VOL. VII.
McCRORY, ARKANSAS, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1908.
NO. 29.
NEWS OF
ARKANSAS
s,y.s Acreage Is 20 Per Cent Less.
That the next crop of cotton in this
country will show a decrease of 20
r cent compared with the last crop,
was the belief expressed by R. H.
McCulloch of Beebe, secretary of the
national organization of the Farmers'
Union and chairman of the executive
committee of the Arkansas Farmers’
Union.
Mr. McCulloch, in stating his
grounds for believing the crop will be
20 per cent lighter, said he believes 3
per cent of the crop has already been
ruined by heavy rains which have pre
vailed throughout the cotton belt, and
that the acreage this year will be 17
per cent less than last. The original
acreage, he believes, was 7 per cent,
under the 1907 crop, and that the
other 10 per cent is now being plowed
up, according to the directions of the
national officials of the Farmers’
Union, who requested the members of
the union to plow up 10 per cent of
their cotton acreage in order to de
crease the product and thus increase
the price to 15 cents per pound, if pos
sible.
“I understand,” stated Mr. Mc
Culloch, “that certain persons have
estimated that the next cotton crop
would be greater than the last, and
that they base their opinion on the
fact that more fertilizer is being sold
than has been sold heretofore. They
are wrong on basing any opinion on
that fact, because fertilizer is now
being used for land growing other
products than cotton. Farmers have
learned that it is valuable on ground
planted in corn and other products.
This accounts for the fact that more
fertilizer is being sold.”
Increase of River Traffic.
That towboat and barge traffic in
the Little Red and White riverrs is
developing to a degree not generally
known, is evidenced by the fact that
W. H. Starr and others of Judsonia
are now building two new barges
measuring 24x120 feet, and have al
ready completed two lesser ones for
the Blodgett Construction Company,
which has the contract for building
the bridge for the new Missouri and
North Arkansas Railroad across
White river at Negro Hill.
The Red River Land, Timber and
Transportation Company has been
told to the Newport Packet Company,
owned and controled by Frank P. Fee,
of Little Rock. The packet company
is plying boats on all of the rivers in
Northeastern Arkansas and is de
veloping a large trade in lumber.
Capt. F. I. Inman, a riverman well
known all over the state, is connected
with it. *
Misses Fined for Traspass.
Misses Tillie and Daisy Davis and
Edith Cook, prominent young society
girls of Corning, were fined by Mayor
Sitton on charges of trespass filed
against them by George Hensly. The
fine was the lowest allowed by law.
A peach tree which grows in the yard
of the .Misses Davis is the cause of
the trouble. The tree grows near the
fence between the Davis and the
Hensly yards and the limbs of the
tree overhanging Hensly’s yard. In
gathering the peaches the girls cros
sed the fence and the charge of tress
pass followed.
Pry Dog's Jaws Apart to Release
Girl’s Arm.
While lifting a large bull dog over
the fence at her home at Mammoth
Spring, Miss Dollie Murphy, the
daughter of William Murphy, was at
tacked by the animal, which sank its
teeth in her arm. The dog retained
its grip and not until neighbors came
and pried his jaws apart with an iron
i>ar was Miss Murphy released.
It will not be necessary to amputate
her arm on account of the wounds,
hut weeks will be required for them
to heal.
Hot Springs’ Airship.
Hot Springs, May 23—The Hot
Prings Airship Company, incorpo
rated, expects to complete an airship
tthich it now has under construction,
and make a trial flight next week.
°se who are interested in the enter
Ptise, many of them leading business
men of the city, are confident that the
n'ention will prove a success.
Pather and Son Are Drowned Near
Lamar.
A farmer by the name of Lee and
is son, 12 years old, who live across
e Arkansas river from Piney, a
mall town five miles below Lamar,
?re Unowned Thursday afternoon
1 e attempting to cross the Arkan
.. 8 r'Ver in a skiff. The reports of
. 6 accident are meager, but K ap
ars 'h®! Mr. Lee and his son were
^mpting to cross the river to reach
n<> and that their sklfT capsized In
8 current of the river
Train Wneoked By Cloudburst.
A cloudburst at Curtis, on the main
line of the Iron Mountain, about six
miles above Gurdon. caused the derail
ment of an engine aud nine cars of
extra northbound freight No. 74 Tues
day morning at 4:05 o’clock, injuring
Engineer S. E. Kearney and Fireman
F. Templeton, both of Little Rock. Al
though the engine turned over, neith
er of the men was fatally hurt.
At the same time that the terrific
rainfall burst down on the hillsides at
Curtis, the bottom of Caney creek, a
branch of Terre Noir creek, which
runs into the Ouachita, filled up al
most instantly and washed away al
most 1,000 feet of track about a half
mile north of Gurdon.
At Curtis, where the derailment oc
curred, there is no stream to be swol
len by rainfall, but the water literally
fell in heavy sheets, washing down the
slopes and cutting away the ballast
from under the track. The washout
at this point was only about two feet
in depth and ten feet long, but it was
of sufficient extent to throw the en
gine and nine cars into the ditch. En
gineer Kearney was scalded in the
back and bruised about the right leg,
while Fireman Templeton suffered two
broken ribs and bruises on the left
leg.
Arkansan Says Mrs. Gunness Lives.
Mayor Darrow and his law partner,
H. X. Worden, of LaPorte, Ind., who
represent Ray Lampere, charged with
the murder of Mrs. Gunness and three
children, are greatly excited over the
receipt of a letter from a man In Ar
kansas, whose name they decline to
make known, and %vho gives informa
tion which they consider of much im
portance. The writer is known to
Mayor Darrow, having formerly lived
in Marshall county, Indiana, and
therefore credence Is placed in his
statement.
The man positively declares that
Mrs. Gunness escaped in man’s cloth
ing and that he, not later than May
3, five days after she was burned to
death, according to the official state
ment of Coroner Mack, received a
letter from her. He says he will pro
duce this letter and turn over to of
ficers other letters, and will also give
additional information regarding her
if he is personally interviewed by the
officers, either in La Porte or at his
home in Arkansas.
Big Tract in Dispute.
Under the suit of Arthur M. Cox
against Augustin Boice, pending in
the United States Circuit Court, a
cross-bill has been filed by Augustin
Boice. The plaintiff and defendant
both claim title to 1,908.03 acres in
Desha county.
Boice says the land originally went
to Edmund fticGehee from the state of
Arkansas and traces it through nine
teen transfers to himself. Cox claims
title to the land by a deed alleged
to have been made by executors of
the estate of Edmund McGehee to the
Sr. Louis & Memphis Railway Com
pany.
Boice Is a resident of Indianapolis,
Ind.
District M. E. Conference.
Rev. W. W. Christie, presiding elder
of Pine Bluff district, has announced
that he would change the place for
the district conference from Stuttgart
to DeWitt, as the new church at
Stuttgart would not be completed.
The conference is to be held July 2.
All the Methodists at DeWtt are de
lighted to have the conference and a
cordial welcome will be extended to
all who may attend.
Corn Stalks Six Feet Long.
Unusually fine specimens of corn
stalks were presented to the agricul
tural department at the state house
by John H. Page, secretary of the pen
itentiary board and secretary of the
State Central Democratic Committee.
Mr. Page took the stalks from the
faint, which is owned by him and
Justice Hart of the supreme courr.
The farm is located near Swifton in
Jackson county. The stalks measured
six feet and six inches in length.
Former Arkansan to Die.
James Brimmingstall. nowT await
ing execution at Keokuk, Iowa, for
wholesale murder, was once a resident
of Corning and in his confession he
admits the killing of his wife and
child while he lived at Corning. He
claims the bodies were secretely dis
posed of. Brimmingstall served two
years in the Arkansas penitentiary in
1888 and 1889, for asault with intent
to kill, and served one year m 1898
for grand larceny.
Jaws Broken By Horse's Hoofs.
Ed McKee, a prominent merchant of
Jacksonville, was kicked by a horse
and both of his lower and upper jaws
were broken and ten of his teeth
were knocked out.
Arkansas Opticial Society Convention.
The annual convention of the Ar
kansas Opticial Society will be beld
in Little Rock June 16. O. J. Ellis
of Jonesboro is president of the so
ciety, and Charles Mosby of Bstes
vtlle s chairman of the executive com
mittee.
State Capital Notes
Three Swimmers Cross the River.
Athletes, with time hanging heavy
on their hands, are devoting spare
moments while the river is high to
breasting the currents, and Thursday
tha river was swum three times.
C. A. Bigney, who, after Ed Rai
sure had attempted the feat and fail
ed Wednesday afternoon, announced
that he would swim the channel, made
his attempt shortly atfer 2 o’clock
Thursday afternoon, hnd was success
ful. He entered the water near the
power station, at the Iron Mountain
railroad bridge, accompanied by a
skiff, in which was George Dale, a
fisherman. Bigney had no difficulty
until he reached the second pier of
the free bridge, the point where Rai
sure had been drawn under on the
previous day. At this place he was
caught between the stern of the skiff
and a drift and, in order to free him
self, forced to push against the boat
with his hands. He had hold of the
boat but a fraction of a minute and
his action could scarcely be construed
as an attempt to rest.
Bigney landed in an eddy near the
Choctaw bridge, and aside from being
thoroughly spent, showed no ill effects
from his swim. He was in the water
just twelve minutes.
At 5:30 Thursday afternoon, A. T.
Pollard and Ray McWilliams, mem
bers of the Little Rock Athletic Asso
ciation, essayed the swim and made a
successful crossing, unassisted by the
boats that accompanied them. Both
entered the water at the north end of
the Iron Mountain bridge, McWilliams
emerging from the boat house landing
at the foot of Main street, and Pollard
landing at the Rock street bridge.
They were accompanied by the gaso
line launch Willywag and two skifTs.
McWilliams was eight minute smak
lng the crossing and Pollard required
thirteen minutes.
Hundreds of people gathered on the
bridge to watch the swimmers.
Fix Blame for Electrocution.
In police court Wednesday after
noon the Little Rock Railway and
Electric Company and the Little Rock
Telephone and Telegraph Company
were tried for violating the ordinance
relating to the proper insulation of
electric wires, and the manner of
stringing them. The alleged violation
was in connection with the killing of
a negro who was electrocuted at Fif
teenth and Louisiana streets a short
time ago by taking hold of a guy wire
from one of the telephone company’s
poles, which was charged with a cur
rent of electricity. The guy wire was
in contact with an electric light wire
belonging to the Little Rock Railway
and Electric Company and the insula
tion on the light wire had been worn
away. Police Judge Ratterree held
that the telephone company had
placed its guy wire there first and that
the electric light wire, which had been
placed there later, was placed too
close to the guy wire. He fined the
Little Rock Railway and Electric
Company $25 and discharged the tele
phone company.
Companies Enter State.
The Bond Guaranty Company, in
corporated under the laws of Texas,
has filed a copy of its charter and
articles of incorporation and agree
ment with the secretary of state. The
company claims to have $350,000 as
sets and $75,000 liabilities. Ashley
Cockrill is named as its agent in Ar
kansas. Offices will be in Little Rock.
The Empire State Suprety Com
pany, incorporated under the laws of
New York, has filed a copy of its char
ter and articles of agreement with
the secretary of state. The company
claims to have $1,284,466.69 assets
and $601 ,SS3.86 liabilities, and to have
$1,500 invested in Arkansas. Gordon
H. Campbell is named as its agent in
Arkansas.
300 Pardoned in a Year.
In view of many inquiries as to the
number of people pardoned by the
chief executive in a year, data has
been secured from the secretary of
state's office showing the pardoning
power has been exercised in about
300 cases in that time. Acting Gov
ernor X. O. Pindall, since taking the
governor’s office, has pardoned 246
persons. Governor John S. Little
during the short time he was at the
head of the state, pardoned one per
son; Acting Governor John Ike Moore
pardoned 39 and Acting Governor Al
len H. Hamiter, during the few days
he occupied the chair, pardoned 15. In
all 301 persons have been pardoned in
about a year’s' time.
A pardon roster is being compiled
in the office of Governor X. O. Pindall.
Every four or five months a roster is
made up, which is referred to by the
governor when he is petitioned for a
pardon. By glancing at the roster lie
can tell whether he has acted upon
the case before him.
They Keep Coot.
“Electric fans blowing on blocks of
Ice! Come and shiver.”
Such was the announcement of the
meetng of the Sunday Cl»b at the
First Presbyterian Church Sunday af
ternoon at 4 o’clock, and those who
went expecting relief from the heat of
the day were not disappointed, for the
natural temperature was pulled down
to 45 degrees, and the men who at
first took off their coats, put them cfi
aagin in a hurry.
About ten electric fans of the ordi
nary office variety were placed around
the room and in front of each fan was
a pyramid of ice in a tub, and the
artificial frigidity w'as wafted to the
audience by force of the electric pro
nellers. Something like 7C0 pounds of
ice was used, and it is tt e intention
to adopt, a similar cooling scheme in
the church proper.
Says Drug Habit Increa&es Here.
Declaring that the drug habit i*
rapidly increasing in this city and
determined if possible to check it by
prosecuting druggists violating the
law relating to the sale of poisonous
drugs, \V. B. Brooks, city attorney,
together with Frank B. Pittard, depu
ty prosecuting attorney, have open
ed a fight against the use and sale of
morphine, cocaine, opium and other
poisons used by drug fiends. They
began by having four persons arrest
ed Tuesday thought to be users of
some one of the drugs. The charge
booked against the four in vagrancy
They are said by the police to be drug
fiends and the object in arresting
them was rather to gain information
to use in prosecuting the persons who
sell the drugs than to prosecute the
users.
Transcripts Filed.
The transcripts in the following
cases were filed with the supreme
court Thursday:
A. A. Clark against J. W. Moutray
et al., on appeal from the Benton
county chancery court, in which suit
is brought over land for $370.78.
St. Louis Southwestern Railway
Company against Bettie Loomie
Whittlesey et al., on appeal from the
Pulaski county circuit court in which
the plaintiff seeks to have the court
condemn land near Argenta affected
by the construction of the Cotton
Belt extension into Argenta.
State against William Josey, on ap
peal from the Hempstead county cir
cuit court, in which the defendant is
charged with violating liquor laws.
Man Drowned Probably Little Rock
Boy.
Frank Timms, who was drowned in
the Mississippi river near Osceola, is
the son of Mrs. Allie Timms of 513 1-2
Main street, Little Rock, it is believ
ed. He was an electrician and left
this city not long ago in the employ
of a theatrical company. He has al
ways written to his mother regularly,
oftentimes sending money, but when
he got to Topeka. Kan., it seems that
he was left without work and about
May 2 wrote to Mrs. Timms that she
need not worry in case he should not
write for some time.
To Instruct Guardsmen.
Adjutant General Paul Little Tues
day announced that several regular
army men from Fort Logan H. Roots,
expert riflemen, would assist in the in
struction of members of the Arkansas
National Guard who will engage in
rifle practice at Fort Smith next week.
General Little has suggested the
idea to Major Thompson, in com
mand of the post, and it under
stood that Major Thompson has acqui
esced and will send several of his best
shots to Fort Smith.
Several companies will engage in
the rifle practice there, beginning
Monday.
Mining Company Incorporates.
Articles of incorporation and agree
ment have been filed with the secre
tary of state by the Sebastian Smoke
less Coal Company, which will engage
in the mining, manufacture and sale of
smokeless coal at Hackett. The in
corporators are: T. J. Gay, W. L.
Nunley, E. H. Johnson, P. F. Wither
spoon and B. F. Nunley The com
pany incorporates with a capital stock
of $20,000, of which $12,00h has been
subscribed.
Will Send Out Tax Books.
Printing Clerk Earle Hodges of the
office of State Auditor Avery E. Moore
is preparing to exprescs out next
week personal tax and personal as
sessment books to tbe county officers
of all the counties of the state. The
first set of books has already been re
ceived from the printer and the per
sonal assessment hooks will be re
, ceived in a few days.
Start Movement for Lieutenant
Governor.
Little doubt exists that a concerted
effort will be made at the next session
of the state legislature to alter the
constitution so that Arkansas may
have a lieutenant governor. Several
legislators have already declared
that they would be in favor of such a
change in the constitution, expressing
the belief that Arkansas would be
confronted with no more gubernatorial
dilemmas if the state were provided
with a lieutenant governor.
Friends of Senator H. B. McKenzie
of the Twentieth senatorial district
state that he is already planning to
introduce a movement at the next ses
sion of the senate providing for a
lieutenant governor.
Similar expressions are reported to
have come from other legislators. As
yet, however, none of the legislators
have prepared any definite plan to be
presented before the general assem
bly.
Two Negroes Fight, Each Kills Other,
Sunday morning at about 2 o'clock,
at what is known as the old stockade
or convict farm, one mile east of
England, occurred a shooting affray
in which Virgius Ross and Morris
Mitchell, negroes, were killed.
They were, it is alleged, in the com
pany of two negro women, names un
known, and ali were drinking. The
women got to fighting and Ross and
Mitchell took part, when Mitchell shot
Ross in the left breast with a pistol.
Ross walker away about thirty paces
and sat down by a stump; but feeling
the effects of the wound inflicted by
Mitchell, and seeking revenge, he
loaded his shotgun with buckshot,
went back and shot Ross in the neck,
almost severing the head from the
body, and killing him instantly. Re
turning, he again sat down by the
stump, where he died in about two
hours.
Dr. J. K. Page Dead.
Dr. J. K. Page, pastor of the First
Baptist Church of Little Rock, at the
time the church was built, and later
pastor of the Baptist Church at Ar
kadelphia, died at Abbeville, Ga.. last
Sunday night, where he had gone for
his health. He was a brother-in-law
of Mrs. W. E. Atkinson of Little Rock.
He ie survived by his widow, a son
and a daughter, Miss Julienne Page
He was 57 years of age.
Killed By Falling Timbers.
John Williams was accidently killed
Tuesday on bis rice farm, one mile
south of Lonoke. He was working in
a pit and workmen were passing down
a piece of pipe. In some way the
chain attached to the pipe caught a
heavy piece of timber over the pit,
dragging it in, the timber falling 20
feet and striking Williams in the
back of the head, killing him instantly.
Lightnng Kills Stock.
During a thunder storm which oc
curred at Mount Ida recently, an oak
tree was struck in Sheriff Howell's
yard and the shock killed seven hogs
and a cow huddled at the foot of the
tree. Dr. W. B. Freeman, while stand
ing in the hallway at his home, was
rendered unconscious for half an hour
by an electric shock.
Tk-»e Hurt in Runaway.
An omnibus, containing twenty-five
passengers, was overturned in a run
away at Paragould Monday, dragged
twenty-five yards and dashed into a
tree. Three women passengers and
ly bruised. No one was seriously
a child were amnog those most severe
hurt. Thomas Jackson, formerly a
liveryman of Paragould, was the driv
el.
May Open Mines June 8.
Preparations are now being made at
the coal mines in the Spadra and other
Western Arkansas districts to open
them on or about June 8, according
to the best information.
It was agreed at the meeting in
Kansas City between the miners and
operators to open the mines Monday.
President C. J. Kramer of the Lttle
Rock and Hot Springs Interurban, an
nounced Tuesday night that actua
construction will begin on the lin
within sixty days. The company which
will build the road is now organizing
in Illinois and will furnsh $1,200,000
for financing the enterprise.
Cars will run directly from the Hotel
Marion in Little Rock to the Eastman
at Hot Springs, it was stated. Al
though no application for franchises
in either city has been made, it is
understood that the line will traverse
the business section of Little Rock
Berry Issues Order.
James H. Berry, major general
commanding the Arkansas division,
United Confederate Veterans, has is
sued an order to all veterans of the
state requesting them to attend the
festivities at Fort Smith on the oc
casion of the annual convention of the
Arkansas Travelers, to be held there
June 4, 5 and 6. The order was issued
after President L. H. Moore of the
Travelers’ Association had invited the
veterans to participate in the festivi
ties
A KENTUCKY CASE
That Will Interest All Suffering
Women.
Mrs. Delia Meanes, 328 E. Front
St., Maysville, Ky., says: “Seven yearn
ago I began to notice
sharp pain in the
kidneys and a bear
ing down sensation
through the bips^
dull headache and
dizzy spells. Dropsjr
appeared, and my
feet and ankles
swelled so I could
not get my shoes oo.
I was in misery, and had despaired of
ever getting cured when I decided to
try Doan’s Kidney Pills. One box helped
me so much that I kept on until en
tirely cured.”
Sold by all dealers, 50 cents a box
Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo, N. Y.
Labor-Saving Device.
“Yes, siree,” said the freckled 1*&
proudly, “my dad’s a genius, he is.”
“That so?” responded the weary
coffee-mill agent.
“Wall, I should say so. Dad noticed
that every time the old hound caane
around Sunday mornings he begae
wagging his stumpy tail.”
“Anything unusual in that, sonny?”
"No, not for the hound, mister, but
dad got up the idea of attaching a
shoe brush and a whisk broom to
Rowser’s tail. Now when dad is ready
to go to meetin’ his shoes are shined
and the legs of his trousers are dust
ed without his moving a finger. By
gosh! Dad’s got as much brains as &
furrin diplomat.”
Self-Denial.
Margie Is six years old and her fara
family are Presbyterians. Some of
Margie's little friends are Episco
palians, and Margie was much im
pressed with their Lenten sacrifices.
On Ash Wednesday she announced
that she would eat no candy for 40
days. A few hours later saw Margie
with a large peppermint stick.
“Why, Margie," said her friend, “I
thought you had given up candy for
Lent.”
“I did mean to," admitted Margie;,,
“but I've changed my mind. I’m giv
ing up profane language.”—Montreal
Herald.
Looking for a Similar One.
"Hezekiah,” said the Kansas matron
as she adjusted her bone-rimmed7
glasses and opened the local paper.,
“it says here that a woman was car
ried two miles by a cyclone and didn't
speak a word for three weeks.
The sun-tanned farmer grabbed hist
hat and spy-glass.
"Where are you going now, Here
kiah?”
“Where am I going, Lucy? Why, E
am going out to see if I can't sight one
of them thar kind of cyclones."
How He Got It.
"Had comp'ny fo' dinnah yisti’djr.
Mah husban' stopped at Mr. Green's
store Saturd’y ebenin’ an’ done got a.
fine spring chicken.”
“Yaas?” replied the jealous neigh
bor. “Dat Mistah Green sho’ is de
mos’ keerless, onsuspectin' man!”—
Philadelphia Press.
THE FIRST TASTE
Learned to Drink Coffee When atr
Baby.
If parents realized the fact that cof
fee contains a drug—caffeine—whici*
is especially harmful to children, they'
would doubtless hesitate before givr- -
ing the babies coffee to drink.
“When I was a child in my mother's
arms and first began to nibble things
at the table, mother used to give n»
sips of coffee. As my parents nsei.1T
coffee exclusively at meals 1 xtemar
knew there was anything to drink befc.
coffee and water.
“And so I contracted the coffee habit
early. I remember when quite young,
the continual use of coffee so affecteo.
my parents that they tried roastirsp:,
wheat and barley, then ground it in the*
coffee-mill, as a substitute for coffee.?.
"But it did not taste right and ttfew
went back to coffee again. That v&s
long before Postum was ever heard of
I continued to use coffee until 1 was 2T„
and when I got into office work, I be
gan to have nervous spells. Especiallr
after breakfast I was so nervous E
could scarcely attend to my corre
spondence.
“At night, after having coffee foci
supper, I could hardly sleep, and am;
rising in the morning would feel weate.
and nervous.
“A friend persuaded me to try Post
um. My wife and I did not like ft
at first, but later when boiled good
and strong it was fine. Now vr»
would not give up Postum for ttaa
best coffee we ever tasted.
“I can now get good sleep, am fr^»
from nervousness and headaches:. 3
recommend Postum to all coffee drinfe
ers.
“There's a Reason.”
Name given by Postum Co., Battl*
Creek, Mich. Read “The Road to Wel£
ville,” in pkgs.
Ever read the above letter? A m«
one appears from time to time. They
are genuine, true, and full of huma*
interest.