Wwdmkf Cimmlty News. s l
VOL. II.
McCRORY, ARKANSAS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1903.
NO. 42.
Judge John Ike Moore of Phillips
Elected Speaker of the
Lower House.
SENATE ORGANIZED THE FIRST DAY.
Hob. Joe I,. Short of Fulton Chosen Pres
ident oT Senate Without Opposition.
S. A l oud* of CngMii Sergeant at A mum
of House Other Otlh-ei* Named.
Little Rock Jan. 10.—At the close of
the lirst six; days’ sesion one hundred
and two bills had been introduced in
both branches, besides eight resolutions
proposing constitutional amendments.
Previous to meeting the senate mem
bers held a caucus and decided on the
elective officers.
The withdrawal of Mr. Caldwell of
Jefferson from the race for president
»d the senate left an open field for Mr.
JShort of Fulton. While only two names
were presented for speaker of tlie house.
The proceedings of both branches
follow:
MONDAY, JANUARY 12.
TUs Senate.
The session was called to order by
L:cut.-Gov. M. I’, ltilddleston. all tile
members answering to their names.
A committee escorted Associate Jus
tice Battle to the chamber, and he ad
ministered the oath of office to the
members.
After prayer by Rev. W. T. Thurmar.,
Mr. Huddleston announced the appoint
ment of Col. Adam Clark. Sr., of Arku
delphia as temporary sergeant at
arms, J. 1*’. Hurley of Bradley tempor
ary secretary, and Masters Guy Bax
tor and Ike Cline temporary pages.
Nominations for permanent officers
being declared in order, lion. Gipson
Witt of Montgomery presented the
name of lion. Joseph L. Short of Ful
ton.
No other names were presented, anl
Mr. Short received the votes of all ills
colleagues.
He was escorted to the chair and In
appropriate remarks thanked the body
for the honor conferred.
The caucus nominees for tire several
elective positions were then ratified,
as follows:
Secretary, J. Fletcher Hurley of
Bradley.
First assistant secretary. Jack Lewis
of Randolph.
engrossing clerk, Miss Craig of Un
ion.
Knrolnng clerk, Miss Ida Wright of
Pulaski.
Journal clerk, C. C. Price of Arkan
sas.
Sergeant at arms, J. M. Raines of
Craighead.
Chaplain. Rev. R. I,. Carson of Pope.
Chief Janitor, Julian Smith; assist
ant janitor, C. F. Wiley.
Pages. Ross Morgan, W. Calder and
Joseph Dean.
It took four ballots to decide th :
contest for sergeant at arms, Mr.
Raines being chosen, receiving IS
votes to 17 east for Col. Wm. Childers
of J,awrence county.
After appointing a committee to as
certain the governor's pleasure In re
gard to hearing his message, the senate
adjourned to 9:30 Tuesday.
The House.
A S. Hays, Chief Clerk of the last
house, called the body to order and,
s fter prayer by Rev. F. R. Noe of Beebe
* Hst of the members was read.
Mr. Thomas \V. Campbell of Ran
dolph was chosen temporary speaker.
Chief Justice Bunn of the supremo
court administered the oath of office
to the members.
Nominations for permanent officers
being tire order of business Hon. John
W Holland presented the name of Judge
John Ike Moore of Phillips for speaker.
Mr. A. D. Dul.aney of I.ittle River
nominated Hon. Hardin K. Toney of
Jefferson.
Only one ballot was taken, Judge
Moore being elected.
The vote was as follows:
Moore—Allen, Apple, Arnold. Atkins.
Bell, Bevill, Bird. Braden. Bradley.
Brooks. Burk. Cate. Campbell of Pu
laski. Campbell of Randolph, Chappell.
Chambers, Chapline, Chestnut. Chrisp.
Clement. Cook of Chicot. Cook of Phil
lips, Crutcher. DeRossitt. Kldridge,
K1 ana gin. Fraser, Fink. Fuller, Fu
trall, Gantt. Gibson. Green of Benton.
Greene of Ouachita, Hale Hall. Harris,
Hill. Holland, Holman. Holmes, Hor
ton, Jacobs, Kelso. Keith. Latimer.
Martineau. MeGulgan, Merrlman. Moore
of Newton, Newberry. Norfleet, Patter
FOn, Perry, Poole, Reece. Rodman. Row
land, Scrimsliire, Slaughter, Stafford,
Stevens, Sttiokard, Stover, Tarver,
Thompson. Toney. Weaver. White.
Whitney, Whittliorne. Winn, Witt—71.
Toney—Baskin, Brlant, Bush, Butler
Hanlel. Dixon. DuLaney. Kills, Fergu
son. Garrett. Griffin, Hogan. Looker.
Keel, Kerwtn, Knox, Matheny. Matmil
ler. Meyers, Moore of Phillips. Parks.
Bindail, Roundtree. Wofford, Turk—
iB.
A commjttee composed of Represen
tatives Tbtiey. Cate and Chrisp was
appointed !>y the chair to escort the
new speaker to the rostrum.
Mr. Moore thanked the members for
the honor conferred. Among other
tilings Mr. Moore said:
"The poor words at my command do
not enable mo to convey In udeiiunte
terms my profound appreciation of this
high honor so graciously bestowed,
but 1 trust you all will do me the
justice to believe that my graltude is
none the less sincere if I do not ex
press it in high-sounding words and
rounded periods. I am not unmindful
of the fact that honors bring with
themselves great and grave responsibil
ities. and Hint In undertaking tile dis
charge of the duties of this office my
responsibility to you. my constituents
and the people of the state is thereby
proportionately increased. In a full
realization of my position 1 covenant
with you this day that I will earnestly,
honestly, faithfully, impartially and
bravely do all that lies ill my power
to convince the world that to he a mem
ber of this house is to wear the badge
nt honor and not of shame—that to lie
a member of the Arkansas legislature
Is to hear the commission of a people ill
whose veins trlckioa the best Anglo
Saxon blood of the century.
"As to whether the business of this
body shall be conducted with propri
ety and in good order is n matter to
be determined by its members and not
by tiie man who happens to be the
presiding: officer. It will be your re
sponsibility and not mine. J therefore
hope that every member will do his ut
most to see that nothing transpires
here that can bring disgrace upon us
or the blush of shame to the cheek o'
any citizen.
“1 am aware that there is no test of
manhood in any department of polit
ical life more severe or perilous to the
individual1 than service in a legisla
tive capacity. I know there is no field
of action where so much is expected
and where so little allowance is made
for mistakes committed, no matter how
great one’s achievements may have been
in the discharge of other public du
ties. We can meet these expectations,
we can draw around ourselves the man
tle of charitable allowance for the mis
lakes committed, by honest, earnest,
intelligent work, but in no other way.
for at all times and under all oondi
lions there are always rewards for the
•nan whose mind moves in integrity and
acts with decision.”
For sergeant at arms the following
names were presented: S. A. Bonds of
Bogan, W. M. Munn of Columbia. T. J.
Oliver of White. J. s. Roiifroe of Wash
ington. U. 1 >. Chunn of Woodruff. J. A.
King of Faulkner. T. F. Ison of Perry,
Mr. Reed of Washington. J. H. Thomas
of Hot Spring. R. IT. Blackman, J. K.
Beary of Bee, Bon Cravens of Calhoun
The first ballot resulted: Bonds 27,
Cravens 20, Ronfroe 0, Leary 8. Ison
0. Heed .8. Oliver 7. King 4. Thomas: 2.
Munn 2. Chunn 2, Necessary to a choice
4 0. No election.
After tiie second ballot the names
of Messrs. Munn. Chunn and Thomas
were withdrawn, „ and after the third
ballot Mr. Leary withdrew.
By the time the fifth ballot was ever
the contest had narrowed down to Oli
ver. Bonds. Cravens and Reed, all the
other names having been withdrawn.
Mr. Bonds received 52 votes on the
ninth ballot and was declared elected.
Mr. Cravens on this ballot receiving 33
and Mr. Oliver 10.
After administering (he oath of office
to the sergeant at arms the house ad
journed to 9:30 Tuesday.
TUESDAY JANUARY 13.
The Senate.
President ftiort was in the chair at
the hour set for the day's session.
After the usual routine business, Sen
ator Hardy introduced a resolution in
structing the secretary to purchase a
new carpet and other necessary articles
of furniture uceded in the senate cham
ber for the comfort and protection of
the health of members. Carried.
Senator D. H. King of Sharp intro
duced the first bill of the session, an
anti-trust measure, the same in sub
stance as the bill championed by Sen
ator King two years ago.
Senator Wood introduced S. B. No.
2. authorizing the secretary to purchase
thirty daily papers (or their equival
ent in weeklies) for the members, also
25 cents worth of stamps. Read sec
ond time. This Is the usual bill intro
duced at each session making an appro
priation for newspapers for ldlstribu
tio.n.
Senator Norwood presented S B No
3, appropriating $1 40,000 for the erec
tion of an addition to the state insane
asylum at Little Rock. Read second
time and placed on calendar.
Senator Butt introduced the usual bill
of members of the general assembly.
Senator Jobe introduced S. B. No 5.
to amend Sec. 703 4, S. & H. digest, di
recting a division of taxes paid by
whites and blacks for school purposes.
Senator Pinnlx introduced S. B. No.
<», creating a board, to consist of the
superintendent of public Instruction and
the professor of pedagogy in the state
university, who shall select suitable
books to be placed in the public schools
of the state. Principals of schools are
made the librarians of their respective
schools, and are held responsible for
all the books placed therein.
Senator Collins presented S. B. No.
7. the dispensary bill, authorizing the
state to buy and sell liquors.
Senator Cotton Introduced S. B. No.
9. providing for a revision and reprint
ing of the laws of the state. A di
gester is to be appointed, who shall re
ceive $3,000 for his services. The bill
appropriates $20,000 for the work, and
provides that 8,000 volumes be printed
and delivered to the proper authority
by January 1. 1904.
These were the only measures of im
portance presented, and on motion th.‘
senate adjourned to 9:30 Wednesday.
The House.
Most of the day’s session was de
voted to balloting for minor officers.
Mr. Butler offered a resolution that
the house janitors bo selected from the
old congressional districts, according to
previous custom. Carried.
The house then proceeded to the elec
tion of a journal clerk.
Messrs lid I*. Lucas of Yell, R. S.
Kennard of Izard. J. T. Blake of Ben
ton and J. R. Iiiggins of Conway were
placed in nomination.
The first ballot resulted os follows:
Lucas 2fi, Kennard 17. Blake 19 and nig
gins 2 4. Necessary to a choice 49.
There was little change in the vote
till the sixth ballot, when Mr. Higgins
received 51 votes to 4* for Mr. Lucas,
the other nominations having been pre
viously withdrawn.
\Y. T. Harrison of Mississippi and
Robert If. Julius of Washington wen*
lominatcd for assistant clerk, the first
allot resulting in the election of Mr.
Innison-—75 to 22.
F*r»r (>w<s<stsnt >at arms or
postmistress the following nominations
were made: Miss May Hale of Missis
sippi. 51 rs. C. It. Aydclotte of Pulaski.
Miss Lucie Griffin of Conway, Miss
Mary McCray of Saline, Miss Nora
Heavers of Pulaski, Mrs. Mai Sparks
Wilder of Poinsett. Mrs. M. IJ. Coleman
of Ouachita and Mrs. Salile McHenry
of Union.
The first ballot resulted: Mrs. Ayde
lotto 5. Miss Griffin N. Miss McCray 15.
Miss Beavers 21, Miss Jones 5. Mrs.
Wilder 14. Mrs. Coleman 6. Mrs. Mc
Henry 14. Miss Hale 10.
The voting continued to the fifteenth
ballot, all 1 lie nominations having been
withdrawn when tills ballot was taken
except Mrs. Wilder. Miss Beavers, Mrs.
Coleman and Miss Griffin, the vote
standing: Mrs. Wilder 52, Miss Nora
BCavers 2 2. Mrs. Coleman 4. and Miss
Gridin 1.
A motion to adjourn for the day was
voted down and a motion to proceed
to the election of engrossing clerk w;t i
unanimously carried. Miss Annie Mar
tin of Lonoke and Mrs. Iber Dunn of
Nevada were placed in nomination.
Mrs. Punn was elected on the first bal
lot—fit to 27.
Adjourned to Wednesday morning.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14.
The Senate.
Tli#' feature of the day’s session was
the delivery of the governor's message.
Three bills were passed, as follows:
The newspaper and stamp bill, the per
diem bill and the bill providing for an
assistant journal clerk.
The newspaper bill caused consider
able discussion, but passed—ayes 22,
noes 12.
Concurrent resolution No. 1. by Sen
ator KHlough, was also passed in spe
cial order. The hill provides for the
appointment of a special committee on
levees, of twelve members of the house
and senate.
Senator Pinnix it rod need S. B. No. 12.
providing for • the change, of name of
the office of county examiner to county
superintendent of schools, and to make
the official elective instead of appoint
ive. The bill defines the duties of the
examiners. The examiner’s salary is
$8t)u where the population does not ex
ceed 3.000, and above that $900.
Senator Cot ham introduced S. B. No.
13. amending the insurance laws so as
to exempt mutual cotton factory insur
ance companies from complying there
with. Such companies do not solicit
business, but. arc merely associations
of factories which carry their own in
su ranee.
Senator Price introduced S. 13. Xo. 14.
providing that all firms or individuals
who make abstracts of the deeds tiled
in the circuit courts shall give a person
al bond in the sum of $1,000 to insure
"their patrons against loss.
Senator Bogan introduced S. P>. Xo.
15, providing that public officers may
present in their bonds the suretyship of
corporations, as well as of Individuals
The present .laws permits the lattei
alone.
A few local bills were also introduc
ed, when the senate adjourned, to meet
in joint session with the house at 2
o'clock to hear the. governor’s message.
The House.
The house was called to order at 0:30
After roll call and prayer. Mr. Row
land’s resolution calling for a joint
committee on the proposed new state
Capitol was passed.
A resolution providing for the ap
pointment of a joint committee to in
vestigate the expenditures of the world’s
fair commission was adopted.
The next order was the election of an
assistant journal clerk, the following
being placed in nomination: P. A.
Stanley of Drew. W. IT. Davis of Frank
lin. O. R. Biown of Independence, and
Orto Finley of Lawrence.
The first ballot resulted as follows:
Finley 4 4, Stanley 25, Brown 15, and
Davis 10. As 4 0 votes were necessary
to a choice, there was no election. The
second ballot resulted as follows: Fin
ley 50. Stanley 27. Brown 10. Davis 10
Mr. Finley was declared elected.
For enrolling clerk the following
names were presented: Miss Faust of
White, Miss Lucille Douglass of Pu
laski, Miss Ilottie Cloud of Clark and
Miss Pell Gwaltney of Logan.
Several ballotes were taken, there be
ing no election.
At 10 o’clock the house met in joint
session with the senate to canvass the
vote of the last election.
At 2 o’clock both branches met to
hear the governor's message, which was
delivered by the governor in person, oc
cupying two hours and ten minutes.
Kx-Gov. Clarke was present, and re
ceived an ovation from the members.
At the conclusion of the reading of
the governor’s message Chief Justice
Bunn administered the oatth of office to
the constitutional state officers, with
the exception of Auditor Monroe, who
was absent on account of illness.
The Joint session dissolved and the
house reconvened. A motion to ad
journ was lost, and balloting was re
sumed for enrolling clerk. The twelfth
ballot resulted: Miss Faust 4 2, Miss
Gwaltney 34, Miss Douglass 16; no elec
tion.
At 4:45 p. »n. the house adjourned to
0 a. in. Thursday.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 15.
Tb« Senate.
The most important matter before
the body was a resolution offered by
Senator Huddleston, that the general
assembly visit the Cummings planta
tion in a body. Senators Sengel, Wood
and Jobe spoke in opposition to the res
olution. which was championed by Sen
ator Huddleston. Matlock and Logan.
The resolution passed, the vote being
as follows:
Ayes—Brown. Caldwell. Cotton. Cov
ington. Flenniken. Fletcher, Ilinkle.
*huddlcston. Klllough. King, Logan.
Marti is. Matlock. MeFerrin. Mcars. Nor
wood. iTiee, Itlson and Simpson—19.
Noes—Adams, Butt, Collins, Gotham,
Gray. Hardy. Jobe, Kilgore. Pinnix.
Sengel. Smith, Wilson, Witt. Wood and
Mr. President—15.
The bill passed Wednesday providing
for an assistant journal clerk was, on
motion of Senator Matlock, reconsid
ered. and on vote the bill was defeated.
Senator Killough introduced a bill to
protect fish. making it unlawful to
catch, net. kill or trap Midi, or take them
in any way except with a hook, and
providing a penalty for violation <»f not
less than $50 nor more than $100 for
each offense, and imprisonment in the
county jail of not more than six months
—the lines to go to the common school
fund.
Senator Klllough introduced a bill to
protect game from slaughter.
Senator Gray, of Pulaski, introduced
a fellow servants’ bill, making railways
responsible for the injury to one em
ployee caused by the negligence of an
other employee. The bill is in line
with Gov. l>avis’ recommendation on
the subject.
Senator Wood introduced S. B. No. 23
to regulate applications for pardons.
It provides that all applications should
be tiled with the clerk of the county
front which the applicant was sen
tenced. also published in the county pa
per. The bill also bars from clemency
wife beaters, pistol toters and illegal
whisky sellers.
Senator Meats introduced bill No. 24.
fixing the^ punishment for carrying a
pistol as a* weapon at a line of not less
than $50 nor more than $100, and im
prisonment in the county jail not less
than thirty days. nor more than six
months, and for the second offense, im
prisonment not less than ninety days,
nor more titan twelve, months.
Other bills introduced were as fol
lows:
By Senator Norwood, giving county
judge.* the right, to issue licenses for
the sale of liquor in each want of cities
of the first and second class, when a
majority of the qualified electors have
voted for license, provided that it does
not apply to districts where special
acts are now in force.
Senator Pinnix. to amend road law.
providing that parties may pay the road
tax by performing labor at the rate of
$1.50 per day.
Senator Simpson—To prevent discrim
ination in sale of coal oil.
Senator Bogun—Making bond of fire
insurance companies good during life
of policy.
Senator McFerrin — Regulating ex
pense in criminal courts.
Senator Cotton—To make landlord
and other liens assignable.
Senator Butt—Taxing private fran
chises.
Senator Caldwell—To regulate hours
of railroad employees, providing that,
no one in such service shall be required
to work longer than sixteen consecutive
hours, except in cases of wrecks or
washout.
The House.
House resolution No. 1. providing for
a joint committee on new state house,
was passed.
A resolution providing that a joint
committee from both houses visit the
Cummings convict farm was tabled.
After the reading of senate bills, bal
loting for enrolling clerk was resumed,
on the nineteenth ballot. Miss Kate
Faust was elected, receiving 49 votes.
Miss (iyaltney received 4:i and Miss
Douglas, tlie other nominations having
been withdrawn.
ltevs. J. \j. Burrows of Franklin. J. W.
Mosely. of Ashley. .\. p. Few, of Pulas
ki. and \V. Y. Walls, of Pope, were
nominated for chaplain. The first bal
lot resulted: Burrow, 27; Mostly. 26,
Few. 10; Walls, 20. On the ninth bal
lot Rov. 3. Lj. Burrow was elected.
Introduction of hills being in order
the . following wore read:
By Mr. Briant—To divide school tax
paid by whites and blacks. A motion
to table was lost.
By Mr. Burke—To provide that own
ers. lessees and operators of coal mines
shall employ shot tirers.
By Mr. Campbell—To provide for the
revision and publication of the statutes
of Arkansas.
By Mr. Campbell of Randolph—Rais
ing the school tax lew from 2 to 4
mills.
Adjourned to Friday.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 16.
The Senate.
The senate held a short session and
adjourned to Monday, in order to allow
time for refurnishing the hall.
Senator Norwood presented a bill reg
ulating the practice of medicine. It
provides for an act to regulate the
practice of medicine and surgery, asks
for the appointment of three boards of
medical examiners. representing the
three medical societies of the state and
consisting of seven members each, one
from each congressional district, the
appointments to be made by the gov
ernor from lists furnished by the re
spective societies.
Senator Yaughter presented S. B. No.
OS, legalizing all primary elections..
The House.
A number of bills and resolutions
were introduced, as follows:
■\Yhitthorne—For a joint committee
to visit the State University.
Perry—To submit an amendment to
the constitution increasing the num
ber of supreme judges from five to six
and making two divisions of the su
preme court.
Crutcher—To better protect shippers.
Senate business was then taken up.
The per diem and newspaper bills
were passed, the vote on the latter be
ing 4N to 43. Some of the members ar
gued that this bill provided for a use
less expenditure of funds, inasmuch as
the actual proceedings art* published in
all the county papers.
The introduction of bills was again
taken up.
Mr. DuLaney introduced II. B. No. 4.
proposing a constitutional amendment
enabling a majority of property owners
in school districts to vote a maximum
of eight mills school tax. ^
By Mr. Ferguson—For separate street
cars for whites and blacks.
By Mr. Funk—For disposition of
road taxes paid in incorporated towns;
two-fifths thereof to be devoted to
bridges and roads outside the town lim
its; remainder to be expended in mu
nicipal coniines.
By Mr. Gannaway—Constitutional
amendment to exempt from taxation for
seven years capital invested in cotton
or woolen mills.
By Mr. Green—Providing that wheat
shall be bought, sold, tolled and ex
changed by weight instead of by meas
ure. and making it unlawful for any
miller, merchant or corporation to use
what is commonly known as the bravs
tester.
By Mr. Hill—For a constitutional
amendment, constituting the governor,
seoretary of state and auditor of state
a board of pardons.
By Mr. Holland—Defining who are
fellow-servants.
By Mr. Jacobs—To compel candidates
for public, oflice to file statement of ex
penses of campaign.
By Mr. Keith—Fixing pay of men
bers of general assembly at $500 per
each term of two years.
By Mr. Matheny—For an asylum for
inebriates.
By Mr. Merriman—A fellow-servant
bill.
By Mr. Myers—To regulate and equal
ize the assessment of real and personal
property; requiring publication of as
sessment lists
By Mr. Moore of Newton—To abolish
separate chancery courts.
By Mr. Cook of Chicot—To amend
section 3415 of the digest, in reference
to shipment of game and fish; except
ing Buffalo and cat fish.
By Mr. McGuigan—To protect deer,
•until, turkey and other wild game.
Makes it unlawful to snoot or kill
deer, etc., until January, 1007. Bead
first time. i
By Mr. Tarver—To provide for the
adoption and use of one series of text
books to be used in the public schools.
By Mr. 't hompson—To supplement
the act of 1807, providing for the work
ing of roads and highways: road over
seers not to work less than ten hands
nor more than fifteen at a time.
By Mr. Braden Declaring all county
scats on railroads to be a regular sta
tion and requiring passenger trains to
stop at such.
By Mr. Whitley—To prohibit the sale
of tisli and game within and the ship
ment of the same without the state.
Besides the above a number of local I
bills were introduced.
SATURDAY, JANUARY' IT.
Home.
A petition was presented by Mr. Funk
asking for a law compelling children be
tween tlie. ages of 6 and 1G to attend
school at legist six months in a year.
Bills introduced as folows:
By Mr. Beville—To provide for print
ing the unpublished Branner geologi
cal reports.
By Mr. Chappell—To regulate con
ferring of degrees by literary institu
t ions.
By Mr. Chnpline—Creating the office
of traveling state auditor, whose duty
shall be tin1 auditing of books of coun
ty collectors and sheriffs.
By Mr. Fuller.—To permit cities of
tlie first and second class to issue bond .
By Mr. Hooker.—Amending road law,
permitting payment of road tax by per
forming labor thereon at the rate of
SI per day.
By Mr. Stockard.—Fixing Confederate
tax levy at 1 1-2 mill.
Mr. Holland—Making tlie first Mon
day in September of each year a legil
holiday, to be known as labor day.
Mr. Burke.—To provide for tlie proper
ventilation of coal mines and defining
duties of state mine inspector.
Mr. Parks.—Amendatory of sections
6455 to 6157 and 6t62 to 6467, of the
digest, making it the duty of every
sleeping car company, transportation
company, express company, telegraph
or telephone company doing business
in this state to tile every two years
with the railroad commission a copy
of its charter, the statement of its cap
ital stock and tlie total number of miles
of railroad in the state over which they
do business.
Mr. Daniel.—To punish minors for
obtaining intoxicating liquors by mis
representation as to age.
Mr. Merriman.—Regulating time in
which appeals may be taken from pro
bate to circuit courts.
Mr. Chrisp.—Amending section 4851
of tlie digest so that thirty days' de
tailed notice shall be given of appli
cation for liquor license.
Mr. Mvers.—To protect railways an-l
the public against trespassers.
Mr. Campbell of Randolph.—To in
crease tlie efficiency of tlie public
schools in the matter of licensing
teachers.
Mr. Funk.—To secure to tlie Tnited
Slates a uniform, classified assessment
of live stock and prescribing method
to be adopted by assessors.
Mr. Harris.—For a constitutional
amendment enabling each county to
elect a prosecuting attorney.
A number of lulls were read second
time and referred.
At 12 o clock tlie house adjourned to
Monday.
Legislative Notes.
Senator Sengel was chairman of tlie
Senate caucus.
It is the general < opinion that the
session will last 120 days.
A large number of former members
were present at the opening session.
The general assembly will ballot for
Fnited States senator on the second
Tuesday after the organization, which
will probably be on January 27. The
names of Senator James K. Jones and
ex-Gov. James P. Clarke will be pre
sented.
Senator Jones has not opened head
quarters. Gov. Clarke lias a majority
of ton on joint ballot.
Only one name was presented for
Chief Clerk, that of A. S. Hays, and he
was unanimously elected.
Among tlie matters of most import
ance to be considered is tlie following:
Senator Collins' dispensary bill; Sen
ator D. L. King's antitrust bill, which
was before tlie last legislature; the
completion of the state Capitol build
ing; state penitentiary affairs, includ
ing the confirmation of purchase of
the state farm and the election of the
superintendent by the people; an annex
for the ptate insane asylum, a separate
institution; reform school for young
criminals; state normal to be loented
in f.ittle Rook: an additional appropria
tion for the representation of tlie state
at the St. Houis World's Fair, probably
$100,000; new buildings at tlie deaf-mute
institute and the state university; ad
ditional powers for the railroad com
mission. also its abolition; placing tin
members upon a salary instead of per
diem, as provided by the constitutional
amendment indorsed by tlie lost state
election; constitutional amendments —
increase of tlie state school tax from
2 to 4 mills; three-fourths of a Jury to
return verdict in civil cases, and author
ity for cities to issue bonds for im
provement purposes: fellow -servant
bill; county school superintendency; uni
formity of text-books with reference to
fixing the prices; segregation of the
school tax according to the races; con
solidation of state and federal elections;
consolidation of school districts; meth
od of appointment of tiie state board
of charitable institutions and the
board of trustees of tlie state univer
sity: state pardon board; increase of
salary of state officers.
I
BY WAY OF VARIETY.
Germany's tallest soldier is a non
commissioned officer six feet eight
inches in height.
A chain of banks to be conducted bv
a central institution is to be organized
in San Francisco as soon as the details
can be completed.
Canada's trade increased in the fis
cal year to .Tune 30,1902, $33,188,058,
having been in the aggregate $414,
431,831, according to the department
of trade and commerce.
Many German railways stations have
tunnels by means of which the dif
ferent tracks are safely reached. It
is now proposed to have such tunnels
at important street crossings in l!er
lin.
A novel scheme has recently • been
evolved by which a train will not only
be lighted by electricity,but the power
will be obtained by a rotary fan at
tached to the front end of the loco
motive. Tests have shown that on an
ordinary train five cars can be illumi
nated in a night and that the battery
in the rooming will have nearly it's
maximum charge of electricity.
Two Men Arrested for the Mur
der of Miss Florence
Shillcutt.
EYENTS OF A WEEK BRIEFLY CHRONICLED
_ ♦
The Biennial Report of Slut© Treasurer
Tipton.—Secretary of State's Report.—
Big I.umber Company Incorporated.—
Fire Loss at Newport.
Cliargod With Foal Murder.
James F. McLemore, aged 47, and
Wm. Sullivan, aged 33. are under arrest
at Little Rock on the charge of mur
dering Miss Florence Shilleutt neat
tlie above place October 29, 1902. The
murder of Miss Shilleutt, who was a
beautiful 17-year-old girl, was one of
the most brutal ever committed in.
this state. On the day the murder
was committed the young lady visited
the home of a relative a short dis
tance from her own home. While on
her return she was met by the. mur
derer of murderers at a secluded spot.
There was evidence of a desperate
struggle, the poor girl breaking away
several times, but was pursued and
overtaken. Her clothing was torn
into shreds. Her body showed num
erous knife wounds in the region of
the heart, and her death was the re
sult of the weapon, which was evi
dently a small one, being thrust into
her throat. The body was then drag
ged to a clump of bushes near the
road. Several hours later McLemore
and Sullivan, who are brothers-in-law,
discovered the body and spread the
alarm. Sullivan, who is held as ac
cessory after the fact, is a cousin of
the dead girl. McLemore was a mem
ber of the coroner’s jury that inves
tigated the case and a member of a
posse who searched for the murderer.
Several suspects were arrested, and
for over two months officers have been
at -work on the race 'Ufa--* - j
gtrt was a member of one of the old
est and most highly respected fami
lies in the county. An examination
revealed that the crime was murder
only, and the officers were at a loss
for a motive for the deed. Roth the
accused deny their guilt, but enough
circumstantial evidence has been pre
sented to the grand jury to warrant
that body in finding indictments.
Secretary of State’* Iteport.
The biennial report of Secretary of
State Crockett shows the following re
ceipts of the office from books and
fees:
First quarter, 1901.$ 7,348.33
Second quarter . 4,466.70
Third quarter. 3,708.32
Fourth quarter . 3,729.32
Total .$19,252.82
First quarter, 1902 .$ 5,362.35
Second quarter . 5,230.50
Third quarter . 4,890.79
Fourth quarter . 8,445.75
Total .$23,929.39
Grand total .$43,182.21
Increase over previous ad
ministration .$36,385.63
I’vslniMlcri Appointed.
The following fourth-class postmas
ters have been appointed: Middle-.^
brook. Randolph county, William M.
Hogan, vice George M. Thomas, re
signed; Montrose, Ashley county.
Mollie H. Curtis, vice George H.
Schweer, removed; Patsle, Logan
county, John W. Smith, vice Patsie
Cowley, resigned; Riddle. Sevier coun
ty, William D. Enoch, vice D. M.
Cochran, resigned; Supply, Randolph
county, John R. Loftus, vice Daniel
C. Fowler, resigned; Tino, Cleburne
county. John A. Prichard, vice Wil
liam J. Galloway, removed; Onyx,
Yell county, Guilford M. Reynolds,
vice Grant Hardin, resigned; Tilton,
Cross county, Asa J. Avery, vice Mar
tin S. Avery, resigned.
lu Favor of Hrmnlenine Department.
Commissioner of Agriculture Brad
ford will ask the legislature to author
ize him to issue monthly bulletins to
the farmers and to hold farmers’ in
stitutes throughout the state. He de
sires to broaden the scope of useful
ness of the office. He says: “The peo
ple In the states where most work is
done by and through the agricultural
department are benefited very largely
by it, and would feel that it would be
a calamity to the state to have any
thing done that would in any way in
terfere with or hinder its work.
Cotton Grower* Loss.
Catp. J. M. Hudson, the planter
statistician of Jefferson county, esti
mates that the loss to the farmers of
that county by reason of the unfavor
able weather w'hich has prevented
them from gathering their cotton crop
is $150,000.
A hard fight between pyohis and
antis in Perry county was won by the
formei.