VOLUME 42 TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES TODAY SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1923 SECTION ONE—PAGES 1 TO 12 NUMBER 99 CRIMINAL COURT NOW IN SESSION Docket Is Unusually Heavy; Judge Daniels Charges Grand Jury. The December term of Superior Criminal Court convened here yes terday with Judge F. A. Daniels pre siding. This is a two weeks term, and the docket is one of the heaviest scheduled in sometime. It is doubt ful if all the cases be disposed of in the allotted two weeks. Judge Daniels in his charge to the grand jury laid emphasis upon the importance of enforcing the prohi bition laws. He spoke of the danger of making and selling whiskey, and denounced automobiles being driven by persons under the influence of liquor. The calendar tor this term ox court includes the following cases. These cases are not all on the docket but are those set for the days indi cated. Criminal Calendar, Dec. Term Tuesday, Dec. 11th.—State vs. Leon Hill. Wednesday, Dec. 12th.—State vs. Preston and Donnie Simms, State vs. Preston and Donnie Simms, State V3. Robert Kennon, State vs. Roby Sas ser, State vs. M. G. Wood, State vs. Horace L. Johnson, State vs. John Lassiter, State vs Elijah Lynch. Thursday, Dec. 13th.—State V3. John Earp, State vs. John Holmes and Laura Baker, State vs. John Earp, State vs. Cluster Hall, State vs. Willie Barfield, State vs. Lester Cole, State vs. Cluster Hall, State vs. R. E. Massengill, State vs. Robert Muns, State vs. Jim Graham. Friday, Dec. 14.—State vs. Bud Hudson, State vs. J. E. Lawis, State vs. C. J. Baker, State vs. Margolis Watson, State vs. Willie Beasley, State vs. Richard Brown, State vs. L. D. Stephenson, State vs. Richard Brown, State vs. Haywood Capps, and Wesley Thompson, State vs. Harper Dublin, State vs. J. E. Lewis. Monday, Dec. 17th.—State vs. Nel son Rhodes, State vs. Henry Exum, State vs. Ed West, State vs. W. D. Lee, State vs. W. D. Lee, State vs. Jno. Jones, State vs. George Raynor, State vs. Paul Armstrong. Tuesday, Dec. 18th.—State vs. Dal las Morgan, State vs. Carl Strickland, State vs. Thomas Abdolla, State vs. Milton Richardson, State vs. Wm. Starling, State vs. Henry Howell, State vs. L. B. Royall, State vs. Lib bie Boniess, Lelia Boniess. Coolidge’s Hat in the Presidential Ring Washington, Dec. 9.—Announce ment of the candidacy of President Coolidge for the Republican nomi nation for President in 1924 was made tonight by Frank W. Stearns, of Boston, who is known as his closest personal and political friend. The announcement was made by Mr. Steams through a statement which was given out by James B. Reyonlds, former secretary of the Republican National Committee, who directed the campaign for Mr. Cool ilge in 1920. Mr. Reynolds made public the statement without com ment. William M. Butler, Republican National committeeman for Massa chusetts, also a close personal and poltical friend of Mr. Coolidge, it was stated, will "act as the Presi dent’s personal representative” in the campaign. Mexico In Throes of New Uprising Vera Cruz, Dec. 6.— (By the As sociated Press.)—Five Mexican states are in open rebellion against Presi dent Obregon and General P. Elias Calles, Obregon’s candidate for the Presidency, according to information reaching here. The military in the states of Vera Cruz, San Luis Potosi, Chihuahua, Michoacan and Tamaulipas are said to have repudiated the federal gov ernment, ousted all the federal offi ce holders and substituted their own men. Raising Money For K. of P. Orphanage Henderson, Nov. 29.—Pythians of North Carolina are responding to the appeal in behalf of their orphan age at Clayton, and the indications are that the drive to secure cash and pledges for $100,000 to add new buildings there is going to go over in a big way, R. S. McCoin, of this city, past grand chancellor of the State, and chairman of the drive, said Thursday. Mr. McCoin report ed that Pythians of Rocky Mount were in the lead so far with pledges of more than $6,000 for the cause, and that l?dge has gone over the top in big fashion. The lodge at Matthews, Mecklen burg county, also has exceeded its quota, and more than $1,700 was raised in a meeting in Charlotte, ad dressed by Mr. McCoin last Monday night. Henderson lodge is making good progress in raising its quota, Mr. McCoin announced. The aim is to get total subscriptions that will amount to an average of $10 per member throughout the State- Many are expected to give much more than $10, and there will be some who will be unable to give that much, Mr. McCoin said, but there is ample strength in the order’s 12,000 members, in North Carolina, he declared to raise the $100,000 easily. He reports one donation of $1,000, but withholds the name of the donar. The institution is declared to be crowded beyond its bounds now with the 48 children who are being cared for there. It is proposed to raise $100,000 to provide further accommodations for some of these and for 20 to 25 other children of deceased Pythians who have died and whose orphans are knocking for admission at Clayton. Republicans Will Meet in Cleveland Washington, Dec. 8.—Announce ment that the invitation from Chi cago for the Republican National con vention of 1924 to be held in that city would be withdrawn was made here tonight by Fred W. Upham, treasurer of the Republican National committee. The responsible administration leaders desired the convention to be held in Cleveland, O., Mr. Upham added. The announcement by Mr Upham, who came here today with a delega tion of Chicago business men to urge Chicago’c claims for the convention, was said by Republican leaders virtually to assure the selection of Cleveland at the convention city. Nine Persons Killed in N. Y. Central Wreck Erie, Dec. 9.—Nine persons were killed and seven others injured, two pobablry fatally, when the third sec tion of the Twentieth Century Lim ited of the New York Central Rail road, westbound, telescoped the first section near Forsythe, N. Y., 35 miles east of here early this morn ing. The second section, which had gone ahead of the first section at Albany when it encountered engine trouble, struck an ahandoend automobile at the Forsythe crossing. The train was stopped to determine if any casualties had resulted, and after placing danger signals at the cross ing, the second seetion proceeded. The first section stopped to inves tigate the signals and the third sec tion crashed into the rear cars. W. B. “Wild Bill” Donovan, man ager of the New Haven, Conn., base ball club of the Eastern League, was the nine persons killed ERROR IN BATTERY DEPT. SANDERS MOTOR CO. On page 20 of this issue appears an advertisement of the battery de partment of the Sanders Motor Co. in which there is an error in prices Instead of $27 and $16, the prices should read $21, $15, and $12.50. The batteries for other than Ford cars reduced to $15.00 was left out entire ly. NORTH CAROLINA BEING ADVERTISED Article in “Review of Reviews” About N. C.; Smithfield’s High School Shown North Carolina and Smithfield are getting quite a bit of advertising ' in the current issue of The Review of Reviews, one of the old conservative magazines of the United States, which should make our citizens feel 1 proud. William H. Richardson, Gov ernor Morrison’s private secretary, has written an article entitled North | Carolina’s Recent Progress, which deals particularly with the education al, agricultural, and industrial devel opment of the state. The good roads movement and the tax system are commented on, numerous illustrations adding interest to the subjects dis cussed. Smithfield s part in the article con l sists in having the picture of the new i high school displayed, showing the | type of building being erected in i scores of North Carolina towns and i cities. The Review of Reviews called at tention to the article in question in the following editorial: “In spite of the fact that periods occur in which the agricultural com munity seems to be the victim of grievous hardships, thefe is such strength of character and purpose in the American farming stock that we must not suppose for a moment that our country people will ever sink to the level of a European or Asiatic peasant class. The best way to un derstand the conditions of American life is to study particular States and regions through a sufficient term of years to establish a basis of compari son . The State of Wisconsin af fords an excellent opportunity for | such study, and its agricultural evo lution has been well set forth in a volume recently issued by the State Historical Society and prepared by Dr. Joseph Schafer. Another State that furnishes quite as encouraging a picture of progress is North Carolina, one oi tne original tnirteen. lociay, as for more than two hundred years past, it is a State made up predomi (Continued on Page 5) Local Talent Play Proves a Success One of the best local talent pro ductions presented here in many a day was staged by the Expression Class of the school here, Friday night and as a result about eighty-five dol lars were turned over to the athletic • Association. Mrs. Alfred R. Wilson, who teaches expression here and al so in Selma, directed the play which was entitled “Always in Trouble.” It was the first appearance in public of most of the players, but from the performance, one would think they were experienced players- About thirty took part. The play was in the nature of a musical comedy and gales of laughter swept the audience at frequent intervals during the presentation. PRESIDENT ON PUBLIC QUESTIONS Tax Reduction is Paramount Question Before Congress; Talks For An Hour. Washington, Dec. 6.—President Coolidge frankly informed the Con gress and the country today of his position on all of the major problems confronting the nation. For more than an hour, calmly and in terse phrases, the executive ad dressed a joint session of the house and senate, thus breaking the silence on public questions so studiously maintained since he entered the White House four months ago. Many oi the score or more ot subjects upon which the President touched seem destined to play their part in the coming national political campaigns and this acocunted in some measure for the more than us ual importance that was attached to this, his first annual message. Outstanding points in the address were an “unqualified approval” of the Mellon tax reduction program; a declaration against the soldies’ bo nus; indorsement of American ad herence to the world court with re servations; immediate re-organiza tion of the railroad freight rate structure; government assistance in the disposition of exportable wheat, and declarations against price fix ing, the excess profits tax, repeal of the rate section of the transpor tation act and revision of the traffic. Clashes With Radicals Mr. Coolidge spoke in the house chamber where the smoke of battle over the speakership precipitated by insurgents within his own party had scarcely cleared away. A number of the recommendations he presented run counter to the legislative pro gram announced by the insurgents and since they hold the balance of power in both houses there was gen eral doubt at the capitol that Con gress would be able to translate into law even a substantial portion of the proposals of the chief executive. The President presented some of his recommendations without argu ment hut others were discussed and (Continued on page 5 1-2) Selma Man Seriously Hurt in Wreck I>ate Saturday afternoon aa 1" S. B. Forrest of Selma was coming to Smithfield in his buggy a truck driven by Mr. G. R. Pittman, ran inti him, Mr. Forrest sustaining painful injuries. The injured man wa^ brought to Smithfield and carried to the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. E. Brodgen. He was later taken to the Smithfield Memorial hospital where an X-ray revealed no broken bones but internal bruises. He was able to be carriel to his home in Sel ma yesterday, and unless pneuminia should set in, no serious consequences are feared. Mr. T. C. Young has returned from a business trip to Charlottee. North Carolina Ranks Eighth In Surfaced Roads; 16,755 Miles Washington, Dec- 7.—North Caro lina ranked eighth among the states of the Union on January 1, 1922, with regard to the mileage of sur faced roads in the State according to a report of the Department of Ag riculture made public here today. At that time 16,755 miles had been sur faced. At that time only one state in the South had a larger mileage tha nthe North State, it being Geor gia with 18,000 miles of improved highways. During the year 1922 according to the report North Carolina with 2, 115.9 miles of highways construct ed was third in the Union only to Michigan and Indiana respectively. The mileage of surfaced roads in the country including sand clay, gravel, macadam as well as those which had been paved was well over 400,000 miles at that time, accord ing to the report. “It is believed,” read" the report, “that the 1923 construction will not fall short of the previous year’s rec ord and that by the end of the pres ent year the surfaced mileage will be somewhere near 430,000 miles. This figure, it is believed, makes due allowance for the fact that a por tion of the 1922 and 1923 construc tion consists of the resurfacing of roads reported as surfaced at the beginning of 1922 ” The following table shows the surfaced mileage by states for the twelve leading states of the Union as of January 1, 1922: Indiana, 39,857 miles. Ohio 36,607 miles. Wisconsin 19,714 miles. New York 18566 miles. Georgia 18,000 Michigan 17,186 miles. Minnesota 16,904 miles. North Carolina 16,755 miles. Kentucky 15,436 miles. Texas 14,883 miles. California 14,275 miles. Pennsylvania 13,921 miles. Danville Man Kills His Wife; Wounds Brother Reidsville, Dec. 9.—Austin Carter, 50, Danville insurance man, tonight shot and killed his wife, Mrs. Gertie Moore Carter, 35, at the home of his father-in-law in this city, then turned the gun on his brother-in-law, John Price, 35, who was fatally injured, and then shot Mrs. John Price, 30, in the right leg. He tried to shoot his mother-in-law, but the bullets in his revolver were ex hausted by that time. Carter, who came to this city this afternoon, made his escape after the shooting, in a roadster, and had not been captured at midnight. Posses are making every effort to locate him. Carter’s wife with her five little children left him in Danville a few days ago, and came here to live with her father, L. L. Moore. This is said to have been the second time that they had separated. Jealousy, said to have been entire ly without just foundation, of his brother-in-law, is ascribed as the cause of the shooting. The shootings tonight followed trouble this afternoon when he went threatened members of the family, to the home of L. L. Moore and An officer was called in and he was placed under arrest as he was re ported drinking. A Colt revolver was taken from him, according to the police, and he was placed under bond with A1 Stacy, local merchant, standing for him. Carter is a native of Caswell coun ty, having been born and reared at Pelham. Before going to Danville, he lived at Roanoke, Va Carter, according to the police, de clared that Price, his brother-in-law, had broken up his home. Members of the Moore family denied that this statement had been made, but said Carter was crazed with drink. Over 9,000,000 Bales Ginned in U. S. Washington, Dec. 8.— Cotton gin ned prior to December 1 amounted to 9.243.917 running balse including 288.917 round bales, counted as half bales; 15,882 bales of American Egyptian and 713 bales of Sea Island, compared with 9,319,601 run ning bales, including 157,768 rounds, 22,708 bales of American-Egyptian and 4,907 bales of Sea Islands, ginned to that date last year, the Census Bureau announced. Ginnings by states to December 1 this year, follow: Alabama, 583,405; Arizona, 52,220; Arkansas, 562,540 California, 31,795; Florida, 13,154 Georgia, 583,631; Louisiana, 356,296; Mississippi, 549,784; Missouri, 88,350; North Carolina, 939,616; Oklahoma, 508,109; South Carolina, 750,218 Tennessee, 200,147; Texas, 3,919,458; Virginia, 37,736; all other states 22, 458. Teachers Hold Key to America’s Future Greenville, Dec. 6.—“If I could control every teacher in America for one generation of boys and gills, I could make this country just what I might want it to be. Even the fee ble-minded William of Germany saw this and by shaping the schools to his own ideas he made Germany just what he wanted it to be.” This was the declaration of Dr. R. H. Wright, president of the East Carolina Teachers’ College, in one 1 of a series of assembly talks on the spirit of America in which he dis I cussed the part of the schools in j shaping this spirit. Emphasizing the necessity of a trained citizenship for an efficiently functioning government the speak-, r made it clear that he had no sympa thy with the idea that there should ! be any sort of selection or rejec tion of those who ought not to go to college. He feels it the duty of j the college to provide for all who wish this sort of training. Auction Market Closes The auction tobacco market closes December 19th for the Christmas holidays, and will open again on Jan. 8th. SPEEDING CAR CRUSHES CHILD Five-Year-Old Son of Mr. J. T. Burch Who Lives Near Clay ton Badly Hurt. Caught under the wheels of an automobile moving at 40 miles an hour past the home of his grand father on the Central Highway 12 miles east of the city little James Bunch, 5-year-old son of J. T. Bunch was thrown fifty feet along the pave ment, receiving injuries from which he may die The automobile did no\ check its speed Another and heavier car traveling a little distance behind the one that struck the lad 'immediately gave chase and afer pursung the feeling Ford for two miles got the license number as 13-242. The records of the Motor Bureau here give S. A. Jack son, of Salemburg, Sampson county, as the owner of the car. The accident was witnessed by the entire family of the child. He was immediately rushed to Clayton, four miles away, and later brought to Rex hospital for treatment. The ex tent of his injuries could not be de termined last night. He is still un conscious, and is not expected to live. According to W. C. Bundy, a promi nent farmer in the eastern section of the county, and grandfather of the child, the lad was playing with a rubber ball in the yard when it rolled across the pavement. Mr. Bundy called to the boy to stand still until a car had passed. Then he started across the road, and the Ford suddenly appeared, traveling at a tremendous speed. At the instant the boy had just reached the dirt again when the Ford swerved off the pavement, caught him on tke shoulder and threw him back into the road. The axle of the car rolled him up, turning him over and over within sight of his agoniz ed relatives. The car behind the Ford stopped with such suddeness that its engine was choked down. The motor was instanly started and the driver of the car, a Buick, gave chase to the Ford. Mr. Bundy will ask the county authorities to take action in the matter today. The father of the child lives in Johnston county near Clayton, away from the paved road and was not impressed with the danger of the dense traffic that travels the Central Highway.— News and Observer. Cleveland Democrats to Meet December 14 A meeting of the Democratic vo ters of Cleveland township has been I'Jled for Fiiday nighi. tec. 14, a, cn-thirty to be held ^ wha- is known as “The Court House” near Shiloh Baptist church The object of the meeting is to ascertain the wishes of the voters ...h reference to the candidacy of Hon. J. W. Bailey for the office of Governor. Mr. Bailey stands for reduction of taxes, for safe and sane administration of government But, before announcing himself as a candidate, he wishes to know if there is a real demand for such an administration. It is to be hoped that all who oppose the wild extravagance of the present admin istration, those who are being crush ed by burdens of taxation, will come out Friday night and let themselves be heard on these important ques tions. This call is issued by a number of voters of Cleveland Township, Dec. 10, 1923. Cecil Hinnant Slain And Five Are Held Wilson, Dec. 9.—The dead body of Cecil Hinnant was found on the side of the public highway five mile* north of this city Saturday night and before daylight this morning five suspects were placed in jail hern Murray Dew, J. T. Millar, L-'r c 11ns and Neil Hooks, all negroo*, -re witnesses to the killing red s.v, that Turner Williams d'd the shooting. The inquest started rt. m dnight will be concluded in this city Mon ; day afternoon. Read the ads in The Herald today.