The Newark Journal.
published In The famous Big bottom Country, where Alfalfa is king.
$1 Per Annum.
Newark, Independence County, Arkansas, Friday, May 5, 1905.
Vol. 5. No. IQ.
All Printed
At home.
All Printed
At Home.
REPLIES TO THE OBSERVER
Rev. J. I. Martin Replies to Criti
cisms of Religious Debates,
and Defends himself.
Editor The Journal:
I see in a recent issue of The
Journal that Observer has worked
himself up to say something more.
I see he still hides behind a nom de
plume, thereby showing his cow
ardice. He refers to Bro. Brown
and myself. Bro. Brown is fully
able to take care of himself which
he always has done, and still does.
■Observer says we do not answer
his arguments. We would be act
ing very simple, to try to answer
something that did not exist, for 1
-confess I am too much “out of
«lato’' to see any. But it may l>e
that I am too old timey to under
stand his fine (?) arguments.
Observer assumes to pray for
the people of Grubbs, because I
have been challenged for a debate
there. 1 will say the challenge
came unsolicited on my part, but
1 would have been a nice preacher
to have skulked and hid from de
fending what is dearer than life.
I expect Observer had letter quit
his profanity before he goes into
the praying business for others.
Better try a few prayers for him
self first. He compares religious
-debates to pri/.e fighting. That
•shows how much he knows about
such. I guess he never attended
one in his life, nor 1 don't suppose
he would. But if a prize fight, a
baseball game or something of
that character should take place 1
•expect lie would be ready to go,
■especially if it was on Sunday.
He said some time ago that lie
knew of some bad results of relig
ious debates, but has not given the
-church or Sunday school that was
ruined by such, though he has
been asked for the place. But it
is much easier just to talk around
and warn the people against such
preachers as Martin and Brown.
He says as sure as the time rolls
around there will be strife and di
vision which creates heart burn
ings and division among men.
Well, of course it will be that way!
Why? Because Observer said so.
He warns the people at Grubbs
against the writer. I will say to
Observer that I am ready to com
pare records with him, as I am
now and have been most all my
life a citizen of this county. He
says we seem to want to deal in
personalities. What is this warn
ing if it is not personalities! But
some men come to Arkansas to
run everything. Others have tried
the like before, to their sorrow.
Observer had just as well learn
that men who come from the
.North haven’t got all the brains,
even if they do have plenty of
gall.
#4i
We are an independent people
here in Arkansas, and if he hasn’t
learned it he will before he stays
very much longer, and Observer
had better go away back and sit
down until he learns this. Now
don't you think 1 am about right
in this! But what about strife fol
lowing debates! Bro. Brown has
as good or better congregations
now as be had before the debate at
Newark. Why they actually let
im, as well as the writer, go into
Itheir homes, despite the warning
of Observer.
Observer you are too fresh from
the ice country, even if you have
been here a few years. We are
Southern people, and have that
high ideal of life characteristic of
the South. We do not go around
with our spectacles and demand
that every body shall look through
them.
Now, 1 know some good that
has resulted from these debates.
First, take Newark. Good has
come of them there. At Grubbs,
a few years ago Bro. Vermillion
held a debate and very soon went
back and held a meeting which re
sulted in fifteen or twenty conver
sions. He also went to Balch, and
held a debate with good results,
and a meeting was held there re
cently right on the same territory,
and quite a number were convert
ed. At Jerseyviljf?, Ill, if my
memory serves me correctly, Bro.
J. J. Porter held a debate and in
less than a year afterward he held
a meeting with a hundred or more
converts. Now Observer maybe
like the man who couldn’t see the
rats his eyes were closed.
He says strife etc., follows, and
he not only warns the people
against us Arkansas fellows, but
against men who have moved the
world by their contentions (tie
bates) Look at Luther, Calvin,
Wesley, Bunyan, Campbell, anti a
host of others who have lived.
Yet all of these were small pota
toes, according to Observer. Then
look at the men now living: J. N.
Hall, J. J. Porter, J. N. Harden,
J. B. Moody, J. B. Moody, J. H.
Melbourne, H. F. Vermillion, J.
L. Brown, B. M. Bayard, J. B.
Lashlee anil a host of others. But
all these men are bad fellows, ac
cording to Observer. But his
stricture goes further than unin
spired men. He would warn the
people against Peter, Paul and all
the apostles, for it was said “Those
who have turned the world upside
down have come hither also.”
But his stricture does not stop
with these, but the Son of God
himself is placed in the same class
with the rest by Observer, for we
find Him disputing with the doc
tors of the law when a mere boy
of twelve summers. But Observer
says beware of such. Paul said
he was sent for the defence of the
Gospel.
1 guess ()bserver had better
pray again. But he had better
have on sackcloth and get down in
the Black River bottom mud.
Now, Observer, ain’t you asham
hd, or are you so inflated with
your little self that you are im
mune to shame?
1 shall go on in the defence of
the gospel truths, as opportunity
may offer, seeing 1 am in good
company, despite the warning of
Observer. J. I. Martin.
KILLED WITH A BASEBALL.
DeWitt, Ark. May 1 —Jesse
Strode, ‘22 years old, was instantly
killed during a ball game at Gil
lott, in this county, Saturday. He
was at the bat ami was struck just
above the heart by a pitched ball.
He fell to the ground and expired
immediately. The pitcher, Oscar
| Champion, was a warm friend of
Strode’s and his grief over the fa
tal accident is poignant. Strode
has been married but a short
time.
^ #
l Two negroes became engaged in
I a fight with rocks at Mot Springs
! Monday and one hit the other on
the head, killing him almost in
: stantly.
I Ms. J. K. arul W. II. Crigler
of Charlotte spent Wednesday
night in the city.
Dr. Stover, dentist, will be in
Newark one week, commencing
Monday May 15.
X. K. Duffy, a well known citi
zen of Hatesville, died at his home
at that place Friday.
When people want comfort,
style arid durability in a shoe they
go to Moore Bros. <& Co’s.
K. J. Magness and son, Eugene,
left Wednesday night for Hot
Springs to spend a few days.
We sell you a 75-cent straw hat
for 50 cents or a $1.25 hat for
$1.00. Fred D. Whiting & Co.
.1. 1. Sturdivant left Wednes
day for Hot Springs To attend the
annual meeting of the Arkansas
Travelers, of which he is an hon
orary member.
All parties interested in the
Macedonia graveyard are are re
quested to assemble at that place
on the second Saturday in May to
clean off and decorate the graves.
A train a mile long pulls out for
a station four miles away. The
conductor boards the caboose
when it comes along and walks
overhead to the engine and alights
when the engine arrives at the
station. How far does he ride
and how far does he walk?
It is astonishing how many peo
ple appear to think that it is the
business of the newspaper to jump
in and lambast everything in sight
at the request of any modest indi
vidual who has not the nerve to
move a hen off her nest. If any
honest man has occasion to rake a
brother citizen over the coals on
account of a personal or public
grievance, he can send in a letter
over his own name and if it is not
libel, we shall let him see how it
looks in print.
CHIPS FROfl CORD.
The Farmers Union at Cord is
1 still up and going.
Most of the people at Cord seem
to be farming this week.
Cord hits organized a baseball
team and will soon be ready for
work.
Owing to the bad weather there
has been but little corn and cotton
planted yet.
The farmers about Cord are
making good use of the bright
sunny days.
Mr. Wade is putting in a saw
mill, cotton gin and a grist mill
about two miles south of Cord,
which is badly needed.
A Sunday school has been or
ganized at Hopewell and also at
Oak Ridge; at Hopewell in the
morning and at Oak Ridge in the
evening. All communities should
i have a good Sunday school.
I wish to say that I have reach
bid that period in life where I can
| look forward to the aged father
and mother, bet with care and an
xiety, toiling and striving to dis
charge their life’s duty as parents.
In their daily works they are con
stantl.y looking into the future,
raising their thoughts higher and
higher on the plains of life, yet at
the same time looking back to the
past and also to the interest of
their children. There is no par
ent that does not have a desire for
their children to become bright,
intelligent and honorable men and
women. With this desire they
are more baffled and discouraged
flhan with any other desire or wish
of their life. It is then when their
children rise with such rebellious
spirit that they refuse their par
ents’ advice, and the child pre
tends to say that it knows best
what course to pursue. It is then
that the parents’ hearts are al
most ready to break with these
thoughts before them. But yet
above all, they will go on with a
desire and hope that the child will
soon see its mistake and change
before it is too late. But alas, we
are aware of the fact that there
have been many who have not
heeded thej advice and have
plunged heedlessly into evil. It
is with this heart sickening fang I
say with which they are most baf
fled. Do to others as you would
that they should do to you, will
make you honest kind and good,
as all children ought to be.
STATE NEWS ITEflS.
There is said to be a big influx
of home-seekers into Lonoke
county.
The Berch Street Baptist church
at Texarkana was destroyed ly
tire Saturday.
.John Swelling was crushed be
tween two cars at Stilwell and died
in a few minutes.
Isaac Emery lias asked the Yel
ville town council for a 20-year
electric light franchise.
Strawberry shipments from Van
Buren are averaging from fifteen
to twenty carloads per day.
The Johnson county fair will be
revived this fall. The fair will be
held October 10, 11, 12 and 10.
John Donnel was drowned Mon
day near Conway while swimming
in Cadron creek with some other
boys.
The annual meeting of the Bap
tist Young People's I’nion will be
held near Hot Springs, beginning
J une 20.
\V. A. Duncan, an aged Chero
kee Indian, claims the ten-acre
tract of land recently ceded to
Fort Smith by an act of congress.
Burt Miller, a young man 2‘1
years old, was found dead in the
bayou one-half mile south of Car
lisle by some boys who were fish
ing. The coroner held an inquest
and gave as the verdict death caus
ed by drowning, supposed to be
suicide.
Will Stephens, aged about 4<
years, committed suicide at his
home near Day to:4. He placed
the muzzle of a shotgun to lib
forehead and pressed the trigger
1 with a stick. The entire top of
his head was blown off and he died
instantly.
Marcus Needham was reported
! to have died in Faulkner county
j recently, and was said to have
I made a deathbed confession that
■ he had murdered Dr. Chamness al
Center Ridge in lst)7. It devel
ops, however, that Needham i
! not dead, but is living in Pulask
j county near Jacksonville.
- ..
See Benton’s latest otter.
YOUNG MAN WAS MURDERED
Dota Hudson Shot by Unknown
Parties Last Monday Night
at Magness.
Dota Hudson, a young1 mart
about 2:5 years of age, was shot
and instantly killed at Magness
Monday nigiit about li o'clock.
.lust who did the shooting, and
whether it was intentional or acci
dental, is a <|uestion that is nuz
zling the authorities, and is a mat
ter which Deputy Sheriff Powell
and Coroner Stewart have been
giving a thorough investigation.
Hudson was traveling with an
overland show, which exhibited at
Magness Monday night, and it
was after the performance was.
over that the tragedy occurred.
The crowd had nearly all dispers
ed and Hudson together with some
other employes of the show were
engaged in taking down the tent,
when a pistol shot was tired, and
Hudson sank to the ground with,
two bullet holes in his head. He.
lived until about six o'clock Tues
day morning, but never spoke or
regained consciousness.
The murder is shrouded in mys
tery from the fact that young
Hudson was one of the trusted
employes of the show, and seems
to have been on good terms with
! every one connected with the show
in any capacity.
Immediately after the death of
the young man. Coroner Stewart
i was notified and came down and
empanelled a jury for the pur
pose of investigating the affair.
The inquest has been continued
from day to day and the coroner’s
jury was still hearing evidence 00
the ease yesterday morning. The
| evidence before the jury Tuesday
afternoon implicated some young’
men of the neighborhood and they
were placed under arrest by Mr.
Powell, to lie held pending a fur
ther investigation of the matter.
The young men arrested were Doc
Travis, Grif Cash and George
Young, but the evidence against
them so far has been only circum
stantial and they may be released.
It is alleged, however, that these
young men went to the show and
sat around on the outside and
made some threatening remarks
about breaking up the show.
After the performance was over
some one began throwing rocks
on the tent and against some of
the wagons, and the manager of
the show came out and asked the
parties to quit throwing at them.
I About this time some one threw
another stone which struck the
wagon near the old man and he
stooped over to pick it up. .Just
as he did so some shot* were tired
and the bullets took effect iu
young Hudson’s head. The boys
who had been throwing the stones
mounted their horses on the
double quick and rode off into the.
darkness in a gallop. They passed
some people in a very short time
and three of them were recogniz
ed as the boys who were later
placed under arrest and are now
being held by Deputy Powell.
Young Hudson lived at or n>*ar
Eldorado, Union county, and a
telegram was sent the sheriff of
that county notifying him of the
tragedy. The young man's moth
er lives at El Dorado and she and.
[CO^IXUKD ON 1VAUK 5]