NEW TURN IN N. C.
PRISON SITUATION
- j
Gov. Morrison Withdraws
Request for Investigation
By Welfare Board
The situation in regard to prison
conditions in North Carolina has tak
en a new turn in that Governor Mor
rison has withdrawn his request for
an investigation by the state board of
charities and public welfare, stating
that he will assume “full responsi
bility” for the inquiry himself. This
decision was announced after a length
ly conference with the council of
state. The letters from the governor
to Mrs. Johnson, State Superintend
ent of Public Welfare, and to Attorn
ey General Manning, which we are
herewith publishing, set forth the
l’easons for the withdrawal and out
line the plan of procedure now pro
posed.
Governor Morrison’s letter to Mrs.
Johnson follows:
“My dear Mrs. Johnson:
“I desire to withdraw my request
for an investigation by your board
into prison conditions in the State.
I have decided that my own official
responsibility about this matter is
greater than I had at first realized.
I have, therefore, determined to
assume full responsibility in the mat
ter and to take far reaching action
without delay.
Your board, under the law, can
only make a report to me for sub
mission to the next general assem
bly or for my guidance and assist
ance. I have decided that I do not
desire a report from you for the
purpose of influencing my own ac
tion, and as the general assembly will
not meet for some time, I am unwil
ling to wait until that time for action.
“I have been giving serious study
to the whole subject and feel that I
have both the legal power and the
disposition to take action in the prem
ises.
Circumstances are such that I real
ly think your investigation and re
port would embarrass me rather than
aid me in the course I have firmly
fixed my mind upon.
“I am thoroughly in accord with
modern and progressive thought up
on the subject of prison reform and,
under the law as it is now written, I
am satisfied the whole system can be
put in modern and up to date shape.
I am going to exercise all the power
I have and I am quite sure it is
sufficient to bring this about.
“Very truly yours,
“CAMERON MORRISON.”
Letter to Manning
The following letter was sent to
Attorney General Manning:
“Hon. James S. Manning,
“Attorney General of North Carolina,
“Raleigh, N. C.
“My Dear Judge:
“I will thank you to get in touch
with the solMtors of the state at
your eat Lest convenience and re
quest the:.; to cooperate with you in
an investigation of the county pii-'
ons an i. camps in which prisoners
are kept when being worked.
“I desire the most thorough inves
tigation made through regular gov
ernment channels.
“I want jiu to assist personally in
ti e prosecution of any hrea o of
In ' , or inl unan or cruel tr'i ert
or’ priso lers. If your force, together
with tie solicitors, is not sufficient
t>. viud.c--.te the law and pun.-l air
lailuie ci duty. I will be g.f.a to
cor $. lor » request from you tor the
employ.rent of special cows.'!
assist.
‘w;; truly yours,
“CAMERON MORRIS . N “
48 ARE RENDERED
HOMELESS BY FIRE
Rocky Mount, May 12.—Forty-eight
persons, all negroes, were rendered
homeless this afternoon by a dis
astrous fire which destroyed seven
frame dwellings and menaced adja
cent property at South Rocky Mount.
While the houses were all inexpen
sive frame structures, the occupants
lost all their furnishings- and per
sonal effects and the total is esti
mated to range between $5,000 and
$10,000.
Price Crude Oil Cut.
Pittsburgh, May 14.—Another cut
of 25 cents a barrel in the price of
the principal grades of crude oil was
announced today.
RUSSIAN LEADERS
READY FOR A WAR
Firey Oratory and Demon- j
strations Characterize
Public Meeting
Moscow, May 12.—M. Tchitcherin.
the soviet foreign minister, dressed
in the uniform of a member of the
Red army and wearing a Red cross
decoration, was the chief speaker at a
great meeting held in a theatre here
t' day.
The theatre was crowded to the
doors, while in the streets thousands
who had taken part in a demonstra
tion listened to speakers from motor
trucks and balconies, all of whom
made reference to what they.termed
the war threat against Russia in the
British note; in the assassination of
Vorovsky at Lausanne and in other
recent international development.
Referring to Vorovsky, M.
Tchitcherin said: “This is a symp
tom of the general European situa- |
tion. The direct responsibility rests j
with the Swiss government, which j
took no preventive measures; while |
the moral responsibility is on Eng
land, France and Italy, who original
ly invited the Russian delegation to
Lausanne.”
Regarding the British note, which I
he characterized as insolent, Tchit- I
cherin said: ’‘We are getting tele- j
grams that British warships are al
ready in the White sea; perhaps by
now they have opened hostilities
against our ships.
“The note contains false facts and
messages improperly decihpered. We
must reply calmly and firmly. Rus
j sia will not go back a single step be- ;
i fore the demands we therefore offer
a conference. We are ready to dis
cuss the losses sustained by British
citizens in 1920, but we will render a
bill to England for all those England
shot during the intervention in the
i north. We desire peace, and do not
want a break, but we will wait until
the enemy attack us.”
The foreign minister was followed
by War Minister Trotzky, who told
the cheering throng that Russia want
ed peace, but the Red Russian army,
was ready, if necessary,
j “If war comes, it will be a long
! one; it will delay the building up of
' our country for many years but the
; Red army, which wants f mce, will
■ carry out its duty until the end.”
He suggested that perhaps more
J than note writing was going on in the
border states, while the border at
mosphere was thickening. These
states would be the first to feel the
brunt if war came.
The meeting adopted a resolution
j to send a letter to J. Ramsey Mc
j Donald, leader of the labor opposi
tion in the house of commons, declar
ing that Russia would not yield to
an ultimatium, but was ready to come
to an agreement if England was
ready to negotiate, and also a letter
to Dr. Fritdjof Nansen, head of the
league of nations relief in Russia,
asking him to use his influence
against a break and possible war.—
Associated Press.
I -
MISSING MAN FOUND
IN A GRAVEL PIT
PETERSBURG, Va., May 14.—
James E. Griffin, owner of a bath
ing resort near here, who mys
teriously disappeared last Mon
day night, while driving along a
road in his automobile, was found
today in a gravel pit, handcuffed
and unconscious. He was taken to
a hospital where his condition is
said to be serious. Physicians
said he was suffering from fear
and exposure.
Griffin, for several weeks prior to
his disappearance, had received
threats supposedly from a gang of
bootleggers whom he had forbidden
to enter his resort. He was on his
way home from the bathing beach
when he disappeared.
AMERICAN AMONG 6 KILLED
WHEN AIRPLANE FALLS
AMIENS, France, May 14.—
(By the Associated Press.)—Six
persons, including a New Yorker
named Schwab, were killed in
the fall of a passenger airplane
at Conay, thirteen miles south
of this city today.
The home town paper is more than
paper and ink—it’s a part of your
REV. H. A. HUMBLE
PASTOR OF HAY STREET METHODIST CHURCH, FAYETTEVILLE
Mr. Humble is assisting the pastor of the Methodist church at Four Oaks
in a revival meeting which has been going on for a week. He is preaching
the gospel with power and in simplicity. The meeting is being well attended
and much interest is being manifested. Quite a number of professions of
faith in Christ were made at the Sunday school hour last Sunday. At the
eleven o’clock hour four persons gave their names for church membership.
The meeting will last throughout tlfis week with services at 9:30 in the
morning and at 8:00 o’clock at night. Anyone desiring to know the way of
life will be profited by attending any of these services.
WILLARD AND FIRPO
MATCHED BY RICKARD
Labor Day Fight To Decide Con
tender For Jack Dempsey's
Crown
New York, May 12.—Jess Williard
and Luis Firpo, victors in the two
star bouts for the milk fund hexing
carnival today at the Yankee stadium
will be matched in a 15-round contest
to decide a championship opp nent
for Jack Dempsey, Promoter Tex
Rickard announced at the conclusion
of the show.
The fight, he said, probably would
be held in the Yankee stadium June
30.
“I intend to match Willard and
F'irpo just as soon as possible.” Rick
ard declared, “and the winner proba
bly will get a crack at Dempsey on
Labor Day, either at the Yankee
Stadium or Boyle’s Thirty Acres.
Both are ready and anxious to sign
and I hope to arrange the contest
for the Saturday before the fourth.
Rickard said that in his opinion
Williard had staged a remarkable
comeback, considering the odds he
was against, Firpo, he said, had
proved beyond a doubt that he is one
[ of the greatest natural fighters un
covered in years.
i
TEX. TORNADO TAKES
HEAVY DEATH, TOLL
Relief Workers Report Finding Dead
And Injured; Cattle and Crops
Damaged
Bigs Springs, Tex., May 14.—Fifty
persons were killed and about one
hundred injured, three miles from
Colorado, Texas, when a tornado
swept this section, according to re
ports telephoned here today. Since
this news was received communica
tion has been cut off due to damage
to telephone and telegraph lines. The
worst damage is forty miles from
Big Springs, it was reported.
It is believed damage to crop and
cattle is heavy and that the loss of
life and property is heavier in the
country distinct than in the town of
Colorado, acording to the unconfirm
ed reports. Relief parties left here in
automobiles this morning.
J. H. Green, chairman of Red Cross
[ workers here, said the injured prob
ably will reach 100 and probably as
many -i 50 are killed.”
Doctors and nurses from a dozen
nearby towns have been appealed to
and are searching in the devasted
area.
[ IT IS THROUGH THE COURTESY OF THE SMITHFIELD STUDIO THAT
WE ARE ABLE TO SHOW THIS PICTURE OF THE OLD SOLDIERS WHO
GATHERED IN SMITHFIELD LAST WEEK.
NEGRO FARMERS
HOLD A MEETING
— . !
Mrs. Jane S. McKimmon
State Demonstration Agt.
Makes an Address
The negroes of Johnston County j
are moving forward along agricul
tural and home economical lines with ^
an encouraging pace. They now
have an all time farm demonstration
agent and an all time home demon- 1
stration agent, L. R. Sanders and
Lucy Wade holding the respective
positions. These agents have been
working among the Johnston negroes
now for five or six months, and last |
Saturday they gave a general demon- !
stration at the Smithfield Training
School which reflected much credit
upon their betterment activities.
During the few months in which
county, the county has been partial- !
this work has been carried on in this !
ly organized into farm and home eco
nomic clubs, and these were repre
sented in the Saturday meeting. Each
club present had some kind of an ex
hibit for the occasion.
In addition to their regular club
reports and club exhibits they had
an interesting programme planne l,
which was carried out according to
arrangements. Mi's. Jane S. McKim
mon, State Director of Home Eco
nomics, of Raleigh; and L. E. Hall,
District Farm Demonstration Agent,
of Raleigh, were present and made
speeches. Misses Minnie Lee Garri
son and Mary E. Wells were present
and also made short talks.
Mrs. McKimmon’s speech was re
plete with good sound judgment and
advice for the negro women present.
She told her hearers that they were
the faithful few who must go back
to ranks and preach the gospel of
progress to their race. The health
of the State lay largely in the hands
of the cooks and that diet was a road
to health. “Any woman,” she said,
“who can learn to feed a family, who
comes to know that the garden and
the cow are the two most health giv
ing agencies, has learned one of life’s
most life-giving lessons."
Mrs. McKimmon’s speech was fol
lowed by L. E. Hall’s speech of ten
minutes. He knew his subject and
his hearers and from the first his
audience was pleased with his com
mon sense presentation of his speech.
Mrs. W. H. Lyon, president of the
Smithfield Woman’s Club, was pres
ent and announced that her club was
desirious of advancing better modes
of living among the negroes of
Smithfield, and as an incentive to
home improvement, she offered for
the club a valuable prize to the fami
ly keeping through the coming sum
mer the best kept yard.
Following the programme a lunch
was served by members of the clubs.
TWO WOMEN KILLED
IN AUTO ACCIDENT
Henderson, Mayl3.—Mrs. W. G.
Coleman, 47, and Miss Nannie Flem
ing, 43, sisters, of Macon, were killed
shortly after 5 o'clock this afternoon
at Middlesex, six miles north of this
city, when a Seaboard Air Line north
bound freight train struck a small
[ sedan in which they were riding.
Their two brothers, R. D. Fleming
| and Thomas Fleming, riding with
! them, were seriously injured. The
, former, who was driving the car, suf
I fering a fractured knee and cuts and
; bruises about the head and hands and
| the latter a broken shoulder and
injuries to his back with other minor
bruises.
Mrs. Coleman was killed instantly
while Miss Fleming lived more than
an hour, but was unconscious.
The two brothers were brought to
a hospital in this city, where it was j
i said their injuries were not regarded j
as fatal. The automobile was de
■ molished, being strewn along the
, track for some 300 yards.
R. D. Fleming, who was able to
I converse with friends, said his en
, gine stalled as he drove upon the
track, the rails standing about three
| inches above the road crossing and
| blocking the car as it slowed down,
j Eye witnesses said it was impossible
| for the engineer to stop his train be
■ fore striking the car. Fleming said
j he did not know a train was ap
| proaching until his car had stalled.
j Lid you ever wear a collar that
didn’t fit? Think how much worse
off is a mule or a horse with a col
lar that is too large or too small.
BUSINESS OUTLOOK
IN U. S. CHEERFUL
Walter H. Savory Gives His
Views on Situation After
Trip Across U. S.
“American business is cheerful all
the way through the county. Values
are high, and there is no indication
that they are inflated. Optimism is
the note most noticeable, without dis
cord, both in the United States and
Canada.”
This is the meat of the volume of
information collected by Walter H.Sa
vory, personal representative of the
vice-president and general manager
of the Mergenthaler Linotype com
pany, on his return from an annual
trip that has taken him from coast
to coast, and put him in touch with lo
. ai conditions in all parts of the two
countries from Florida to British Co
lumbia and Quebec to Los Angeles.
“Industries in the east are prac
tically all working at full capacity,4’
said Mr. Savory. ‘The report places
of the South and of California have
been overrun all winter, with people
who have money to spend.
“Crops in all sections have been
satisfactory and available at good
prices.
“Even the cattle country of the
plains, hardest hit last year and
year before of all localities, is feeling
better, and loking for a steady rise
of its financial barometer.
‘‘Texas is a veritable caldron of
bubbling, effervesing activity. Her
oil interests, cement industry, cattle
men, cotton growers, are all hustling
to keep up with the demands of their
clients.
“The whole West coast from I»os
Angeles to Vancouver is teeming with
business so great that real estate
values are at a high level.
“California, Oregon, Washington
and British Columbia are all antici
pating a remarkable year—in tourist
business, in building of all kinds, in
WALTER H. SAVORY
fruit gi'owing and sale, in transpor
tation.
“Mining has come back to its own
in the states devoted largely to this
woik, and labor is well employed.
“Corn, cotton, wheat and the other
staples are bringing good prices, and
th eoutlook is for good crops.
“Everybody is hoping that the Eu
ropean situation may be straighten
ed out soon, but people generally in
all business are not figuring on the
European situation as a necessary
precursor of good times. It is rather
a secondary consideration, that will
make the outlook even better if it
should be cleared.
“Wherever a spirit of restlessness
is found, and there are few such, it
may almost invariably be traced to
I the weather or impatience over being
forced back to reasonable profits from
the tremendous profit taking days
■ post war'.
I “Recklesness of spending those ab
I normal profits became a habit, and
| when, perforce, that recklessness must
j be curbed and people drop back to
normal expenditure, there is a du
. biousness and a blue outlook for those
j who must change their habits again.
“In other words the cost of high
j living has been almost entirely re
j sponsible for any feeling of nervous
ness as to business of the immediate
future. Each year this grows less, and
in another year or two it ought al
most all disappear.
“There’s nothing the matter with
fundamental business conditions of
the United States or Canada. All
we need is confidence in our own abil
ity to complete the readjustment pro
continued on page four)