VOL. VII.
McCRORY, ARKANSAS, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1908.
NO. 17.
f NEWS OF
ARKANSAS
Chas. F. Roberts Kills Footpad.
Attracted by the flash of a diamond
|n the front of his shirt, two white
highwaymen attacked Chas. F. Rob
erts, aged 26, living at room 28, Kahn
building, Little Rock, who is a mail
clerk on the Rock Island railroad, run
ning between Memphis and Little
Rock, Wednesday night at 11 o’clock
at Barton avenue and Markham street,
Capitol View. Knocked to the ground
and pinioned beneath both men, Rob
erta made a desperate fight for bis
life, and with a well-directed shot,
killed one of the highwaymen. The
other arose and started to flee. Rob
erts turned the dying man from him
and fired three shots at the fleeing
footpad, who twice stumbled and fell,
arose and ran down the street car
tracks. The man may have been shot,
but searching parties failed to And
him, after scouring the surrounding
woods.
The dead man was conveyed in the
police patrol to Ruebel’s undertaking
establishment on Main street to await
identification.
Found Dying In Box Car.
A well-dressed man, about 60 years
old, was found in a dying condition
in an Iron Mountain box car at Van
Buren early Wednesday morning by a
switching crew'. He was taken to a
hotel and every effort possible was
made to revive him, but without suc
cess. He died at noon, after making
several unsuccessful attempts to give
the physicians his name.
There was nothing by which the
man could be identified except twro
handkerchiefs marked “D. M. M." The
hat he wore bore the mark of a South
McAlester firm. There were no marks
of violence on the body and it is be
lieved death was due to hunger and
exposure.
State Capitol Is 75 Years Old.
Exactly 75 years ago, active prep
arations were begun for the erection
of the historic old state house which
stands at the foot of Center street, on
the bank of the Arkansas river in the
city of Little Rock. It was in the first
week of the month of March, in 1833,
that the preliminary arrangements
were completed, and the building of
the structure on its present site was
assured. After three-quarters of a cen
tury the old building, enlarged from
time to time, as the necessity has aris
en, still shelters the state officials of
Arkansas and will continue to do so
until the new state capitol is complet
ed.
Found Dying Beside Broken Slot Gas
Meter.
Lon Williams, a negro, is in jail at
Texarkana, charged with burglary, and
it is believed that in attempting to rob
a gas meter of the kind made to deliv
er gas only after a coin of certain de
nomination has been dropped into a
slot, he was overcome by the escaping
gas, rendered incapable of flight, and
almost asphyxiated. Williams was
found by the bartender of the Cotton
Belt saloon when he opened the place
early Thursday morning. The negro
was lying before the broken gas me
*er, wholly unconscious.
Residence Destroyed By Fire.
A six-room cottage, owned by Mrs.
R- A. Westbrook and occupied by Pa
trolman John Minor and wife, at Thir
teenth avenue and State street, Pine
Bluff, was almost completely gutted
by fire Tuesday morning, just before
tbe noon hour. The contents of the
building were almost a complete loss,
aggregating $400, with $250 insurance.
The building was damaged to the ex
lent of about $1,000.
Conductor McDonald Killed.
The body of Clate McDonald, who
was accidentally killed Monday at Tex
homo, Okla., was brought to Mammoth
-firing and buried, Wednesday. Mc
Donald was a conductor on the Fris
co railway. He was capght between
two cars and crushed.
Negroe’s Condition Serious.
If ls reported that John Branch, the
negro who was shot by Frank Hays,
a hotel clerk at Hot Springs, a few
ni£hts ago, is in a serious condition
aa **le result of blood poison havtng
In. Hays was released on $500
Bookkeeper Is Arrested.
**• N- Lyon, a bookkeeper, until three
Weeks ago employed at Lev Fowler's
commission house. Pine Bluff, was ar
rested Wednesday night by Deputy
nstable Frank Weidenbener. He is
charged with embezzlement and the
"formation Was flled with Justice J.
■ Frazier by H. V. Bahian, local man
a«cr for Lev Fowler.
After being arrested Lyon immedi
a,y gave bond in the sum of $2,000
and was released. He has a wife and
Wo aons Hviag in Pin® Bluff.
Preaaher « Unusual Career.
The revival begun at the Central
Presbyterian church at Fayetteville,
a week ago, has proved successful and
will continue indefinitely, the pastor
announcing that it will continue one
week longer at any rale. The preach
ing is being done by the Rev. J. C.
Redding, an evangelist who is known
all over the country as “The Irish
man,” and whose record is a close
parallel to that of the late Sam Jones.
Redding in early life made a fortune,
but this he consumed in drink. He
was a railroader and rose from the
position of brakentan to conductor,
but after falling, he was put on the
blacklist, and was unable to get em
ployment on any road. He was soon
reduced to the lowest straits and for
two and a half years begged his
bread, wandering in the meantime
from his home in the far north to
the swamps of Louisiana. Since his
conversion he has joined his family
and has proved successful in evan
gelistic work.
Phil Tabor to Pen.
The final chapter in the famous
robbery of the Pacific Express on the
Cotton Belt Railroad at Redwater,
twenty miles south of Texarkana, on
the night of December 1. 1906, was
written when the penitentiary doors
at Huntsville, Tex., closed on Phil E.
Tabor. Tabor secured $9,000 from
the car, of which sum only $9,G00
has ever been recovered. Before
rifling the car, Tabor brained the
messenger with a bludgeon, and then
threw him from the train for dead.
The messenger subsequently recover
ed. Tabor was located three weeks
after the robbery at San Antonio and
was arrested. He was brought back
to Texarkana, and tried in the dis
trict court in September last. He
was convicted and given a life term.
He appealed, and the Texas court
of criminal appeals recently affirmed
the judgment. Tabor was taken to
the Huntsville penitentiary Tuesday
morning by Special Agent Morse.
Harrisburg Gutter Flooded With Beer,
The climax in the prosecution of
Ed Payne for the alleged illegal sale
of liquor was reached when, by order
of court, Sheriff Bradsher and Mayor
Griffin, assisted by citizens of Harris
burg, emptied into the gutter 1,200
bottles of beer, which were seized by
Sheriff Bradsher in a raid made on
Payne’s resort and subsequently were
placed in the lockup. The emptying
was witnessed by several hundred
citizens, many ladies being present.
Rev. W. M. Pinson, me preacher de
tective, who secured evidence against
Payne, under supervision of the Anti
Saloon League of Arkansas, was pres
ent with a kodak and made exposures
of the scene. Payne was arraigned
under three charges, having already
been fined $200 in each of six cases,
and when court opened he pleaded
guilty and agreed to quit if let off
with two fines of $200 each, a $100 at
torney fee and all costs, which was
agreed to by all parties.
Civil Service Examinations.
The United States Civil Service
Commission has announced a number
of examinations during the months oi
March and April, and persons desiring
to take the examinations can be ac
commodated at Little Rock and can
secure application blanks at the post
office. April l examinations will be
held for the office cif superintendent oi
road construction, the position paying
$4 to $7 per day. March 25 examina
tions for shoe and harness makers,
salary $720 per year, will be held.
March 11 examinations for veterina
rians, salary $100 per month, will be
held. March 25 examinations for drafts
men stenographers and typewriters,
salary $900 per year, wifi be held.
Negro Wounds Negro.
Tom Garland, a negro, shot and
seriously wounded Jim Bryant, an
other negro, near Arkadelphia, Tues
day morning. Garland, who surren
dered, claims he and Bryant had a
difficulty over a house and that Bryant
was coming at him with a drawn
knife, when he secured his shotgun
and shot him twice, one charge taking
effect in the head, and the other In
the side. Bryant, it is thought, has
no chance of recovery.
Floyd Names Cadets.
Congressman Floyd has appointed
as cadet to the Annapolis Naval Acad
emy M. P. Doxey of Benville and as
alternate, Arthur King of Fayetteville’
Roy White as cadet to West Point
and Fancher D. Reagan of Osage as
alternate.
Ice Plant For Warren.
The Warren Cotton Oil Company is
now at work on a 35-ton ice plant and
expects to have it ready for work be
fore the hot leather comes. The com
pany was formed last summer and the
stockholders are all business men ol
Warren.
New Jail For Bradley County.
A contract will be let in April by
Judge Singer for a jail for Bradley
county to cost about $20,000. It wil"
be well equipped and with separate
quarters for women.
Companies Incorporate.
Articles of incorporation and agree- I
ment have been filed with the secre
tary of state by the following com
panies:
The W. 0. Rhea Mercantile Com
pany, which will engage in a general
mercantile business at Rhea. The in
corporators are: w. C. Rhea, J. D.
Powell, W. D. Moore, Charles E. Fra
zier and J. E. Ezell. The company
incorporates with a capital stock of
$10,000, of which $2,525 has been sub
scribed.
The Engllsh-Grant Lumber Com
pany, which will engage in the lumber
business. The incorporators are: E.
Y. English, J. B. Grant and Chris Led
widge. The company will have its
offices in Little Rock. It incorporates
with a capital stock of $100,000, of
which $50,000 has been subscribed.
The Alma Canning Company, which
will engage in the canning business
at Alma. The Incorporators are: W.
Chesterfield, T. J. Jones, L. W. Black,
J. D. Byers, J. y~, MoGehee, J. J. Crav
ens, W. A. Alkire, O. Cates and
James McCord. The company incor
porates with a capital stock, all of
which has been subscribed.
May Bring Belgians to Settle Here.
Consul General Paul Hageman of
Belgium, consul to the United States,
with headquarters at Philadelphia,
was in conference Thursday with Ag
ricultural Commissioner Guy B. Tuck
er at the latter’s office in the state
house regarding the bringing of a num
ber of Belgians to this state for the
purpose of colonization. Mr. Tucker
presented the consul with a large
amount of data concerning the induce
ments of Arkansas land, and Mr.
Hageman expressed himself as being
very favorably impressed. He is said
to have stated that he Is thinking of
bringing a number of Belgians to Ar
kansas to settle in both the eastern
and western portions of the state.
Mr. Hageman is touring all of the
Southern states looking over the
ground with a view of picking out the
most desirable territory for locations
for his countrymen.
Transcript Filed.
The transcript in the case of G. T.
Blackwood against C. F. Liebke, on
appeal front the Phillips County Cir
cuit Court, was filed with the Supreme
Court Monday. The plaintiff brings
suit for $1,689, which he claims is due
him from the defendant on a trans
action. The transcript in 12 cases of
identical nature brought by parites
against the St. Louis and Iron Moun
tain railroad, lias been filed with the
Supreme Court. The plaintiffs bring
suit for damages alleged to have re
sulted front a fire at Prescott which
the plaintiffs charge was caused by
the defendant. The plaintiffs in the
12 cases sue for a total of $25,000.
Commissions Issu'd.
The secretary of state Tuesday is
sued the following commissions: No
tary public, J. D. Farte of Farrell, J.
B. Ghomley of Emmett, and F. C.
Jacobs of Little Rock.
The following comissions were is
sued Monday by the secretary of
state: Notary pbulic, Randolph P.
Hamby of Prescott, J. A. Harr of
Stuttgart, L. E. Terrell of New Lon
don, E. W. Rainwater of Clarketon,
and W. 7j. Tankersley of Pine Bluff.
Adjourned After Investigation.
The state charitabte board adjourn
ed Tuesday evening after making an
investigation of charges of mistreat
ment of patients at the insane asylum.
It developed during the investigation
that one of the attendants whipped
and otherwise mistreated several pa
tients, and, as soon as he was discov
ered left the institution. The board
exonerated Dr. Stinson, the superin
tendent, from all blame in the matter.
Construction Company Enters.
The Morava Construction Company
of Chicago, incorporated under the
laws of Illinois, has filed copies of its
charter with the secretary of state.
The company is incorporated with
$100,000 capital stock. It claims to
have $359,479.53 assets and $47,910.80
liabilities. It also claims to have
$100,000 invested in Arkansas. The
company names as its agent in Arkan
sas, Kirby Riffel. Its offices are lo
•ated in Little Rock.
Commissions Issued.
The following commissions were is
sued Wednesday by the secretary of
state; Notary public, W. B. Ruther
ford of Magazine, T. B. Hutcheson of
Gillham and Lee Barnett of Clifton.
One commission was issued Thurs
day by the secretary of state. A no
tary public commission was issued to
J. H. Schaefer of Hamburg.
Insurance Company Retires.
The Mississippi Home Fire Insur
ance Company has notified the state
auditor that it had decided to dis
continue operation in Arkansas.
Board Puts It Up to Mr. K;rby.
The Penitentiary Board, at the
regular monthly meeting of that body,
held Monday morning, at which only
three members. Governor Pindall,
Commissioner Tucker and Secretary
of State Ludwig were present, adopt
ed a resolution asking that Attorney
General W. F. Kirby, candidate for
governor, a member of the board, sub
stantiate recent charges that he made
against the board, and that he back
tip his charges by bringing action in
the criminal courts against the board
members he accused in the charges
or else “stand before the world an
acknowledged reckless sensationalist
and a wilful falsifier.” The resolu
tion was the result of a charge made
by Mr. Kirby in a recent political
speech. He stated that the Peniten
tiary Board had let the convict labor,
contract for $1 a convict, whereas he
knew of two men in Little Rock at.
the time that would have given $1.75,
intimating graft in the awarding of
the contract to the lower bidder. The
charge was answered by each of the
four other members of the board.
Each stated that he knew of no other
bidders or bids at the time the con
tract was let. The resolution passed
by the board Monday is as follows:
“It being reported in the public
press that one W. F. Kirby, candidate
for governor ,and member of the Pen
itentiary Board, stated at Gravette,
Washington county, Ark.,, that at the
time of the making of the contract
with W. L. Reaves by the Penitenti
ary Board, there were two parties in
the city of Little Rock willing to pay
a higher price for the leasing of the
convicts than the price mentioned
in the Reaves contract, and that the
difference between the price of the
Reaves contract, and the price he
alleged these parties were willing to
pay, went to the members of the Pen
itentiary Board as graft; therefore,
be it
“Resolved, by the Board of Peniten
tiary Commissioners, That we here
by ask Mr. Kirby if it is true that he
made this statement, or anything like
it, and if he acknowledges that he
made this statement or anything like
it, we hereby demand that he give to
the world a statement of his author
ity for such an assertion, and that he
proceed in his official capacity as at
torney general, or by affidavit as a
private individual, in the courts of
the state in criminal proceedings
against any and all of the parties who
he means to accuse hereby, or that
he stand before the world and ac
knowledged reckless sensationalist
and a wilful falsifier.
“That we, severally and collective
ly, emphatically deny this insinuation
and charge against our board or any
member thereof, and state to Mr.
Kirby that he has neither the facts
nor the nerve to comply with this res
olution.”
New Incorporations.
Articles of incorporation and agree
ment were filed with the secretary
of state Monday by: The Palace Drug
Company, which’ will engage in a mer
cantile and drug business at Prairie
Grove. The incorporators are: W.
H. McNeil, L. L. Baggett., J. H. Brew
ster and W. H. Mock. The company
incorporates with a capital stock of
$5,000, of which $3,000 is subscribed.
The Goldberg Mercantile Company
which will engage in a mercantile
business at Wheatley. The incorpora
tors are: Mrs. Mamie, Alfred M., Eva
and Ike Goldberg. The company in
corporates with a capital stock of
$15,000, all of which has been sub
scribed.
Articles of incorporation and agree
ment were filed with the secretary of
state Tuesday by the Co-operative
Trades and Manufacturing Company,
which will engage in a manufacturing
business at Hartford. The incorpor
ators are: J. W. Platt, D. H. Calvin,
James Moddy, A. V. Stanford, Martin
Huber. Roy Clayton, John Clark, Peter
Stewart, Nick Geis, J. B. Harry, Neal
Haney and J. H. Milelr. The company
incorporates with a capital stock of
$5,000, of which $1,000 has been sub
scribed.
Pardon Granted.
Governor Pindall granted a pardon
to Henry Osborne, a negro who was
convicted at the October term. 1907,
of the Montgomery County Circuit
Court of arson and fined $100 and
sentenced to six months in jail. The
petitioners for his pardon stated that
Osborne, who is but a boy, had been
punished sufficiently for his crime.
Bridge Company Enters State.
The Memphis Bridge Company has
filed with the secretary of state a
copy of its articles of agreement and
incorporation. The company is incor
porated under the laws of Tennessee.
The company claims to have $57,313.
78 assets, and $7,313.78 liabilities. The
company names O. C. Ludwig as
agent In this state.
$1,132,654 Worth of Apples.
The statistics for the fruit ship
ments for 1907 has just been complet
ed by Judge I. B. Lawton of Benton
ville, and certainly makes a fine show
ing for Benton county. In gathering
these statistics from all over the coun
ty, Judge Lawton had some help, but
ft was a great undertaking, and fruit
growers will be greatly benefited by
it. The figures demonstrate that Ben
ton county is one of the greatest fruit
counties in the world.
There were 1,163 carloads of apples
shipped out, and 283 cars put in cold
store, and it is estimated these brought
$630,960. The evaporated apples
brought $359,100; cider apples, $31,
714; distillery, $9,800; apples at can
ning factories, $55,000; dried apple
waste, $46,080, or a total of $1,132,654
for the apple crop.
With more than $1,000,000 paid to
the growers for apples alone, commer
cial orchard growing is becoming quite
a big and profitable enterprise. It
must be remembered, too, that the ap
ple crop in this county last year was
only a partial crop, being on an aver
age of about 40 per cent of a full crop.
The price was most excellent, the best
for many years, and this largely made
up the deficiency in quantity.
The figures also show 1,525,915 bush
els of apples reported, and if all sales
were reported it is believed the ag
gregate would easily reach one and
three-fourths million bushels.
There were 163 cars of peaches sent
out, 105 carloads of strawberries, 13,
808 crates of blackberries, and 6,841
crates of raspberries produced. All of
these Judge Lawton estimates sold for
$600,000. The berry crop was light
and the peach crop was lighter, only a
small percentage of the trees bearing.
The total amount according to these
figures paid to the growers for the
fruit crop of 1907 was $1,731,654.
Night Watchman Robbed and Slain.
J. J. Mangham, night watchman at
the Post Pipe Company plant on Rose
Hill, Texarkana, was found at his post
of duty at 6 o’clock Sunday morning,
lying in a pool of blood unconscious
and with his skull crushed in two
places. An iron grate bar with which
the assault was made lay beside the
victim, whose money and pistol were
taken. Robbery was undoubtedly the
motive.
Mangham was known to have had
about ten dollars on his person Satur
day night. He was taken to a sanitari
um, where he died Sunday night.
There is yet no clue to the murderers.
He was 60 years old and leaves a wife
and two children.
Natural Gas for the Texarkanas.
A telegram was received at Tex
arkana from Chicago Tuesday after
noon from Messrs Dames and Harri
son, saying they would put up $5,000
writh each of the two city councils of
Texarkana as a guarantee and would
forfeit the same in case of failure, if
they are granted a franchise to put
natural gas into Texarkana from the
Caddo field, 45 miles south of Tex
arkana, by January first, next. Ne
gotiations have been in progress be
tween the Chicagoans and the city
authorities for the past two or three
weeks. It is now believed that a deal
will be closed within the next two or
three days.
Organize Creamery Company.
Articles of agreement were signed
at Gillett Tuesday, to incorporate the
Gillett Creamery Company, with a
capital stock of $5,000, all paid in.
The following were elected as direc
tors: A. H. Richter, Christian Stel
zer, Louis Lehmann, Henry Poll, T.
L. Strode, J. W. Place and O. P. Max
well. G. Hinnick has charge of the
creamery, as buttermaker.
Hot Springs Must Retrench.
The city administration of Hot
Springs must cut expenses $1,000
monthly for the next five months or
face a deficit in the treasury, and
there seems to be no department
which can stand retrenchment. The
reevnue of the city is much less than
it was when the gambling houses
were wide open, but the expenses are
the same.
Clark Located Permanently.
Raymond E. Clark, assistant in the
Little Rock Weather Bureau, who w-as
sent to Fort Smith to take charge of
the weather bureau after the death of
T. S. Collins, has received notification
from Washington of his appointment
as permanent official of that bureau.
Mr. Clark had been but three veara
in the service, having first served at
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Negro Given Heavy Fine.
Joseph Jackson, a negro, wan tried
before R. B. Carl Lee, justice of the
peace at England, Friday and fined
v300 and sentenced to six months’ im
prsonment on the charge of abducting
Elberta Burton, a 17-year-old negress,
from her home on Thursday afternoon.
Ernest Clark's Wound Fatal.
Ernest Clark, aged 18, son of R. C.
Clark of DeKalb, 30 miles west of
Texarkana, died Tuesday from a gun
shot wound in the head. He was ac
cidentally shot by another boy at De
Kalb last Saturday.
WARDEN SHOOTS 2 CONVICTS
Third Escapes, but Is Recaptured—
Robinson Instantly Killed and
Conley Battles Alone for His
Life.
Deer Lodge, Mont.—Warden Frank
Conley of the Montana state peniten
tiary was dangerously wounded Sun
day morning and Assistant Warden
John Robinson was killed when three
life convicts, George Rock, W. H.
Hayes and another whose name is not
given made a dash for liberty. Robin
son’s throat was cut from ear to ear,
and the jugular vein was severed.
Conley's throat was gashed, and he
was stabbed several times in the
shoulder and groin before he was able
to draw his revolver and shoot two of
his assailants down. Convicts Hayes
and Rock were both shot by Conley,
after the latter had been wounded. It
is believed that the warden will recov
er.
The attack and the attempted es
cape, according to prison authorities,
had been long planned by Rock and
Hayes, who were cellmates. Both
were armed with pen kinves, the
blades of which were sharpened like
razors.
Three convicts were brought to the
office of the penitentiary in the court
yard Sunday morning at 8 o’clock hy
Deputy Warden Robinson to be tried
for some trivial infraction of the pris
on rules, and Conley was waiting to
sit in judgment.
The moment the men entered the
office door Rock turned swiftly upon
Robinson, who was closing the door
behind the man and quickly drawing
out a knife, began slashing at the dep
uty warden's throat. Before Robinson
was able to move, his throat was cut
open, and he sank to the floor, dying.
At the same moment Rock attacK
ed Robinson, Hayes drew a knife and
started for Conley. The latter re
treated to the rear of the office, but
before he could draw his gun Hayes
had slashed his throat, cutting him
from the left ear to a point under the
chin, and stabbed him several times
in the shoulder and in the groin. Al
though bleeding terribly, Conley man
aged to draw his gun and fired four
times, with the weapor^nressed against
Hayes’ abdomen. As Hayes sank to
the floor. Rock rushed at Conley, who
emptied the remaining cartridges in
his revolver into Rock, and the T-tter
also went down.
The third convict who had been
called into the office took to his heels
at the first of the battle, but was
quickly captured and placed in his cell.
The authorities refused to give cut his
name until they have investigated
whether he wras concerned in the plot,
or whether he had merely been called
to the office at the same time as the
other two.
Ex-Convict Shot by Sweetheart's
Father.
Independence, Kan.—Clarence Buck
ingham, white ex-convict from the Ar
kansas penitentiary, was shot three
times and fatally wounded here Sun
day morning by R. \Y. Johnson, his
sweetheart’s father.
Buckingham separated John’s daugh
ter from her husband in Arkansas.
The Johnson’ moved here, where Buck
ingham was arrested one dark night
hiding in his sweetheart’s room.
The Johnsons appealed to the offi
cers Saturday for aid, and moved to
throw Buckingham off the track, but
Sunday morning he walked into their
home and seated himself.
Johnson secured a pistol and called
out, -‘I told you, Buckingham, if you
ever came back here I would shoot
you,” and fired three times.
Snakus Stop a Baptizing.
Columbus, Ky.—The usual March
baptizing among Baptists of the coun
ty in Missouri opposite this place was
suddenly interrupted Sunday by Tne
presence of probably 2,000 snakes,
mostly water moccasins, that seemed
to swarm from the willows near the
banks of the river just as the services
were about to begin. The warm
weather that has prevailed recently Ts
believed to have caused the reptilesc
to come forth, as the water and air
were warm enough prior to the noon
hour for regular bathers to take a
swim.
Overheated Furnace Cause of Holo
caust.
Columbus, O.—That the fire in the
Collinwood school house, which cost
the lives of 176 children, was due to
an overheated furnace is the sub
stance of a partial report made to the
State Fire Marshal Creamer by the
three deputies who have been investi
gating the cuase of the fire.
Drugged, Killed By Train.
Rockford, 111.—Drugged, robbed, and
laid on the tracks of the Burlington
road, that the train might kill her, ;is
uelieved by the police of this city to
have been the fate of Mrs. Anna
haynge of Lincoln avenue, twhose mu
tilated and crushed remains were
picked up, after four trains had passed
over the body.