.& Year, la Advance.
"FOR OOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
Siegfe Cpy 5 Cat,
VOL. XVIII.
PLYMOUTH, N, C FRIDAY, NO VEMBEE U 1907.
NO. 23.
MEETING Of TEAGHERS
WHISKEY CAUSED DEATHS
Tilt BLAME IS FIXED
fe Items Gathered From AM
Wife Murderer Suicides.
Selma, Special. After two pre
vious attempts at self-destruction,
Ransom Godwin, who on the. night of
August 7th, last, shot his wife in a
most brutal and cold-blooded manner,
6hot himself Tuesday morning
through the heart with a gun, death
following instantly, the scene of the
deed being the woods about a half
mile f rom his home. The eoroner
held an inquest over the dead body,
after which it was interred by rela
tives. Godwin had been hunted by
officers since the night of his dia
bolical deed in August, but had ef
fectually eluded capture, staying in
the dense woods in the vicinity of his
home all the time, it is believed, and
being in communication with his son.
Once when officers were hot on his
trail he tried to end- his existence
with his gun, but the attempt was a
failure. A second time, when he
learned that the governor had offered
a reward of $100 for his capture, he
made an effort at suicide by eutting
his throat, but this attempt also did
not result in death.
The cold weather coming on and
the old man being unable longer to
lead a sylvan existence, he delibci
ately set about planning a third ef
fort to put 'himself out of this world.
Some weeks ago a lawyer visited him
and papers disposing of what prop
erty he had not a very great amount
were drawn up. This having been
done in good shape, he told his son
where , to look later for . his
dead body, and at the place desig
nated it was found.
Godwin was in his 76th year and
was in good health and sound mind.
The stern hand of the law was too
much for him to go up against, and
he chose rather to die by his own
hand than face the bar of justice
b he would have had to do in a short
time had he not used his gun with
fatal results.
5traigh.teniEg Out the Kinks.
" Winston-Salem, Special. There is
a novel enterprise in this city locat
ed on Church street. It is conducted
by. the . " Twin-City Shampooing and
Hair Straightening Company." A
small stock of feminine furnishings
are kept for sale among the eolored
women of the city, and also a stock
of second hand clothing. The firm
does a thriving business in this line,
but derives the bulk of its income
from the "hair-straightening" de
partment. Tho object of this com
pany is to straighten the hair of the;
negroes in the city, and. to. eliminate j
all the kinky inclinations of the samel
forever and etermNly. It seems thati
there is a great demand among the
sable sons and daughters of Ilam to
have straight lines made out of that
part of their anatomy which is as the
sands of the sea and cannot be count
ed, and a great many negroes in the
ity stand as living ' illustrations of
the skill of the local "hair-straight-eners."
The process used in the op
eration could not be learned. The
woman in charge of the building re
fused to give out the formula, the
secret being as jealously guarded by
the originators as the secrets of the
initiated members of Appolo's Temp
le at Delphi.
Million Increase in Tax Values.
Charlotte, Special. The value of
property in Mecklenburg county real
and personal, for the past 12 months
has increased approximately one mil
lion dollars, although the exact fig
ures will probably be considerably
more than this amount.
Proposal to Increase Stock.
Winston-Salem, Special. A meet
ing of the stockholders of the Wacho
via Loan & Trust Company of this
city has been called, the purpose of
which is to take action upon the ques
tion of increasing the capital stock
from $000,000 to $1,000,000.
- Forsyth Teachers Meet.
Winston-Salem, Special; There
was a fino array of county school
teachers in the Twin City Saturday
afternoon, the occasion being the first
fall meeting of the-Forsyth County
Teachers' Association, which was
held in the court house, beginning at
1 o'clock. The feature of the .meet
ing was an addres by Col. W, A.
Blair, who spoke to the teachers about
eiW-ational matters ia ' genral. He
m ' -e . smJendid address and was lis-
Sections of the State JP
The Synod Closes.
Hendersonville, Special. Synod
met at 9 o'clock, Moderator Riehard
in the chair. Rev. W. M. Sikes of
Madisen, conducted the devotional
exercises. Several reports of stand
ing committees were read and ap
proved. The statistical report shows
that the Synod has given to all pur
poses this year $123,364. Of this
amount $30,061 was for foreign mis
sions, and $4,000 for the assemblies,
Synodical and Presbyterian home
missions. A resolution was adopted
requesting that Synod at its session
in Newbern next year coavene at 6
o'clock p. m. on the fourth Tuesday
in October. The report of the special
committe on women's societies, com
mending highly the work of the Wo
men's Missionary Union and other
societies, was adopted. The report of
the eomittee on the Orphanage was
taken from the docket and after
striking out the recommendation to
accept the resignation of Superinten
dent Boyd, the report was adopted
and Mr. Boyd's work was commend
ed. Synod listened to an address by
Rev. J. E. Snedeeer, the assembly's
secretary of colored evangelization,
and also to remarks by J. S. Morrow,
one -of the ten colored ministers in
the Synod, both speaking in the in
terest of work among the colored
people. The report of Synod's com
mittee on Colored Evangelization was
read and adopted. At 10:30 o'clock
by special order, the report of the
committee of the Sabbath and family
l-eligion was read and considered. A
sermon was preached by Rev. J. G.
Oath in the interest of family relig
ion. Rev. R. F. Campbell spoke of
the work of the American Sabbath
Union, and Rev. II. G. Hill delivered
an address on Sabbath observance.
Railroads Are the Winners.
Louisburg, Special. The railroads
were the winners last week in the
numerous damage suits tried in
Franklin Superior Court. In the case
of -Fuller vs. the A tlantic Coast Line
for $150 for alleged mistreatment and
neglect of a fine mare while in transit
resulting in her death from pneu
monia, the jury decided in favor of
the railroad and taxed Fuller with the
costs. Another suit tried was Macon
vs. Seaboard Air Line for the killing
of Tom Macon, a neirro. when a loco
motive jumped the little bluff at the
depot, overlooking Main street, some
time ago and buried the darky un
der it. The railroad offered the plain
tiff in this suit some time ago $2,200,
but it was declined and the jury
awarded $1,427.
Nearly Killed by Eull Dog.
Spenceji-, Special. Mrs. Pheobe
Lineback, wife of Conductor Groy-p.-Lineback,
of the Southern Railway,
is in a precarious condition at her
home in Spencer as a result of a
desparato encounter with a large
bull dog here Saturday. The dog,
which was a most vicious animal at
tacked a cow on a lot near Mrs. Line
back's home and was about to kill
her, and Mrs. Lineback attempted to
beat the dog off the cow. All kinds
of weapons were used, but without
effect. In the fight with the dog she
was dangerously injured and was car
ried to her home in a heir less condi
tion and is still unable to be moved.
TJ. S. Court in Greenville.
Greenville, Special. The civil
docket tvill be sounded in the federal
circuit court on Saturday morning at
10 o'clock and parties interested
shonld be present on that date. Good
progress was made in the district
court and many cases were disposed
of. There were a number of convic
tions and few acquittals.
Transfer of Valuable Real Estate.
Winston-Salem, Special. By a
deed filed Friday in the office of the
register of deeds the Hunter block,
in Salem, is transferred from the
executors of the estate of C. V. Win
free, and the administrators of Wil
liam II. Loyd to. Messrs. G. F. and
R. I. Jenkirts, the consideration be
ing $7,500. The building is now oc
cupied by the Salem Dry Goods Com
pany. It has a frontage on Maia
street ot 91 feet and runs westwardjt
f-r 19?.V?-t. -
Primary Instructors in Public Schools
Meet in Ashevillo.
Askeville, Special. The delegates
i
to the North Carolina Primary Teach
ers' association spent a busy and
pleasant day Friday, combining busi
ness with pleasure. Three sessions of
the association were held, and in the
afternoon the visitors were taken to
Overlook park in special trolley cars.
The morning session was evoted to
the reading of papers and discussions,
the meeting being called to order at
the Y. M. C. A. auditorium by Mrs.
C. L. Stevens of Newbern, president
of the association. Miss Mary C.
Graham of Charlotte read . the minu
tes of the last meeting. A paper on
"Deficient Children," prepared by
Miss Fannie Anderson of Charlotte,
was read by Miss Mary Erwin. Miss
Nettie Allen of Grenesboro read a
paper on "Drill Work." "Humor
in the School ' Room," was handled
in a pleasing manner by Superinten
dent J. A. Bevins of Monroe, and
Miss Michaux of Oeensboro discuss
ed "Home Study; First, Second and
Third Grades."
The evening session was devoted to
"The Evils of Crowded School
Rooms," a paper prepared by Miss
Josephine. Coit of Salisbury.
The following officers of the asso
ciation were electea"t the evening ses
sion: President, Miss Mary Graham
of Charlotte; vice president, Miss
Annie Mead Michaux of Greensboro;
corresponding secretary and treasur
er, Mrs. Edgar Johnson of Salisbury;
recording secretary, Miss Eva Stuart
of Gastonia; programme . committee,
Miss Elizabeth Bernard, chairman;
Miss Mary Ward and Mrs. Pickens.
FRATRICIDE AT HAPPY HILL.
Negro Shoot3 His Brother Dead
Near Winston-Salem Murderer
Makes His Escape.
Winston-Salem, Special. Chester
Butler, colored, who shot and killed
his older brother, Dave Butler, Sat
urday night, has not been captured
although officers have been hunting
for him since the tragedy occurred.
The brothers fell out over a lamp
which Chester had taken from his
mother to an unoccupied building,
where a crowd of negroes were en
gaged in gambling. After a bitt'jr
controversy, Chester vent home, gol
his double-barrel shotgun and as
he left the house remarked to his
mother that he had decided to kill
Dave. He went direct to the room
where Dave and other negroes wer
playing cards and without a mo
ment's warning fired. Dave ran out
of the room and escaped the first
shot, but practically the entire con
tents of the second entered his body.
The wounded man dropped to the
ground and died before a physician
arrived. The dead man was 24 years
old, while the brother, who commit
ted the crime is only 19.
The killing was at "Happy Hill,"
a negro settlement just across Salem
creek, southeast of town.
Mashed Between Bumpers.
Winston-Salem, Special. Carl B.
Green, a brakeman on a freight trait:
between this city and Greensboro, was
seriously injured at Kernersville
Monday night by getting caught be
tween the bumpers of two box cars.
No bones were broken, but it is
thought that he suffered internal in
juries. He was brought into this
city on the passenger train, arriving
here at 7:35 o'clock. Mr. Green is
about 25 years old and has a wife
and one child. He resides on North
liberty street, lie is a young man
of excellent qualities and well liked
by his associates and others who
knov him.
Store and Stock Burned.
Pineville, Special Mr. Henry Fer
guson, of this vicinity, had the mis
fortune of losing his store and con
aid, w,hile the brother,-who commit,
bales of cotton, and 2 fine hogs, by
fire last Tuesday night. The origin
of the fire is unknown. This is the
second time that Mr. Ferguson has
experienced' the same "bad luck,'-'
there was no insurance in either case.
He has the sympathy of his neigh
in his misfortune.
Brakeman Charged With the
Recent Wreck At Rudd
HIS ARREST QUICKLY FOLLOWED
The Brakeman of the Freight Train
Who Admits That He Left tho
3wich Open, Is Arested on a War
rant Charging Criminal ' Negligence
Greensboro, N. C, Special. The
wreck of Southern Railway train No.
34, which collided head-on with
southbound freight train No. S3, by
running into an open switch at Rudd
on the night of October 17th, was in
vestigated by Coroner J. P. Turner
and a jury of six. The inquest was
behind closed doors and four wit
nesses were examined. They were
Engineer Sanders and Conductor
Davidson, of. the freight, and Brake
man H. C. Leonard, also of the
freight, who disappeared when the
trains came together and walked
from Rudd to his home at Spencer.
The other witness was Mr. C. D.
Benbow, who was a passenger on No.
34.
Verdict of the Jury.
After deliberating two or three
hours the coroner's jury reached a
verdict, placing the responsibility for
the wreck upon Brakeman Leonard,,
who admitted iiu his testimony that
he left the switch unlocked. The
verdict' also called the solicitor's at
tention to the fact that the freight
crew had been on duty over 23 hours
Upon the affidavit of Coroner Turner
a warrant was issued by 'Squire D.
I. Collins, charging Leonard with
criminal negligence, resulting in the
death of Mrs. Jane Thomas, D. Allen
Bryant and others. Leonard was ar
rested and will be held in tho cus
tody of a guard until his mother ar
rives from Spevcer and gives his $1,
000 bond.
Liquor Ken Arrested.
Danville, Special. Charged with
defrauding the Government by re
moving and concealing quantities of
unstamped spirits, J. D. Booker, a
large distiller of Pittsylvania county,
his brothei' G. N. Booker, and J. D.
Reynolds, a United States storekeep
er and guager, were sent on to the
Federal Grand Jury, at a hearing bo
fore United States Commissioner
Martin. A squad of revenue officers
concealed themselves -in the bushes
near the distillery and, it is alleged,
caught tho trio in the act of remov
ing' whiskey to Booker's retail sa
loon. If a conviction results, Rey
nolds, being a government employe,
will probably face more serious
charges. Each furnished $2,000
bond.
A Billion Dollars Tied Up.
New York, Special. More than a
billion dollars are tied up in tke
dozen savings banks in New York,
which have suspended payment so
far as the owenrs of the money, the
depositors, are concerned. But it is
all available for use in general bank
ing business, and the bankers say de
positors who need the sums of money
for pressing purposes will be paid or
given certified checks fur reasonable
amounts. At some of the banks
which arc still paying checks a por
tion of 'the crowd which presented
checks had been waiting in line all
night Sunday night and since early
Sunday afternoon.
Will Proclaim Oklahoma a State.
Washington, Special After receiv
ing in person from Governor Franz,
of Oklahomo, a certified copy of the
new constitution and certificate ot
election returns, the President an
nounced that he would proclaim the
Territory a State ou November ICth.
Runs on Banks Have Ceased.
New York, Special. The crowds at
the banks and trust companies on
which heavy ruiio were made last
week have dwindled to mere handfuls.
Most of the trust companies and
banks have resorted to payment of
the depositors with certified checks
on clearing house banks, in prefer
ence to releasing currency. The lead
ing banks and financiers say they ex
pect no trouble this week. In both
London and New York stock market
prices have advanced over Saturday's
close. The Pittsburg exchange is still
closed.
Brother of Saloon Keeper, a Block
ader, Under the Influence of
Liquor, Kills His Mother and Then
Guts His Own Throat.
Wadeebow), N. C., Special. As a
lesnlt of a protracted spree and a
drunken debauch Mr. Eli High-tower,
a middle-aged man who lires in the
southern part of this county, right
near the South. Carolina lirre, shot
and instantly killed his mother with
a pistol Friday night. It seems that
Mr. Hightower was at his home on
his front porch in a semi-conscious
condition from the influence of whis
key when his mother approached him
to get him to go in the house, and he
suddenly drew his pistol and shot her
through the heart. When the pistol
fired Mrs. Hightower said,' "Son you
have killed me," and expired imme
diately. Saturday morning, after realizing
what he had done, Mr. Hightower cut
his own throat and died about ID
o'clock. Mr. Hightower had a repu
tation of being a noted blockader and
dealer in illicit liquor.
He was a brother to Mr! F. M.
Hightower, who is in the saloon busi
ness in Wadesboro, and who has
made arrangements to go to Wilming
ton and run a saloon "after the first
of next January.
RATE CASE COMPROMISED?
Governor Glenn Returns to Raleigh,
and It Is Positively Announced, on
the Authority of Person Com
pletely Informed in the Matter
That the Dispute Between the
State of North Carolina and the
Southern Failway Is To Be Settled
By the Legislature, Governor
Glenn Having No Authority to
Change the Rate of 2 1-4, Cents.
A special from Raleigh, N. C, to
the Charlotte Observer of Monday,
says :
It can be safely said on the au
thority of a completely informed
person that the passenger rate ques
tion in dispute between the State of
North Carolina and the Southern
Railway since last spring will be
settled The final arrangement may
be made by the Legislature, which
fixed the rate at 21-4 cents
Governor Glenn has no power to
change that rate himself. The re
ports made by the Southern show
the average a mile paid by passen
gers to be 2.41 cents.
It has been known for some day3
by those on the inside that a settle
ment was in sight. It is now known
positively, though details are as yet
incomplete.
Governor Glenn may make recom
mendations to tiie Legislature. This
is most probable.
Gaa Tank Explodes, 4 Injured and 3
Missing.
Chattanooga, Special. Four work
ing men were injured by burns and
two or three are reported missing as
a result of an explosion followed by
fire in the plant of the Chattanooga
Gas company, shortly before 3
o'clock. The explosion is said to have
been cdused by the dropping of a
lighted match over an open jet of a
tank in the purifying department.
The injured are: B. A. Broder, Dan
Hemmill and Henry nemmill and an
unknown negro.
Birmingham Telegraphers Rsturn to
Work.
Birmingham, Ala., Special. It was
announced that a majority of the
telegraphers who have been on strike
since August 11th will resume work
Monday. They will go back on both
tho Western Union and Postal, under
practically the same conditions they
were working under when called out.
Texas Banks Consolidate.
Houston, Tex., Special The Plant
ers & Mechanics' National Bank,
capitalized at $500,000, and, accord
ing to the last statement, issued in
Augusta, carried deposits of $1,000,
000, has been absorbed by the Union
Bank & Trust Company. The consoli
dated bank will continue as a State
bank. The cause of the liquidation
of the Planters & Mechanics' Bank,
it was said, was the extended illness
cf iU president, F. A. Richard.
MY OF THANKS SET
President Names Last Thurs
day in November
CHARACTER THE GOAL SOUGHT
Democracy Must Use the Ten Talenta
Entrusted It and Pray for the Spir
it of Righteousness and Justice ia
tthi'h Lies Hops of Nation's Per
petuity. Washington, D. C, Special. Presi
dent Roosevelt Saturday issued hi
Thanksgiving proclamation, througtt
the Secretary of State, naming th
last Thursday in November, the
twenty-eighth.
Ihe proclamation follows:
"Once again the season of the year
has come when, in accordance with
the custom of our forefathers oe
generations past, the President ap
points a day as tho especial occasion,
for all our people to give praise and
thanksgiving to God.
"During the past year we , have
been free from famine, from pesti
lence, from war. We are at peac
with all the rest of mankind. Our
natural resources are at least as great
as those of any other nation. We be
lieve that in ability to develop and
take advantage of these resources the
average man of this nation stands at
least as high as the average man of
any other . Nowhere elee in the
world is there such an opportunity
for a free people to develop to the
fullest extent all its powers of body,
of mind, and of that which stand
above both body and mind char
acter. .
"Much has been' given us from on.
high and much will rightly be ex
pected of us in return. Into our care
the ten talents have been entrusted j
and we are to be pardoned neither ,iff
we squander and waste, nor if wa
hide them in a napkin; for they must
be fruitful in our hands. Ever
throughout the ages, at all times and
among all peoples, prosperity- has
been fraught with danger, and it be
hooves us to beseech the Giver of all
things that we may not fall into lova
of ease and luxury; that we may not
forget our duty to God and to our
neighbor.
"A great Democracy like ours, a
Democracy based upon the principles
of orderly liberty, can be perpetuated
only if in the heart of the ordinary
citizen there dwells a keen sense of
righteousness and justice. We should
earnestly pray that this spirit of
righteousness aud justice may grow
ever greater in tho hearts of all of us,
and that our souls may be inclined
evermore both toward the virtues
that tell for gentleness and tender
ness, for loving kindness and forbear
ance one with another, and toward
those no less necessary virtues that
make our manliness and rugged hardi
hood for without these qualities
neither nation nor individual ean rise
to the level of . greatness.
"Now, therefore, I, Theodore
Roosevelt, President of the United
States, do set apart Thursday, the
28th day of November, as a day of
general Thanksgiving and Prayer,
and on that day I recommend that
the people shall cease from their
daily work, and, in their home or ia
their churches meet devoutly to
thank Almighty for the many and
great blessings they have received in
the past, and to pray that they may
be given strength so to order their
lives as to deserve a continuation of
these blessings in the future.
"In witness whereof I have here
unto set my hand and caused the seat
of the United States to bo affixed.
(Seal.) . ' .
"Done at ths city of ' Washington
the twenty-fifth day of October, iu
the year of our Lord one thousand
nine hundred an seven and of the" In
dependence of the United States tht
one hundred and thirty-second.
(Signed)
"Theodore Roosevelt.'
"By the President:
"Fiihu Root, Secretary of Stato.
To Inquire Into Seizure cf Tobacco.
Washington, Special. The British
ambassv has been charged by its gov
ernment to inquire into the action of
tho ledoral authorities m serving ,
500 cases of oiirarettes at Norfolk in-
fimlnr! fiir cliinnipnt tn flip FSritistl
American Tobacco Company. Tkoj
British embassy Tfiopeneu lor dupi-
cated at Intervale, N.H., all sum
mer. Mr. Watson, one of the secre
taries, in charge, pending the aT
rival ! Ambassador Bryce, who ii
eonr ' :'rora Intervrle in an automo
. ... . ....