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m Yir, la Advance FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH. " SIag! Cofy 5 CeBta,
VOL. J VIII. PLYMOUTH, N. C FRIDAY APRIL 3, E908 NO. 44.
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T-
Items Gathered From All
ft
Moore Fruit Escapes.
Southern Pines, Special. The fruit
men of Moore county have been wit
nessing a strenuous period. Friday
night 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 botli hands
and conceded the complete destruc
tion of all fruit. Orchards had been
out in the fullest blossom for several
days ,and everywhere hopes had been
entertained of a bumper crop. Fol
lowing the snow and ice of Friday
night came another freeze Saturday
night, to finish what the first night
had done, the victims asserted. Many
of t8 orchard men say the frost has
one no more than to thin out the
sonably fair, if not a good crop.
Tax Levy Is Unconstitutional.
Asheville, Special. Judsre Fred
Moore, of the State Superior Court pany, being the assignee. The assets
bench, rendered his decision in the and liabilities are not large and the
matter of the Southern Railway Com- failure is of no commercinal impor
pany against the commissioners and tance.
tax collector of Buncombe county,
holding that the special tax of la Charters Granted,
cents on the $100 worth of property ' , . , . , , , ,
for roads and bridges, and 18 1-3 1 Ralels1?' Special.-A charter is
cents for interest on bonds and sink- "ranledt the Johnson-McChbbm Com
ing fund was unconstitutional and j Pny at Salisbury, which will deal in
invalid, and continued the in itinc- rf esta.te blk hfZ d actos
lion restraining the tax collector from ! J". calta Btc,k $130,000, .the stock
collecting from the Southern this tax, j 'cATr ln- Thm3 T?' I lnf "' J'
amounting to $4.S0l). Praeticaly the McCubbins and J II. anderf ord.
same point was raised bv complain- nother, charer 0es to tjie ro ma
ant's counsel relative to Mecklenburg ' aFr B ?many f, lnst?n"
county on account of the countv lev ?"1?' g2?00'. the stockholders be
ing a 10 cent road tax, 1.', cent bond "S r B. Hemingway and others, all
tax, and 23 cent convict tax and no
poll tax to correspond.
A Davidson Home Burned,
Lexington, Special. News reached i
town of the destruction by fire of
ine residence oi uv. o. n,. L-atneii, oi
Tyro, this county, in which about $4,-
000 worth of property was consumed
arid not a thing saved except a canary ers' Journal of this city, says that it
bird. The insurance carried amounts has received telegraphic reports from
fo $2,250. The origin of the lire is all the leading trucking centres a
unknown. The popular physician round Wilmington and eastern North
was out on a professional call and Carolina and finds that little if any
his family and servants were away, damage, was done by the recent snow
it being about midnight when tha fire fall and consequent cold weather in
occurred. Together with the 8-room this vicinity. On account of reduced
house, all the doctor's instruments, acreage most growers have been able
accounts, medicines, his diploma, li- to straw .their berry plants and tfiey
cense, etc., were destroyed, as were ' are well protected until gathering
1,100 pounds of pork and lard from time comes .
six hogs. The loss is exceedingly i
heavy on the doctor. At present he j State News in Brief,
is making his home with a neighbor, ' TT , ,
Mr. Baxter Leonard. . Tfb.e Unted gate. Department of
j Justice offers $100 reward tor the
m, xv -. x I capture of Jim Staley,. the negro
Coffin On the Doorstep. ; moonshiner who shot Deputy Marshal
Charlotte, Special Mr. and Mrs. Henry Reese. It ought to be easy
W. G. Russell, residents of Hickory to identify and capture Staley as he
Grove township, this county, found a was shot twice. Several people saw
crude miniature coffin on their front him at Sanford the evening of the
porth when they awoke, and in it a day on which the shooting occurred,
letter demanding money. The letter United States Marshal Dockery says
was adorned with a skull, crossbones that moonshining is certainly increas
and a blackhand. The county author- ing in this district and that the moon
it ies have two neighboring youths shiners are becoming bolder and more
under suspicion, and will arrest them, desparate. Not so much is going on
They refuse to divulge the names of now as in the winter, but more than
the suspects, but they believe the af at this time last year. Durham and
fair to have been the prank of irres-' Johnson are the worst counties in the
ponsible youths, and that is the view district for moonshining, while Robe
held by the community. ' , son leads in retailing..
" I At the office of the State Laboi
Mills May Shut Down. Commisioner it is learned that there
Dallas, Special. The stockholders w some increase of work in the State,
of the Monarch held a meting on is said that the sawmill people
Tuesday at which the capital stock of make n;ore complaints about the
the mill was increased $13,000. It is Panie than perhaps any . er claw,
rumored that the three cotton mills saying it is the real thing and has
now in operatio- in this town will !"t them hard and caused a big drop
soon shut down for two months. i m prices.
A charter is granted the Leaksvillo
New Charters. ; Light, Power, and Milling Company,
Raleigh, Special.-New charters as to furnish electric power etc.. the
Wadesboro Pepsi-Cola Company.. , , , ,
with capital of $5,000; W. B. Blalock, ockiioiaer.
George Britts and George Stanbaek, ' The State Superintendent of Pub
incorporators. lie Instruction has issued a very well
Scott Library- Company, Asheville, prepared and illustrated pamphlet
capital $25,000; C. II. Bobbs, J. F. with designs for public school houses
Youno- and Henry B. Stevens, incor- . this taking the place of one whict
porators.
Salisbury Gets a Good Price Tor Its
$100,000 Bond Issue.
Salisbury, Speeial.-At a special
V , , ,4..n i-i
meeting of the board ot aldermen bids
were opened for the $100,000 bond is-
sue passed "at a public election last
fall. Several bids were tendered and
after due consideration that of X. W.j
Harris cc l'o., or. iew huk. .u-
charges and delivers 10 me ynv vl
cepted. The agreement "nder Inch fl jn of almost fi00 a yeaj
the sale is made provides tnat the ovt,raw for the past four years
purchaser shall pay a 1 legal expenses, u;rrbcr )f vohimos in the State
iM-intin". lithographing, transter . , ni; h,,i-a
SallUnrv witllOUl anv i.cuan;c vuai
ges theufl-tf $101,000.
Sections of the State
Benton's Slayer to Hang.
Fayetteville, Special. Sam Mur
chison, alias Melvin, will pay with
his life for the murder of James H.
Benton, which crime he committed
on Sunday afternoon, February 23d,
last. In Superior Court he was found
guilty of murder in the first degre
after a trial extending over two days.
The jury rendered its verdict in thirty-five
minutes after retiring to the
jury room. The accused showed con
siderable nervousness when brought
back into the court room .to,; receive
the verdict ,but after it was rendered
he sank back into his seat without
evidence of emotion.
Saloon Keeper Make3 Assignment.
Wilmington, Special. J. B. J.
Sandlin, the saloon keeper whose li
cense was recently revoked by the
j i.i a1:i i4.
because of irregularities in the man
ner of his conducting his place, made
an assignment for the benefit of his
creditors, Joseph J. Littig, Jr., local
agent for the Home Brewing Com-
iioni iorioiK..
A commission is issued to Willey
C. Rodman, of Washington, D. C as
major of the Second Regiment, vice
Sellers, resigned.'
Truck in the East Not injured by
Cold Weather.
Wilmington, Special. The Truck-
I was issued sumu jvuis os"'
j There is talk of a fine new hotel i
at Lakeview, with Western, capital
at the back of the scheme. The
Vs are not worked out yet. bul
a representative of the investors haa
beenhlookinjr over the ground and ap-
p0ars impressed with Lakeview as a
n(.e for a o-00j summer and while!
n?sovtj
The mimJjpr of voiumes in tin
tbe UniteJ S(atps gemls th.
gain is something like 1,000 a year.
Rnnvnmn Pmi ri libra VV IS nOW 1 i .136
TRA1NMENACQUITTED
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
Jury.
Raleigh, Special. The jury in Su
perior Court late Saturday night ac
quitted Southern Railwuy 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 charge of manslaughter in caus
ing the fatal collision of freight and
passenger trains last fall, a mile the
other side of Auburn, in this county.
A great many witnesses were put on
among them being State Treasurer
Lacy, who is a veteran locomotive en
gineer. Many witnesses testified to the
good character and ability of both
men. 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 the acci
dent, forgot his orders to stop and
ran by Auburn station. Oakley was
taking up tickets when the train pass
ed Auburn and when the collision
occured. Ex-Governor Aycock led in
the argument for the defense and was
followed by Solicitor James for the
State.
Corn Train at Washington.
Washington, N. C, Special. The
corn growers' special train of three
cars sent out under the auspices of
the State agricultural experiment sta
tion and the Norfolk & Southern
Railway arrived in the city at 10
o'clock Saturday morning and was
welcomed by a large crowd of citi
zens and farmers 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
eoi culture and how to produce
more corn to the acre than hereto
fore, on seed selection, fertilizer plant
diseases, etc. The lectures were care
fully followed up by exhibits of corn
specimens. In the party were C. B.
Williams, director of the North Car
olina experiment station; Tait But
ler, State veterinarian ; F. L. Stevens,
biologist; R. I. Smith, entomologist;
Dr. George T. Winston, of the A. &
M. College; A. D. Samuels, specialist
of the United S'ates 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 Purnell, dau
ghter of Rev. T. H. 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
by her screams in the rear of the
home. Just as she had stepped out of
the house a negro grabbed her and
bound a rag around her mouth. Her
screams frightened the negro and he
fled. 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
tail Merchants' Association, of Char
lotte, has asked Mr. Webb to investi
gate and endeavor to improve the
mail service between Charlotte and
3reensboro. 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 the 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 the
late Redfield Proctor.
Chief of Police Shot.
Elizabeth City. Special. Chief of
Police A. G. Bell was shot through
the left leg Saturday afternoon by
James Burch, a negro, whom he was
attempting to arrest. Bell shot twice
at the negro, but neither shot took ef
fect. Police Officers Thomas and
ed to the rescue of Bell, overpower- j
ed and handcuffed the negro. lie
broke loose from the hand cuffs and
struck Bell, but he was overpowered
again and hurried to jail. Bell is not
seriously hurt. The negro was want
ed in Kdenton for shooting the engi
neer of the steamer Plymouth,
SCORES DIE IN MINt1SMITH suc WHYTE
Fire FoHows Explosion Deep
in Coal Shaft
RESCUERS LOSE THEIR LIVES
In a Desperate Effort to Reach tha
Bodies of 18 Victims and Possible
Survivors of Explosion, Probably
50 Rescurers Met a Similar Fate by
a Second Explosion in the Hanna
Mines of the Union Pacific Coal
Company,
Cheyenne, Wyo., Special Between
55 and 70 men, it developed Sunday,
lost their lives in two explosions in
coal mine No. 1 of the Union Pacific
Coal Company at Hanna. The explo
sions were caused by gases and coal
dnst, and each was followed by fire.
The first explosion occurred at 3
o'clock, killing 18 miners, including
a superintendent and three bosses.
The second explosion occurred at
10:30 o'clock at night, snuffing out
the lives of from 40 to 50 rescurers,
including State Mine Inspector D. M.
Elie.
The wildest excitement prevailed
in Hanna and at the mine, where hun
dreds of persons are congregated, in
cluding widows, children and other
relatives of the victims. Men and
women are running about wringing
their hands and crying, while many
litle children, separated from their
mothers, are sobbing with fear.
When the second explosion occur
red, additional appeals were tele
graphed to all surrounding towns for
assistance. One train is rushing west
from Omaha, carrying officers of the
Union Pacific Railroad and of the
Union Pacific Coal company.
The reguiijr' force of men employ
ed at mines Nos. 2 and 3 were pressed
Into rescue work, which is extremely
difficult.
The bodies of four of the IS men
wno lost tneir lives m tne first ex
plosion, were found Sunday night, but
owing to ihe increasing volumes of
gas, which threatened to explode at
&ny moment, no effort was made to
remove them to the surface.
At 3 o'clock the fire reached the
gas; and a terrific explosion followed.
In a few minutes many men volun
teered to enter the mine to rescue any
possible survivor. Fumes and fire
hindered the rescurers but they made
some progress. After a long strug
gle, the volunteers got well into the
mine. Those on the surface had be
gan to expect results from the intre
pid daring of the rescurers, but at
10:30 o'clock the cn.mp was startled
by a second explosion that partly
shut off the shaft of the mine and
most likely killed the volunteers.
The victims are all below the tenth
level and it is probable that flames
have consumed the corpses.
Bomb Thrown in New York.
New York, Special. Saturday as
the police were dispersing a crowd of
10.000 idle people who were holding a
socialistic meeting without a permit,
a bomb was thrown with telling ef
fect. The bomb was intended for the
police, who with rough firmness had
broke up a meeting of 10,000 uncm
ployfd. It exploded prematurely in
the" hands of the assassin, horribly
wounding him. killing his companion,
iriuring slightly four policemen and
throwing to the ground a score of
those who were massed in the vicin
ity. To Try Banker Montgomery.
New York, Special. William
Montgomery, former president
of
tl:u Hamilton National Bank, who
was indicted on two counts charging
the over-certification of checks, will
be placed on trial before Justice
Dowling in the Supreme Court. Mont-
, , i ...... -t
gomcry lias entered a pica oi uui
gi.iltyof the indictment.
Guilty of Embezzlement.
Macor., Ga., Special. The jury in
the case of former Cashier C. M.
Orr, of the failed Exchange Bank,
charged with embezzling funds of the
bank, after bing out about three
and one-half hours, returned a ver
dict of guilty. Judge U. V. Whipple
sentenced the defendant to seven
years in the penitenitary. A motion
for a nw trial was made.
Germany Accepts Hill.
Berlin, By Cable. Emperor Wil
liam, having beau fully advised as to
the attitude of President Roosevelt
and the feeling of the American
public in regard to the alleged re
fusal of His Majesty to receive Dr.
David Jayne Hill as American am
bassador to Germnay, in succession
to Charlemagne Tower, has with
drawn all the expressions of dis
approval he recently sent to Presi
dent Roosevelt rnd would be pleased
to receive Dr. Hill as American ambassador.
Former Governor of Maryland, Al
ready Elected to Senate For Six
Year Term, Is Chosen to Fill Out
Unexpired Term of Senator Whyte
Election to Be Questioned.
Annapolis, Md., Special In separ
ate sessions the Democratic mem
bers of the two houses of the Legis
lature voted unanimously for former
Governor John Walter Smith for
United States Senator to fill out th
unexpired term of the late William
Pinckney Whyte. Ex-Governor
Smitlr already has been chosen for
the fall six-year term beginnin,
March 4th, 1909. The Republican
members decided at a caucus not to
participate in the election, taking the
ground that any other course woulS
be in violation of the Federal sta
tutes. One member of the House
however, bolted the caucus and voted
for Congressman William H. Jack
son.
It is understood that the legality
of the election will be questioned, it
being contended that the necessary
time between the nbtice to the Legis
lature of a vacancy and the election
of a successor had not elapsed as re
quired by law.
Former Governor Stewart Apointed
to Succeed Late Senator Proctor.
Rutland, Vt., Special. John Wal
eott Stewart, of Middieburg, was ap
pointed to the United States Senate
by Governor Fletcher D. Proctor to
fill the vacancy created by the recent
death of Senator Redfield Proctor.
Mr. Stewart has accepted. His term
will expire this coming fall, when the
Legislature meets in regular session
Mr. Stewart is 83 years of age. ,
Merely Settles Jurisdiction.
Washington, Special. In the case
of the State represented by Sheriff
Thomas F. Hunter, of Buncombe
county, appealed from the Circuit
Court of the western district oi
North Carolina, the Supreme Court,
Mr. Justice Harlan dissenting, sus
tains Judge Prit chard. The decision,
read by Mr. Justice Peckham, was
handed down Monday morning, along
with the famous Minnesota case, both
of which involved the question of
jurisdiction. In no sense does this
decision invalidate the North Caro
lina rate law, but settles the habeas
corpus jurisdiction.
A3k For Protection Asainst Black
Hand.
Jackson, Miss., Special. John
Womack, his brother and son, prom
inent planters of Simpson county,
Mississippi, appealed to Governor
Noel in person for protection against
Black Hand threats. The men were
ordered to leave Simpson county
within 30 days or "stretch hemp,'.1
meaning they would be hanged.
Governol Noel advised the men tc
return to their homes and be on ac
tive guard.
Church and Depot Blown Down.
West Point, Ga., Special. A si
vere wind storm late Monday at Riv
er View, Ala., blew down a Methodist
church and the Chattahoochee Val
ley Railroad depot, unroofed one
store and slightly damaged several
other buildings. A heavy rain fol
lowed the wind storm, adding to thf
damage done by the latter. No loss
of life has been reported.
Night Eiders Shoot a Nefro.
Hopkinsville, Ivy., SpecialA band
of night riders rode at midnight intc
Godenpond village, and later firins
off guns went to the hotel and forced
Tom Weaver, a engro tobacco packei
to accompany them. They took hire
a short distance and told him to run.
When he failed to obey promptly the
riders began shooting at him. twe
bullets entering his shoulder and hip
A Chicago Franchise.
Chicago, Special After a fight
that has extended though the admin
istration of Mayor Dunne, the city
council, after a fight lasting until
early Tuesday voted an amended
franchise to the Commonwealth Edi
son Company. The new franchise, its
enemies declare, gives the company a
virtual monopoly in furnishing elec
tricity for light and power, giving it
a right to discriminate in rates foi
service furnished and to charge what
ever it may please for emergency ser
vice. Eailroad Wreck; Twelve Killed.
Brgin, Ky., Special. Twelve per
sons were injured, several fatally,
when a passenger and a freight on
the Cincinnati Southern met in a
head-on collision three miles north of
here Tuesday. Both engines were
smashed and rolled down a thirty
five foot embankment with several
coaches.
I GILLETTE EXECUTE
Pays Penalty for the Murd (
of Sweetheart
MADE A PRIVATE CONFESSION
His Spiritual Advisers,, Deeming t
Privilege Refused, to Make Con
feJawa Public Gillette Prepares
Public Statement Announcing Hi!
Faith in God and Perfect Assurj
ance of the Safety of His Sou!
Which Is Given Out.
Auburn, N. Y., Special. Chester
E. Gillette Monday paid' the f ull
penalty of the brutal murder f
Grace Brown. He went to his
death in the electric chair at Auburn
prison without a sign of weakness J
anu nuu me same iac oi emotion f
which has characterized him from.'
the day he was arrested charged with
the crime. Gillette appeared to hare
been fully reconciled to his fate and 'i
in a statement given out by his spir-
itual advisers immediately after the
execution it is indicated that he had
made a confession of his guilt. This
statement was signed by the .Rev.
Henry Mcllravy, of Little Falls, and
the Rev. Cordello Herrick, the prison
chaplain. It was as follows:
"Because our relationship with
Chester Gillette was privileged we do
not deem it wise to make a detail
ed statement, and simply wish to" say
that no legal mistake was made in
his electrocution."
Gillette's Statement.
Gillette himself, so far as the pub
lic were concerned, never admitted
his crime. His last word, in the form
of -a statement which he prepared
with painstaking care, was madejmb
lie after he had been put to death.
In this statement Gillette said:
"In the shadow of the valley of
death, it is my desire to do every
thing that would remove any doubt
as to my having found Jesus Christ,
the personal Savior and unfailing
friend. My one regret, at this time,
is that I have not given Him the
pre-eminence in my life while I had
the opportunity to work for Him. If
I could only say some one thing that
would draw young men to Him I
would deem it the greatest privilege
ever granted me. But all I can say
now is, I know in whom I have be- .
lieved and am persuaded that He i
able to keep that which I have com
mitted unto Him against that day.
"It the young men of this coun
try could onlv know the joy and
pleasure of a Christian life, I know
they would do all in their power to
become earnest active Christians, and
would strive to live as Christ would
have them live.
"There is not one thing I have left
undone which will bar me . from
facing God, knowing that my sins are.
forgiven, for I have been free and
frank in my talks with my spiritual
adviser and God knows where I'stand.
"My
task is done, the victory -
won.
Signed, . .-I "
"CHESTER E. GILLETTE."
Any fear which the prison officials
may have entertained that Gillette's
remarkable composure would desert
him at the last moment was quickly
dispelled when he stepped from his i
cell to the corridor leading to tha
death chamber. His step was firm,
strong and he walked rapidly toward
the instrument of death.
Mrs. Gillette, mother of Chester
made a statement Monday in part
as follows :
P "Though it is n. verv had fliinf
for me to feel Chester was responsi
ble for Grace Brown's death, yet it
was the wish expressed to him con
tinually by me that if he was guilty,
to say so before the world,' and that
in his triumphant death I felt that
God has answered my dearest wish
and prayer.
"And I am also so thankful to
know that he did not strike Grace
Brown as described by the prosecu
tion. A full account will never be
given out, for he did not strike Grace
Brown."
Stcry of the Crime.
The crime for which Chester E.
Gillette was sentenced to forfeit his
life in the electric chair in Auburn
prison was the murder of his sweet
heart, Grace Brown, near Big Moose
in the Adirondack on July 11th,
1906. Gillette was convicted on cir
cumstantial evidence after a sensa
tional trial in which the pathetic love
letters of "Billy" Brown, as the girl
was familiarly known among her as
sociates, to Gillette, played an impor
tant part. The girl who perished in
the waters of Big Moose laks bad
trusted Gillette to make amends for
the wrong he had done her by mak-
i ing her nis wire, and ner letters
which were found in the youns
man's room after his arrest at Eagle
Bay, have been considered by manv.
as classic in their simpliciy am?
their tender pleading for the right
that was her Jus.