Published In The famous big Bottom Country. Where Alfalfa Is king.
$1 Per Annum.
Newark, Independence County, Arkansas, Friday, May 3, 1907.
Vol. 7. No. IQ.
John w. henoerson not guilty
Man Charged With Killing Col.
J. C. Yancey Acquitted by
Jury in Circuit Court
The jury in the ease of John W.
Henderson on trial for murder in
the second degree, in the circuit
at Batesvilie, reached an agree
ment early Saturday morning and
returned a verdict of acquittal.
Henderson, a peaceable citizen of
Oil Trough, during last December
had an altercation concerning some
corn with Col. J. C. Yancy, a
prominent lawyer and stock raiser
of the county, and in the quarrel
drew’ his revolver and fired two
shot at Col. Yancey, one of which
is alleged to have taken effect in
the heel. The wound was only a
slight one, but blood poison set in,
and after lingering several weeks,
Col. Yancey died from the effects
of the wound.
The case excited considerable
interest and was the most impor
tant case tried at this term of
court. The defense was represent
ed by Attorneys Oldfield & Cole
of Batesville and Gus Jones of
Newport and for the state were
Mr. Jeffery, the prosecuting at
torney, Sam M, Casey of Bates
ville and Col. Murphy of Little
Rock.
Col. Murphy delivered the clos
ing argument for the state late
Friday evening, and the jury re
tired for deliberation after supper.
About 8.30 o’clock the judge and
attorneys were summoned and the
jury was brought into court and
asked for the shoe worn by Mr.
Yancey at the time he was shot,
and for a list of the witnesses who
had testitied in the case. This re
quest *was refused, Judge Fulker
son declaring it was contrary to
law; and the jury returned to their
deliberations. At 10:30 they were
taken to the hotel for the night,
being instructed to suspend their
deliberations until they should re
turn to the court house Saturday
morning. , At 7:30 o’clock Satur
day. moning they again took up
the case, and when court convened
at 8:30, were ready with a verdict.
Being brought into court, they de
clared the defendant, Henderson,
not guilty.
On the first ballot the jury stood
nine for acquittal, one for convic
tion and two undecided, and it was
not until the eighth ballot that the
jury stood unanimous for acquit
tal.
Public sentiment was largely in
Mr. Henderson’s favor, from the
fact that he has always been a good,
peaceable and law-abiding citizen,
and everybody seemed to be well
pleased with the jury’s verdict.
An unusual incident oceured in
connection with the Ciise after
Monta, the year old daughter of
Mr. Henderson, left the witness
stand. She was a witness in the
case for her father and is said to
have made one of the brightest
witnesses placed on the stand.
4 The cross-examination of witnesses
was conducted by ex-Attorney
General Geo. \Y. Murphy for the
prosecution. General Murphy has
the reputation of being one of the
shrewdest criminal lawyers in the
Southwest, and it is often a trying
ordeal, even for men wdio are ex
perienced ki such matters, to go
through the rigid cross examina
tion of a shrewd criminal lawyer.
The little girl’s testimony, how
ever, was given in such a plain and
| straight-forward manner and with
such child like faith and simplicity
j that Gen. Murphy was neither
able to shake her testimony in the
least or tangle her in any manner.
After she had been dismissed from
the stand, Gen. Murphy, taking
her hand in a fatherly manner, re
marked: “Monta, you arc a
bright little girl. If you improve
your opportunities and always tell
the truth, as I believe that you
have done in this case, I feel that
the future holds much in store for
you.”
I
OIL TROUGH T1NKLINGS.
Oil Trough, May 1.—The
change in our mail route, to have
the mail leave Oil Trough and re
turn the same day, instead of leav
ing Newport and returning same
day, will soon go into effect and
will rersult in better service to the
people along the route.
There is a considerable rise in
the river. Some of the low lands
are now under water and there
are good indications of more to
come.
The W. O. W. Camp here con
tinues to grow. Seven new mem
bers were added at the last meet
ing making the membership now
-tit.
The continued cold weather is
retarding farm work considerably.
There is yet a good deal of cotton
to be planted in this section.
From the appearance of the
logs being piled up at the saw
mill here, there is going to be
| something doing soon.
Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Moore ex
pect to leave shortly for Norfolk,
Va., to attend the Jamestown Ex
position.
We are glad to report that Capt.
R. K. Reeves who has been sick
for some time, is able to be up
again.
Mrs. .1. I West ot' Little Rock
is spending a few days here visit
ing friends.
The Union Sunday school, or
ganized recently, is progressing
nicely.
Rev. .John Henderson tilled his
regular appointment here Sunday.
Uncle George Stevens is report
ed as being very feeble.
Rube Hill is reported quite sick
with pneumonia.
--
STORH AT CLARENDON
Clarendon, April 30.—Claren
don was visited last night by one
severest wind, rain and electrical
storms known in years. Lightning
struck a chimney of Judge
Thomas’ house, tearing it to
pieces. The wind blew down the
smokestack to the light plant,
leaving the town in darkness for
1 the balance of the night.
Reports received from other
! towns in the county indicate that
the storm was general. At Holly
Grove lightning struck the long
distance telephone wires running
, into the depot and set the depot
i building on fire, but slight damage
i was done.
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GIRL KILLS HERSELF
Siloam Spring, April 30.—Miss i
Lena Powers, daughter of E. L.
j Powfers of this place, committed
! suicide yesterday by swallowing a
quantity of aconite which she pur
chased on Saturday. She took the
poison about 2 o’clock in the after
noon and at 3 o’clock was dead. 1
Don’t Preach About
Home Trade
and at the same time send
your orders for iob printing
out of town. Your home
printer can do your work just
as good, and in nine cases out
of ten he can beat the city
man's prices, because lie pays
much less for running ex
penses. By sending vour next
printing order to this office
you'll be better satisfied all
around, and you'll be keeping
the money at home.
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THE PASTOR'S COLUMN
Conducted by Rev. Jas. F. Jernijran in
the Interest All That is Good
f
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V •>
REMINISCENCE
The experience of the modern
itenerant preacher are not what
they were of the old time men
who were the pioneers of this and
other countries. Still, some of
them are enlivened with the con
ditions they have met here, there
and yonder. Away back in the
’30’s Rev. Andrew Hunter, who
was a missionary in this state,
once encountered a difficult pro
position at what is now known as
the “Point Ferry” just above
Jacksonport. lie was following
a trail through this country going
south and coming to the river,
there was no boat, nor bridge, so
what could he do? He took from
his saddle bags a long knife he
took along for battle in case a
wild animal should attack him, cut
some supple jack vines, found
some pieces of logs, bound them
together and made him a raft. He
put his saddle, robe and other be
longings on the raft, and coaxed
his horse in after him, and floated
down not knowing just where he
would land. But White river runn
ing into Black and running swift
.er, it drifted him to the south
bank, where Jacksonport was
afterward founded. He slept in a
cane-brake that night, so he says,
just about where the church was
afterward built. He was a grand
old man.
Passing from those crude days
to the ’70’s your scribe had a few
things to pass his way. There is
what is called the “Arkansas bed
stead.” Well, your contributor
has slept on this ideal (?) bedstead.
It had but one post and two rails.
The post sat out from the wall and
the rails were put in auger holes
bored in the walls and the slats
were boards rested on the rails at
one end and the other end were in
the crack of the house where the
chinking had been punched out.
But the times have changed and
better equipments are nowall over
our land and country, and the
preacher of today, tho’ he has
much to do, toils in flowery beds
, of ease compared with some of the
i old-time men who broke the cane
land carried the torch light of
Christianity and civilization hand
! in hand. Opportunity is on every
IsidTf?, and this brings obligation.
Let him who reads take note and
be up and doing for God and the
right. More of this in the future.
ENTIRE FAMILY POISONED
Gordon, April 20.—Two of the
children of Charley Abbott, resid
ing near Gurdon, are dead as the
result of the poisoning of the
whole family last week. It is not
1 yet known whether canned goods
eaten by the family contained pto
maine poison or whether in some
wild greens, gathered in the woods
for the table, a poisonous weed
was accidentally included. Mrs.
: Abbott and two of the .other chil
dren are still in a very precarious
condition, with the chances against
their recovery. Mr. Abbott’s
condition is less serious and he
will recover.
STORn IN FULTON COUNTY
Mammoth Spring, April 30.—
Yesterday afternoon this section
j was visited by the heaviest rain
I storm of the season. The storm
j was from the southwest and swept
| to the northeast. News has just
reached here that six miles north
east of here the residence and out
buildings of Henry Davis and
Charley Murphy, also the sawmill
of Henry Fisher, were completely
wrecked by the wind. No one
was fatally injured so far as
| known.
» - •
THREE DROWNED
Fayetteville, April 28.—James
! Munsey, wife and sister were
idrt>wned while trying to ford
White river near this place yester
day. Recent rains had converted
the stream into a raiging moun
tain torrent, into which the team
as well as the occupants of the
vehicle were plunged.
INJURED IN 5T0RA1
West Point, April 30.—A storm ■
j in this vinicity last night de
stroyed seven or eight buildings,;
among which were the residences j
of Austin Smith and Amos Per
miner and the dwelling on the C.
K. Williams farm. No deaths are
reported, but Mrs. Perminter was
seriously injured.
COTTON; RELIGION; WALL ST.
Frank L. Stanton, the Georgia!
poet and humorist, feelingly and
appropriately remarks: “We ex- ,
pect to make enough in water
melons this year to offset all we’ll
lose on cotton, and we'll make just
I enough cotton to lose our religion
j and go to glory cassia’ out Wall j
j street.”
CARD OF THANKS
We thank the good people
around our home for the kindness
! shown during the illness and death
i of our beloved daughter and sister
| who departed from life April lltth.
j May God bless the people around
lour home. Jim Ghikkin
and Cim.nuKN.
SNOW AND SLEET IN KANSAS
Press dispatches from Kansas |
; City say that snow and sleet fell |
1 throughout the greater portion of j
| Kansas Tuesday.
At Milwaukee, Wis., enough
snow fell to delay railway traffic,
and the' storm was general
throughout the state.
WEEKS DOINGS AT SULPHUR ROCK
Short Items of Interest Picked Up
at the Tletropolis of White
River Township.
Sulphur Rock, May 1.—Miss
Yreela Jernigan spent Monday
night in our city and lef.t tor
Batesville Tuesday, to visit her
aunt, Mrs. Julia Herrington.
Mrs. Ida Young went to Bates
ville Tuesday and will stay over
to witness the unveiling of the
Confederate monument Wednes
day.
Lee Grooms was down from
Buffalo Sunday to visit his family. ;
lie is foreman of a section on the
railroad at that place.
Rev. E. A. Horn preached an
interesting sermon on Odd Fellow
ship to a large audience here Sun
day.
I)r. and Mrs. T. A. Bevens,
went to Batesville Tuesday to
spend a few days with relatives.
James Ashley went to Bates
ville Tuesday to take charge of the
railroad section at that place.
Rev. C. F. Hivel.y came down
from the upper counties Saturday
night to visit his family.
Estus Rice and Miss Ethel G rif
fin left last Friday for Texas to
be gone several weeks.
O. L. Hoover and little son, Elza,
went to Cathytown Sunday and
returned Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Harts fie Id
and Ed Wilson were up from
Newark Sunday.
Wash Browning left last week
for Louisiana where he has accept
ed a position.
Mr. and Mrs. Houston Webb of
Texas, visited relatives here last
week.
Winfield Jernigan of near Char
lotte was in town Tuesday.
Mrs'. Lizzie Vaughan was up
from Newark Monday.
Charlie Wright was over from
Oil Trough Sunday.
Stacy Crow was down from
Batesville Sunday.
Allen Gossett went to Batesville
Tuesday.
NOTICE OF SCHOOL MEETING
Notice is hereby given that there
will be an annual school meeting:
of the Newark Special School Dis
trict (No. 33) held at the public
school building in Newark on the
third Saturday in May, 1907. At '
this meeting the following matters
will be submitted to the consider
ation and action of the elector*
of said district:
The election of four directors
and levying a tax for general
school purposes. Every elector
is urged to be present.
N. M. Wilson, President,
E. IT. Williamson, Secretary.
ACREAGE REPORT
Some time in May the govern
ment will have four field agents at
work in the south to inquire into
the cotton acreage, upon which &
report is to be issued early in>
June. It is said these agents will
interview farmers, merchant’s,
implement dealers, country bank
ers, fertilizer people and others.
In addition they will stir around
in the country and inspect the
actual conditions.
If you have property for salet
list it with Craig & Henderson.