A MARCH BLIZZARD
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Sweeps Down On Ihe Western States
Bringing Deep Snow
RAILROAD BUSINESS PARALYZED.
Telegraph Wires Down and Trains
Unable to Plough Through Drifts
oi Snow. .
St. Paul, Special North .Dakota
and the Canadian Northwest have ex
perienced the worst snow storm in
many years and railroad traffic is
practically paralyzed, The Northern
Pacific and Great Northern have not
moved a wheel for nearly 36 hours in
the blizzard-stricken district, and
have abandoned all efforts to do so
until the fury of the storm 'shall
abate. The high winds has piled the
snow in the mountains, and packed it
in solid masses, many deep cuts being
entirely filled. The temperature has
been gradually falling and is now at
or below the zero mark. Not a trans
continental train has arrived at St.
Paul since Friday, and none is ex
pected for . several days. The North
ern Pacific reports its westbound coast
trains which left St. Paul Saturday
morning, tied up at Fargo, the road
beyond there being blocked.
Every effort is beinjg made by the
road' to keep its passengers who are
snow-bound warm and well fed, and
for this reason trains are being held
at stations where the accommodations
are good, rather than attempt to get
them through with a possibility of be
ing tied up between stations. The
valley division of the Northern" Pa-
-vino- Dexween tTanKiort
anoL Winn!-
peg is entirely abandoned. No trains
nave attempted to run since imaay I
night and exact conditions cJn' this- di
vision are not known .by the general
officers "here, as the telegraph wires
have been carried down by the bur
den of sleet that preceded the heavy
snowfall. .-. -
The situation on the Great .North
ern is equally, as .bad. The lineis tied ..
up entirely between Grand Forks and
Williston, N. .D, a distance, of about
35 miles, and all wires have been lost
beyond Fargo. All communication
with western Dakota and Montana
points has been lost.' So fierce has
been the storm that it has been inad
visable to attempt to re-open the road
until it abates. Reports; received at
the general offices Indicate that the
gale has somewhat subsided, but that
the snow still continues to fall. The
branch of the Great Northern runn
ing to Winnipeg is also tied up. No
trains have been started northward
since Friday night, and those that
were caught out on the road by; the
storm have been held at the stations
near the border. .--
Winnipeg is reported to be entirely
2ut off from railroad communication
with the outside world. The Canadian
Pacific trans-continental trains arer
snow-bound somewhere west of there,
and no prospect of relief is yet in
Bight. . -V
The stbrm started on Friday, being
preceded by a light rainfall and- ac
companied by high winds. The rain
soon turned to sleet and then to snow
and this has fallen without cessation
for more than 36 hours. The, terrific
gale drifted the snow badly and it is
next to impossible ; to wade through
the streets. Business of all kinds has
heen at a standstill, since ; Friday
ight So far as known. Jhere has
been no loss of life, but owing to the
demoralized condition of the . wires
late news has not been received from
the remote districts. The farmers hail
the advent of the snowv with delight;
as the ground has been Very dry. and
this abundance of moisture will put
t in excellent shape for the spring
seed.
Flood Warnings. ,
Knoxville. Tenn.. , Sneclal. Flood
warnings issued here predict a rise
in the Tennessee: rive ol romt
vo 15 feet Monday. The warnings were
of the Tennessee river, which is con
trolled by the United States ' Weather
Bureau. The system han been eastab-
llshed only recently and it is thought
win save thousands of dollars to
property-owners.
NORTH STATE NOTES.
Items of Interest Gleaned From
flurphy to Manteb.
Shooting at Winston.
Winston, Salem, Special. Robert
Goins, colored, was shot and perhaps
fatally wounded Sunday afternoon in
North Winston, near Belo's pond, by
av negro named Cash. ' Goins has been
working in Roediger's bar for some
time. Cash is a barber and worked in
the shop of his brother, C. B. Cash.
The, shooting occurried, i.inthe street
opposite Goins home! Immediately- af
ter the trouble Cash came, down townl
and gave himself up to the officers. He
i was committed to jail. Dr. Hall, col
ored, who attended the wounded man,
found that three balls took effect. One
went through the left shoulder," ' one
through the" front - of the neck, about
the centre, striking the collar bone.
The ball that penetrated, the lung was
found and cut out between the shoul
der blades. The one in the neck was
also, removed. Dr. Hall stated this af
ternoon that if Goins recovered it
would be a miracle. Parties who wit
nessed the shooting say the men were
not over five feet apart when it occur
red; that Goins drew his pistol first,
but it only snapped the first time; that
he fired twice at Cash. It appears that
the trouble between Goins and Cash
originated over the latter's step-daughter
and a sister of the first named, Hat
tie - Goins. It seems that Gertrude
Hopper was teaching a public school,
but she failed to give stisfaction and
the place was given' to Hattie Goins.
This brought on unpleasantness and
caused the two girls to make uncompli
mentary remarks about each. other. .
j Crushed In a Well.
Charlotte, Special. While Carey
Etheredge, colored, stood waist deep in
water in an old well in Biddleville Mon
day morning at 9:30 the stone curbing
of the well caved in. seriously injuring
Etheredge and holding him a prisoner
until 2: 30 o'clock, when he was lib
erated by the work of a number of men
who had hurried to . the" rescue. The
-well is the property of Hicks Diamond
s about 28 feet deep. Etheredge
was working ut tne ootiom, aioue,
when the heavy stones that formed the
curbing gave way without warning.
The .debris -was so great, fortunately,
that: most of it was jammed together at
a point just above Etheredge's head.
Several of the heavier rocks struck
Etheredge on-the head, cutting ugly
gashes and one of the stones, striking
lust above the right temple, fractured
his skull. Shortly after the accident. the
cries for, help that came from, the well
attracted the attention of passers by,
and in a short times a dozen or more
men were rapidly lifting the stone's
frbm the head of the prisoner. After
Etheredge had been taken from the
well, a physician was summoned. He
3tated that the injuries of Etheredge
were serious. Etheredge was taken to
his home and is still in a precarious
condition.
Oreer sboro Commencement. .
Greensboro, Special 'Commencement
at Greensboro Female College this year
will embrace May 19th-21st. The exer
cises will open Monday evening, May
20th, with an elocution recital. On
Tuesday morning, May 20th. Rev. T. F.
Marr, one of the ablest and best known
ministers of the Western North Caroli
no - Conference, will preach the annual
sermon. The annual meeting, of the
alumnae association and the alumnae
banquet will take place Tuesday after
noon ,and on the evening of the same
lay the alumnae address will be deliv
ered by Dr. Edwin Mims, of the facul
ty ot Trinity College. The graduating
sxereises- will take place Wednesday
morning. May 21st. The commencement
exercises will close with the annual
concert Wednesday evening.
Killed By a Train.
Burlington. : Special. Will Ezel; of
Haw Riyer, was injured at that place
Monday night by attempting to board
the Southern passenger, train No. .13,
on the bridge just west of the depot,
and died last night from the. injuries.
He was on the 1 bridge, which has sev
eral offsets in it for pedestrains to
step out of the way of moving trains,
and as the, train came by him he . at
tempted to board it and was jerked
under the wheels. One arm and ; leg
was horribly mangled and ne re
ceived an injury to his back. Medical
assistance was procured but could do
no good and he died in a few hours.
' Telegraphic Brlefs.f i
, Anna Fritz was killed and seven oth
ers injured in an explosion in" a Cleve-
lanapf peao rectory.
Rear-AdmiraiBowles opposes grant
ing leaves of abscence to navy yard
employes on economic grounds. 1 ;
v The President . nominated CaptA .
S. Crowninshietd to be a rear-admiral.
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PROGRESS OF TRIAL.
Wilcox's Trial Grows in Interest'
Day by Day.
DEAD GIRL'S SISTER ON THE STAND
Miss Olive Cropsey Tells of the VIsJt
of James Wilcox on the Night of
- the Girl's Disappearance...
The now famous trial of James Wil
cox for the murder of Miss Nellie
Cropsey is in - full swing and the at
tention of; a large number of people
is centered toward Elizabeth City.
The special correspondent of the
Charlotte Observer wires Monday
night as follows:
Stormy, windy weather kept many
people from the court house Monday
and the crowd, was not as large as
usual. Heretofore the . seats, aisles and
the bar have been packed. A hundred
or more women were present during
the first two days of the trial. Misses
Sadie and Annie Wilcox, sisters of
the prisoner, : have been at his side
every day. They don't make any sen
sational demonstrations pf affection.
Thomas Wilcox, father of the boy,
shed tears the first time the daugh
ters of his family appeared in court.
He seems to be devoted to the son.
though it is said they did not get on
well before this trouble. Four Crop--
sey -girls three' sisters in deep
mourning attended Friday and to
day. Judge . Geo. A. Jones is a good
criminal lawyer. He is presiding here
with marked ability.
DEAD GIRL'S SISTER ON THE
STAND. .:
Miss Olive Cropsey took the stand.
She said : "Ella was my x younger sis
ter. She was about five feet tall,
weighed 110 pounds and was 19 years
old. .There were six sisters of us. We
came from Brooklyn,' N. Y., in 1898.' I
first knew James.Wilcox in June of-the
yeavtwo arrived. Two "weeks after that
he called or sent a card for Nellie to
go riding. He started to calling oh her
from' the very first. He came to see her
Sundays,. Tuesdays end .Thursdays for
awhile and later every afternoon when
he was not busy. He took her to shows,
to ride and boating. He took her sail
ing once over two years ago and did
not get in till 11 o'clock at night. He
brought her presents a dish, a piece of
silverware, a gold pen and in July a
ring a birthday present. He gave her
flowers and pictures of himself. We
went to Nag's Head and Wilcox came
to" see Nell. Last September they fell
out. I heard them quarreling: She said
once: 'If you are going to act like this
you may stay at home.' .
"Evangelist Stuart was here in Sep
tember. Wilcox went with her to tho
door of t lie church. During the meet
ing: they had trouble a disagreement.
Nell joined the church as a result of
Stuart's meeting. On the 22nd of Oc
tober Jim sent two tickets for Nell and
Carrie to go to the falr.They had made
up. I did not hear any fussing then.
"On Tuesday Jim and Carrie brought
back fruit from, the skating rink. ; It
was offered; and Nell refused to take
any, though she wanted it. Wednesday
night after supper the door, bell rang.
We could tell Jimls ring. Carrie went
to the door. She let Jim in. - When I
went Into the dining room Jim and .Roy
Crawford were in there. Nell was sew
ing on a coat "she wanted to wear to
New York. She wore an old rubber shoe
on her right foot, as it was sore. Nell
went for the harmonica. She and Car
He played. Jim did not speak to Nell.
He was very stiff and moody. Nell was
eager for music that night. .The fam
ily, except Nell, Carrie and myself,
went up stairs. Jim sand Nell were
about a yard apart. Jim asked if there
was any water in the pump. I went'
and gave him a glass. He said: 'I
don't want that; I might poison it.' Jim
did net say much and kept looking at
bis watch. He told us of a marriage.
Carrie started to bed several times, but
Jim persuaded her. to come back. She
finally went Nell started to; go. 'Roy
caught her by the chin and said: f 'My
dear, youok ;isweet tonight.' j Jim
looked at his watch and said: 'Why it
Is 11 " o'clock. My mother will bel un
easy.' I said: 'You must be getting
good.' He rolled ' a cigarette, took his
hat and started out. He asked: 'Nell,
can I see you In the hall?' .They .vent
out about-11:15 and I shutTtho door. I
heard them walk the hall.
"Roy 'and "myself stood by the stove
till 11:30 o'clock. I toid.him it wks time
to, go.", He said : You need not get o
snappy: Nell and; Jim are oat there
I purppi the; dishes and went into the.
hallaBoth doors of the: vestibule had
blown openrrr looked out but saw;jio
one. Roy left and I went up stairs. Nell
and myself roomed together. I unlaced
I my shoes In the haK I went to bed
J and heard the clock strike 12. Nell was
J not there. I dozed oft but was awak.
ened by the dogs barking:. Some . one
called out and ; told father that some
body was afetr the pigs. v Nell was not
there. I gave the alarm. She was
dressed in a brown skirt, a red waist
and. wore a leather belt. i
Chief of Police W. C. Dawson was
put on the witness stand. He said:
"There were trees along the shore of
the river in front: of V the Cropsey
house. The summer; and the fish
house stood as obstructions. ! No one
in the road could see a person in hid
ing there.- I examined closely the
front lawn and measured all j the dis
tances about there. No tracks could
be made on that lawn. It is in jgrass.
The ground there was frozen on the:
20th of November. The water in the
river in front of the Cropsey house
ranges from one foot to four feet. I
went to Mr. Wilcox's house about
3:15. o'clock. Mr. Tom Wilcox came
out when I rang. He took me to Jim's
room, where I found him in bed. t
told him that I wanted him to go to
Mr. Cropsey's. He got up and began
to dress. He had some keys and other
things , on the table. He put them in
his pocket. He tried to blow out the
light. We went on down. I asked him
what he thought of the propsey case.
He said, that he did not know; he
left her crying because he had given
her back her picture. He said that
they were at outs, but had had no
lover's quarrel. She had laughed at
him the night before because he
asked about; her corns. She spoke of
suicide that night, and had declared
that- she would father . freeze. One
time, however, she had said that she
would drown herself if she ever de
cided to kill herself. Wilcox was
quiet. He did ; not talk except when I
asked him , questions. The statements
as quoted above were made on the
way to the Cropsey home, Mrs. Crop
sey asked him where Nell was. He
said : 'I don't v know, ' Mrs. Cropsey. 1
would swear I don't. " During the
cross-examination which ) followed
Dawson said: "On the way to the
Cropsey house that morning Wilcox
told me ..that he had . met Leonard
pwens at 11:30." p
A Georgia Cyclone. :.
V Macon, Gar, - Specials A " cyclone
swept across the "corner of Monroe.
Upson and Crawford counties Sunday
and a messenger who 1 came from
there reports that Cicero Tharpe's
handsome residence was blown down
and" scattered about the i plantation
and one of the negro tenants was
killed outright and a numoer or negro
families rendered homeless. The track
of the storm was by Moran's Mill xo
Montpelier Springs, and the same re-
port is to i the effect that
Montpelier
Springs, , an . old college
settlement,
was destroyed, two big brick house3
and a frame dwelling being demolish
ed and the families occupying them
rendered homeless.,"..
, A Sunday Bull Fight.
El Paso, Tex., Special. Ten thou
sand people,, most of theml Americans,
witnessed a bloody bull fight at
Juarez, Mex., just across; the river
from this city, Sunday, in which two
of Spain's most noted matadors -
Fuentes and : Mazzantini took a lead
ing part. Six bulls were dispatched
by the sword and five horses were.
gored to death. Fuentes and Mazzan
tini, who 'have been touring Mexico,
go from here -to Spain,, for a series of
70flghts. . .-.
Private Pensions.
Washington, Special. Senators and
members of the House are very much
interested in the fact that the pen
sion bill will become a law, because
they hope to obtain from It some re
lief from the pressure ; on them to
secure private pension legislation; , as
it f contains a provision making it 'a
criminal offense for attorneys, claim
agents or pth'er -persons to receive
compensation for service, rendered in
accordance with the passage . through
Congress of private pension bills.!
-
V he 1 Unfte'd. States are ! doing a -good
trade with Siam Ihirej lamps, chem-t
icals.and drugs, canned goods, sewing,
machines, bicycles - and :; clocks, . . "1
have penetrated the jungles of Siam
for over 600 miles to the north," says
Consul Hamilton King, of Bahkok,
"and In no ; hamlet, however - remote,
have -1,- failed to : find the" American
clock.'? Thie United ; States F have the
best of a large and growing business
in electrical goods, Nd iflour is credit
ed, to ; America, although: all the flotrr
that is used in Siam comes from that
source; ' In the - Very ; large t showing
under the item of 'provisions" frbm
I Hongkong and v Singapore especially
I Hongkong-American flour and tinned
gooda flgure ,argelyt i.
southern industrial
New Enterprises That Are Enriching
Our Favored Section.
The South's Iron Interest.
Manufactrer's Record.
. : The consumption of iron," whicf Is
now running at about the rate, of 18,
300,000 tons a year, is so staggering
that it is difficult to fully grasp the
fact that this . growth Is permanent
It is altogether probable that we shall
again see much lower prices in iron
than, at , present, as it would not be
natural to .expect an unbroken record
of the phenomenal activity wnica
now pervades the iron and steel In-
dustry ; but we ' have probably - reached
a period where1 the ' consumption of
iron and steel will expand as rapidly,
as the productive capacity of ;the
country "We may have , temporary
dullness, -as In the pastr but the in
creasing uses of Iron in fireproof con-
struction, which must come; About ?I
the better i class of dwellings;' as ia
office buildings; the- vast extensioa
-rnow . a necessity in the terminal
facilities of the railroads of the coun
try, and in the improvement of roadf
bed and rolling stock to meet the
heavier traffic, are all factors in aug
menting the consumption of iron even
beyond the 18,000,000 tons which w
have reached. In the light of tho
growing power of. iron and steel, it
is of more than - sectional interest
that the South has passed the specu
lative period in this industry, and fa
now'' in position, by virtue of. the im
provements wnicn nave ueen mauo
and the new capital which has been,
secured during the last few years, to
reap the: benefit of a very, active an
sotmd ' extension of its-" iron interests'
Tiio A-rnpriTYipntal and to a larsfi ex-
tent speculative, conaiuoa - wuitui s
long prevailed in the. Southern iron
trade, to the great detriment of its'
legitimate advancement, has; passed! 1.
away. One by one the leading- iron
companies of the South have been
putting their plants in a high state of
efficiencyenlarging their furnaces,
improving their facilities for mining,
ore and coal and making coke, ancl
thus getting on a basis for lower cost
of production, which, when lower
prices come, - will enable them to con
tinue in profitable operation without
the troubles which hampered so many
bf them in times past. With all of ita:
advantages for 'iron-making, the Souths
made comparatively-little .progress in
that industry between 1890? and 190O.
This was due in part to lack of ade
quate capital and experience, and In
part to many cases of thcroirghry had
even . if not knowingly corrupt, mis
management, the evil x. influtenco ot
which directly and Indirectly injured
the iron trade of the, whole South. ; It
Is' since, about 1900 that the South'.
lro interests nave Deen geiting ifli
better,-, shape, and henceforth the de
velopment of . this industry promises:
to be more-nearly commensurate witnw
the advantages of this section tha3
has ' been : the case in the past. The
outlook is -altogether cheering.
A $300,000 Additional Mill.
A dispatch from Spartanburg; S. CH
announces an extensive addition to Ixir
made by the D. E. Converse Co. of
Clendale, S. C. It states that the direc
tors definitely decided at .a meeting in-
Spartanburg on March 1-to erect alsov
2 mill, which will have an equipment .
of 15,232 spindles and -454 looms. Tae-
production will be high-grade cloths.
Structure- to accommodate the ma
chinery will be 100x180 feet in size.
The capitalization of the No. 2 plant
will be $300,000. A. H. Twichell s p res-
dent and treasurer. -
Erecting Weaving Addition.
Mention was made recently of an in
crease of capltal stock trom $50,000 to
$200,000 , by the Anchor :Mills of Hun
tersville, N. C. It has been ascertained
now that extensive Improvements have
been commenced by the compiny pre
pafatory to adding. weaving. to its of
oration's. CAn addition two stories high;
75x200 feet, is being erected; and in It
will, be installed the looms necessar
(probably 140) - to consume the. product ;
of the company's 4100 spindles, PossK?
bly other -oetterments will also b
made . . . , : ' ' '
." - Textile Noiev .
, Jonesville (S;C) Cotton Mills has In
creased capital stock from $25,000 tc
$50,000. a; . . v.:-- r S - : - :
Tncapan- (S. C.) Mills CO; hss added
seventy jf our looms, increasing its tota
to 839; plant has 28,000 spindles. 1
V J.;F. wniiams of Shelby N. a, has,
admitted E. A. Welman to a half-inter?
est in his hosiery nil), and the plant
vill toe enlarged.,