of a particular grade is
$13.67. The corresponding cost in
1914 was $4 58, showing an increase
in the cf cloth of $9.09.
“The 1919 cost of making this suit
is $14.47. The corresponding cost in
1914 was $4.98, showing an increase in
the cost of making of $9.49.
“These figures show that cloth con
tributes slightly less than labor and
other materials to the increased cost
of clothing. Therefore, to your ques
tion of why prices of clothing con
tinue so high throughout the country
the reply is because the costs of labor
and cloth and other materials that go
into clothing continue so high.”—As
sociated Press.
Germany Short of Food.
Berlin, Dec. 20.—Production of food
in Germany has decreased to such an
extent as to alarm the National Com
mission of German Agriculture, which
now demands that government control
of farm products be abolished except
in the case of wheat.
“The power of production has sunk
so much and the beef supply is so low
that only speedy reconstruction can
come anywhere near safeguarding
Germany’s food supplies,” asserts the
national commission. It states that
the wheat shortage in the coming
year will amount to 2,500,000 tons.
The potato bread rations cannot be
maintained during the coming winter,
it says, for the potato crop also has
bee* falsely estimated.
The commission demands that con
trol of meat, sugar and barley be
abolished and a premium be offered
for production of potatoes.
6,190,000 IN BRITISH ARMY.
Military Honors Conferred on Officers
And Men Total 236,035.
London, Dec. 5.—The total number
of officers and men who passed
through the British army during the
war was approximately 6,190,000. Be
tween August, 1914, and October 31
of this year 236,035 honors, exclusive
of those conferred by the royal air
force, were awarded by the British
war office for services in the field and
13,352 for other services in connection
iwth the war.
There were 577 recipients of the
Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest war
decoration.
A Double Blessing.
A certain alderman was lying ill.
One morning a friend sent a jar of
brandied cherries, and later called to
see him.
“I want to thank you for these de
licious brandied cherries,” said the
alderman.
“I thought you would like them as
well as anything,” said the friend.
“Yes, yes, indeed,” he asserted,
with his characteristic smile, “and
how much more I appreciate the
spirit in which they were sent!”—
Pittsburgh Chronicle-Telegraph.
Cotton Made Advance Friday.
There was a sensational advince in
the cotton market in New York Fri
day, the later months being a cent
higher than Wednesday's market.