Newspapers / The Daily Journal (New … / Dec. 7, 1913, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The Daily Journal (New Bern, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
:'DAlIIUf GUMMA TOL.LXII.-No: 6? v ; , BERN' N.:C.;iSUNDAYl MORNING, DECEMBERS, 1913 THREE C NTS PER COPY M .jAo J .r.V, a o Developments In The Aflair Did Not -Come Unexpected ly, Vrannle Das Been Going On For Weeks "IHE llfiMIClEEffif "Who ivill Be Appoint ed To Fill The Vaca ncy?" Is The Qnes tion 01 The Dour. . ; (Special to the journal.) v Washington, D. C, Dec. 6. ' Postmaster J. S. Basnight, of New Bern, was summarily dismissed today by the Postoffice Department, for refusing to restore R. E. Smith, night clerk In the New Bern office, . whom he ' had discharged. This action lis the culmination of a long controversy between th ' Postmaster, who" Is' a Republican and Smith, a Democrat, and which 5 wat' brought to ; the : department 1 in counter charges filed by Basnight and Smith against each other. It was alleged, by Smith that the ' postmaster ignored; the civil . aer "vice rules by appointing a Repub licari youth, hot of age, to a vacancy In the, postoffice.. Smith claimed he was entitled to the place, which was , a promotion,", because, of his long service In the postoffice. When the ppstmaster learned that these, charges had been filed. against him and before a postoffice inspector could reach" New, Bern to invest! gate the casV, tt Is alleged Basnight discharged SnUthS fj Subsequent: te'Postoff ice P- . partment sent: a; telegram to Baa ' night ordering him to restore the . clerk to his position. This telegram was Ignored entirely by Basnight -" according 4to . Senator ; Simmons; who' took up the case In-behalf of - Smith.; "A, second telegram r was went to thepostmaster demanding an explanation, ; whereupon Bas night 'replied that - he had .acted - 'within his rights, "under the law .' which he claimed gave him the -' privilege of choosing his assistants ' , as b saw nt. ; . r"n y k ; : Then the Postoffice Department , ent i a v neremotory t" demand : to Basnight ; that he reinstate Smith -and gave him until today to do so. 'Basnight,' .according to Senator .Simmons. ; nald no attention to ' - this demand, and Postmaster ' General Burleson ordered that the ' postmaster be summarily removed c from office. -'.'' " . ' ' The' Blow Falls. At' last the blow has fallen.. Not 'unexpected, it is true, but nevertheless swift and sure!: vThe message dis- ? missing Postmaster Basnight was re ceived in-' this city late yesterday after noon. " The message staged that the ' American Bonding Company ofBalti i more, who are on Mr. Basnight's bond, ;.' had been placed in "charge of the office, ' Following this telegram, R.A. "Nnnn i the local representative of the American Bonding Company, received a message asking him to take charge of the office, : and 'this he did. ' j . At present Mr. Nurni . is acting postmaster in the city of NewBernj Shortly after 9 o'clock last night' the clerks in the different departments were summoned to the office and at once began the work of inspecting ech arid every department .began. This i pection of the office does .not, by y means, :'put the ex-postmaster i a bad VC t as far as conducting '""'e is concerned. : i a any charges icss li EffiSo . MSM(EEIT9 Postmaster .was insimoramaie that he was not properly attending to ; the : financial and business end of the office, but is merely the custom of the bonding company to have their representative look into the affairs of any such office under- circumstances mhirh now exist at the New Bern postoffice. ' Trouble Brewing For WeeRs. The dismissal of Mr. Basnight has been brewing for weeks. Some time during the month of September R. E. Smith orefe.-red charges against Mr Basnight and these were forwarded to the Postoffice Department and Con gressman J no. M. Faison became interested in the matter. The latte- came to New Bern and asked Mr. Basnight. to resign from office, telling him' that unless he acceded to this request, that an investigation would be started and that he would be ousted. This ' the 1 postmaster refused to . do and the matter hung fire for several weeks during which time Congressman Faison made several visits to New Bern for the purpose of securing information in regard to the charges against the postmaster. 'About three weeks ago Postmaster Basnight filed charges against night clerk R. Smith. These charges were trivial and in a letter to Postoffice Inspector G. G. Hemilwright, Mr. Smith denied them, singularly and collective ly.? Nothing was heard in regard to the matter until last Saturday night when the mpostaster .dismissed Smith from the office, claiming, tnat he had a right to do this as the night clerk was on six months probation and that his work was not satisfactory and that he was a disorganization factor in the office. i .' This action on the part of Mr. Bas night Ms believed by many to be the direct cause for: being dismissed. Be' lieving that he was in the right in dis missing night clerk Smith, Mr. Basnight ignored the demands of the Postoffice Department to reinstate him and his dismissal yesterday, followed. " . Smith Not Reinstated. :, So far night clerk Smith has not been reinstated and George Howard,, over whom all the contention started, wad in charge of fhat department as usual tast night. That Mr. Basnight expected to be dismissed ' there is little :' doubt. He told a friend last night that he felt relieved, and "there is no denying the fact "that 'he has beert under a heavy mental strain during thepast few days j ;.; Mr. ; Basnight v; wa appointed as postmaster of the . local postoffice m June, "1910, and hit term would have expired - next June. , More ; than . six months remain , before : the ' expiration pf his. term, but regardless of tfle fact that there are several candidates in the field for the office, it is the' general opinion ' of those who are familiar with the case, the he would have been allowed to remain ,in charge; had not the present trouble arisen. Now that the0 postmaster has been dismissed and the -bonding company placed in charge until some one can be appointed to fill the office until the end of the, unexpired term, there is. much speculation as to whom r this will be.' ,",''' There ' are , four.; candidates vfot the place; Johh . Thomasj L, G. Daniels, S. . H. Lane and Frank Weathefsbee. Each of these gentlemen want the .office md have excellent reasons to believe that they will be appointed. However, only, one' of theni Can fill the office as to. who will be the fortunate manC" When it became noised around-last night that Mr. Basnight had been dis- r . . . ,v a missed, trie wise ones at once beganr to prophecy as to whom'-' would Joel appointed. The general opinion ofifhe puoiic is tnat tne race is between mr. Daniels and Mr. Thomas. Constitu ents of both these gentlemen kept the Postal Telegraph Company's office open until midnight sending telegams to Senator F. M. Simmons recommening these gentlemen, and urging that he use his influence in having one of them appointed to fill the office. S. H. Lane Talks Mr. S. H. Lane, chairman of the Democratic Executive Committee, is one of the candidates for the office who up to a day or two ago hid not been very active in the race. However, his friends say that he has just as good a chance to be appointed to the office as either of the other candidates and have begun to make a fight to get him the appointment. In an interview given a Journal reporter last night Mr. Lane said: "Although some of my friends have pos sibly come to the conclusion that I hive decided to get out of the race for the postmastership at this plnce, there is no foundation for such belief; and I want to tell you that I am- in the race until the finish. "I have not been out circulating petitions and securing promises un til today when my friends told me it was time to get busy. My friends have, today, secured several hundred indorsements from prominent citizens. I have been Chairman of the Democra tic Executive Committee of Craven county for six ''years, and during this time the records show that the Demo cratic vote has increased from 1,266 in 1906, to 1,946 in 1912. This is a (rood record I believe and I en- s ... titled to some consideration from the party . leaders." ' The reporter could not get in touch with the other., candidates laste last night, and, was therefore unable to get an interview with them. Acting Post master R. A. Nunn stated that he had absolutely nothing to say in regard to the matter, Just when the appointment ot a new postmaster will be made is a matter of ; much speculation. However, it is more than orobable that the office will be filled during the next few days, LOCAL MERGHRNTS TO KEEP STORES OPEN LATER DOING THIS - FOR THE FfT OF THE , PUBLIC. BENE- 1 With Christmas less than three weeks hence New Bern has already taken on a holiday appearance and from now until after the first of the year the city, especially down in the business district, will present a scene of marked activity. ' v ' The . scene down . in : the shopping district is always a busy bne, but last night seemed to be an, exception. To the casual observer it probably seemed that fully fifty per cent, of the .popula tion waa out on a shopping; expedition The local mer'chans have- stocked their stores with an extensive line oMiooliday goods and this ' naturally, ( attracts hundreds of, purchasers.,,.': -The majority of " the merchants close their establishments at J o'clock during the week, but from now oiAintil after: Christmas, .these establishments will be kept open Until a later , hour in- order that those 'who annol; come down town during the day will have an opportunity C1DE1SM f, North Carolina Just Freight Rate Association Passes Res , olutlons. SAY VIRGINIANS INSINCERE Action Is Heartily Commenaea By New. Bern Business Men. The citizens of New Bern are just at this very time very much interested in the Just Freight Rate fight. Failing to get satisfaction at the last, session Of the legislature, a number of the lead- iae htfsintss men of the city have banded tapgetherafld Employed an expert to liiake aJTinWstigation of the discrim ination against the citizens ol New Bern by A rilway companies entering tity id he is now engaged in this meetinc at Greensdoro last Tuesday of the Advisory Board oi tne lustiFreieht Rate Association of North Canfilina the following resolution, wnicn ,;if V.P rf mnrh interest locally, was footed : ' "Whereas. Richmond, Norfolk, fet- sburg and Roanoke, Va., through heir respective chambers ot com merce have appeared before the inter- mtp Commerce Commission in an at- fpnint to orevent the 'establishment of .. t-Ut lireduced freight rates from Cincinnati Bind other western points of origin to North Carolina points ot destination as agreed upon between the railroads and the North Carolina legislature, and Whereas the petition of these ir nini ritie n,-avs that the carriers be l " denied the right to establish the pro nncpH rates, because proposed rates are in a few instances lower to North Carolina destinations than to dstina tions in Tennesseee between Cincinnat and points in North Carolina via same routes and because proposed rates are higher to some points in western North Carolina than.to some other points in Eastern North Carolina, while they make no mention of the fact that all rates to all points in North Carolina are much higher than to Richmond, Norfolk, Petersburg and Roanoke, and that hundreds of these North Carolina points are between points of origin in the West and "the Virginia cities named, and "Whereas, if these Virginia cities believe as they charge that present rates discriminate in favor of North Carolina points against these Virginia cities, their remedy lies in a straight foward, dignified complaint covering tht point and not in an ignoble at tempt to prevent this readjustment by hjding behind the 'alleged injustice virhici might be done some unimportant poitjtft'in Tennessee,? and j "Whereas, the peitipn of these Vir ginia cities is not made in good faith, biit i cleverly devised to mislead the comrh'ijsion in the hope that present rates which are outrageously discrimi natory in favor of Richmond, Norfolk, Petersburg and Roanoke, Va., and against the entire State of North Caro lina, may be continued in effect to the end that the commerce of North Caro lina shall' continue to pay unjust trib ute' to these Virginia cities. "Resolved, That we. heartily con demn" the chambers of commerce of Richmond, Norfolk, Petersburg and Roanoke, Va., for their quibbling peti tion in an attempt to defeat an adjust ment that grants North Carolina only partial relief from unjust condition.!, we commend the,' manly position so far 'taUen by Lynchburg and other Virginia cities who' v have not become parties to this insincere petition, and we call on, every' loyal citizen of North Carolina to show their righteous indig nation against Richmond,. Norfolk and Petersburg and Roanoke for their at tempt through the- statement of half truths to retard the development of the entire State of North Carolina in the interest of -a few , jpbbers in Rich mond, Norfolk, Petersburg and Roa noke." , 1 t - This resolution is endorsed by every business man in New Bern and the attempt ofthe Virgnia cities to "pull the wool": over the, eyes of the Inter state Commerce Commission is being condemned on all .sides, t . : . . ' : ATTENTION ELKS. , All members of 'the Elka Lodge are requested" to meeti their1 rooms at 2:30 O'clock to attend the -Memorial Service, s which vwdl be held in -the lull MEN ANOTHER COMPLICA TION IN LOCAL P. 0. Ex-Postmaster Refuses To Turn Over Manage ment Until He Receives Sealed Orders From The Department I FIRST OF JPLPHE WIZARD'S NEW INVENTION SOON TO BE SEEN IN NEW BERN. When Kdison returned to his labora tory recently after several weeks ol illness, his fi-st question to Meadowcroft his personal assistant, was concerning the progress of the Talking Pictures. When told of the excellent new records and films that had been made during his illness, he was delighted. "That's fine," he said with a chuckle, ''I wonder what some of those people who said I couldn't make pictures talk will have to say for themselves now." Like all inventors he is most earn estly interested in his latest achieve ment. He has spent eighteen and twenty hours a lav working at tne minor detiils of the Kinetophone slowly and paintakingly perfecting the delicate contrivances which make pos sible the union'of pictures and voices. At the time that the invention was first perfected and demonstrated Kdi son was as tickled with it as a small boy with a brand new base ball, A casual visitor who out not know nis tremendous capacity for work would never have dreamed that the man who was laughing so heartily at the jokes that were being sprung by the characters on the screen hd expanded the energy of two or three ordinary mortals in making jokes possible. The success of the Talking Pictures in the leading cities of the country have been little short of phenomenal. Everywhere theyre playing to crowded houses and the interest which they have aroused more than justifies the pre dictions of the inventor. A complete performance of these marvelous Talking Pictures, including drama, comedy, vaudeville, minstrel shows and -other interesting numbers will be shown at the Alliens theatre in a few days. ' PREMIUMS FOR STAR PATRONS. A twenty-six pifjre silver service set of Rogers Silverware will be given away at the Star Theatre next Thiii-s-dat to the holder of the lucky coupon. Several other premiums also. Premiums now on display at Bradhani's new drug, store. HARRY PARKER'S LATEST NEW YORK SUCCESS "THE CARABET GIRLS" Will open a week's engagement at the Athens tomorrow (Monday). A grand display of mirth, melody, ragtime singing, piano playing, dancing, pretty gii-ls, funny comedians. The best singingjand dancing show on the road. PICTURES. ' Joyce of the North Woods." Edison's two reel special feature from the novel by Harriet T. Comstock. Harriet T. Comstock spent months in the North Woods living in the at mosphere of the lumber camps, that she might study the lives of the people of whom she wrote. Wh.n the Edison company determined to convert her well-known novel into a photoplay, a strong company of players went to Maine in order to get the exact atmos phere for the story. , It is a fresh, virule story like a breath of the great outdoors'in which it was taken. -. "A Saturday Holiday." A Biograph farce, comedy. V "The End Of the World." Another fare .comedy. , ' This week's offering at the Athens is unsurpassed for the money, "Matinee daily i at 3:45, two shows at night. I first starts at 57:30, second about 9:15. Another complication in the postoffice wrangle occurred last night when Mr. Basnight, who had earlier in the evening hwn din- missed by Postmaster-General Bur le on, refused to turn over the management of the office to Acting Postmaster R. A. Nunn until he had received a written order, pro perly sealed, from the Posto fice Department. Mr. Nunn had earlier in the even ing took an inventory of the all moneys and stock in the office and was prepared to take charge when Mr. Basnight stated that he would not give up the keys or the management of the office until sealed orders had been received by him. In making this contention, and again refusing to comply with the commands of the Postmaster-General, Mr. Basnight claims that he cannot be dismissed by anyone except the Senate and that he can only be suspended by the Postof fice Department. This unexpected turn in affairs has caused another sensation and even as late as 3 o'clock this morning there were many oersons on the street discussing the affair. Just what action the Postoffice Depart ment will take in this matter cannot be conjectured, and the Journal makes no effort to predict. It is very probable that the sealed orders will be forwarded at once and according to his own state ment, Mr. Basnight will then turn over the management of the office to Mr. Nunn. HYMAN'S NEW GARAGE CREDIT TO NEW BERN LARGE NEW BUILDING MODERN- IN EVERY PARTICULAR. IS I n t lie opening of i hi new garage by tin- Ilyiiian Supply Company, New Hern has added to its Mm of motor driven vehicle hostelries, one of the finest in the State. The building, which is located on South I'ront. st reet just opposite the llyui.in Supply Com pany's office and supply building, was erected especially for the purpose and nothing has been left undone that would tend to make it complete in every detail. The entire building is well lighted by large skylights during the day and numerous electric lights at night. The floor is of concrete and in the front part is the storage room for the machines. In the rear is the repair, department and this is equipped for any variety ot work. Taken as a whole the new garage is as modern and well equipped through out as anv in the South. BLACK SWAMP ITEMS. INTERESTING NEWS ITEMS FROM ONSLOW COUNTY. Black Swamp, Dec. 6. We arc hav ing some fair weather now. Everybody around here is most through killing hogs. " J. II. Collins sold his plantation on Black Swamp, and has purchased a plantation in Onslow county with his brother-in-law, Frank Trott. N. H. Collins went to Trenton on business Tuesday. A. L. Collins went to Trenton Mon day on business. , S. S. Waters made a flying trip to Trenton Wednesday. ' j The school at Hopewell is progres- , sing nicely tinder the skilful manage-,, ment of Miss Veetee Hadnot, of Mays vi!le, N. C: , I' -'4.f V It 'will soon be time for "Old Santa to comef ,:: The little one's had better be good ,so they can look for Old. Santa to come down the chimney. ; ' f I ' The weddine belts wilt soon. Be rine ity; of doingthdr l shopping U ' "'J , rW$V' t j is ni'ver and it is a matter of much speculation at night
The Daily Journal (New Bern, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 7, 1913, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75