The Newark Journal
I
f|$i.OO P£R hNNUM
NEWARK, INDEPENDENCE COUNTY, ARKANSAS, THURSDAY, MARCH 30 1922
VOL. 21 NO. 50
SIX HELD ON CHARGE
FIRST DEGREE MURDER
four are Taken to Pen
For Safekeeping
Seven men arrested in Green
brier township last week charg
ed with being implicated in |
the murder of Charles Jeffery,!
w< re given a preliminary hear-;
ing before Squire J. A. Holmes
at Batesvjlle last Saturday and
were held without bail on a
charge of first degree murder.
The seven men held without
bail by Judge Holmes are
Aaron Strother, to whose home
bloodhounds followed the trail
from the spot where Jeffery
was shot down from ambush,
Paul Curtis who made his
home with Strother, James
McGee, Will Lambert, C. W.
Henbrv, Will and Riley Scrog
gins.
Four of the men held, Aaron
Strother,Paul Curtis, Will Lam
bert and Will Scroggins, were
taken to Little Rock Sunday
by Sheriff Harris and placed
in the penitentiary for safe
keeping until the date of their
trial which will probab be at
the approaching term of Circuit
court.
It is considered by those who
tollowed the preliminary hear
ing held at the courthouse, that
the state won the opening
fight without disclosing its
most important evidence.
Because of the bitter op
position over a wide district
south of White river against
the compulsory dipping of cat
tle, a government sponsored
and government supervised
project, it is plainly evident
that certain opponents to cat
tle dipping are responsible for
Jeffery’s murder.
This oposition is said to be
well organized. How well
organized andl how powerful
it may be was shown by the at
titude of not a few of the wit
^ r.ess’es at the hearing who
were reluctant to testify and
who in some cases were visibly
tearful and under the influence
of others who m^ht be in the
courtroom. This fear of con
sequences which haunts some
of the witnesses undoubtedly
will be one of the knotty prob
lems the state will have to con
tend with.
Testimony indicated clearly
that Jeffrey and Harper had
been warned of trouble. Har
per felt uneasy on Monday
morning, when he and Jeffery
left to dip cattle and tried to
persuade Jeffery not to go that
day. Jeffery, evidently did
not fear the enemies of cattle
dipping or as a man entrusted
with a duty in his township,
went ahead in the face of
known danger.
Sheriff Harris, on the wit
ness stand, described minuet
ly the finding of the spot where
the murderer had stood in the
bushes, and how the sheriff
had covered it up to protect it
and kept close guard on it un
til the arrival of the blood
hounds Tuesday morinng.
When aske by Attorney Earl
C. 'Casey for the defense if it
were not possible that others
might have approached the
spot he denied this, saying that
no one but himself had ap
proached closer than 100 feet.
In describing the trail taken
by the bloodhounds h,e said
(hey followed a wide, circu
tious trail through the woods,
keeping in the hollow of the
mountains, and had not enter
ed a public road until near
Aaron Strother’s house.
Lee Hai'per, next on the
stand, and who was with Jef
fery and was slightly wound
ed in the arm, testified to a
warning that had been posted
against dipping, and stated
that when Jeffery came by
his house Monday morning
that he tried to persuade him
not to go to the vat, saying
that he had heard that there
would be no dipping. He fur
ther stated that he knew that
Jeffery’s life was in danger,
and he feared that his cattle
The man with money keeps it
In the Bank where it is safe
from fire or burglars or his
own extravagance. mmtft
When you carry your money in your pocket
the temptation to spend it is very great.
Greater than you think, for a few dollars hefre
and there for things you don’t need, soon
melt your pile away.
Put your money in the Bank. It is safe
there. Add to your balance every cent you
can spare. Soen you’ll be “a man with money
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
Newark, Arkansas
CAPITAL AND SURPLUS $75,000.00
-.-. _
i
j
ARMED GUARDS AT
ALL DIPPING VATS
Cattle Impectors South of ths
River Resign Following
the Murder of Jeffery
Batesville, March 28.—Dip
ping ol cattle in the disturbed
area south ol White river
where opposition to dippping
resulted March 20 in the mur
of Charels Jeffery, tick inspec
tor, has been suspended fol
lowing the resignation of all
local inspectors in that section.
These resignations, it is under
stood, are due to the fact fhat
the inspectors were threatened
i with death.
The above does no mean
• that the fight for the eradica
ton of cattle ticks will be aban
doned, however. Dr. W. A.
McDonald in charge of tick
: eradication work in the state
and Dr. J. H. Bux, state veter
inarian, have outlined a plan
for the employment of three
armed guards at each dipping
vat, these men to be non-resi
dents.
would be killed if he dipped
them.
Three other residents of that
section placed on the stand by
the state made poor witnesses,
plainly showing signs of fear,
and when pinned down as to
what was said and done at the
secret meeting held at the
home of Will Lambert suffered
“lapses of memory” and could
not remember specific facts,
and could not give name as to
who made certain damaging
remarks at the meeting.
They testified that when the
meeting was held that it was
I a general discussion of the cat
| tie-dipping question.
Later the crowd divided,
they said, and about a score of
those present wer^t off by
by themselves, led by McGee
and Lambert, and held a se
cret consultation that they
did not attend.
After the state had rested
its case the defense attorneys
moved that the five defendants
be dismissed. This brought on
a long argument by the attor
neys and after an eloquent ap
peal by Hugh Williamson that
the men be held to the grand
jury and the state be allowed
further time to secure evidence
and sift the case. Justice
Holmes overruled Attorney
Casey’s motion and the trial
proceeded.
The remainder of Friady
afternoon was spent in
examining witnesses for the de
fense, who had gathered near
an old gin on Sunday. The
general text of their testimony
was that the meeting was held
to discuss the dipping question
and that some doubt arose as
to the validity of the Cattle dip
ping-law. The general opin
ion was that a petition should
be gotten up to secure an in
junction against dipping and
have it tried in court the wit
nesses said. None of the wit
j nesses testified that anything
had been said about Jeffery or
that any plot was formed to
ta*ke his life.
ai v o ciucft. omuruuy iiiuiu
ing the trial was again resum
ed with McGee on the stand.
McGee, who is a socialist lead
er in that community, said that
he often delivered lectures on
the Scripture. He admitted
calling the anti-dipping meet
ing but, like the others, de
clared that no plot was laid to
kill Jeffery.
Henbry and the Scroggins
brothers were placed on the
stand but testified along the
same line as the others.
George Scroggins, father of
the Scroggins boys, was placed
on the stand but his testimony
was as vague as the others as
to what was said and done at
the meeting.
The afternoon session open
(Continued on last page)
THE SUPREMACY OF
THE SOUTH SHOWN
Some Important Facts About
Dixie That Are Not Gen
nerallly Known.
The Manufactures Record of
Baltimore, Maryland, has been
making some investigations
with regard to the resources
oi the South, as a result of
which it publishes the follow
ing facts, which should add to
the confidence and optimism
of the Southern people:
•“The South produces over
60 per cent of the world’s cot
ton.
“It has the greatest natural
gas fields known in the world.!
“It has the largest sulphur j
deposits known in the world,'
producing three-fourths of the
World’s sulphur supply.
‘“It "has practically all of
the aluminum industry of the
United States based on South
ern raw materials.
“It has three-fourths of the
coking coal area of the country !
“Its coal area is twice as
great as that of Europe, in
cluding Russia; and five times
as great as all of Europe, ex
cluding Russia.
it nas, according to govern-1
ment reports, an estimated oil
reserve of 55 per cent of the
entire supply in this country.
“It has 55,000,000 acres of
reclaimable wet land, which,
when drained, can be made to
produce crops worth from $2,
500,000,000 to five-billion dol
lars a year.
“It can raise the cotton and
the wool with* which to clothe
, the country and much of the
world, and the live stock with
which to feed the country.
1 “It is already shipping sev
eral hundred thousand car
loads of early vegetables and
fruits to the Northern and
| Western markets.
“It has nearly 60 percent of
'the cotton consumption of
j American mills.
“The exports from Southern
; ports in 1921 were $1,876,000
000, compared with $356,000
from the entire Pacific coast.”
MARSHAL KILLS BARBER.
Truman Officer Shooots When
Man Goes After Gun
Truman, March 27.—Wiley
Gravett, a barber, aged about
130, arrested several days ago
on a liquor charge, was shot
and killed Friday by City Mar
shal Jerry Fulks, whom Gra
vett is said to have threatened.
According to Fulks, Grav
| ett attempted to draw a gun
; when the two men met on
j the street here, whereupon
Fulks drew his pistol and kil
led Gravett. Fulks surrender
ed and after making bond was
! released.
; Fulks is the officer who ar
rested Gravett, and the latter
is said to have threatened him
at the time.
HAMBONE’S MEDITATIONS
___
MAH PAW6 TREED A WILD
CAT LAS' NI&HT, EN KUNL
BOB WANTER KNOW How
COME AH AIN' FETCH '|M
HOME WID ME - - HUH !
he wwz on mah feet!
—-- -—
AH's JES' Mo' FAS'ER'N
TIME FOR PAYMENT
OF TAXES EXTENDED
Gov. McRae Issues Proclama
tion Extending Time of
Payment Without Penalty
Governor McRae has issued
a proclamation extending the
time in which taxes may be
paid without penalties accru
ing.
The proclamation, similar to
the one issued last year, pro
vides that no penalties be
charged on taxes paid before
the date prescribed by law for
the sale of lands on which tax
es are delinquent. Without
the proclamation, taxes not
paid on or before April 10
would become delinquent and
subject to a 25 percent penalty.
Under the proclamation tax
es can be paid up until the
first Monday in June.
SIX MEN ARRESTED
Charged With Violation of
Liquor Laws at Newport
W. R. O’neal who formerly
was in the saloon business at
Newport and Poplar Bluff,
was arrested at Newport last
Sunday, charged with violating
the liquor laws.
Jerry Roberts, Albert Mas
sey, Roy Hanks, J. L. Blanton
and Buddie Pitts, the latter a
negro, were arrested also.
The arrests were made by
Sheriff Hays and revenue of
ficers from the office of Thad
Rowden, prohibition officer of
Little Rock, and a detective
who has been at work in New
port posing as a gambler and
liquor runner for the past
three weeks. O’Neal, and
Massey are said to have admit
ted their guilt in signed confes
sions.
Mrs. C. O. Magness return
ed last night from Boonville
where she has been in the
sanitarium. Her many friends
are glad to learn that she is
much improved.
IZARD COUNTY BARN
• IS 75 YEARS OLD
Built of Ceader Logs and is
Still Sound As When
First Built
Mt. Olive, March 28.—Per
haps at this place stands a
barn the like of which cannot
be found any where else in
the state or per haps the
United States.
It is constructed of red cedar
logs. The barn was built more
than 75 years ago. The years
have had no effect upon the
red cedar logs, which are as
sound as they were when put
there.
It is a large barn with wide
halls and broad sheds on the
sides. It measures 40 by 60
feet. The barn is enclosed by
a fence made of red cedar rails.
These rails, like the logs in the
barn are practically as good as
when placed, more than 75
years ago.
Some of the logs in the barn
are 30 feet long and measure
10 inches in diameter at the
little end. The logs are the
finest material known for
pencil manufacture, and if
worked into pencils it is esti
mated that they would make
more than a million pencils,
which would cost the consum
ers $50,000.
Mr. Jeffery’s residence is
constructed of red cedar and
pine logs. One joist in the
house is 50 feet ong of hewn
pine. The house is ceiled in
side and weatherboarded out
side, and has the appearance
of any other well built home.
It was built long before the
war between the states. The
fireplaces are all the old fash
ioned kind, taking four foot
j wood. The houses built in the
I yard and to the back of the
house for slaves are still stand
ing.
This house which was first
lighted by pine fires in the
great firepaces and tallow
candles, is now lighted by elec
tricity. About a month ago
Mr. Jeffery installed a home
I electric outfit.
OIL STOVES
Why Not Make the Work in
the Home Lighter by Provid
ing an Easier and Quicker
Way of Doing the Work?
I
i!
An Oil stove will do this, and
our stock offers a most desir
able assortment from which to
make a selection.
Come and look at them be
fore you buy an oil stove. We
have both the wick and wick
less kind, and back of them is
our 8aur*ntee of quality.
Full Line of Paint, Lumber
Hardware and Furniture
NEWARK LUMBER CO’PY
i