VOL. IX. NO. 28.
TA-R HEEL
Gathered from AM Sections of the State
Moors Fruit Bfcapes.
Southern Pines, Special.—The fruit
men of Moore county have been wit
nessing a strenuous period. Friday
flight one of the most tempestuous
storms in a long time wound up with
a blizzard of snow and ice, and on
Saturday morning the thermometer
■registered 24, with the fruit blossoms
encased in globes of ice. The fright
was big enough to cut with a knife,
as everybody threw up both hands
and conceded the complete destruc
tion of all fruit Orchards had been
aut in the fullest blossom for several
days ,and everywhere hopes had been
obtertained of a bumper crop. Fol
lowing the snow and ice of Friday
night came another freeze Saturday
night, to finish what the first r.ight
had done, the victims asserted. Many
of the orchand men say the frost has
done no more than to thin out the
blossoms, leaving prospects of a rea
sonably fair, if not a good crop.
- Tax Levy Is UoconstitntlonaL
0
- Asheville, Special.—Judge Fred
Moore, of the State Superior Court
bench, rendered his decision in the
matter of the Southern Railway Com
pany against the commissioners and
tax collector of Buncombe county,
holding that. the special tax of io
nents on the SIOO worth of property
for roads and bridges, and 18 1-3
cents for interest on bonds and sink-
ing * ftmd was unconstitutional anti
invalid, and continued the injunc
tion restraining the tax collector frotr.
collecting from the Southern this tax,
amounting to $4.A00. Practical}- the
aame poi«t was raised by complain
ant's counsel relative to Mecklenburg
county on account of the county levy
ing a 10 cent road tax, 15 cent bond
tar, and 25 cent convict-tax and uo
poll tax to correspond.
A Davidson Horn* Burned.
Lexington, Special.—News reached
town of the destruction b\_lire of
the residence of Dr. J. E. Cathfcll, of
Tyro, this county, in which about $4,-
000 worth of prop3rty was consumed
and not a thing saved except a canary
bird. The insurance carried amounts
to $2,250. The origin of the tire is
unknown. ' The popular physician
was out on a professional call and
his family and servants were away,
it being about midnight when the fire
occurred. Together with the 8-room
house, all the doctor's instruments,
accounts, medicines, his diploma, li
cense, etc., were destroyed, as were
1.100 pounds of pork and lard from
, «ix hogs. The loss is exceedingly
heavy on the doctor. At present he
is making his homo with a neighbor,
Mr, Baxter Leonard.
Coffin On the Doorstep.
Charlotte, Special;— Mr. and Mrs.
"W. G. Russell, residents of Hickory
drove township, this county, found a
•erude miniature coffin on their front
porth when they awoke, and in it a
letter demanding money. The letter
was adorned with n skull, crossbones
and a blackhand. The county author
ities have two neighboring youths
under suspicion, and will arrest them.
They refuse to divulge the names of
the suspects, bnt they believe the af
fair to have been the prank of irres
ponsible youths, and that is the view
held by the community.
Mills May Shut Down.
Dallas, stockholders
, of the Monarch held a meting
Tuesday at which the capital gtock of
the mill was increased $13,000. It is
■rumored that the three cotton mills
~ ;now in operation in this town will
soon shut down for two months.
New Charters.
Raleigh, Special.—New charters as
■follows were issued Friday:
Wadesboro Pepsi-Cola Company,
-with" capital of $5,000; W. B. Blalock,
• -George Britts and George Stanback,
incorporators.
Scott Library Company, Asheville,
capital $25,000; C. H. Bobbs, J. F.
Young and i*enry B. Stevens, incor
■ BiOTfrri. ?>
Erlicbcry Gets a Good Price Tor Its
$109,000 Bond Issue.
Salisbury, Special.—At, a special
■m set ing of the board of aldermen bids
were opened for the SIOO,OOO bond is
nie passed at a publie election ™4a«t
fall. Several bids were tendered and
■after due consideration that of N. W."
Harris & Co., of New York, was ac
cepted. The agreement under which
the sale is made provides that the
purchaser shall pay all legal expenses,
printing, lithographing, transfer
charges and delivers to the City of
Salisbury without any exchange char
ges the sum of $101,600.
THE ENTERPRISE.
Beaton's Slayer to w,, y
Fayetteville, Special.—Bam Mur
chison, alias Mclvin, will pay with
his life for the murder of Jaaaas H.
Benton, which crime he committed
on Sunday afternoon, February 23d,
last. l n Superior Court he was found
guilty of murder in the first degree
after a trial extending over two days.
1 The jury rendered its verdict ia thir
| ty-five minutes after retiring te Uw
'jury room. The accused showed eon
jsiderable nervousness when brought
! back into the court room to reorive
the verdict ,but after it was rendered
he sank back into his seat without
evidence of emotion.
■ Saloon Keeper Makes Assignment.
Wilmington, Special.—J. B. J.
Sandlin, the saloon keeper whose li
cense was recently revoked by the
board of aldermen effective April Ist
because of irregularities in tbe vißau
ner of his conducting his place, made
aii assignment for the benefit of his
creditors, Joseph J. Lit tig, Jr., local
agent for the Home Brewing Com
pany, being the assignee. The assets
and liabilities are not large and the
failure is of no commcrcinal impor
tance.
I Charters Granted.
| Raleigh, Special.—A charter is
grained the Johnson-McCubbin Com
pany at Salisbury, which will deal in
j real estate, build houses and factories,
I etc., capital stock $130,000, the stock
holders being Thomas P. Johnson, J.
: S. McCubbins and T. H. Vanderford.
'Another charter goes to the Carolina
Paper Box Company, of Winston-
Snien, $25,000, the stockholders be
icg "W. B. Hemingway and others, all
from Norfolk.
| A commission is issued to Willey
| C. Rodman, of Washington, I). C. as
I major of tho Second Regiment, vice
' Sellers, resigned.
Truck in the East Not Injured by
I Cold Weather.
Wilmington, Spocinl.—The Truck
ers' Journal of this city, says that it
has received telegraphic reports from
all the leading trucking centres a
round Wilmington and eastern North
Carolina and finds that little if any
damage, was done by the recent snow
fall and consequent cold weather in
this vicinity. On account of reduced
acreage most growers have been able
to straw their berry plants and they
are well protected until gathering
time comes .
I *"
State News in Brief.
I The United States Department of
justice offers SIOO reward for the
capture of Jim Staley, the negro
moonshiner who shot Deputy Marshal
Henry Reese. It ought to be easy
to identify and capture Staley as he
was shot twice. Several people saw
him' at Ranford the evening of the
day on which the shooting occurred.
Uritcd States Marshal Dockery says
that moonshining is certainly incfcas
ir»' in this "district, and that the moon
shiners are becoming bolder and more
desparate. Not so much is going on
now as in the winter, bnt more than
at this time laat year. Durham and
Johnson are the worst counties in the
district for moonshining, while Robe
son leadfi in retailing..
i At the office of the State Labor
Commisioner it is learned that there
is some increase of work in the State,
it is said that tho sawmill people
make more complaints about the
panic than perhaps any other class,
saying it is the real thing and has
hit them hard and caused a big drop
in prices.
j A charter is granted the Leaksville
Light, Power and Milling Company,
to furnish electric power, etc., the
amount of the capital stock being
$40,000 end E. B. King the efflef
stockholder.
4
The State Superintendent of Pub
lic Instruction has issued a very well
prepared and illustrated pamphlet
with designs for public school houses
this taking the place of one which
| was issued some years ago.
' There is talk- of a fine new hotel
at Lakeview, with Western capital
at the back of the scheme. The
plans are not worked out yet, bnt
a representative of the investors has
been looking over the ground and ap
paarrf impressed with Lakcview as s
place for a good summer and winter
* seagirt. „ :
' Tb« number of volumes. tfc
Supreme Court library is now 17,136
this being a gain of almost 600 a year
on an overage for the past four yeaw.
The number of volumes in tho State
library is 41,000, and counting book?
i which the United States sends the
J gain is something like 1,000 • year.
.... . .i. '. . ■ r . ' -
WILLIAMSTON, N. C., FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1908
TRAINMEN ACQUITTED
Trial of Engineer Eippey and Con
ductor Oakley, Charged With Man
slaughter in That They Were Re
sponsible For Wreck on Southern,
End With. Not Guilty Verdict by
Jnry.
Raleigh, Special.—The jury in Su
perior Court late Saturday night ac
quitted Southern Railway Conduc
tor Oakley and Engineer Rippey,
charged with manslaughter because
of the fatal collision at Auburn.
Train Dispatcher Victor Parvin and
his assistant are yet to be tried on
the same charge.
In Superior Court there was a con
tinuation of the hearing of the trial
of Conductor Oakley and Engineer
Rippey of the > Southern Railway, on
the eharge of manslaughter in caus
ing the fatal collision of freight and
passenger trains last fall, a mile the
Jtber side of Auburn, in this county.
A great many witnesses were put on
tmong them being State Treasurer
Lacy, who ie a veteran locomotive en
gineer.
Many witnesses testified to the
good character and ability of both
swn, Ripley having been fireman or
engineer for 33 years on the Southern
and never before charged with care
lessness. ' He swore that he
was sick the afternoon of tho acci
dent, forgot his orders to stop and
ran by Aubnro station. Oakley was
talcing up tickets when the train pass
ed Auburn and when the collision
nccured. Ex-Governor Ayeock led in
the argument for the defense and was
followed by Solicitor James for the
State.
Corn Train at Washington.
Washington, N. C., Special. —Ths
corn growers' special train of three
cars sent out under the auspices of
the State agricultural experiment sta
tion and the Norfolk & Southern
Railway nrrived in the city at 10
o'clock Saturday morning and was
welcomed by a large crowd of citi
zens and fnrmers from all over the
country. The special remained in
this city two hours and during this
time a number of interesting as well
as instructive lectures were made by
members of the party on scientific
corn culture and how to produce
more com to the acre than hereto
fore, on seed selection, fertilizer plant
diseases, etc. The lectures were care
. fully followed tip by exhibits of corn
specimens. In the party were C. B.
William!'., director of the North Car
olina experiment station; Tait But
ter, State veterinarian; F. L. Stevens,
biologist; R. I. Smith, entomologist;
Dr. Oeorge T. Winston, of the A. &
M. College; A. D. Samuels, specialist
of the United States Department of
Agriculture; T. J. Hudson. land and
industrial agent of the Norfolk &
Southern Railway.
Criminal Assault Attempted.
Belmont, Special.—An unsuccess
ful attempt at criminal assault was
made on Miss Gladys Purrjell, dau
ghter of Rev. T. 11. Purnell, about 7
o'clock Saturday evening by an un
known negro, who made good his es
cape. With the exception of Miss
Gladys, the family was sitting on the
front piazza, when they were aroused
bv her screams in - the rear of the
home. Just as she bad stepped out of
the house a negro grabbed her and
bound a rag around her mouth'. Her
screams fricrhtened the negro and he
fied. Bloodhounds were brought at
once from the convict camp near here
but could not strike the trail, a crowd
having gathered and obliterated the,
tracks.
Tar Heel Items.
Mr. J. N. McCausland, of the Re
' Ail Merchants' Association, of Char
lotte, has asked Mr. Webb to investi
gate and endeaVor to improve the
mail service between Charlotte and
Oreeusboro. Mr. Webb went to work
on the matter at once and will thresh
it out if possible. There is consider
able complaint of mail service be
tween Washington and Charlotte.
Thomas S. Rollins, of Asheville, is
appointed a member of the central
campaign committee of tho State
Anti-Saloon League.
The resignation of James S. Lew
is, first lieutenant. Company E, Sec-'
ond Regiment, Goldsboro, is accepted
he having removed to Rocky Mount
John W. Stewart was appointed
United States Senator to succeed thf
ttfte Red field Proctor.
CWef of Police Shot.
Elizabeth City. Special.—Chief of
Police A. O Bell was shot
the lfft leg Saturday afternoon by
James Bureh, n negro, whom he was
attempting to arrest. Bell shot twice
at the negro, buf neither shot took ef
fect. Police Officers Thomas and
Weeks and juuumter of citizens rush
ed to the rescue of Bell, overpower-,
ed and handcuffed the negro. He
broke loose from the hand cuffs and,
struck Bell, but he vf i overpowered 1
again and hurried to jail. Bell is not
seriously hurt. Tho negro was want
ed in Edenton for shooting the engi
neer of the steamer Plymouth I
THE WORKUP CONGRESS
Doipgs of Our National Law-Makers
._ X: ■.• Day by Day. _
Serious Charges Made.
Charges of a serious nature against
Gilford PinehotjChief of the Forestery
bureau, were made in the HQjise by
Mesaers. Smith, California, and Mon
dell, Wyoming, during the consider
ation of the Agricultural Appropri
ation bill. Mr. Smith accused him
of entering into a secret understand
ing with the city of Los Angeles with
the view of securing tho city valu
able water rights in the Owens Riv
er Valley, as against the interests of
private parties#having prior claims.
Mr. Mondell denounced him for, as
he charged, illegally paying the ex
penses of forest officials, in attend
ing conventions in the West, in which
the government had no part and also
of spending government money to
boost his bureau in the public news
papers. Mr. Pinchot was defended by
Mr. PoHard. Nebraska, and Mr. Scott-,
Kansas. The bill was under discus
sion all day and every line relating to
the forest service was fought over,
with the result that many provisions
were stricken out.
The Agricultural Appropriation Bill.
After| having undergone many
changes, the paragraph of the agri
cultural appropriation bill relating
lo the bureau of forestry, was finally
passed by the House of Representa
tives. Messrs. Mondell, of Wyoming
and Smith, of California, continued
their attacks on the bureau ain) in
this they were supported by Messrs.
Bonynge, of Colorado and Cushman
of Washington. These embraced
charged that the bureau had created
'timber monopolies in favor of large
corporations, illegally assumed juris
diction o«*er the water rights belong
ing to tli Western States, and jug
gled with figures in order to obtuin
largo appropriations from Congress.
The work of the bureau was vigor
ously defended by Messrs. Hepburn,
of I >\va, and "Scott, of Kansas.
Considerable time* was devoted to
discussing a proposition by Mr. Hum
phreys, of Missippi, to increase the
appropriation for the investigation of
soils, which van carried.
Oorrefnosdence Submitted.
The long expected correspondence
between Ainerica and Venezuela re
specting pending American claims
against the latter country was sub
milted to the Senate and is almost
certain to create a profound impres
sion. It will b.? difficult to digest
I lie vast mass of material which Sec
retary Root has placed before Con
gress, but even a cursory inspection
of the documents makes it evident
that the negotiations have reached a
critical phase. The President's reali
zation of that fact is shown by his
transmission of the matter to the
Senate without nnv comment, regard
ing the correspondence and especial
ly Scretary Root's strong presentation
of the American case, as sufficient to
instrntly enlist the attention of Con
gress.
All the correspondence and docu
ments were, referred to the Senate
committee on foreign relations.
Those members of the committee
who have already familiarized them
selves with the situation have arrang
ed tentatively a programme which
'ovists of three propositions as fol
lows:
A Tentative Programme.
Place a prohibitive tariff on Ven
ezuelan coff'te, the exports of which
constitute 45 per cent, of the entire
Venezuelan foreign trade and 00 per
cent, of the coffee is taken by the
United Statek.
Exclude all importations of asphalt
from Lake Bermudez, the product of
which has been taken almost entirely
by the United States.
Authorize the President to exercise
the general power invested in him to
take whatever steps he may consider
necessary to treat with Venezuela in
the future.
In a letter to Minister Russell on
February 28th. 1007, Secretary Root
reviewed the difficulties encountered
■by the various American claimants
and instructed Mr. Russell to demand
remedy and redress. The letter con
cluded with this statement:
Root's Letter Strong
"You are instructed to bring these
several cnuf's of complaint to the
immediate and serious attention ot
th* Venezuelan government,and to in-'
sist that the government to which you
are accredited shall give to each and
every demand herein set forth imme
diate consideration."
In issuing general instructions to
'lie American minister, Secretary Root
'.aid:
"You will call the attention of the
?»vcrnmont of Venezuela to the fact
that notwithstanding the long and un
broken friendship manifested by the
United States for Venezuela; notwith
standing the repeated occaaiona upon
which the United States has interven
ed as a friend in need to relieve
Venejseula from disagreeable and
dangerous complications with other
powers; notwithstanding the patience
and consideration which has always
characterised the treatment of this
government towards Venezuela the
government of Venezuela has within
the past few years practically confis
cated or destroyed all the substantial
property interests of Americans in
that country. This has been done
sometimes in accordance with the
forms of law and contrary to the
spirit of the law; sometimes without
even form of law; by one device or
another, with the action of the gov
ernment apparently always hostile to
American interests, until of the many
millions of dollars invested by Ameri
can citizens in that country practical
ly nothing remains."
Two Boy« Killed By Falling Walla;
Provincetown, Mass., Special.—
While inside the shaky walls of the
half-burned Centenary Methodist
Episcopal Church late Monday in
search of firewood, two boys were
killed by the collapse of a portion
of the ruins and a man was serious
ly injured. The boys were Joseph
Oliver and Joseph Holmes. It is
believed that Prada will recover. No
one else was hurt. —-
800 Men Cnt Off From N. ft W.
Shops.
Roanoke, Va., Special.—Eight hun
dred men were discharged from the
Roanoke shops of the Norfolk &
Western Railway Tuesday. The shops
under normal conditions employ 2,000
men. A notice was posted that in
the future the shops will work full
tune with the reduced force. For
the past three months only half time
has been made. Every department
in the shops is affected by the cut.
Louisiana Gives Felker 15 Years For
Burglary.
New Orleans, Special.—lt is not
probable that Thomas C. Felker will
be turned over to the officers of
Norfolk, Va., who say that Felker
knowns something concerning the
murder of a young man of Rome,
(la., at Norfolk last fall. Felker. was
sentenced to 15 years in the Louisi
ana penitentiary for burglary.
Alabama Town Damaged by Fire.
Abbeville, Ala., Special.—A Are
which swept the of Ab
beville at an early hour caused a
loss estimated at SIOO,OOO, partially
insured. The dry goods establish
ment of Stokes Bros., the store of
the Abbeville Trading Company and
the Bank of Henry County were de
stroyed completely. Two other stores
and several smaller buildings were
burned before the fire was controlled.
Struck by Her Own Torpedo.
PepsacolU, Fla., Special.—As the
result of being struck by a White
head torpedo tired from one of her
own tubes, the torpedo boat Blakely
which has been engaged in target
practice off this port, has a large
jagged hole just below her water line
on her port side. The Blakley has
been put in drydock and a board of
inquiry named to conduct an inves
tigation into the accident. The com
mander of tho Blakeley refused to
discuss the oe urrence.
Germany Accepts Hill.
Berlin, By Cable. —Emperor Wil
liam, having been fully advised as to
tho attitude of President Roosevelt
and the feeling of tho American
public in regard to the alleged' re
fusal of llis Majesty to receive Dr.
David .layne Hill as American am
bassador to Qcrmnav, in fHK'uossion
to Charlemagne Tower, lias with
drawn all the expressions of dis»-
approval lie recently sent to Presi
dent Roosevelt and would be pleased
to receive Dr. llill as American am
bassaddr.
Murdered Woman Foutd iin Bed.
Trenton, N. J., \Speeial.—Mrs.
Frances Kabe was found dead it* bed
at her home at Fnllsington, Pa.,
Sunday mornitig with two stab
wound's in the body and a fractured
skull. The woman had been murder
ed and had been dead at least 24
hours when the body was discovered.
A broken chair and other conditions
in the room gave evidence of a
struggle. There is no clue to the
murderer.
Virginia" Shot Five Times.
Roanoke, Va., Special.—A Times
special from WythevWle, Va., says:
W W. Pendleton, a well-known citii
zen, fatally shot James Spoon Satur
day afternoon. Pendleton went
Spoon's house, which is near his own
home, called him out and shot him
five times. He then went back to his
home lu'id liotiflerl a doctor and
officers, saying, "I have shot James
Spoon." it has been thought for.,
some time that Pendleton's mind was
unbalanced.
■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■
Dresden has opened a bathing es
tablishment for dogs. It ill owned
•m) arovorand bv the nmnlclu&Utr»
91.00 a Year in Advance
STRIKE -.Of MINERS
Many Thousands Quit Work
Pending Settlement
LITTLE INVOLVED IN DISPUTE
I Indications Do Not, However, Poiaft
to a Prolonged Strike, as the Dif
ferences Between the Miners aad
Operators Arm Slight, Bat Sous
Political By-Play in the Miners*
Organisation and Other Local Dif
ferences Keep Contending Fw>
! tions. Apart.
Indianapolis Iml., Special.— Two
I hundred and fifty thousand picks
i dropped from the hand* of ax many
bituminous coal miner* of the.Unit
ed States TUesday evening, not to bo
' used again until b wag* settlement
baa been reached and a wale adopted
between the member# of the United
Mine Workers of Ameriee and tho
coal operators of the various fields,
Wednesday morning there were
000 men idle. The situation, however,
does not indicate a prokmgcd strike.
An open winter ami industrial de
pression have left a targe stock at
coal on hand and tVe differences be
tween miners and operators are very
slight. It is practically agreed that
the present wage scale will be con
fined, but some politics in eonnee
tion with the change in the national
officers of the organization,
ami lhcal differences between opera
itors and miners have resulted in tem-
Iporary suspension from work until s
( new wage scale is agreed to* either by
districts or individual mines
The libit System.
TTfiti 1 two years fcgo the bituminous
coal mining wage of the country was
based upon, the agreement reached
in the central competitive Held con
sisting of Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and
western Pennsylvania, and consider
ed as a unit. This unit system waa
broken two years ago when Presi
dent Mitchell signed a scale with
Pittsburg operators, who. agreed to
pay the scale denmanded after oj»era
tora of the other three States had
refused and the miners won their
fight. Operators signed the scale in
dividually throughout tho country.
* Since that time the miners have
fried to gjft back the unit rule, or
inter-State agreement, but operators
of western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and
, Illinois, after negotiations lasting all
the past winter, have refused to meet
,iri inter-State convention with the
' miners. As a last resort President
' Mitchell called the miners in national
'convention and district settlement*
i were authorized with the present
wage, scale as a minimum. Failing
, to agree by district miners were ai»-
| f horized' to sign the present scale with
operators individually.
Vice President Lewis, who will
; succeed President Mitchell, is en
tleavoring to revive the in for-State
I unit rule. In the meantime district
1 joint meeting are being field in the
1 varianii States.
No Trouble in Tennessee.
Nashville, Tenu., Special.— The sit
uation,in the coal fields of Tennessee
( is quiet and relations between ope
rators and miners are entirely har
monious. The miners are worked on
the ''open shop" plan and the wage
f scale is said to be satisfactory. John
1 P. Williams, president of the Hon Air
■ Coal and Iron Company, said that he
anticipated no friction in the Ten
nessee district; that conditions were
eminently satisfactory and that the
men were entirely satisfied and cheer
ful.
All lowa Mines to Close.
Des Moines, lowa, Special.— Every *
coal mine in the State of lowa will
close. Not one of .'lO or 35 mines in
the State will be worked Wednesday.
The shut-down pending the settle
ment between oj>erators and miners
will last at least 30 days. For the
past month tlie mining companies and
large consumers of the State have
been storing up coal in preparation
for the shut-down.
♦ --- • —__ ~
Sea Wall at Tybee Island May ■»
Destroyed.
Savannah,' fla.," Special.—The me
wall recently completed at Tybee is
land to protect the Fort Screven res
ervation fronj the encroachments of
the water in is a fair way to be de
stroyed. Tuesday's high title under
mined and destroyed eleven of the
sixteen foot aaotiaua."!! Is said the
plan of construction wa.-* faulty. The
wall cost $50,000 and is 4,000 feofc
lon &- . 'r>Ji