VOL. II.
McCRORY, ARKANSAS, THURSDAY, MARCH 2<>, 1903.
NO. 51.
Bill Abolishing the Railroad Com
mission Defeated in the
House.
MONDAY, MARCH IS.
Besides a number of local measures,
several bills of general importance were
disposed of in both branches.
A committee of Confederate veterans
presented a memorial to the house in
favor of an appropriation to secure and
preserve the muster rolls of Arkansas
troops in the Confederate army.
The Senate.
Senator King introduced a bill to
regulate the employment of railway
telegraph operators, and to create a
board of examiners for the same.
House concurrent resolution No. 36
(Campbell of Randolph), appointing a
special committee to draft a bill for
a general road law. was passed.
S. B. 154, which provides that a cer
tificate must be issued on the sale of
dynamite, giant powder, nitro glycer
ine and gun cotton, passed without op
position.
Senator Simpson called up his bill, to
prevent discrimination in the price of
coal oil or dressed beef. Senator Simp
son said the bill would prevent large
corporations from driving the inde
pendent dealers out of the state, and
would protect home institutions.
Senator Cotham said the bill would
do more to restrain the trusts than any
that had yet been introduced.
The bill passed—19 to 3.
S. B. 19S (Vaughter), to prevent the
sale of liquor within ten miles of Hen
drix College, passed.
The Cotham bill, making certain
liens assignable, was passed.
Senator Caldwell's bill amending the
game laws as follows was taken up:
Deer, January 1 to October 1; turkey.
May 1 to November 1; quail. May 1 to
November 1; grouse, May 1 to Novem
ber 1. The bill Dassed.
Senator Caldwell's bill limiting the
consecutive hours of labor of certain
railroad employes to 16 hours, was road
third time and passed—ayes 16, noes 6.
Senator Matlock's bill authorizing the
attorney general to employ an assistant
in prosecuting suits for back taxes due
the state, was read third time and
passed.
The House.
Dr. Myers bill regulating mussel llsh
ing in the state, and making the closed
season from January 1 to March 30,
was called up.
The bill passed by vote of 52 to 27.
H. B. 206. regulating the payment
of school taxes in the county to which
children have been transferred was
read third time and passed.
H. B. 206, causing t^n 11th day of
June to be known as Garland day and
to be a public holiday in commemora
tion of the birth of Hon. A. H. Gar
land. was taken up and passed.
H. B. 125. by Mr. Tarver, to compel
all practicing physicians to be regis
tered pharmacists, was taken up and
passed.
Mr. Kerwin's bill requiring railroads
to pay their employes once a month
on a stated date, was taken up and
passed.
H. B. 270 (McGuigan). limiting the
hours of labor of locomotive engineers,
firemen, conductors and brakemen to
sixteen consecutive hours, was read
third time and passed.
Mr. De Rossitt’s bill requiring long
distance telephone companies to con
nect with local and short lines, was
passed.
A committee from Arkansas Division.
U. C. V.. appeared and plead for an ap
propriation to defray the expense of
compiling a roster of Arkansas troops
participating in the civil war.
TUESDAY, MABCH 17.
The senate tabled the Keel anti-trust
bill, which is a counterpart of the King
bill already passed by the senate, and
is now pending in the house.
Senator Price's bill appropriating
$77,123.19 for the Arkansas exhibit at
the St. Louis exposition was amended
to make tire appropriation $50,000.
Senator Vaughter’s bill providing for
primary election was defeated in the
house, and the senate indefinitely post
poned the Toney anti-spotter bill.
The Senate.
S. B. 226 (Caldwell), providing that
a less number than ten resident own
ers can petition the city council, was
passed.
A committee of Confederate Veterans
was received by the senate, and Judge
S. II. Nowlin read the memorial pre
sented to the house the day before,
asking for an appropriation to aid the
United Confederate Veterans in pre
paring a history of Arkansas' part in
the civil war and compiling a roster of
the Arkansas soldiers in the war.
H. B. 4 (Mr. Campbell of Pulaski),
creating a digester of the statutes and
providing for his appointment by the
supreme court, was taken up.
A motion to refer to the judiciary
committee failed and the bill was made
a special order for Wednesday morning.
H. B. 229. regulating insurance con
tracts, passed without opposition.
The senate accepted an invitation to
attend a musical at the Blind School.
Mr. Campbell's bill providing for the
licensing in cities of the first class of
stationary engineers was read third
time and passed.
In an appropriate speech Senator
Price thanked the president on behalf
of the body for a photograph of the
presiding officer, which by his direction
had been left at the desk of each mem
ber.
The Keith bill placing county officers
of Hot Spring county on salaries was
passed.
Mr. MatmUler’s bill, making a four
wire fence a lawful fence in Arkansas
county was taken up and passed.
H. B. No. 14 (Keel), a fac-simile of
the King anti-trust bill, was taken up.
Senator Wood moved that the bill
be tabled.
The motion prevailed by a vote of 13
to 9.
The Toney anti-spotter bill was read
third time.
On motion the bill was indefinitely
postponed.
II. B. 35, prohibiting the sale of fish
and game within the state and the
shipment of the same without the state
passed without opposition.
The House.
Mr. Parks called up Senator Price’s
bill appropriating $70,000 additional for
an exhibit at the Louisiana Purehase
Exposition, and moved that the bill be
placed back on its second leading for
the purpose of offering an amendment.
He moved to amend by making the
appopriation $50,000. The amendment
was carried—ayes 59. noes 16.
Mr. Norfleet moved to amend by mak
ing the number of directors of the fund
four instead of three, adding the com
missioner of mines, manufacture and
agriculture.
The amendment was adopted and the
bill made special order for the follow
ing Tuesday morning.
S. B. 199, establishing chancery courts
in Garland, Hot Spring, Grant, Saline
and Montgomery counties, was taken
up and passed.
Speaker Moore appointed a committee
consisting of Messrs. Hooker, Horton
and Chrisp to codify the road laws.
S. B. 38. providing for tha holding of
primary elections, was defeated.
Senator Klllough's bill making it un
lawful to catch fish with anything ex
cept a hook and line, was indefinitely
postponed.
Speaker Moore appointed on the part
of the house to investigate the Torrens
system of registering land Messrs Per
ry, Burk. Campbell of Randolph, Futrell
and Thompson.
A number of senate bills were read
second time and referred to committees.
S. B. 192 (Pinnix). adding Clark and
Nevada counties to the Sixth chancery
district, was taken up and passed.
After considerable discussion, Mr.
Covington's bill increasing salary of
state mine inspector to $2,000 per annum
and permitting him to accept free
passes, was defeated.
Private Secretary Jacobson appeared
and announced that the governor had
approved the folowing acts:
Joint memorial No. 1. memorializing
congress in favor of electing United
States senator by direct vote.
H. B. 138. making Arkansas river a
lawful fence in certain territory.
H. B. 233, appropriating $5,000 to as
sist in erecting a Confederate monu
ment at Uittlt Rock.
Mr. Tarver called up a motion to re
consider tile vote by which the house
postponed S. B. 180, requiring mill, mine
and factory employers to give names of
their employes to tax colectors wlitn
demanded. The motion to reconsider
prevailtd. the bill was read third time
and passed.
WEDNESDAY, MARCS 18.
Representative Hale’s bill seeking to
abolish the railroad commission was de
feated in the house by a vote of 21 to
52 after a debate which occupied almost
the entire day.
The senate passed Mr. Campbell's bill
appropriating $20,000 for the purpose
of redigesting the statutes of Arkansas
and giving the supreme court power to
appoint the digester.
In the senate the Keel anti-trust bill
was taken from the table and placed
upon the calendar.
The Senate.
The first business taken up was H. B.
No. 4 (Campbell of Pulaski), which pro
vides for the appointment by the su
preme court of a redigester of the sta
tutes and appropriating $20,000 for the
printing of the same.
A motion to postpone was lost and
the bill was placed on third reading.
Senator Covington spoke in opposi
tion to tile bill. He said that there
seemed to him to be a movement on
foot on the part of certain members of
the senate as well as of the house to
take away from the governor's offlco
every vestige of the appointive power.
Senator Sengel spoke in favor of the
bill and said he hoped the senate would
place the appointing power in the hands
of the supreme court.
Senator Wood favored the bill. He
said that in ills opinion the appointing
of tile digester should be taken out of
politics. He said the supreme court
was the proper tribunal in which to
invest the power.
Senator Wilson urged the passage of
the bill.
Senators Hardy and Caldwell spoke in
opposition to tlie measure.
On roil call the vote stood: Ayes 14;
noes ».
Senator Caldwell called the chair's at
tention to the fact that it required a
two-thirds vote to pass the bill.
Senator W Ison contended that under
the constitution it lequlies only a ma
jority vote to appropriate money for
such purposes, q u ting the s pr me
court's d ciiion cn tie sttte hcusi m it
ter.
The chair ruled that t'-e bill failed
to pas , not rec iving a two-t irds ma
jority.
Senator Wcod moved to appeal fr m
the decision of t ie c a r. which appeal
was sustained by a vote of 13 to 11.
The pr. sident then announced that tho
bill l;a 1 piss'd.
Senator Wilson mov d to take the
Keel anti-tr st bill from the table, and
th' motion w s carried, i nd the bill
plac d on the cal ndar subject to call.
S. B. 152. prohibiting the removal of
surveyor’s landmarks, was taken up and
passed.
The Rouse.
II. B. 401 (Hale), abolishing the rail
road commission, occupied almost the
entire day’s session.
Mr. Kerwin of Jefferson occupied over
two hours with an argument in opposi
tion to the bill.
He said that the railroad commis
sion was of benefit to a great number
of people, and that the passage of this
bill would be a step backward of at
least ten years in the commerce of the
state. He said the railroads were the
only ones who suffered because of the
existence of the commission.
The speaker stated that he had a let
ter in his pocket from one concern that
had saved enough money by the reduced
rates to pay the entire expense of the
commission for four years.
Mr. Toney spoke in favor of the hill.
He said that in Ills opinion only the big
shippers got the benefit from the com
mission. and the people who paid most
of the taxes received no benefit. He
said the commission was a detriment to
the small shippers.
Mr. Butler urged the passage of the
bill. He said he did not believe t.ie
commission had ever benefited poor peo
ple and his people. who were farmers,
wanted it abolished.
Mr. Perry favored the hill and re
ferred to a plank in the democratic
state platform favoring enlarging the
powers of the commission. According
to statements of railroad people, the
commission, had cut rates on an ever
age of 20 per cent.
Mr. McGulgan believed in enlarging
tiie powers of the commission.
Mr. Holland argued that the commis
sion was a useless expense.
Mr. Thompson was not in favor of
taking away protection from the peo
ple, and that was what the commission
iiad given them.
Several other gentlemen spoke on the
pending question.
On roll call the bill failed to pass, the
vote being as follows:
Ayes—Apple, Bevill, Campbell of Ran
dolph. Chestnutt. Cook of Chicot. De
Rossit. Dixon. Ehlridge, Green of Ben
ton. Hale, Hogan, Holland, Hooker,
Matlieny. Merrlman, Moore of Newton,
Stoekard and fork—21.
Noes—Allen, Atkins, Baskin. Bell,
Bird, Bradley. Briant. Brooks. Camp
bell of Pulaski, Cate, Chambers, Chap
man. Clement, Cooke of Phillips, Crut
cher, Daniel, Ellis, Funk, Fuller. Fu
trell, Gibson. Green of Ouachita, Griffin,
Hall, Hill. Holman. Holmes, Jacobs,
Keel. Kelso, Kerwin, Knox, Latimer,
Martineau. Mutmiller, McGuigan, My
ers. Norfleet, Parks, Patterson. Perry,
Pindall. Poole, Rountree. Rowland,
Slaughter, Stafford. Stevens, Stover,
Tarver, Thompson. Toney. Weaver.
White. Whitley, Winn, Witt. Wofford
and Mr. Speaker—52.
Several who voted aye changed to
no with the evident purpose of mov
ing a reconsideration. ,
THURSDAY, MARCH 19.
The house passed Senator x-Tlce's
world's fair bill as amended, so as to
appropriate $50,090 for ouilding and ex
hibit. The senate concurred, but other
amendments were offered, which were
not acted upon.
A bill exempting men over 60 years
of age from payment of poll tax was
defeated in the house.
Both houses refused to accept an in
vitation to visit Hot Springs extended
by the citizens of that city.
The senate refused to reconsider the
vote by which it passed the bill grant
ing more power to the railroad com
mission.
Tha Sanata.
A motion to reconsider tha vote by
which the senate passed the King bill
regulating railroad freight and pas
senger traffic, was lost and tha bill
was ordered transmitted to the house.
Clerk Hays reported that the house
had passed Senator Price's bill mak
ing an appropriation for the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition with house amend
ments. These amendments reduced the
appropriation to $50,090 and add an
additional member to the commission.
The amendments were adopted un
animously.
S. B. 113. providing for the divis
ion of the county liquor license be
tween the county and school funds,
was placed on third reading. On mo
tion the bill was placed back on sec
ond reading to permit of amendment.
Senator Gray called up S. B. 217,
appropriating money to pay certain
teachers of the deaf-mute Institute
amounts due on contract.
Senators Witt, Hardy and Fletcher
opposed the bill on the ground that
the contract with the teachers was in
violation of the law.
Senator Caldwell said the teachers
had entered on the contract in good
faith and should be protected.
Senators Covington and Wilson sup
ported the bli.. which passed.
The world's fair bill was recalled and
Senator Cotton introduced an amend
ment providing that the officers and
employes provided for in the bill
should not go on duty until the build
ing at the exposition be completed.
Senator Caldwell opposed the amend
ment. Ho said a manager and clerk
were on duty now, and were doing good
and necessary work.
Senator Short ntrodueed a substi
tute that no one except the directors
and a clerk should go on duty until
the building is completed and ready for
occupancy. He thought the commis
sioner of mines, manufactures and agri
culture. who had been a-ued to the
board, should act as manager. Further
consideration of the b.il was deferred
until the following Wednesday.
'jrus Aousa.
Senator Price’s worlu’s fair appro
priation bill was the first order.
The bill as amended appropriates
$50,000 for a building and exhibit at
St. Louis, the bu-ng to cost not
more than $20,000. and adds another
member to the fair board.
The bill passed—-ayes 59. noes 12.
Chairman Merriman of the state
eapitol committee presented a report
recommending tile passage of H. R.
4 00, providing for the completion of
tile new state eapitol building, with
live amendments. The principal ones
are that no member of the legislature
shall be a member of the eapitol com
mission, and that so far as possible
the building shall be constructed of
Arkansas material.
H. B. 440 (Garrett), relieving all
persons over the age of 60 years from
the payment of poll tax. was taken up.
Messrs. Patterson, Thompson, Parks
and Crutcher opposed the -ill.
Messrs. Toney and Garrett sup
ported the bill, which was defeated.
Mr. Parks called up H. B. 409. ap
propriating funds for the maintenance
of the state insane asylum. A motion
to postpone was lost anu the bill was
considered in committee of the whole.
Amendments were offered making the
steward's salary $1,000 instead of $1.
600, matron's salary $900 instead of
$1,000. and engineer's salary $1,500
instead of $14,000.
Amendments were offered reducing
the salaries of other employes from
the amounts contained in the bill.
Messrs. Tarvel and Parks spoxe in
favor of the amendments.
Messrs. Myers and Chappell were in
favor of increased salaries.
On motion of Mr. Merriman the com
mittee rose and reported progress.
Mr. Cook introduced a concurrent res
olution accepting an invitation extend
ed to the general assembly by the citi
zens of Hot Springs to visit that city
Friday, March 20.
Mr. Garrett opposed the resolution,
lie said the members were not sent
here to take excursions at the expense
of the tax-payers.
The resolution was defeated, ayes 29,
noes 4 S.
H. B. 311, to regulate the organiza
tion of mutual fire Insurance compa
nies, was taken up. but was recommit
ted to the comm..tee on insurance.
T RID Alf, MARCH 20.
The house spent almost the entire
day In the discussion of the King anti
trust bill, being in continuous session
from 9:30 a. m. until 3:25 p. m.
After a parliamentary struggle the
bill was read second time and referred
to the committee on judiciary.
In the senate the Hale drainage bill
was read twice and referred to the
committee on levees.
The bill providing for a state board
of arbitration was considered in the
senate but final action was deferred.
The senate adjourned at noon until
Monday morning:.
The Senate.
Senator Flenniken called up his bill
providing for statues for the capitol
building at Washington, and moved to
amend by inserting the name of Gen.
Patrick Cleburne for that of Albert
Pike. The amendment was adopted.
S. R. 87, to better define certain pub
lic nuisances and provide for their sup
pression, was passed.
H. B. 194, providing for a state board
of arbitration to settle differences be
tween employers and employes was
read third time. On motion of Senator
Mears action on the bill was postponed
until tlie following Friday morning.
Senator Mardis called up H. B. 324,
to enable the owners of swamp and
marsh lands to drain and redeem them
when tile same cannot be done without
affecting the lands of others.
The bill was read twice and referred
to committee on levees.
H. B. 239. reducing the fees of offi
cers in certain counties, was taken up.
Senator Covington moved to indefinite
ly postpone the bill. Senators King
and Short opposed the motion.
On motion of Senator Cotton the sen
ate adjourned at noon until 9:30 Mon
day morning.
Tha House.
S. B. No. 1. the King anti-trust bill,
was announced as the special order.
Mr. Toney asked leave to call up H.
B. 296, the appropriation bill for the
school for tlie blind.
Mr. Campbell of Randolph moved
that the bill be postponed until Mon
day afternoon.
Mr. Toney spoke against the motion.
Further consideration of the bill was
stopped by tlie arrival of time for the
regular order.
Mr. Futrell was given leave to call
up S. B. 182. giving chancery courts
the power to remove disability of mi
nors.
Mr. Cate spoke at length against the
lull.
A point of order raised by Mr. Parks
that Mr. Cate was using dilatory tac
tics. was sustained.
The bill was passed, ayes 65. noes 17.
Mr. Cate called up S. B. 270. to pay
certain teachers of the deaf-mute in
stitute amounts due them on contract.
Mr. Campbell moved to postpone the
bill till Tuesday morning.
Messrs. Cate and Chapline asked that
the bill be disposed of at once.
The motion to postpone prevailed.
S. B. No. 1. the anti-trust bill, was
again taken up.
Mr. Toney moved that the bill be
postponed for two weeks, and spoke
in favor of the motion. He said there
was a disposition on the part of some
members to railroad this bill through
the house. Several motions to adjourn
were lost. At several times during the
consideration the point was raised that
no quorum was present, and the ser
geant at arms was called upon to bring
in absentees.
The motion to postpone the bill two
weeks was lost.
Mr. Cook moved to postpone the bill
one week. He spoke in opposition to
the bill and declared that parts of It
would be unconstitutional.
The motion to postpone for one week
was lost.
Mr. Parks moved that the bill be
read.
Mr. Toney offered as a substitute a
resolution that the bill be returned
to the senate for sucl\ corrections and
engrossment as the law or rules re
quired. He said there were interlinea
tions in tlie bill and no one knew how
they got there.
Mr. Parks said the interlineations
were the work of the author of the bill.
Mr. Cook asked if the governor had
not said in his message that he wrote
the bill.
The substitute offered by Mr.Toney
was defeated.
Mr. Parks' motion to read the bill
prevailed.
After the reading a motion to refer
tlie bill to the committee on judiciary
prevailed, and at 3:25 the house ad
journed until Saturday morning, after
being in continuous session from 9:30
in the morning.
SATURDAY, MARCH 31.
Mr. Gannaway's bill, licensing the
practice of osteopathy ill the state was
discussed in the house. A motion to
make the bill a special order was de
feated.
A number of bills of local import
ance were passed and a number of new
bills were introduced.
The senate was not in session and
the house adjourned at noon until Mon
day morning.
Tli a House.
Mr. Campbell introduced a bill to ex
empt hawkers and peddlers of garden
and farm produce from the state and
county license tax. He also presented
a petition signed by about eleven hun
dred names, asking that that the bill
be passed.
H. B. -100, the state capitol bill, was
called up and an amendment was
adopted, providing that the architect
shall in no event receive for his ser
vices more than 5 per cent of one mil
lion dollars, the total cost of the build
ing.
Speaker Moore introduced a bill ap
propriating $2,500 to secure a roster of
the officers and enlisted men of the
state who served in the Confederate
army in the civil war.
Mr. Ha timer introduced a hill to pre
vent nepotism and to prescribe and de
fine the degrees of relationship.
Private Secretary Jacobson announced
that the governor had signed the fol
lowing bills: H. B. 73, imposing col
lateral inheritance taxes. H. B. «S. pro
viding for separate departments for
state and county prisoners. H. B. 171,
pr.oviuing a course of study for common
schools.
Mr. Gannaway called up H. B. 371,
licensing the practice of osteopathy in '
the state, and moved to make it a j
special order for Monday.
Mr. Du Laney opposed the motion.
He thought the doctors should have a
chance to discuss the bill before a com
mittee.
Mr. Parks said the bill did not define
osteopathy and anybody claiming to be
an osteopath could give medicine. He
said it would be impossible to prose
cute anyone for malpractice under the
provisions of this measure.
Dr. Greene thought that under the
provisions of the bill anybody in Arkan
sas would be permitted to practice med
icine by calling himself an osteopath.
The motion to make the bill a
special order was lost. On motion of
Dr. Meyers, the house adjourned at
noon until Monday morning at 9
o'clock.
Arkansas State News
Double Hanging at Star City.
Jay Omni and James Ruffin,
both colored, were hung at Star
City for the murder of Don Mc
Ghee, another negro. The crime
for which the two men were exe
cuted was committed about a year
ago. Three times, since their con
viction, a date had been set for the
hanging, but each time they were
saved by legal proceedings. The
date for the execution was finally
set as February 13, but a few hours
before they were to ascend the gal
lows, Gov. Davis granted a re
prieve on account of a confession
made by Green in which he de
clared that he committed the crime
at the instance of Jennie Steb
bins, shooting McGhee from behind
a bush with a shotgun, and that
Ruffin was innocent. An investiga
tion failed to substantiate these
facts and Gov. Davis ordered the
execution to take place.
Suits Follow Bank Failure.
Suit has been begun at Nashville
by several depositors of the defunct
Howard County bank against R. L.
Skillern, J. S. Corn, C. V. Loewen
berg anil W. 1’. Feazel, stockholders,
to require them to return the money
received for their stock which, it is
alleged, they sold to D. P. Terry,
the cashier, two or three days be
fore the bank closed its doors. Suits
have been instituted also against all
stockholders, requiring them to re
fund all dividends received since
189G, and against J. S. Grumbles,
president, and D. P. Terry, cashier,
for all debts of the bank, alleging
that they failed to file annual re
ports of the condition of the bank
as required by law.
Victims of High Water.
An aged negro and his grandson
were drowned while driving along
the county turnpike, a short dis
tance south of Little Rock, at a
point where the backwaters of the
Fourche Bayou had overflowed the
road to a depth of about three feet.
The victims were Nick Evans, Go
years old, and Rufus Lawden, aged
10. Evans and his grandson were
driving along the pike in a wagon.
Unable to see the road the negro
drove over the embankment at the
side of the road which is about
eight feet high, and the wagon was
overturned, pinning the man and
boy beneath it. Both were dead
when their bodies were rescued.
Stranger Killed By Train.
A man who had been known as
John Perkins was run over and fa
tally injured by a train at Texar
kana, and before his death he re
vealed the fact that his right name
was John Tvvelliger, and that his
home was at Keokuk, Iowa. He
declared that he had relatives, but
none of them would feel concerned
over his death. The man was struck
I by a train on the Kansas City
Southern railroad. Ilis right
shoulder and right leg and all the
ribs of tin; left side of his body were
broken.
Damages for Husband’s Death.
Mrs. David Morrison has been
awarded damages to the amount of
$6,000, in the federal court at Fort
Smith, against Casey Brothers and
Hanson for the death of her hus
band, who was killed while in the
employment of the defendants.
Morrison’s death was caused by a
blast tired in connection with work
on the Little Rock and Fort Smith
railroad near Piney, Johnson coun
ty, where Morrison was employed.
New Telephone Company.
The Southern Telephone and
Telegraph company has been organ
ized at Hot Springs for the pur
pose of installing a new telephone
system. Articles of incorporation
have been filed with the secretary of
state, which the capital stock of the
company is placed at $200,000. The
company guarantees to have its
olat completed in four months.
Could Not Get Into Jail.
Sheriff Williams, of Garland
comity, refused to accept Col. R. G.
Davies, of Hot Springs, as a pris
oner when the hitter presented
himself at the jail and announced
his readiness to serve out a sen
tence of thirty days imposed upon
him by Chancellor Leatherman for
contempt of court, in saying that
the chancellor was corrupt. The
sheriff declared that in view of the
impeachment proceedings pending
against Chancellor Leatherman, he
would take no notice of the ruling.
Novel Suit for Damages.
A novel suit has been filed in the
Pulaski circuit court at Little Rock.
.Mrs. M. K. McCaskill, the plaintiff,
asks for damages to the amount of
$600 against the Little Rock Trac
tion and Electric Company, alleg
ing that a car owned by the de
fendant ran over a line of hose
through which water was being car
ried to extinguish the flames which
were destroying her home, thereby
stopping the stream and allowing
the building, with its contents, to be
destroyed.
Echo of the Alphin-Lake Failure.
R. E. Douglas, of Little Rock, has
been appointed trustee of the assets
of the Alphin-Lake Cotton Com
pany, which went to the wall some
time ago. The appointment was
made by Referee Dooley at the in
stance of the Little Rock Trust
Company, the largest creditor.
Among the creditors who have filed
claims are the Little Rock Trust
Company, Callender, Holder & Co.,
Harper Lake, 0. P. Stark and C. D
Govan.
Ferry Boat Sunk.
The steam ferry boat Ezell sank
in the Arkansas river near Pine
Bluff, and the three members of the
crew had a narrow escape from
death. The men attempted to cross
the river during a hard storm. The
boat was driven into a pile of drift
wood, which tore a hole in her side
and she sank rapidly. The men
clung to some driftwood until their
cries for help were heard by a fish
erman, who rescued them in his
skiff-.
Robbed By Highwaymen.
Edward Ward, a young man
whose home is in Hector, reported
to the police in Hot Springs that
he had been held up by two high
waymen and robbed of $1,800 in
cash, lie stated that he was robbed
while walking along Reserve ave
nut, counting the money, which
was in the shape of thirty-six fifty
dollar bills. Ward had been a stu
dent in the normal college at
Springfield, Mo.
Hidden Gold Stolen.
N. Cowart, a farmer residing near
Orlando, Cleveland county, was
robbed of $2,300 in gold. The
money was hidden in a glass fruit
jar and buried under an ash barrel
in the yard. Cowart was reported
to have said that lie would not de
posit his money in a bank and it is
supposed that seme one, hearing
this statement, watched his move
ments and discovered the hiding
place of his savings.
Eight Men Held for Murder.
The coroner’s jury, which has
been investigating the killing of
John II. Brown, a Memphis detect
ive, at Wynne, has returned a ver
dict charging eight men, six of
whom are brothers, with murder in
the first degree. Fifteen arrests
were made immediately after the
killing. Brown had been sent to
Wynne to protect negroes near that
place from the ruids of alleged
whitecaps.
Announcement has been made by
the postoffice department that a
number of new rural free delivery
routes will be established in Arkan
sas May 1.