C3. Year, In Advance.
FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
Slaffi Cf7 5 Ceia.
VOL. XIX,
PLYMOUTH, N, C.. FKIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1908.
NO. 29.
iflUTMZEVESSEL
.Venezuelan Ship Towed Into
Port
FRILE CARRIED DUTCH FLAG
The Gelderland Steams Into the Har
bor of WilHamstad Towing the
Venezulean Coastguard Ship Alex
Flying the Dutch Hag and Sport
ing a Dutch Crew: x
Willeamstad, Island of Curacao,
Special. -The Dutch cruiser Gelder
land came into this port Sunday
.morning towimr Uiq Venezeula coast
guard ship Alix .with the Dutch flag
flying and a Dutch crew oh board.
The Gelderland captured the Alix
off Puerto Cabello on Saturday. At
that time the Alix was lying close in
shore and notwithstanding the threat
which the Venezulean government
had' made to fire upon any of the
Dutch warships committing a hostile
act, the Gelderland steamed -t full
speed towards the guard ship and sent
an officer and guard in a launch to
.seize' her. No shots came from the
forts on land.
The crew of the Alix was put
ashore and the Dutch officer and mar
ines remained on board, the Gelder
land finally taking the Alix in tow
and steaming away with her prize.
The seizure of the Alix was in ac
cordance with the plans of the Hoi-
were issued to the three Dutch war
dships now in these waters to make a
demonstration off the coast of Ven
ezula and to eapture any Venezulean
-ships of war of guard vessels that
"they might find.
The people of Curacao are greatly
rejoiced. The Governor of Curacao
said : ,
"The capture of our warships ot
oast guards and war vessls is not
to be considered an unfriendly act
-O fTn mef It r TT111 Atrial nntto 1 w
uujiiot tuc Kuruicaii3i mere
ly a reprisal against Castro's govern
ment which refuses to give satisfac
tion for his unfriendly acts toward
Holland."
ft. is learned from the officers of
the Gelderland that the battleship
Jacob Van Hemskerk and the cruiser
Friesland arc now off La Guyra and
that further captures may be expect
ed at any time.
Taft's View of McKinley.
New York, Special. President
elect,, William II. Taft, speaking Sun
day night at the dedication of a Mc
Kinley memorial organ in Metropoli
tan Temple, told to the audience the
- story of , his official association with
the late Prseident, and declared with
reference . to the Philippine- Islands
that the policy laid down by Mr. Mc
Kinley in 1900 had been the policy
of the present as it will be the policy
of his own administration in the
"White House. Mr. Taft will remain
lierc until Thursday, when he leaves
for Augusta; Ga., to spend the five
weeks preceding his proposed depart
ure to the Panama canal.
American Railway Company Asks
For a Charter.
; ..Hawkinsville, Ga., Special. Char
ter was applied for by a .local attor
ney on behalf of interested parties
for a charter 5 for "The American
Hallway Company," which proposes
building a line from Abbeville, Ga.,
to Winchester, in Macon county, Ga.,
via Hawkinsville and Grovania. The
proposed road will traverse one of
the richest farming sections of the
State. It will tap the Seahoard at
.Abbeville and the Gulf line at Haw
lnsvi11. Work will begin at once.
it is stated.
1908 Cotton Crop. ,
Washington, Special The crop
reporting board of the bureau of sta
tistics of the Depart ent of Agricul
ture has estimated from reports of
correspondence agents of the bureau
that the total production of cotton
in the United States for the year
190S-9 would amount to 0,182,970,000
pounds.
England Rushes More ..Troops to
India, '
London, By Cable. Another heavy
draft on English home regiments for
service in India was ordered by the
war office. The troops will be ready
to embark for India as soon as pos
sible as the threatened Indian up
risinc is believed to be imminent. Fri
, Pi w;th the. heavy rein-
..." "v . i . . t i:
started lor iuuiu i,
' many cf the
Ire skeletons
k for recruits
ARE liOSIILE TO CASTRO
Decree of Aeting President Gomel
Placing Venezuela in a State of
Denfense Brings Forth a Big De
monstration Against Castro.
Caracas, Venezuela, By Cable.
The news of. the capture of the "Ven
ezuelan coast-guard ship Alexis by
the Dutch cruiser Gelderland . last
Saturday became known in Caracas
Monday morning. A big crown at
once assembled in the plaza bolivar
and demonstrated in support of the
. government. -
A decree issued by Acting Presi
dent Gomez places the republic in a
state of defense.
A crowd of citzens, including a
large number of students, w-ent to
the . office of El Constitutional," the
organ of President Castro, and indulg
ed in a demonstration. The feeling
of this crowd were plainly hostile to
Castro and to the steps taken by Go
mez. A pitched battle ensued be
tween the employes of the paper and
the crowd on the strets. Many shots
were exchanged, and the fighting
Usted for five minutes. Several men
were wounded and one has since died.
The police were summoned and when
rhey appeared on the scene armed
with rifles the crowd dispersed.
The captain of the Alexis, who
came ashore at Puerto Cabello, has
sent up to Caraeas the communica
tion hauled him by the Dutch officer
who came on board from the Gilder
land. The note is as follows:
On Beard the Cruiser Gilderland,
Dec. 12th.
"Her Majesty, the Queen of Hol
land, has given orders for her war
ships temporarily to sequestrate and
embargo all Venezuelan government
vessels. This is a retaliatory measure.
We demand that you lower your flag
and surrender your ship and your
persons to Hie commander of the
Gelderland. All resistance will be
useless. If you resist the result will
be- the loss of your vessel and death
to manv of von.
"SECOND LIEUTENANT BOINAR.
Acting President Gomez issued a
decree in Avhich ho relates the capture
of the Alexis, after which ho de
clares :
"I consider these acts a true inva
sion of Venezuelan territory and an
aggression against the Venezuelan
government. Theyl'onstitute a grave
offense. The national sovereignty is
threatened, and the territorial integ
rity, honor and dignity of the father
land is in danger.
"I decree the nation in a state of
defense", and consequently the Execu
tive assumes and will exercise the ex
traordinary faculties conferrred upon
him by section VIII of article LXXX
of the Venezuelan constitution.
. The nevrs that Venezuela had been
placed in a state of national defense
against Holland ran through the city
like wildfire, and in a few moments
there was an enormous crowd in front
of the Yellow House, the Executive
mansion, to greet. Acting President
GomeZf
Speeches were made demanding
that all political prisoners be set at
liberty and that the existing govern
ment monopolies be abolished. The
threatened danger from without had
a double effect on the people; they de
manded measures cf protection, but
at the same time they insiBted upon
the termination of one of the most
unpopular courses of the Castro ad
ministration, the maintenance of gov
ernment monopolies in the necessaries
of life.
Foreign Minister Paul replied on
behalf of the aeting President. He
exhprted the people to trust Gomez
to solve the difficult problem con
fronting Venezuela today, and to
help him cavrv his burden of tremen
dous responsibility.
The hostile demonstration at the
ffiecs of El Constitucional is an evi
dence of the unpopularity of Presi
dent Castro.
Bill to Condemn Land at Cape Henry.
Washington, Special. The acquire
ment by condemnation of 1,280 acres
of laud at Cape Henry, Va., for forti
fication and coast defense purposes
is the object of a bill introduced by
Representative Maynard, of Virginia.
This purchase was recommended in
the annual report of the Secretary of
War twenty-two years ago.
The Squadron Preparing to Leave
For Guantanamo.
Norfolk, Special.The battleship
Maine, flagship of the third squadron,
with Rear Admiral Arnold aboard,
arrived in Hampton Roads Monday,
where the warships that will go to
Guantanamo for target practice and
then to Havana for the inauguration
of President Gomez, will rendezvous.
The Maine will be joined in Hampton
Roads Wednesday by the cruiser
North Carolina and later by the Mon
tana, both now here. Other vessels
to fomo here are the Idaho, Missis
sippi, New Hampshire, Chester, Salem
and Birmingham.
PANAMA EXPLOSION
Results in a Number of People
Losing Their Lives
SCENES OF GREAT EXCITEMENT
Premature Explosion of an Enormous
-Blast of Powder Near Colon Claims
-Ten Dead and Fifty Injured.
Colon, By Cable. A giant blast of
dynamite, already prepared for firing,
was prematurely exploded in the
workings at Bas Obispo Saturday.
Ten men were killed and fifty injured.
It may be that others have been kill
ed, for debris is piled up in all direc
tions. Bas Obispo cut is about 30 miles
from Colon, and the shock of the ex
plosion was distinctly felt here, as in
addition to that in the, blast, 22 tons
of dynamite was exploded.
Numerous reports are current as to
the causae of the accident but the of
ficial version from Culebra, which
gives an estimate of ten killed and
fifty wounded, states that during the
loading of the last hole of the blast
the dynamite in this cutting was dis
charged, and the remaining . 22 tons
were exploded -by concussion.
The holes had not been connected
electrically as the discharge of the
blast was set for 5 o'clock in the
afternoon. The last hole was being
loaded under the supervision of one
of the most efficient powder men in
the employ of the commission.
A passenger train had just passed
when the explosion-occurred, but it
wag not in any way damaged.
The majority of the victims -v are
Spaniards.
Relief trains were sent to the scene
of the disaster and one which re
turned here several hours later
brought' back the report that 45 of
the injured had been sent to Ancon
Hospital.
The officials on the train stated
that eleven dead had been found
while many others in the gang of 120
who were employed in the cut were
missing.
It was also reported by the train
men that the explosion was due to a
passing steam shovel, which hook
ed the wire leading to the immense
charge of dynamite. Whether or not
this was the cause of the accident,
a steam shovel and crew, which hap
pened to be on the scene were prac
tically buried under the mass of rocks
and earth thrown up.
Gangs were soon searching for the
dead and assisting the wounded.
Electric lights were set up and at
night steam shovels were at work re
moving the tons upon tons of debris.
Many of the men have been seriously
injured, some of them probably fa
tally. Tradition has it that the Panama
Railroad cost one human life for ev
ery lie, what will; accidents, insurrec
tions and disease, and the construc
tion of the canal has not gone along
without exacting its frill.
There have been a number of acci
dents in the last two years, chief
among which was the premature ex
plosion of dvnamite at Pedro Miguel
in June. 1907, which resulted in the
death of seven men and the injury
of a number of others.
The Dead Total Fourteen.
Colon, By Cable. The explosionSun
day at Bas Obispo of 21 tons of
dynamite blast was the most serious
accident in connection with the build
ing of the Panama canal since the
United States took control. A thor
ough investigation with a view to
fixing the i-3ponsibilitv has been or
dered and already officials are tak
'ng evidence.
Crooked Wisconsin Banker Sentencet
Milwaukee, Wis., Special. John F.
Schnlte, aged 38, former paying tel
ler of the First National Bank of Ra
cine, was Fen fenced to five year at
Fort Leavenworth by Judge Qnarles.
Schuite embezzled $15,000 pleaded
guilty and asked for leniency. Five
years is the minimum penalty. Schuita
was arrested at' Cleveland on Julv 7.
Mail Carrier Badly Hurt.
Spartanburg, Special. Jesse I
Wood, a well known letter carrier,
was thrown from his buggy early
Sunday morninsr and seriously injur
ed. The horse Mr. Wood was driving
took fright on east Main street, just
in front of the First Presbyterian
church. He wps thrown violently to
the sidewalk rml knocked uncon
scious. When taken to his home it
was discovered that three of hin ribs
had been broken and one of his
shoulders terribly injured. He is
threatened with pneumonia, which
stakes his condtiion trebly worse.
THE WORK OF CONGRESS
3ynopsis of the Proceedings of the
National House and Senate.
Census Bill Passed.
For nearly five hours the House of
Representatives considered the bill
providing for the taking of the thir
teenth and subsequent decennial cen
mses, and passed it without material
shange. From the very outset of the
debate it became evident that the
progress of the measure toward pas
sage would be impeded.
Pensions in Senate.
The session of the Senate was
shiefly devoted to the formal presen
tation of departmental reports and
the introduction of " bills. The re
ports have been made public from
time to time and the bills numbering
352 were chiefly for the granting of
pensions.
Saturday's Session.
The House of Representatives Sat
urday wag in its old-time form. No
particular programme had "been map
ped out, but under a call of commit
tees several measures in which the
members were especially interested,
and in some cases vitally concerned,
were considered. With few excep
tions they engendered the liveliest
sort of debate, and it was disclosed
that the forces for or against them
were fully lined up for the fray.
Parliamentary tactics were freely re
sorted to, with the result that five
tkaes the roll was called.
The first rangle occurred on a reso
lution fixing the boundary line be
tween the States of Colorado, Okla
homa and New Mexico, which was
pgrced to by a majority but not with
out two roll calls. The House then
by a decisive vote refused to further
consider the bill providing for arbi
trary settlement of disputes between
employers and employes.
Next turning attention to the bill
providing for the protection of aliens
in the United States the snbject was
threshed out at leng'.h TV '-measure
had rough sailint and It vns passed
by a slim majority after the roll had
been called twice.
The Brownsville Affair.
The Brownsville affair consumed
nearlv the entire session of the Sen
ate Monday. Senator Foraker obtain
ed the floor early in the day and
read letters from a former soldier of
the Twenty-fifth Regiment telling of
the procedure of government detec
tives in attempts to get confessions
from him. Mr. Foraker introduced an
Amendment to his original bill for
the re-enlistment ' ofthese soldiers
providing that, a commission of three
retired army officers be created to de
termine whether discharged soldiers
are innocent of complicity in the
shooting up of Brownsville as a pre
requisite for their re-enlistment in
stead of leaving that duty with the
President as provided by the Warner
bill.
Following closely upon these '" re
marks the President's message giving
the results of the War Department's
investigation of the Brownsville af
fair was read'and Mr. Foraker again
took the floor to comment upon the
message. . .
Senator Carter announced that he
would speak upon the postal savings
bank bill and would ask that it be
made the unfinished business of the
Senate.
In the House.
While considering bills dealing- with
affairs in the District of Columbia
the House passed a measure provid
ing for S5-cent gas in Washington.
The bill now goes to the Senate as
well as another bill abolishing "buck
et shops" in the District.
A bill providing for free" lectures
in the public schools was voted
down. -
An attempt by Representative
Henry, of. Texas, to obtain a change
ip the reference to a bill prohibiting
the marketing or future contracts on
agricultural products brought forth
the promise from Chairman Scott, of
the agricultural committee, that his
committee would soon grant hearings
to farmers' unions and others on this
subject. The House voted to adjourn
Saturday, December 19th, to Monday.
January 4th, and adjourned for the
day at 5 i. m.
Killed by Electric Shock.
Yorkville, Special. Mr. W. T.
Downs, a native of Fort Mill, and
for the past three or four years head
machinist at the Tavora Cotton Mill
at this place, was instantly killed by
an electrical current. The electrical
current which is furnished by the
Southern Power Company, had failed
and Superintendent Ramseur and Mr.
Downs were searching for the trouble.
The switch had been opened and
Downs placed his hand on a wire he
supposed dead but it proved not to
be aaJ ha fell baek lifeless.
Pope Pins Blesses Mr. Taft and His
Family.
Rome, By Cable. Pope Pins bless
ed President-elect Taft and his fam
ily. The blessing was declared in
the presence of Archbishop Glennin,
of St. Louis, who told the Pope that
he had received a letter from Taft
in which the President-elect express
ed cordial friendship for the Catho
lics. The Pope received the news
with unfeigned delight and pronounc
ed the blessing upon Taft and family.
Ohio Congressman Critically 111.
Wooster, O.. Special. The man
found unconscious in the chair car
of a Pennsylvania westbound train
here Sunday and taken to a local
hospital was later identified as Con
gressman Grant E. Mouser, of the
Marion, O., district. Physicians de
clare he is suffering from uraemic
poisoning and acute congestion of the
kidnej's.
Government's Profit on Small Coins.
Washington, Special. The govern
ment made a profit during the fiscal
year ended June 30th, 1908, of $10,
541,371 on the coinage of silver
and nickel and one cent bronze pieces
This represents the difference be
tween the price paid by the govern
ment for the metals and their coinage
value. Director of the Mint Frank
A. Leach, gives these figures in. his
annual report.
Greensboro Revenue Agency to Be
Discontinued.
Greensboro, N. C, Special. Janu
ary 1st, the day that State prohibi
tion goes info effect, the office of the
United States revenue agent here will
be discontinued. North Carolina and
Virginia will be divided into two divis
ions, with a, portion of each1 State in
cacli division, with headquarters at
Richomnd, under Revenue Agent W.
H. Chapman, and at Asheville, under
Revenue Agent R. B. Sams.
Wife of Millionaire is Axrestd Foi
Shoplifting.
New York, Special. Mrs. Louis J.
Schloss, wife of the well known New
York and Baltimore clothier, was ar
rested here last week for shoplifting.
Different articles she had picked up
amounted .to about -$16. She pleads
nervousness and ill health. The case
will be heard soon.
Mr. Kitchen's Resignation Effective
I Day Before He Becomes Governor.
Washington, Special. Representa
tive W. W. Kitchen, of North Caro
lina, Governor-elect of his State, has
forwarded to Governor Glenn his re
signation as the Representative from
the fifth North Carolina district, to
take effect January 11th. Mr. Kitch
in will be inaugurated Governor Jan
uary 12th. ,
Thomas J. Ryan Gives $1,000 to
Uncle Remus Fund.
Atlanta, Ga., Special. J. G. Les
ter, secretary of the "Uncle Remus"
memorial association, announced the
receipt of a contribution of $1,000
from Thomas F. Ryan, of New York,
to the fund of perpetuating the mem
ory of Joel Chandler Harris. Mr.
Ryan was tendered and has accept
ed the vice presidency of the asso
ciation. Will Affect all Catholics.
Manitowic, Wis., Special. Judge
Calloupeck, in the county court de
clared the will of Thomas Calloghan,
void because he bequeathed money
for masses for the dead. The court
says no court could recognize such a
provision. The will was contested on
this ground alone. The case will be
hppealed. The decision affects every
Roman Catholic in the country.
The Evacuation of Cuba.
Washington, Special. At the War
Department the first details regard
ing the withdrawal from Cuba of
the American army of pacification,
which has been on duty there since
the fall of 1906, were made known.
Thf movements of the troops will be
gin on January 1st and will be com
pleted by April 1st.
To the Rochester Herald for a
fifteen dollar a week clerk to hand
out a tip to one of those who, e,
cept to receive his money, would not
otherwise condescend to touch hif
hand is one of the ludicrous featurei
of the practice of aping the pro
perous and the plundere: which ha
groa upon the country in a genera
tion, t .,
FOREST RESERVE
s j
.- I
One of the Most Urgent Nc '
of the Nation
THE DEMAND FULLY GONE OV
Governors and Prominent Men Fr
Every Section of the Country i
pear Before the House Commit
and Urge the Establishment
Forest Reserves.
Washington, Special. A distj
finished assembly of witnesses t
titled before the House- committee I
agriculture to the need of the IX
eral government establishing fort!
reserves in 'the White mountains art
in the Southern Appalachians, j
marked the opening of the fight I
this session of Congress for the crej
Hon of these reserves to protect til
navigability of navigable streams, j
purpose which the committee conceit
ed is constitutional. 1
Besides Governor Guild, of Mass
ehusetts, who was the spokesmaj
until he was compelled to leave thl
city and turn his duties over to Cof
William S. Harvey, of Philadelphia'
Governors Chamberlain, of Oregon f
Ansel, of South Carolina; Hoke SmitK
of Georgia, and Johnson, of Minne
sota, former Governors George E
Pardee, of California, and Blanehardl
of Louisiana. nnI Tlf PrlmorJ 77' f
' " 7 " -Li w ti mu JLJYCfc"!
ett Hale, chaplain of the Senate, were!
among thsoe who . appeared. Chair-
man scott, ot the committee, said the!
committee appreciated . tho publi
sentiment in favor of the project bnti
that the problem of obtaining the!
uesirea ena was difficult. . "
Representative Scott explained that
the House committee on the judiciary
had questioned the constitutionality
of action on the part of Congress
looking toward the purchase of lamj
for the conservation of forests what-,
ever it might do toward protecting
me navigability ot the streams of the
country.
Governor Guild, in responding, laid
emphasis upon the ability of the gen
eral government to undertake pro
jects for the general welfare of the'
country, saying the appeal come
from all quarters of the nation.
It is probably the first time in his-."
tory that the Governor of South Car
olina and the Governor of Massachu
setts have joined hand in hand to ap
peal to Congress' for the enactmeat
of law for the general welfare of
the United States," said Governor
Guild, as he bowed to Governor An
sel, of the Southern State.
President Van Hise took the posi
tion that the neculinr rnnidifv of
erosion in the Southern Appalachian
mountains necessitated the establish
ment of a reserve there, for the rres-
ervation of the navigability of the
streams and the protection of tht
harbors. He cave it as his oninion
that the crucial area to be purchased
was the lower slopes of the mountains
where the inclines are so steep and
erosion so raDid that their usa fi
agriculture is less important than thf '
preservation of the streams.
Nine Injured by Bomb.
New York, Special. Creeping over
the roof to an airshaft in the five
story tenement at 330 Sixty-third
street, a Black Hand aeent dropped
a bomb to the ground. The explosion
that resulUyl was terrific. The walls
of the bnilding reeled and tottered,
almost falling, . and every window
within a block or more was shattered.
Nino people in the building and m
the street were injured by the ex
plosion of. the bomb, some of them.
seriou3iy, although it is not thought
that any of them will die. It was a
miracle that no one was kiWed oat-right.-
.The police are investigating
the case and they have come to the
conclusion that fhe bomb dropping .
was the work of the same Black
Hand agent who three years ago kid
napped the small son of an Italian
banker, who owns and occupies a part
of the building, and that "the motive
was revenge, the banker having re
fused to ransom his son. The boreb
thrower made good his eseape, but the
police believe that they have clues
which may lead to his capture, or pos- '
sibly to the breaking up of a Black
Hand gang.
Every Citizen to Become a Soldier.
Washington, Special. Every malt
citizen in the United States between
the ages of 16 and 45 is to become
part of the military force of the
country and to be liable for militarj
duty under the terms of a bill, the
passage of which has been recom
mended by the President in a special
message to Congress. Tb3 bill pro
vides an elastic organization and, as
the President says, under its provi
sions it will be just as easy to rais
an army of 2,500,009 as of 50,000,