VOL. XL, NO. 27
"REMINISCENCES."
Biographical and Historical Sketch
by Dr. P. S. Hicks, Treating of
Local Persons and Scenes.
Well back to my show. Everything
went well and 1 had taken in several
hundred dollars. Tickets were one dol
lar each, no half tickets. The show
continued for about one hour and a half,
and I finally came to the winding up
trick which was to "raise the devil" as
I called it. I had an assistant on the
stage, a man by the name of George
Baker. We put the stage in order for
the burning mixture and just that time
I found that some one had gotten my
whiskey. I sent a fellow off in. a
big hurry for more, for I felt sure that
without the whiskey my raising the
devil would be a failure. Well the man
never came back; but we "raised the
devil" just the same. Several of my
old acquaintances from Tarboro were
there, Dr. Don Williams and others,
and feeling at home with me at my
show of course they felt free to take
privileges. I commenced moving tables
around to kill time, waiting for my
man to come back with the whiskey,
when they would call out "Phes' old
fellow, can't you raise him? Hicks
what's the matter that you can't raise
the devil?" The time was really be
ginning to seem long, when another
fellow called out "Professor if you
can't raise him we will help you if you
say so." "Alright, lam beginning to
think 1 will need help." At that mo
ment all the lights were put out except
the two on the stage, as if it had been
a put up job, and quick as thought I
put them out. The "devil was raised"
to perfection, T never heard such a
noise before or since. But no one ever
saw the devil, it was so dark they
couldn't. The fellows on the joist be
gan jumping down on the ones below.
No one coul see to get down the stair
way and everybody seemed to be
Knocked down, .a.Juu» ttiO
remainder of Cook's brigade that could
not get in, began throwing rocks in at
the windows, and with the broken g.ass
and rocks flying around in the room,
and the men jumping from the joist on
the planks and barrels and on the
other men below, I tell you it beat any
raising the devil I ever saw or heard
I will leave you to imagine what they
were saying during that time. As fast
as the stairway could be reached they
would roll down and out in the street,
(they didn't have room or time to walk
down,) and then get up, his hat lost or
he had changed with some one else.
As to my way of getting down, the
house had two stairways, so I had ac
cess to the back stairs and made good
my escape and was very quickly back
to camp. Next morning I went to town
and settled with the proprietor for the
broken glass, rent etc., for raising the
devil. After maneouvring around
Gordensville and resting up a little,
Jackson made a raid on Harper's Ferijy
with a part of his best rested horses
and best equipped men, sending the
residue of his army on to Winchester.
The company to which I belonged was
included, as we were pretty well tired
out and needed rest. We separated at
Goose Spring near Louisburg Va. I
reckon we had about 1000 men all told,
artillery,;cavalry and infantry, and
about half enough horses to carry the
artillery, wagons etc. It took four or
five days to travel from Winchester to
Louisburg a distance of about 40 or 50
miles. It took two days to travel one
having to send back to bring the extra
wagons etc. When we got in about
five miles of Winchester we found it
was in the possession of the yankees.
I think General Rosencranzs was the
yankee general in command. I have
forgotten who was our general that
had command of our invalid convales
cent mixed regiment, but anyway he
was a good one. He was neither
equipped to fight or run and came right
on the yankee pickets. As I said be
fore I don't remember our commander's
name as he only temporarly com
manding the'foments of Lee's army
but he deserves more credit than I ever
heard of him being credited with.
What would you suppose he did? He
sent in to Winchester a flag of truce to
the general in command asking him to
surrender at once. The general sent
word back to give him four hours to
consider, that was about sunset, during
the night they evacuated the place,
spiked all the large cannons, taking off
what they could, but leaving lots of
commissary stores etc. If he had only
have known our situation he could have
captured the last one of us without
firing a gun, I merely mention this as I
have never seen or heard of its being
mentioned in history. Jackson made a
pretty fair success with his raid on
Shi itlcekii M
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY BY THE ROCKY MOUNT PUBLISHING COMPANY.
Harpers Ferry and joined us at Win-j
Chester.
A few days after we got there from
then until winter, we drifted up and
down from Martinsburg to Richmond
and to Black Water, over and over
again. When winter came on my com
pany went into camp at Camp Lee in
the outer edge of Richmond. Cold
weather had come, one night we had a
snow storm. It blew several of our
tents over. My tent was capsized and
me with it. Wood was an item, we
drew about one stick of wood for four
men and that green pine, ir. had to last
twenty-fours hours and often it lasted
longer for we could not burn it separate
so we me.de a company fire and burned
all our wood at one time, all cooked at
one time, al! warmed then lay down
and wrapped up the best we could and
the next day do the s.;me thing ovtr
again So you see tha forge was 110:
doing very much good then. By this
time I was taking right much coid aim
thought it best to report to the Hos
pital. I did so, for 1 thought it was
about time for me to p"t, my wits to
work if I hid any and let the forge go
and take the chancer'. 4 11 worked well.
There was a hospit.V nght t here in
Camp Lee. I got a from the
Dr. of my company !•» Dr. Wims, of
Maryland, a very nice m and a good
doctor. In a day or »« > (ieorfife Biker
my old friend and e 1 "-- nate had fol
lowed suit and got p - miL to como to
the Hospital. George Ba'cer was a man
who could lrok sick or ugly any tim
h j pleased, so I toli him to do like 1
told him and we wou'd stay away from
the company all the winter and manag?
to get a furlough home too. After 1
had been there a few days I had a
private interview with Dr. ims. I
told him who I was, wha*; I w; s e'e ,
told him that I was a natural born
ventriloquist and had studied sleight
of-hand right much, was in the show
business before the war and had been
giving shows ever since 1 had been in
the war when an opportunity would
present itself. Ho gave me his hand
and told me he was more than glad to
AlncoV tH?rk %>jjcyij":'* *- -
fore, and that he would do all within
his power for me, in any way, shape or
form, and he kept his word. God bless
him. As I said before Dr. Wims was
a good man and took a great interest
in me, and gave me all the aid he
could, both professional and personal.
After a week or two I was greatly im
proved and would amuse the doctor
with my ventriloquism etc. He ordered
the ward master to give me a pass to
go down town whenever I wanted to
go. He also ordered me a special diet
of something good to eat, every day.
One day he asked me if I wanted a
furlough. I told him I surely did for
about that time a furlough was an ob
ject difficult to get, giving only two
furloughs a month in that hospital and
they had just then been given. So
the Dr. proposed to make out the
furlough and let me take it over to my
captain and get it signed by him for
then it would go through all right.
(To be continued.)
Chief ol Police ol Fayettevllle Killed.
Chief of Police J. 11. Benton, of f he
Fayetteville force, was shot and killed
Sunday afternoon by a negro named
Sam Murchison, who was captured
after a chase by a crowd of angry citi
zens. Murchison was on a spree and
went to a sick colored woman's house
and shot her. Friends of the woman
went to Chief Benton, who lived near,
and told him and he started to go to
arrest Murchinon when he met the
latter in Chief Benton's yard. The
negro fired at the officer on sight, and
killed him. The chief's son picked up
his father's pistol and shot at Murchi
son three times, wounding him in the
leg which helped in the capture. The
populace threatened lynching and the
governor ordered out the military com
panies to guard the prisoner.
It is the second time within 12 months
Fayetteville's chief of police has been
killed.
Do Not Forget.
That there is a genuine mind and
soul feast in store for all christian
workers who will hear Miss Mabel
Head's address at First Methodist
Church on next Tuesday (March 3rd)
7:45 p. m. Her subject will be
*'Woman's Work in the Home Mission
1 Field." Miss Head is pleasing her au
dience wherever she goes. She will
' open your eyes about the heathen at
| your door who think they are riot
I heathens.
One home built t ach month for the
past six years is the record of Rocky
Mount Homestead and Loan Association
Subscribe to the 12th series of stock
due and payable February Ist, 1908.
R. L. Huffines, Secretary & Treasurer.
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1908.
F JEWELL OF "THE CLANSMAN."
Reconstruction Play Has Swep Both
South and North Like a Cyclone
rnd Goes Abroad.
The farewell appearance in this
vicinity of a play that has swept both
south and north like a cyclone is an
event of more than ordinary interest.
The Opera House, in Rocky Mount is
fortunate in securing "The Clansman"
tor Saturday Feb. 29, matinee and
nigh,t to he produced in London as the
first American play that glorifies the
south; then it will go around the world,
visiting the outposts of Anglo-Saxon
civilization everywhere and finally in
1911 reaching America again. Exrc.-
ordinaay preparations have been made
for this three year's trip. Both the
company and the production now being
shown are exactly as they will be seen
In New York and London.
Among the favorite actors in the
present cast are Franklin Ritchie, Eu
genie Hayden, James J. Ryan, Maude
Durand, Barry Maxwell, M.J. Jordan,
Bruce Richardson, Guy B. Hoffman,
Murry Woods, Ruth Hart, Violet
Mersereau, Joseph L. Sweeney, George
A. Linderman, Earl Lee, John V. Mc-
Donald, Mae Burgess and Earl Ritchie.
None of the features that have made
"The Clansman" so popular the past
two seasons is omitted. The Ku Klux
Klan cavalry, the beautiful pictures of
southern life and scenery, the chivalric
men, lovely women and comedy darkies
of the reconstruction period, all will be
there.
"The Clansman" is briefly the story
of how the descendants of the Scottish
clans, living in the South Carolina hill
country, rose up in the year of 1867
and threw off the carpetbagger yoke.
Their agency in effecting this result
was the c lebrated Ku Klux Klan. The
hero of the play, Ben Cameron, is a
leader of the Klan. His sweetheart,
Elsie Stoneman, is the daughter of an
Abolitionist, the organizer of the hated
Union League. Here i 3 tne interplay
..irj c ~ v • - .
stance, in which the dramatist delights.
Elsie's father puts forth every ef
fort to enforce negro domination, and
Ben as stoutly resists. The latter is
arrested and clapped in jail by the
scalawag white governor of the state,
who is egged on by the mulatto
lieutenant-governor, Silas Lynch. A
Federal court martial sentences Ben to
death. Elsie begs the lieutenant
governor to save him The latter says
he will if Elsie will marry him (the
mullato.) Elsie faints at the shocking
proposal. Stoneman enters and is
maddened on learning what his trusted
protege Lynch has done. He has en
couraged Lynch about social equality
and indeed has told him to go ahead
and marry a white woman; but when
he learns Lynch wants his own daugh
ter, that is another story and his rage
and disgust are beyond bounds.
Yet Stoneman and his daughter are
helpless in the hands of the mulatto.
It is the Ku Klux Klan who, headed by
the rescued Ben, surround the house,
make Lynch a prisoner; and free *he
old man and his daughter. Stoneman
at last sees his gigantic mistake in try
ing to rule the country by carpetbag
gers and negroes and in instilling false
ideas of social and political equality
He announces that he will make yet
another trip to Washington to induce
the authorities there to withdraw the
Federal troops and allow the southern
people to manage their affairs in their
own way. Ben and Elsie are united.
A fairer day begins for that portion of
the stricken south, thanks to the high
purpose, steadfast courage and heroic
achievements of the Ku Klux Klan,
"an Invisible empire which within a
few months over spread a territory
larger than modern Europe, snatched
power out of defeat and death, and tore
the fruits of victory from twenty mil
lion conquerors."
Death of a Little Child.
Eva Lucile, the two-year-old dau£h
ter of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Edwards,
died at the home on south Grace street
Friday night, of pneumonia. The chi d
had never enjoyed good health and fell
an easy victim to the disease with whicn
she was attacked only a few days be
fore her death. The burial took place
at Pine View cemetery Saturday after
noon. 1
The best investment ever desired for
small savings is a well managed Local
Building and Loan Association. The
Rocky Mount Homestead and Loan As
sociation has stood the test of time.
Six years of successful operation with
out the loss of one dollar is our record.
Call on R. L. Hnffines, Secretary and
Treasurer for full information.
HAPPENINGS IN POLICE COURT.
Comedy and Tragedy of a Week as
Enacted in Calamity Hall Before
Mi'Siir Thorp.
Frhi'iy morning alfred White, colored.,
for disorderly conduct was given 30
days. He was an old offender.
Sa.-Vrday Bloss Harper, colored, for
drunk and down, was assessed $5.
Tom Alston decided after three weeks
that lajor Williams did cut him ma
liciously on Feb. 3, when they were
"projPicking" in their restaurant, and,
Monday had Williams before the may
or on the charge of assault. All th
witn? c >««r except Alston testified that
Alston and Williams both said at the
tim£ of l. he trouble that they were fun
ning not fighting, and the mayor
di ;ex*:.~v::d the defendant and taxed the
prosf.Ci tor with the costs. Alston de
clared he hadn't had "jestiee" and
Mayor Thorp fined him $2 for contempt
of court Alston apologized and said
he didn't mean any reflection on the
court, whatever, and the contempt fine
was remitted.
Or'.rence and Jesse Brown and Joe
Di k as were before his honor Wednes
day iflioi- ;ing for breach of p >ace, in
attempting to fight. Jesse was fined
$3, Sickens discharged and Clarence
Brov u Jid not show up. W. G Moore
was lined $lO for drunk and disorderly.
A case resembling somewhat the
famous Thaw-White tragedy was heard,
the parties being colored. Eliza Spicer
met Will Allen on the street Tuesday
morning and after asking him "what
mak*-8 you treat me so" pulled a pistol
muff where it was concealed,
and proceeded to shoot at Allen. The
shots went wide and Allen ran. The
woman said she meant to kill him, be
cause the said, he had broken peace
betW'.-exi her and her husband. She was
fined $25 and lectured by his honor
about taking the law in her own hands.
A * ,'op a stockholder in a home build
imr'lL. loan association? If you are
Btoain Rocky Mount Homestead and
LoarAssociation will pay you a better
rate j: interest on your small savings
than jny investment you can make.
Th«- Uh series of stock will be open
for subscription February Ist, 1908. R.
L. Hubnes, Secretary and Treasurer.
I WHITAHEBS ITEMS.
nd Mrs. McDearman and little
Eloisewere in town Sunday. They had
been t visit Mrs. McDearman's father,
: Mr, M J. Battle.
i Heny Bldunt, of Wilson, the famous
lecturr and orator, spent Saturday and
Send a, in the city.
Mr.and Mrs. R. W. Brooks, of Nash
ville ae in town visiting relatives and
friend
Hiss Nannie Battle, of Rocky Mount,
was n town Sunday, visiting her
father
Dr. J. C. Braswell has commenced
the erection of a handsome residence,
we understand that it will be fitted up
onmodern plans with gas lights and
water works.
G. Wilder Taylor's handsome resi
dence's nearing completion.
Farners are beginning to haul their
guanoand are making preparations for
anothr crop, while there are many
farmers who have not finished housing
their iast year's crop. Right much cot
ton is in the fields yet, to be picked.
: "Ifa man says he loves God, and
hateth his brother, he is a liar."
Re me .Tiber oh ye, hypocritsand Phari
sees, when you pray do you ask God to
bless everybody?
The Proposed Prohibition Law.
1. WHAT IT WILL DO.
It will abolish every licensed whiskey
and brandy distillery in the State.
It will abolish every saloon and dis
pensary in the State.
It will stop the wine traffic within the
State. For wine can be sold only at
the place of manufacture in quantities
of two and one-half gallons or more
and not shipped anywhere in the State.
It will stop the sale of all those chem
ical mixtures by whatever name known
that will produce intoxication.
It will place under the most stringent
and binding regulations pharmacists
and physicians, who may handle intoxi
cating liquors for medical purposes
only.
It will allow the officials of any
county or town to regulate or prohibit
the sale of intoxicating liquors by phar
macists in the drug stores.
%. WIJAT IT WILL NOT DO.
It will not prohibit the farmer from
making cider from fruits grown on his
own land and selling the same at home
or in his market town.
It will not stop the manufacturer
from making his wine and shipping it
outside of the State.
It will not stop the sale of those med
ical preparations and essences that may
have alcohol in them to preserve them
or to hold the medicinal agents in solu
tion, such as camphor, vanilla, etc.
It will not repeal existing prohibition
laws.
It will not prohibic the sale of wine
to ministers or church officials for
sacramental purposes.
If this law fails to be ratified by the
people at the polls on May 26th, 1908,
it will not affect the present status of
any existing prohibition law in the
State. In other words, the dry terri
tory will not be changed.
Ladies Thrown From Baggy.
People who were in the vicinity of
the Palace Pharmacy corner Thursday
afternoon held their breath, so to speak,
as they hastened to the assistance of
Mrs. Fox Hownton, Mrs. Lewis Wright
and two children, all of whom were
thrown from the two-seatad buggy
and down the embankment at the rail
ioad track. Mrs. Hownton, who was
pitched headlong down the embank
ment when the buggy turned over, was
found to be badly hurt and she was
taken into the office of Drs. Whitehead,
where medical aid was rendered. Her
shoulder bone was fractured and she
was bruised pretty bad y. Mrs. Wright
was more fortunate and escaped with
slight injury, while by some miraculous
way Mrs. Wright's two-months-old
baby, which fell into the street, was
not hurt at all.
The party were riding in Mr. Claud
Harris' two seated buggy and his young
son was driving the pony. A two
year-old daughter of Mrs. Wright riding
on the rear seat with Mrs. Hownton,
fell out. The lad took the reins in one
hand when he stopped the pony and
when he started up the reins were
1- ALfif t —w - ••s* y— •'a ~-
towards the embankment. This threw
the buggy too close and it toppled over,
spilling the occupants. The pony made
n > effort to run.
Rocky Mount Tobacco Market.
Receipts of leaf tobacco for the past
week were very good, amounting to
about two hundred thousand pounds or
more, which lead one to think that
there is more tobacco in the country
than some thought. Yet the large
amount of shipped tobacco mostly
farmers tobacco from a distance has
tended to increase the size of the sales.
The quality of the off rings has been
better than it was for the last several
weeks. While prices were as high as
ever, the purchases have been more
satisfactory from a buyers standpoint,
they getting better tobacco, and at the
same time the farmers have all been
pleased.
Competition on the better grades of
tobacco, especially wrappers, have been
keener and prices more satisfactory,
few fine wrappers showing up. What
appear are readily taken at satisfac
tory prices.
In two or three weeks the present
crop will have passed into the hands of
the dealers and manufacturers and
figuring on the next crop will be in
order. It is too early now to make
any intelligent forecast of same.
Traveling Man Dies Sudeeol y.
Mr. C. R. Tyson, a well known tarve
ling man, died at the Hammond Hotel
in this City yesterday afternoon at 4
o'clock, as a result of a stroke of apo
plexy, which he suffered some time
early in the morning. Not getting any
response when he knocked at the door
Mr. Griffin forced his way into the room
and found Mr. Tyson dying. Hastily
summoning assistance efforts were
made to save hirr j but to no a\ ail. The
remains will be taken.to the former
home of the dead man, at Wilson, to
day for burial.
The money stringency has apparently
subsided and the Rocky Mount Home
stead and Loan Association has emerged
from the period of depression with a
feeling of pride that loans have been
granted and all stock surrenders have
been paid on demand without discount.
The 12th series of stock will be open
for subscription February Ist, 1908.
Cs»U on R. L. Huflmes, Secretary and
Treasurer.
Mr. R. E. Copeland, of Spring Hope,
I vjiii in the city Tuesday.
PRICE 5 CENi 3
EARLY MORNING MARRIAGE.
Mr. Frank P. Spruiil and Mrs. Fa. -
nie P. Shaw Happily married n
the Church ef the Good Sliephei 1.
Notwithstanding the early hour the'
Church of the Good Shepherd w;s
filled with friends and admirers of tie
couple Saturday morning to witm s
tne marriage ol Mr. Frank P. Spru il
and Mrs. Fannie P. Shaw, two »f
Rucky Mount's popular and promint t
young people. The interior of I e
church was beautifully decorated wii.h
paims, ferns und potted plants anc a
rising sun shtd its softened light ov r
the scene and bore truth to the ada*;e
"Happy is tl*j bride the sun shines on,"
lor with an ideal day and surrounded
by many friends the happy you.ig couple
embarked upon the matrimoni-u voyage
under most auspicious conditions.
At 8:15 o'clock the bride and grjom
with the maid of honor, Miss iV.a d
Pniliips, sister of the bride, and ut it
man, Mr. W. E. Spruil", Jr., en et d
the church and took their places n
f.xmt of the chancel, where thev \\e:e
mei by Rev. R. B, Owen?, re r C, WHO
repeated the beautiful and ive
Episcopal ceremony. Their
was neralded to the expdctain. cjowd
oy Loheiigrin's wedding niard uiost
charmingly rendered by Miss Ahiu Lie
Bunn. The ring service was u >u and
the ceremony was beautiful *T.a im
pressive. At the conclusion the organ
ist sweetly played as a
the "Swallow Song" and the b'-idal
party slowly filed down the aisle t»> t ie
front of the church where they were
showered with congratulations fn tn
i.heir man; frien.is, after whica they
were driven to the depot and b *>'.ru id
No 34 for Littleton, the former hoipe
of Mr. Spruiil, for a few days visit to
his people. Upon tiieir return ; > tne
cii.> they went to Mrs Kate Pni ips',
>u Lexington street, wrtfere they will
make their home for the pVesent, board
ing with Mrs. Philips, who is the
mother of the bride.
'."kw.h.- '.' . it •» 'cii l V 1 ™
n a ;y ways accon»^nca u y«slJris» »»oy
who enjoys great popularity ifi Rocky
Mount social circles and i* esteemed
by all who know her for her many
womanly virtues. Mr. Sprui'l H a
young man who during his eight years
sojourn in the city has ®on an enviable
.position in business as well as social
circles and is highly esteemed by people
in this community and elsewhere. He
is cashier of the Rocky Mount Savings
& Trust Company, an institution,
which, under his splendid ability, has
risen to a position of commanding influ
ence in the community.
Engraving
The Jeweler's Catechism:
On what articles is it desirable to
have the owner's monogram?
Brooches, Lockets, Watches, Watch
Fobs, Cuff Links, etc.
Who makes a fpecialty of this work?
Woodruff's Jewelry Store gets the
name of turning out some pleasing en
graving.
What are the princibal effects they
strive for?
Artistic lettering, and the correspond
ing of the shape and size of the letters
to the articles engraved.
Usually this service is free, is it not?
Yes, tney engrave free all articles
bought from them.
Welcome Service to New Pastor.
Sunday afternoon at 8 o'clock at
Arlington street Baptist church there
will be a welcome service by the pastors
of the city to Rev. W. G. Hall, the
j new pastor of the church. Dr. Morton,
i president of the Ministers conference,
will preside and short talks of welcome
will be made by the ministers and
others. The public are cordially in
vited.
Head Cut OH By Train.
A white man by the name of Oliver,
supposed to be a printer, was killed a
mile this side of Elm City Saturday
afternoon by the engine of No. 89,
southbound Atlantic Coast Line train.
The man was pat off the train at Elm
City Friday night and Saturday had
started afoot to Rocky Mount, then
under the influence of whiskey. His
head was completely severed from his
body by the train.
Sevety-five families in Rocky Mount
are now owning their own homes, who
would otherwise be paying rent but for
assistance afforded by Rocky Mount
Homestead and Loan Association. The
12th series of stock will be due and pay
able on and after February Ist, 1908.
ICaU on R. L. Huffines, Secretary and
Treasurer for full information.