tOoo&orff Cotmijj JXtws.
vol. vii.
McCRORY, ARKANSAS, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY (>, 1908.
NO. 12
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SCORES
BIG CORPORATIONS BECAUSE
OF THEIR ATTITUDE.
STANDARD’S METHODS
ARE TORN TO PIECES
Tendency of Oil Concern to “Over
Awe, Crush and Disdain Public,”
Proves Warm Theme In Chief’s
Communication.
President Roosevelt’s sizzling mes
to congress asked the enactment
i, fail- employers' liability law, more
for the Interstate Commerce
commission, and the executive again
railed to the attention of the law
makers his campaign against the spe
rfally privih-g.-d rich.’ Regarding the
employers' liability act. recently de
clared'unconstitutional by the supreme
court, the president said:
'■\s regards the employers’ liability
law I advocate its immediate reenact
mint limiting its scope so that it shall
apt.'.)- mil', la i lie ( lass of cases as to
which till' f"art says it can constitu
tional! r apply, but strengthening its
provisions within this scope. Interstate
employment being tints covered by an
adequate national law. the field of in
trastate , mplnyment will be left to the
action of tin- several states. With ttiis
clear definition of responsibility the
states will undoubtedly give to the
performance of their duty within their
field the consideration tho importance
of the subject demands.
“I also very urgently advise that a com
prehensive act ho passed providing for
compensation by the government to all
employes injured in the government
service, t'ndcr the present law an in
jured workman in the employment of
the government lias no remedy, and
tile entire burden of the accident falls
on the li'dploss man. his wife, anil his
young children. This is an outrage.
It is a mutter of humiliation to the na
tion that there should not be on our
statute books provision to meet and
partially atone for cruel misfortune
when it comes upon a man through no
fault of IPs own while faithfully serv
ing the public ”
Assails injunction Abuse.
Abuse of the use of the Injunction
In labor eases provided another theme
for the executive. He declared there
is some need for action regarding the
rights and wrongs of labor from black
listing to boycotting:. Continuing:, he
said:
“As regards injunctions. I can do lit
tle but repeat what I have said in my
ast message to congress. Even though
it were possible, I should consider it
most unwise to abolish the use of the
process of injunction. It is necessary
in order that the courts may maintain
tnelr own dignity and in order that
;,ceJ ,mav \n effective manner check
“r amL violence. The judge who
lint'Ju ^^Jlously and conservatively.
nJriT i w^en the need arises, uses it
JJIesRy' c°nfers the greatest ser
IIet ,our People, and his preemi
Km hf.“Int” as a Public servant
therein heart ly recognized. But
it TJ question in my mind that
anil'?«i?PT,Ptlme8J heon used lieedlessly
r",’d tl,at some of the in
casinnidiv ss.ued inflict throve and oc
thnae enjoino'd^'Pa e Wr0ng upon
had^eniftv ^anta i''0 railroad president
arsfrti, knowledge of rebating is an
“th eff2etwhilch ,Vle executive made
dosed letter In, llls message he in
he d~iiSl a °,f eorrespondence, which
m l '1 po,int *0 the truth of his
nectlS,'are: 3 WOrds in thls c0,‘
SUe'dn°pso,'’fr";ith a statement ls
Porations'fnCh ef ,,f the bureau of cor
fflents7wl, Jin'T' *o certain state
ami on boh-ilf1 •'■‘/“.enclose), made by
Standard0oil iv™ tha agents of the
ft the attorn .° Potation and a letter
ansv.vrln 111' "Er, n.eral containing an
closed ,''statements, also in
Santa pp J •' the President of the
Standard Oil o, "tty., Company. The
B-ay comm.,,v °TP°ratlon and the rail
gruiltv bv th** A.«av? koth been found
conduct; both hnvet\°f criminal mis
Pay heavv f L„ ve been sentenced to
and piildiu,,. , ,and each has issued
"tents, assertini->r<*?;d:ast these state
dpnr,.ll,lg their innocence ant’
,„,J'.pro,Per the action
°,f .guilt
the courts a n!l V* n' nun in
" t"1 juries In convicting them
j, u , j . rp | - vun v IViklllN
elaborate are mrf'V™6!"’1 are verj
“"truthful ln e,rj tngenlous, and an
The letter and rfJ?°,rtant Particulars
Henev siitiicilntlv ‘Pe'oanre from Mr
“ds of ti,; , " ,1-'.‘ lus rate the meth
yc "ml show th- !^tC a 5 ,of the Sant;
Ignorance “ falslty of tbel
standard on
out foundation®'1
Would See
°ther on! 1 ,e railroad rates was an
ich is of , ' executive’s theme
interest to tlle general pub
Koosevelt advised
the similar plea oi
being equally with
Traffic Associations.
"'hie
***** President" _ (
>j|.oci«tlon> for'the" pur
of truVn1*':,
Post, of '”V a.
connection ,. ,rin.f7 0,1 rates. In thu
''I -lesi ’.'V;c.°" .>'>'*••‘1 as follows:
’'on that i ,n,,.' I :iat my recommends
,ra®- nss... i a;1 ljy Permitted to fori
‘"nferrii,.. },ou? the Purpose «,
gtes. r,.g,,ht i.mJ and agreeing upo
intersi .i,'. m',„?nd Practices affect
.'"ember., usincKS in which til
Jgly interested ff‘ailon are mu
!iat they shoupi /his does not men
ft Pool their ".roil: aiven the righ
Il adhm, *-"dreK,,tlr* °r their tram
individual”01
t rates shall h
ln, 1 ‘“uividimlB i ‘!is,criminatt- be
5?.1 sporirs nf infn« na tie8' or diffei
al! compHinl1 iaf«c. Ordinarily rates b
As ;lPpiTt d“f?y ;in*s must be 'the sanv
JJibvay out cal con^Htions. tli
can not i,.-. . rttions of this countr
Without ..conducted accordimr ♦ 1.,,
must be the
7hC,'t'n;lUcted according00^'lav
a?rCewa,?,d a«reementltUiVS!ent ll’ coaf‘-r
,v- which such? Tbe articles un
,°"M be approvedassociations operat,
Sli th.;.. „>PProved by the commission
HWtaT^^Lon- should' be“bpen
f*0ons,‘ Pen j~and the
Jsrte s
bV the
_-v.ua, arid" npn«ban(1 the rates, regu
b--S”°",d ^KCr!^
yhhe commission ”
McThh.?n '“Howe,! " -r
baio... Dreslu««4
WhnieehPrte(f‘dcnt°told of the c'am
SnSetwl and set torn:hy lawbreaker
His statement* ,7*'^
S|dc'i'nee* att-icV?s 1 anccs would w,
thn.arb,v' or iVi o Vpon lu"'-abidini
V?,st Who- hold „nU^hi l,ut coiulem
th! men he,:,,, up rich men
\"c com..... ’ ‘Use of their
as belli
Ms? c°ntiarv f,uil' riches, t
^ t upon t wbole effort is to ii
DropeltJ1 induct
as h5« y nor anv “eiJt,ler weaitu
S bd«g the nr L !cr c'aas distinci
Proper standard by which
and neither wealth no
tloi
judge the action* of men. For the hon
est man of great wealth we have a
hearty regard, just as we have a hearty
regard for the honest politician and hon
est newspaper. But part of the move
ment to uphold honesty must be a move
ment to frown on dishonesty. We at
tack only corrupt men of wealth, who
find in the purchased politician the most
efficient instrument of corruption and in
the purchased newspaper the most effi
cient defender of corruption. Our main
quarrel is not with these agents and
representatives of the interests. They
derive their chief power from the great
sinister offenders who stand behind
them. They are but puppets who move
as the strings are ptuled. It is not the
puppets, but the strong cunning men
and the mighty forces working for evil
behind and through the puppets, with
whom we have to deal. We seek to con
trol law-defying wealth; in the first place
to prevent its doing dire evil to the re
public, and in the next place to avoid
the vindictive and dreadful radicalism
which, if left uncontrolled, it is certain
in the end to arouse."
Big Corporations Are Hit.
By easy stages the president drew near
to the Standard Oil trouble of a short
time ago, and then he told of alleged
methods of the Rockefeller syndicate to
"overawe common carriers, crush out
every competitor and look down upon the
people with a contempt which the public
deserves as long as it permits such men
to act with impunity." It. was at that
point and in connection with" the insur
ance and Chicago & Alton scandals that
Mr. Roosevelt took the heaviest fall out
of wealthy corporations which have been
held to account by the government. The
message continued:
"The keynote of ail these attacks upon
the effort to secure honesty in business
and in politics is well expressed in bra
zen protests against any effort for the
moral regeneration of the business world,
on the ground that it is unnatural, un
warranted and injurious, and that busi
ness panic is the necessary penalty for
such effort to secure business honesty.
The morality of such a plea is precisely
as great as if made on behalf of the
men caught in a gambling establishment
when that gambling establishment is
raided by the police. If such words mean
anything they mean that those
whose sentiments they represent
stand against the effort to bring
about a moral regeneration of business
which will prevent a repetition of the in
surance, banking and street railroad
scandals in New York; a repetition of
the Chicago & Alton deal; a repetition
of the combination between certain pro
tessional politicians, certain professional
labor leaders, and certain big financiers,
from the disgrace of which San Francis
co lias just been rescued; a repetition
of the successful effort by the Standard
Oil people to crush out every competitor,
to overawe the common carriers, and to
establish a monopoly w’hich treats the
public with a contempt which the public
deserves so long as it permits men of
such principles and such sentiments to
avow and act on them with impunity.
Tiie outcry against stopping dishonest
practices among wrongdoers who hap
pen to be wealthy is precisely similar
to the outcry raised against every effort
for cleanliness and decency in city gov
ernment. because, forsooth. It will ‘hurt
business.* "
Tells of Criticising Judges.
"Our opponents have recently been bit
terly criticising the two Judges referred
to In the accompanying communications
from the Standard Oil Company and the
Santa Fe Railroad for having Imposed
heavy fines on these two corporations:
and yet these same critics of these two
judges exhaust themselves in denounc
ing the most respectful and cautious
discussion of the official action of a Judge
which results in immunity to wealthy
and powerful wrongdoers. Most certain
ly it behooves 11s all to treat with the
utmost respect the high office of judge:
and our judges, as a whole, are brave
and upright men. Respect for the law
must go hand in hand with respect for
the judges: and, as a whole. It Is true
now as in the past that the judges stand
In character and service above all other
men among their fellow-servants of the
public. The judge who does his full
duty well stands higher, and renders a
better service to the people, than any
other public servant: he Is entitled to
greater respect: and if he Is a true ser
vant of the people, if he Is upright, wise
and fearless, he will unhesitatingly dis
regard even the wishes of the people
if they conflict with the eternal prin
ciples of right as against wrong. He
must serve the people; but he must
serve his own conscience first. All honor
to such a Judge, and all honor can not
be rendered him if It Is rendered equally
to his brethren who fall Immeasurably
below the high ideals for which he
stands. Untruthful criticism is wicked at
all times, and whoever may be the ob
ject; but It Is a peculiarly flagrant in
iquity when a Judge is the object. No
man should lightly criticise a judge; no
man should, even In his own mind, con
demn a judge unless he is sure of the
facts. If a Judge is assailed for stand
ing against popular folly, and above all
for standing against mob violence, all
honorable men should rally instantly to
his support. Nevertheless if he clearly
fails to do his duty by the public in
dealing with lawbreaking corporations,
lawbreaking men of wealth, he must ex
pect to feel the weight of public opin
ion; and this is hut right, for except in
extreme cases this is the only way in
whh'h he can be reached at all. No ser
vant of the people has a right to expect
to he free from just and honest criticism.
“An Ethical Movement.”
"The opponents of the measures we
champion single out now one and now
another measure for especial attack, and
speak as if the movement in which we
are engaged was purely economic. It 1ms
a largo economic side, but it is funda
mentally an ethical movement. It Is not
a movement to be completed in one year,
or two years or three years; it is a
movement which must be persevered In
until the spirit which lies behind it sinks
deep into the heart and the conscience
of tlie whole people. It is always im
portant to choose the right means to
achieve our purpose, but it is even
more important to keep this purpose
elearlv before us; and tills purpose is
<0 secure national honesty in business
and in politics, W'e do not subscribe to
tlie evnicu.1 belief that dishonesty and
unfair dealing are essential to business
success, and are to he condoned when tlie
success’ is moderate and applauded when
the success is great. Tlie methods by
which the Standard Oil people and those
engaged in tlie other combinations of
which I have spoken above have
achieved great fortunes ean only he jus
titled hv the advocacy of a system of
morality which would also justify every
form of criminality on the part of a
labor union, and eVcry form of violence,
corruption, and fraud, from murder to
bribery and ballot-box stuffing in poli
tics We are trying to secure equality
of opportunity for nil; and the struggle
for honesty is the same whether it Is
made on behalf of one set of men or of
another. In the interest of the small
settlers and landowners, and against the
embittered opposition of wealthy owners
of huge wandering flocks of sheep, or of
corporations desiring to rob the people
of coal and timber, we strive to put an
end to the theft of public land In the
west When we do this, and protest
against the action of all men. whether
In public life or in private life, who
either take part in or refuse to try to
stop such theft, we are really engaged
in tlie same policy ns when we endeavor
to put a slop to rebates or to prevent
tlie upgrowth of uncontrolled monopolies,
our effort is simply to enforce the prin
ciples of common honesty and common
sense. It would indeed he ill for the
country should there be any halt in our
work.”
State Government Must Aid.
Either the state or national gov
ernment must undertake the regula
tion, of which the president spoke, and
the executive asked the common
wealths to share the responsibility of
curbing those corporations, which ‘are
accused of evil-doing. “Of course in
any event both the national and state
governments must each <lo its part,"
said President Roosevelt’s message,
and each can do a certain amount
that the other cannot do. while the
only really satisfactory results must
be obtained by the representatives of
the national and state governments
working heartily together within their
respective spheres. But in my judg
ment thorough-going and satisfactory
control can in the end only be obtained
by the action of the national govern
ment. for almost all the corporations of
enormous wealth—that is. the corpo
rations which it is especially desirable
to control—are engaged in interstate
commerce, and derive their power and
their importance not from that portion
of their business which is intrastate,
but from the interstate business. It is not
easy always to decide just where the line
of demarcation between the two kinds
of business falls. This line must ulti
mately be drawn by the federal
courts. Much of the effort to secure
adequate control of the great corpora
tions by state action has been wise
and effective, but much of it has been
neither; for when the effort is made
to accomplish by the action of the state
what can onljr be accomplished by the
action of the nation, the result can only
be disappointment, and in the end the
will probably be declared uncon
stitutional. So likewise in the national
arena, we who believe in the measures
herein advocated are hampered and
not aided by the extremists who advo
cate action so violent that it would
either be useless or else would cause
more mischief than it would remedy.
Points to the Future.
"The laws must In the future be ad
ministered as they are now being ad
ministered, so that the department of
justice may continue to bo. what it now
is. in very fact the department of jus
tice, where so far as our ability per
mits justice is meted out with an even
hand to great and small, rich and poor,
weak and strong. Moreover, there
should be no delay in supplementing the
laws now on the statute books by the
enactment of further legislation as
outlined in the message I sent to the
congress on its assembling. Under the
existing laws much, very much, has
been actually accomplished during the
past six years, and it has been shown
by actual experience that they can be
enforced against the wealthiest cor
pnratinn and the richest and most pow
ertui manager or manipulator of that
corporation, as rigorously and fearless
ly as against the humblest offender.
Above all they have been enforced
against the very wrongdoers and
agents of wrongdoers who have for
so many years gone scot-free and
flouted the laws with impunity,
against great law-defying corpora
uons of immense wealth, which, until
within the last half dozen years have
treated themselves and have expected
others to treat them as being beyond
and above all possible check from law.
it is especially necessary to secure to
the representatives of the national gov
ernment full power to deal with the
great corporations engaged in inter
state comerce. and above all. with the
great interstate common carriers. Our
people should clearly recognize that
while there .are difficulties in any
course of conduct to be followed in
dealing with these great corporations,
these difficulties must be faced, and one
of three courses followed. The first
course is to abandon all effort to over
see and control their actions in the in
terest of the general public and to per
mit a return to the utter lack of con
trol which would obtain if they were
left to the common law. I do not for
one moment believe that our people
would tolerate this position. The ex
traordinary growth of modern indus
trialism has rendered the common law.
which grew up under and was adapt
ed to deal with totally different condi
tions. in many respects inadequate to
deal with the new conditions. These
new conditions make it necessary to
shackle cunning as in the past we have
shackled force. The vast Individual
and corporate fortunes, the vast com
binations of capital, which have marked
the development of our industrial sys
tem, create new conditions, anxl neces
sitate a change from the old attitude
of the state and the nation toward the
rules regulating the acquisition and
untrammeled business use of prop
erty. in order both that propertv may
be adequately protected, and that at
the same time those who hold it may
he prevented from wrongdoing.
laiks of Financial Stress.
"We have just pased through two
months of acute financial stress. At
any such time it Is a sad fact that en
tirely innocent people suffer from no
fault of their own; and every one must
feel the keenest sympathy for the
large body of honest business men, of
honest investors, of honest wagework
ers. who suffer because involved in a
crash for which they are in no wav
responsible. At such a time there is
a natural tendency on the part of many
men to feel gloomy and frightened at
the outlook; but there is no justifica
tion for this feeling. There is no na
tion so absolutely sure of ultimate suc
cess as ours. Of course we shall suc
ceed. Ours is a nation of masterful
energy, with a continent for its domain
and it feels within its veins the thrill
which comes to those who know that
they possess the future. We are not
cast down by the fear of failure. We
are upheld by the confident hope of ul
timate triumph. The wrongs that ex
ist are to be corrected; but they in no
way justify doubt as to the tlnal out
come, doubt as to the great material
prosperity of the future, or of the lofty
spiritual life which is to bo built upon
that prosperity as a foundation. No
misdeeds linne in the present must lie
permitted to shroud from our eyes the
glorious future of the nation; but be
cause of this very fact it behooves us
never to swerve from our resolute pur
pose to cut out wrongdoing and uphold
what is riglit. I do not for a moment
believe that the actions of this admin
istration have brought on business dis
tress; so far as this is due to local and
not world-wide causes, and to the ac
tions of any particular individuals, it i
is due to the speculative folly and fla
grant dishonesty of a few men of great
wealth, who seek to shield themselves
from the effects of their own wrong
doing by ascribing its results to the
actions of tiiose who have sought to
put a stop t<> the wrongdoing. Hut if
it were true Half to cut out rottenness
from the body politic meant a mo
mentary check to an unhealthy
seeming prosperity. I should -not for
one moment hesitate to put the knife
to the corruption. On behalf of .-'.11
our people, on behalf no less of the
honest man of means than of the hon
■ st man who earns each day's liveli- j
hood by the day's sweat of his brow, it
is necessary to insist upon honesty in
business and in politics alike, in all
walks of life, in big tilings and in little
things; upon just and fair dealing as
between man and man. Those who
demand this are striving for the riglit
in the spirit of Abraham I.incoln,'’ said
the president in conclusion.
Belasco a Hard Worker.
David Belasco is the hardest worker
of all the American playwrights. 1(
is not an unusual occurrence for him
to rehearse a company for 10 or 12
hours at a stretch, and then when the
actors are tired he dismisses them and
goes to work on pruning and fixing up
bits of his play,
Rev. James Thomas Vindicated.
At a conference at San Antonio,
Texas, Tuesday morning before Rev.
Janies Thomas, his attorneys, Thomas
S. Buzbee and Thomas M. Mehaffv
and G. W. Hester, a banker of Devine,
Tex., and his attorney, M. W. Davis
of San Anlonio, a compromise was ar
ranged in the $50,000 damage suit for
libel brought by Rev. Mr. Thomas
against Hester in the Hot Springs Cir
cuit Court, by which Mr. Hester paid
$1,000 to Mr. Thomas to have the suit
withdrawn. Mr. Hester also made afli
davit retracting the statement made
by him, which was the cause of the
suit, in which he charged Rev. Mr.
Thomas with being one Otto Brock,
a rascal, whom he had known at Car
rizo Springs. Tex., years ago.
The conference was brought about
at the request of Mr. Hester’s attor
ney. Last Monday night Mr. Thomas
and his attorneys were preparing to
leave San Antonio for home, after
spending four or five days in Texas,
taking depositions to be used in the
suit against Hester. Mr. Davis came
to them and asked them to stay over
until the next morning, stating that
lie and Mr. Hester were ready to ar
range a settlement if it could lie done.
Rev. Mr. Thomas and his attorneys
had secured the depositions of some
15 witnesses and had a very strong
case, but as Mr. Thomas stated that
he was not after Hester’s money, but
simply his own vindication, the mat
ter was settled by the payment of
$1,000 and a retraction of the state
ment made by Hester.
Mr. Thomas has also secured a vol
untary affidavit from the Rev. I. K.
Waller of Madill, Okla., the only other
man who ever identified him as Otto
Brock, in which Mr. Waller states
that he is now satisfied that Mr.
Thomas is not Otto Brock This, with
the testimony of fifteen witnesses, all
of whom swore that Rev. James Thom
as was not Otto Brock, it is thought
is enough to completely exhonerate
Rev. Mr. Thomas from the charge
which was brought against him by
the members of the Methodist church
more than five years ago, and which
has never until now been entirely dis
proved. The charges against Rev. Mr.
Thomas have caused a great disturb
ance in Methodism here intermittent
ly for five years, and have resulted
In th« temporary suspension of one
J. S. Hawkins, a Methodist minister,
and caused much bitter feeling be
tween Mr. Thomas’ friends and those
who have been foremost in pushing
the investigation of charges against
him.
A Notable Society Event.
There was dedicated at Fort Smith
Thursday night the first Carnegie li
brary, and not only this, the first free
library building in the state of Ar
kansas, when the Board of Regents of
the Carnegie library presented to Fort
Smith the recently completed $40,000
public library building, which Mayor
Bourland accepted in behalf of the city.
The occasion, which was under the di
rection of the Board of Regents of the
library, was not alone a formal open
ing, hut was as well, a notable society
event.
Sheriff Parker Taken Sick.
Sheriff R. F. Parker was taken very
ill a few days ago while out on his
official duties collecting taxes, and for
the past week has been in a critical
condition at his home in De Witt. He
has been sheriff two terms and is a
candidate for re-election. His condi
tion has been alarming.
New Hotel at Camden.
R. H. Terrell and J. M. Goodgame of
Camden have purchased the Ouachita
hotel site from Judge G. W. Hays and
T. J. Moore for $17,000 and will be
gin the erection of a new hotel build
ing as soon as an architect can sub
mit plans and the contract can be
let.
Fire at Corning.
Fire was discovered on the large dry
kiln in the G. A. Boosers stave factory
at Corning, Thursday evening at 4
o’clock. A large amount cf valuable
staves was destroyed, but the plant
was saved by the heroic work of the
bucket brigade, who finally got the
flames under full control.
Burglary at Branch.
J. S. Cotner &. Co.’s store at Branch
was burglarized Wednesday night and
robbed of $200 in cash of the com
pany’s money, besides $2 of postoffice
money and $65 in stamps. There is
no clue to the burglars.
Epidemics at De Witt.
On account of an epidemic of whoop
ing cough and measles at De Witt it
has been difficult to continue the pub
lic sichools. Several families have
three to five cases of sickness at
once.
Renew Action for Separate Court.
The question of securing a separate
court district in Atkins, Pope coun
ty, is again being agitated by citizens
in the eastern portion of the county.
An effort was made during the recent
legislature to pass a special act pro
viding for the creation of the district,
but it failed to become a law. At a
recent meeting of the Pope County
Democratic Central Committee a re
solution was introduced asking that
the committee devise some means by
which the question should be submit
ted to the voters of the county. There
being no special act empowering the
committee to submit such question to
the voters at the general election, the
idea was abandoned. It is now pro
posed that the next legislature be
asked to pass such act, providing for
a special election for the submission
of the question within 30 or 60 days
after its passage, providing the citi
zens of the territory affected shall
first file with the county court a good
and sufficient bond to cover the cost
of the election, and also providing
for the erection of a court house at
Atkins by the citizens of the eastern
portion of the county, providing the
vote should be in favor of a separate
district.
Hamp Smead Dies at Camden.
Hamp Smead, one of the best-known
members of the Arkansas bar, died
at 10:45 o'clock Tuesday night at his
home in Camden, after suffering for
three weeks from blood poisoning,
caused by a stoppage of the gall duct.
His wife and all of the immediate
family were present at the bedside.
Mr. Smead was born in November,
1853, at Mt. Holly, Union county,
where he grewr to manhood. From Mt.
Holly he went to Magnolia, where he
studied law under Judge Smoot and
was admitted to the bar. Practicing
his profession for 12 years in Magnolia,
he was elected for one term to the
lower house of the legislature from
Columbia county in 1883. He was
married to Miss Anna F. Chester of
his badhood home at Mt. Holly. Eigh
teen years ago he moved to Camden,
where he has since resided and has
been prosecuting attorney for his dis
trict for ten years. He was known
throughout the state not alone for his
legal talent, which was of high degree,
but for his whole-souled generosity.
Bad Black Tries To Slay Family.
As a result of a quarrel with his
wife and his murderous intention,
springing, it is supposed, from jeal
ousy, Ed Davis, a young negro, is a
fugitive from justice, his four-year-old
daughter lies dead, slain by him, his
wife is seriously wounded and his
brother-in-law is carrying part of a
charge of birdshot in his body. Davis
went to the home of his father-in-law
near Dardenelle Saturday night with
the seeming intention of murdering
the whole family. His wife was stand
ing with the baby in her arms when
Davis tired at her. The first shot
killed the child and a second took ef
fect in the woman's face. Davis then
shot his brother-in-law, a bby, and
slightly wounded him. The boy ran
into his father’s house and securing a
shotgun, fired at Davis, who had taken
to his heels. Davis’ wife is seriously
hurt, but it is not thought her wounds
will be fatal. The negro is supposed
to be hiding in the river bottoms near
Dardanelle.
Groom 17, Bride 14.
Lloyd Bare, aged 17, and Miss Sue
Meek, aged 14, both of Eureka Springs,
were married Sunday at Cassville,
Mo., and returned home Monday. The
groom is a brother of E. M. Bare, a
prominent real estate dealer, and the
bride is a steddaughter of F. B. Free
man ,a leading liveryman. The par
ents of the children had given con
sent to the wedding.
Improvements at Gurdon.
Since the new city administration
has taken charge, concrete sidewalks
have been laid on all of the principal
streets and a movement is on foot to
install a lighting system at Gurdon.
To Hold Examination.
Civil examination for applicants for
the position of deputy collector and
clerk in the internal revenue district
of Arknasas will be held March 5, in
Little Rock.
Activity at Smithton.
Activity has been renewed since the
mill of the Harden Lumber Company
moved to Smithton from Okolona.
Much hard wood is being cut, and
many hands are employed.
For His Father's Services.
W. C. McMichael of Arkadelphia,
has received a warrant from the De
partment of the Interior which grants
him 160 acres of government land in
any part of the United States which
is subject to settlement or sale. The
land was granted under an act of Con
gress granting bounty lands to cer
tain persons having engaged in the
military service of the United Stales.
Mr. Michael's father served in the In
dian war in Florida in 1836 and for
, this he received the grant.
Arkansas Postal News.
Star service schedules have been
arranged as follows at the points
named. Sterling to ArUla—Leave
Sterling six times a week at 9 a. m.,
and 11:20 a. m.; arrive at Arkla by
10 a. m. and 12:30 p. m. Leave Arkla
six times a week at 10:15 a. rri. and
on receipt of mail from northbound
train, but not later than 1:30 p. m.;
arrive at Sterling in one hour. New
London to strong—Leave New London
six times a week at 7:45 a. m., arrive
at Strong by 10:15 a. m.; leave Strong
six times a week on receipt of mail
from train due at 10:28 a. m., but not
later than 11:30 a. m.; arrive at New
London in two and one-half hours.
Danville to Chickalah—Leave Dan
ville six times a week at 7.30 a. m., ar
rive t, Chickalah by 11:30 a. m.; leave
Chickalah six times a week at 12:30
p. m., arrive at Danville by 4.30 p. m.
Lowry to Omaha—Leave Lowry six
times a week at 1 p. m., arrive at
Omaha by 3:25 p. m.; leave Omaha six
times a week at 9 a. m., arrive at
Lowry by 11:25 a. m.
Lad Dies Under a Blazing Tree.
The little 4-year-old son of William
Spence, a farmer living about 25 miles
southeast of Texarkana, in Lafayette
county, was killed by a falling tree
Thursday. Mr. Pence was in a field
burning logs and brush. His little son
had followed him to the field and was
playing a hundred yards or so from
where his faher was at work. Some
dead trees had taken fire and had
been burning for several hours, and
one of these suddenly fell, catching
the boy under it and crushing him to
death instantly. Mr. Spence was for
many years a prominent farmer and
citizen of Miller county, but moved
to Lafayette county aboif four years
ago.
Would Destroy the Commission.
In praying that the Railroad Com
mission of Arkansas be forever en
joined from setting op any claim, or
making any finding or order against
the Iron Mountain Railroad Company,
under the act of the legislature of
Arknasas, approved March 11, 1899,
which act created the commission, au
open fight against the very life of the
commission itself is declered by the
Iron Mountain road. Such an injunc
tion is asked for in the bill of com
plaint filed in the United States Cir
cuit Court by Lovick P. Miles of Fort
Smith, attorney for the Iron Mountain.
To Improve the Ouachita.
The engineer’s office of the War De
partment is asking for proposals to
furnish lumber for the construction
of buildings at Franklin Shoals. This
marks the beginning of lock and dam
No. 8 in the Ouachita river. Franklin
Shoals are about 45 miles below Cam
den. A lock and dam at that place
will pool the water within ten or fif
teen miles of Camden. The steamer
Handy, of Monroe, Ha., is now making
regular trips to Camden, arriving there
every Wednesday evening. Connec
tion is made at Monroe for New Or
leans. V
Abusive Negro Is Killed.
Lem Blackwood, a negro, was shot
and instantly killed by John McGahley
at the latter's home at Booty, near
Gillett, Wednesday. It Is alleged that
Blackwood's dog had killed some ot
McGahley’s chickens and McGahley
shot one of the dogs. Blackwood is
then alleged to have called at the Mc
Gahley home, to have become abusive
and threatened to destroy the entire
familyy with an ax.
Convictions at Ashdown.
After a term of three weeks the Cir
cuit Court at Ashdown adjourned Sat
urday. The following persons were
convicted of criminal charges during
the term: J. H. Stuart, perjury, 1
year; Silas Cheatham, murder in the
second degree, IS years; Will Smith,
murder in the second degree, 21 years;
Burt Collins, burgalary, 1 year. Stuart
is a white man.
Escaped Convict Back to the Pen.
Charles Holman, a negro who es
caped from the penitentiary several
weeks ago, was returned to that insti
tution Friday, after being recaptured
at Bearden. His left hand was shot by
an officer when lie w-as recaptured,
in a successful attempt on the part of
the officer to keep the negro from re
sisting arrast.
A Good Customer.
The United States government is
the largest individual purchaser of
electric lamps in this country. It buys
850,000 annually.
Attempted Suicide.
Levi Green, a young man of Hot
Springs, is lying at the point of death,
suffering file after-effects of an at
tempt to end his life with poison. His
sweetheart, Miss Annie Brown, de
clares that he attempted to commit
the deed because she ordered him from
her sight a few days ago, but the of
ficers allege that it is because Green
stole goods which he panwed and lat
ar found that the officers were on his
trail. He is guarded by an officer
constantly.