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.') Year, In Advance. " FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH." - Slnl Copy 3 CtaU,
VOL. X VIIL PLYMOUTH, N C FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1908. . " NO. 33.
Late JVeb&j
In "Brief
MINOR MATTERS OF INTEREST
;Following the burning of the court
lionse and all records at Bryson City,
2T. C, a curfew ordinance fpr negroes
was -passed.
;The second day of the Thaw trial
-closed with three sworn and four pro
visional jurors in the box.
Five Pullmans of a special train
on the Southern railway went
through a trestle near Hiram, Ga.,
and many were hurt.
Six sworn jurors were in the box
at the conclusion of the day's session
of the Thaw trial.
Receivers were appointed for the
Chicago Great Western Railroad.
Clatis A. Spreckles demanded pub
licity in American Sugar Refining af
fairs.
The Gould interests regained con
trol of the Merchants National Bank
i ronv F. Augustus Heinze. .
Governor Willson, of Kentucky,
sent the General Assembly a message
4 on the "night riders" and two coun-
'' ties asked for Gatling guns.
Greenen and Gaynor, convicted of
frauds on harbor contracts, begins
'.four years' terms in the Atlanta
Federal prison.
John Mulholland, a money lender,
-who claimed to have $3,000,000 as-
sets, failed in Danville, 111.
Oklahoma' came out for Taft, and
ITew Hampshire labor federation
leaders decided -to fight him.
Immigration is at the lowest ebb
for years.
Secretary Metcalf issued the or
der assigning Surgeon Stokes to com
mand of the Relief.
Richard A. Ballinger resigned as
tomissioner of the General Land of-
Dennett.
Senator Aldrich introduced the
Emergency Currency bill that is fav
ored oy jne ltepuDiican leaders.
Representative Gill, of Maryland,
introduced a resolution in the House
'calling"" for all the documents in the
i
fri'M wi iiitroduced in the House
"to reorganize the, Navy Department.
A
Mr. Willett, of New-York, severely
attacked President Roosevelt in the
House.
The Senate edjourned until Thurs
day. The battleship fleet was sighted ol?
Pernambuco,, Brazil.
Canada decided all immigrants
must come to the Dominion from
their former homes, thus shutting oft
Japs from Hawaii. .
Thd Bank of Yucatan was robbed
of $740,000, and 12 prominent per
sons are accused.
Augustus B. Stevens, baggagemas
ter on the Norfolk and Southern rail
way, was assassinated on his train
near Suffolk, Va.
The report that the Wise County
Bank at Wise, Va., had closed its
' doors is unfounded.
Sailors and marines from the Nor
folk Navy Yard celebrated Christmas
liberty in a riotous fashion.
Governor Swanson pardoned John
.."jckson, a life prisoner who was con
victed of murder and entenced to
be hanged in 1S97.
John Covington was lodged in jail
at Grafton, W. "Va., charged wits as
saulting Miss Nellie Maddix.
Fred J. Thompson, of Roanoke, has
sued Drs. Caneday and Stone for
, $10,000 damages, because they ad
judged him insane.
A revolt haa broken out in Somah
lond and Abjssinians have killed a
numbor ol Italians.
Republican senaiois, are said io bo
forcing a combination to defeat Till
. for the rwminaliou i'oi Fresident.
President Roosevelt held the "dip
lomatic rf-ception " at the White
Houso Saturday night.
Philadelphia street car men won
demands which threatened a strike.
The Government report shows that
9,955,427 bales of cotton were gin
ned to J-imuuy 1, a great decreasj
from last year's crop.
Senate Hale introduced a biil p . -Tiiting
tor reorganization of ti e
Navy Department and limiting the.
' number ( t Naval Academy graduates
appoint.! file '-is.
In the House the members held a
lottery .truwin.s tci rooms in the new
office baUdi:g.
Senator Raynor declared that
Democrats will aid in securing con
servative currcr.iy.
, V
Alexander B. Butt, cashier of the
defunct People 's Bank" of Ports
mouth, was arrested on three addi
tional charges, and is now . out on
bail, aggregating $25,000. ;
The schooner wrecked on Diamond
Shoals, off Hatteras, with the -loss of
five men, was the Leonora, bound
from Round Point, Maine, to Char
leston, S. C.
J. H. Sheppard, of Millville, N. J.,
committed suicide because his family
was too big.
Miss Elizabeth Frances Stewart, a
nurse at the Soldiers' Home Hospital
at Hampton, died from a big dose of
bichloride of mercury which she
swallowed, supposing it to be Epsom
salts. '
Mayor Schmitz, of San Francisco,
Avon his case in the Appeal Court,
and with Reuf, may be put on bail
until new charges come to trial.
Capt. Oberlin Carter lost his suit
against the Government for the $400,
000 portion of the money for which
he served a term for embezzling.
The Brownson-Stokes Matter.
Washington, Special. The House
is going to find out all about the
Brownson-Rixey-Stokes affair and
adopted a resolution calling upon the
Secretary of the Navy for all letters
reports and orders in connection with
the assignment of Surgeon Stokes to
the command of hospital ship Relief.
The House also asks for correspond
ence in connection Avith the resigna
tion of BroAvnson.
Artillery Sergeant Shot and Killed.
Pensacola, Fla., Special. Sergeant
Oscar Gattling, of the Twentieth
Company, Coast artillery, "was shot
and killed at Fort Barnacas by
James Hart, a negro. Hart made his
escape but was later captured. Ac
cording to reports , from the fort,
Avhich is nine miles distant, the negro
had a grudge against the - sergeant.
Sergeant Gattling had been stationed
at the fort for seven years and came
here from Atlanta, where he has rcla
tivea. -
Nebraska Pioneers Meet.
Lincoln, Neb., Special. Many aged
citizens who came to Nebraska when
it Avas a Avild country inhabited main
ly by Indians, are in attendance at
the annual sessions of the Territorial
Pinoeers' Association and the Ne
braska State Historical Association.
The meetings are being held in the
new Temple building and the pioneers
Avill bo elaborately entertained dur
ing their stay in the cit The final
session of the convention Avill be held
Tuesdav.
Hegroes Not Allowed to Vote in Pro
' . hibition Election.
" Shreaveport, La., Special. The ne
groes of Shreaveport and Caddo par
ish wore notified by both the pro
hibitionists and anti-prohibitionists
that tbrey will not be alloAvcd to vot
in the election next Tuesday on the
liquor question. Recently several
thousand negroes adopted a resolu
tion pledging to support prohibition
Colonel Andrews President of Tal
lulah Falls Railway.
Raleigh, N. C, Special. Corpora
tion Commissioner Rogers, who ar
rived from his home reports that A
B. AndreAVS of the Southern Railway
is made president of the Tallulal
Falls Railway, from Cornelia, Ga., t
Franklin, this State. This was Geo
L. Preston's road. It will be ope
rated by the Southern Railway.
First Cabinet Dinner.
Washington, Special. President
and Mrs. Roosevelt will be the guests
of honor at a banquet to bo given
Tuesday night by Secretary of State
and Mrs. Elihu Root to which many
other cabinet members, diplomats and
statesmen have been invited. This
will be the first cabinet dinner of the
President, and will be folloAved by
similar affairs given by other cabinet
members in their order of precedence.
News of the Day.
Japanese in "Vancouver seriously
hurt a fireman who fell against a
store window.
Republican leaders are ready to
unite to secure currency legislation,
fearing that the money stringency
may defeat their candidate for Presi
dent. The Russian police say they have
discovered a plot to assassinate the
Empress Dowager.
DOESN'T TAKE WARNING.
"Does your son profit by your ex
ample? Does he "imitate your suc
cesses and avoid your mistakes?"
"Naw. He wants to get married,"
Clsveland Leader.
SCORES DIE IN FIRE
Awful Ending of an Entertain
ment Given By Children
STAMPEDE IN AN OPERA HOUSE
Exploding Tank Canses Stampede
and Panic in Pennsylvania Opera
House Actora in Their Anxiety
to Mako Themselves Heard Over
turn Footlights Setting Tire to
Building.
Boyertown, Pa., Special. Between
.50 and 75 persons were burned- to
death Monday night in a fire which
completely destroyed Rhod's Opera
House in this place
The opera house Avas crowded with
members of St. John's Lutheran Sun
day school, Avho were attending a
benefit given for that church. While
the shoAV was in progress, a tank
exploded. The actors endeavored to
quiet the audience but in their anx
iety to make themselves heard and to
avoid the aAvful stampede of the wo
men and children, the coal oil lamps
Avhich Avere ued as the footlights
Avere overturned, setting the place on
fire. The flames, fed by the oil, shot
almost to the ceiling and there Avas
a wild rush of the seven hundred per
sons to escape from the burning
building. Scores of.Avomen and child
ren Avere trampled upon and several
Avho escaped being burned to death,
died after being dragged from the
opera house.
In many cases,, it is said, entire
families have been Aviped out. The
scene which folloAved the explosion
is indescribable. Scores of persons
who Avere in the balcony at the time
the explosion occurred jumped from
the Avindows and sustained fractured
limbs and -skulls. '
To add to the terrible disaster, the
fire apparatus became disabled and
the structure Avas left entirely to the
mercy of the seething flames. It is
almost certain not a vestige of the
bodies of the unfortunates Avho were
overcome by the smoke and perished,
Avill ever be found. Assistance waj
asked from PottstoAvn but before the
fire apparatus from that city reached
this place the entire centre of the
structure was a roaring furnace.
Had the women and children heed
ed the AA7arning of the cooler heads in
the audience the horrible loss of life
might have been avoided, but thero
Avas the usual panic and stampedo
which invariably follows at such a
catastrophe. The flames spread rap
idly and communicated to the other
parts of the theatre. Men, women
and children rushed for the many
exits, and the weaker, sex and the
children Avere trampled and maimed
in the mad rush to gain the street.
Assistance was at once asked of
both- Reading and Pottstown, and
special trains' carrying nurses and
doctors Avere rushed to the scene of
the disaster.
Every home within a-radius of a
dozen blocks of the opera house Avas
made a temporary hospital, whers
the Avouned Avere rushed by carriages
and other means of conveyance.
BoyertoAvn is a borough Avith a
population of about 2,500 and is lo
cated about midway between Potts
toAvn and Reading.
The night was one of wailing and
anguish. The shrieks of mothers
who had rushed to the scene as soon
as they learned of the fire Avas piti
ful. As the night wore on, the
crowds surrounding the building
greAv to such proportions that it was
almost impossible for the police force j
which had been augmented by a
itcore of men from Pottstown and
Reading, to keep the people back.
One woman who said sho had lost
her entire family in the theater Avas
with difficulty restrained from
throAving herself into the flames.
At 1 o'clock a special train from
Reading', bearing physicians and
nurses, reached here, but there Avas
little for them to do as the injured
who had dashed themselves to the
pryment, had been cared for. A feAV
minutes after midnight the rear Avail
of the theater collapsed. The ilaiues
broke out aneAV and those Avho had
hoped to be able to find the remains
of some of their loved ones, turned
iu dspair from tho scene.
It is estimated that at least 75
persons were injured by being tram
pled upon either on the stairway oi
by jumping from the windoAVS.
FLEET REACHES RIO
American fleet Joyously Re
ceived at Southern Port
BRALILIANS' WELCOME HEARTY
Warships of the South American Re
public, in Gala Attire, Meet the
Sixteen American Battleships at
the Entrance to the Harbor and
Escorts Them to Safe Anchorage.
Rio Janerio, By Cable. The Amer
ican fleet of sixteen battleships en
tered the port of Rio Janero at 3
o'clock Sunday atfernOon, after a
passage from Port-of-Spain, Trini
dad, more than 3,000 miles, unmar
red by serious accident, replete Avith
interesting incidents and ending Avith
a royal Avelcome from the thousands
that had gathered to greet the visit
ors. The fleet Aveighed anchor at 4
o'clock on the afternoon of December
24th at Port-of-Spain and exactly at
4 o'clock Sunday the ressels Avere
SAvinging at the anchors in this beau
tiful harbor. All of the battleships
are herej but the supply ships, Cul
goa and Glacier, are still at sea, not
having been able to keep along with
the others. The fleet has now cover
ed about 4,000 miles, about one
third the. distance of the voyage to
San Francisco.
Crowds Welcome Ships!"
Early in the morning the crowds
began to gather in the streets of Rio
Janeiro, and long before the signal
flags Avere hoisted announcing the
approach of the American ships of
Avar thousands of curious spectators
had taken up the points of vantage
on . public buildings and the elevated
quays. When the fleet steamed into
the harbor, under the splendid moun
tains that frame the bay, beautiful in
the tropical sun, it Avas a spectacle
incomparable to the eye.
Word that the fleet had passed
Cape Frio, about 45 miles out, Avas
receiA-ed at S:30 o'clock and imme
diately scores of tuge and other small
craft croAvded with spectators set out
to meet the visitors and accompany
them to the anchorage. Outlined
against the horizon the great battle
ships, stretched out in one -long line,
came sloAvly through the passage into
the bay. The Connecticut, Rear Ad
miral Evans.' flagship, was in the lead
Avith the Brazilian cruisers, dressed
in gala attire on. either side. Pass
ing the fortresses, the Connecticut
fired a salute of 21 guns, whieh was
responded to by, the Brazilian war
ships, the German cruiser Bremen
and the shore guns. The yard and
figthing tops Avere manned and cheers
upon cheers were given for the splen
did passage of the flagship and her
sister ships. - - -
Pearl Wight Confirms Report.
NeAv Orleans, Special. Pearl
Wight confirmed the report that ho
had declined the position of commis
sioner of internal revenue, whieh was
offered to him several months ago by
President Roosevelt. Wight an
nounced at that time that he Avould
accpet the position if he could ar
range his business affairs in this city.
He said that the financial stringency
which arose made it necessary to give
his entire time to his interests in
Louisiana
Wife Murderer Sent to Penitentiary.
Staunton, Va., Special. John F.
Via, charged Avith the murder of his
Avife, Cora, at Craigville, October 16,
last, Avas found guilty and sentenced
to 8 vears in the pemteniary. Via,
it is charged, had been drinking Avhen
he committed the crime. He claimed
his wife killed herself. Ho is 49
years old and his wife Avas 23.
Operations of Subway Suspended.
NeAv York, Special. Orders Avere
given by Deputy Commissioner of Po
lice Bugher that in vicav of the great
danger of falling walls of, the Parker
Building that the operation of the
subway should be suspended. An or
der was issued by officials of the
company that until further notice no
subway trains Avould be operated be
tween 14th street and Grand Central
tation. It is. feared by the police
of.icials that should these big Avails
crumble the mass of brick and stone
Avould plunge through the street into
the subway below.
Montgomery Retires Certificates.
Monts-omcrv. Ala.. Special Presi
dent Baldwin, of the Montgomery
clearing house association, issued an
order for the complete retirement of
the clearing nouse ceruuemes huicu
have been used in Montgomery and
vicinity for the past two months.
These certificates will be retired as
rapidly as presented at the different
banks here Monday morning.
FINANCIAL BAROMETER
READS "NORMAL'
Optimistic Outlook Foreshadowed by
The Atlanta Constitution.
The Atlanta Constitution of January
12 says:
For the first time in several weeks
the financial barometer of the coun
try reads
"NORMAL."
The weekly statement of the New
York banks, issued yesterdaj', sIioaa'S
$17,000,000 increase in the reserve
fund, not only restoring the latter to
its legal basis, but exceeding the re
serve requirement by over $6,000,000,
whereas a week ago the reserve de
fieit Avas $10,000,000. -
The significance of this is unmis
takable.
It means that NeAv Yonv city, the
clearing house of the nation, finds
that the financial deadlock, Avhich
had no rational excuse for existence,
has been broken and that henceforth
currency vitally needed in ' eA-eryday
business and deA'elopment will be
increasingly aA'ailable.
Testimony that is absolutely uu
impeachable comes from two sources
to confirm this reasoning.
The two great commercial agencies
Bradstreet's and Dun's in their
weekly reviews report substantial
progress toAvard normal conditions,
Demands are increasing in every line
of business. Money is more easily
obtainable. Real estate and other
values are appreciating with the pas
sage of every day.
There is no discounting the hope
ful effect of these three factors. They
bear their oavii credentials.
They indicate the near presence of
the day when we may speak of the
financial stringency in the past tense.
They bear Avitness that the funda
mental prosperity, upon Avhich The
Constitution has ahvays insisted, has
come to the permanent relief of the
country.
Within a few days this healthfui
condition will be reflected in every
line of business. Credit is already
easing; collections are steadily im
proving; trade is resuming its accus
tomed briskness.
The horizon is perceptibly bright
ening. From the scare that is van
ishing these lessons stand out
GET TO WORK! GUARD
AGAINST THE MISTAKES OF
THE FUTURE BY THE EXPERI
ENCE OF n THE PAST. ALL'S
WELL WITH THE PROSPERITY
OF THE NATION.
Bricklayers Union" Meets. '
Detroit, Mich. Special. Bricklay
ers from all over this country and
from Canada are in Detroit Monday
for the conATention of the internation
al union of the trade. The meeting
will probably last three weeks, as a
conA'ention of the union has not been
held for tAvo years and there are
many matters of great importance
before the body for settlement. The
gathering is expected to mark the in
auguration of a renewed and vigorous
opposition to the open shop idea.
National officers will be elected for
the coming tAvo years before the con
vention adjourns.
Serious Fire in Kansas City.
Kansas City, Special. Fire broke
out at the union annex and raged for
several hours, causing a heaA'y loss
before it could be controlled, lne
ffovernment mail transfer station and
offices and severs! express companies
were located in the building and it is
believed that tiro contents are com
paratively destroyed.
Airship Contest.
Paris, By Cable. Henry Farmat;
won the Deutsch Archdeacon prize
of fifteen thousand francs for an
aeroplane which would perform cer
tain required evolutions.. In the first
trial he completed a circular kilo
motre at an everage flight, the 20
foot aeroplane turning Avith ease of
an automobile and coming back to
the exact starting place. He then
rose again, took a great swoop and
landed in the aeroplane's shed. Tho
time was S8 seconds. M. Voisin, the
builder of the airship, fainted when
assured that the prize had beea won.
SEC. TAFT ON LABOR
Discusses Problems Connected
With Our Industrial Life
RIGHTS OF LABOR AND CAPITAL
Secretary of WaT William H. Taft
Paces Audience at People's Insti
tute and Sets Forth His Standi on
Relative Rights of Capital and La"
bor Cooper Union Crowded to Its
Capacity and Police Are Called to
Clear the Walks in Front of the
Building. ,
New York, Special. For the first
time since he became a recognized
candidate for the Republican presi
dential nomination Secretary of War
William H. Taft Friday night faced
a New 'York audience, set forth in de
tail his stand on the pertinent ques
tion of the relative interests and
rights of labor and capital, and in
turn submitted to a rapid fire attack
from the audience, which quizzed
him keenly and in a somewhat con
troversal spirit, according to the
practice of the People's Institute,
whose guest he was. The Secretary
proved equally effective in attach and
defense. 1
Not less than 2.000 persons, its ca
pacity, had crowded" into Cooper
Union, when police reserves were
summoned to clear the Avalks in front
of the building, where a thousand or
more had congregated.
As the Secretary of War made his
way through the throng a shout of
'Three cheers for the next Presi
dent," was the signal for a noisy
ovation that continued until Mr. Taft
bowed his acknoAvledgement from the
platform.
People's Institute audiences usual-
y bring together intellectual leaders'
in all walks of life and Friday
night's gathering was a typical one.
At least a third of the auditors was
women. When Charles bprague
Smith, who presided, suggested that
three cheers be given for the speaker,
the demonstration continued for three
or four minutes. After referring in
most complimentary terms to his rec
ord as a Cabinet officer and the good
influence exerted by his trip abroad,
Mr. Smi,i said that he was proud to
introduce the "Secretary of the
Navy."
Mr. Smith's Mistake.
When the laughter,- begun by the
Secretary himself - and; joined . in by
tho audience, had died aAay, Mr.
Taft said playfully that he wished
it understood that he was the head
of what he, at least, considered the
more important department. "
He was reminded, he added, of a
story told by the President. Mr.
Roosevelt once attended a public
meeting in the West, at which- the
chairman spoke most f alteringly of
the speaker he presented. This chair
man said: '! take pleasure in intro
ducing to you ,a man known from
California to Maine from. Canada to
Mexico, Avho has known what it is to
e on the firing line who has smelled
gunpowder the Hon. 3Ir. " Her
the chairman hesitated, embarrassed
for a moment, then turning to the
guest, of the evening asked: "What
is your name, please?"
In his prepared address the Secre
tary pointed out he dependence one
upon the other of capital and labor.
He declared that- great aggregations
of wealth, properly employed widen
ed the. field of labor and Avere to be
welcomed, while Avealth improperly
used was to be condemned. He ad-
ocated unionism in so far as syra-.
pathy and the resultant co-operation
made for the common good.
Unfortunate Occurrence.
Johnston, Special.-Mr. .J.. E.
Clark, who lives a feAv miles from
Johnston, lost his eye. a feAvdays ago ,
In a peculiar manner. He Avas mount
ing his mule to go home when the
animal jumped and the buckle on tht
bridle struck Mr. Clark m the' eye,
cutting the ball so badly that it had
to be tken out at once. ..
Parker cn tho Panic.
Kingston, N. Y., Special. Before
an assemblage, of CO associates of his
home county of Ulster, former Chiel
Judge Alton B. Parker, of the Court
of Appeals, Democratic candidate foi
the presidency in 1004, spoke of the
causes of the recent ''credit panic"
and of AA-bat he. considered the dan
gers of putting "untutored idealism "
in charge of the nation's affairs. The
occasion was a dinner given by foui
score or more Ulster county Demo
crats, at whieh .Tud go Parker Avas the
guest of bonor.