VOL. I.
McCRORY, ARKANSAS, THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1902.
NO. 49.
NEWS OF THE WORLD,
Great Britain's present force in
South Africa is 300,000 men.
About 300 clerks were dismissed
from the census bureau March 1.
J. P. Morgan lias given $2,000,000
to the University of the South at
Sewanee, Tenn.
Fire destroyed the Palmer stove
factory at Poplar Bluff, Mo., entail
ing a loss of $300,000.
An oil well was recently bought in
at Decatur, 111., which produces
3,000 barrels per day.
An explosion of gas in a coal
mine near Monongehala, Pa., result
ed in the death of five men.
The department of agriculture re
ports unfavorable conditions as to
the wheat crop in many sections.
A number of strikers said to have
taken part in the recent riots in
Spain have been shot after trial by
court martial.
Miss Alice Roosevelt, daughter of
the president, will not attend the
coronation of King Edward, as first
contemplated.
The fight for the removal of Pen
sion Commissioner Clay Evans has
been renewed by the Kansas con
gressional delegation.
F. W. Cattle, cashier of the State
Bank at Elhart, 111., suicided by
shooting himself through the head.
He was short $32,000.
The Illinois law imposing a fine
of from $10 to $1,000 for dealing
in futures has been upheld by the
United States supreme court.
The senate passed a bill appro
priating $25,000 for the establish
ment of a fish culture station at
Mammoth Spring, this state.
The Turkish government, in re
ply to demands of the United States
denies all responsibility and liabili-.
ty in the kidnaping of Miss Stone.
The next national populist con
vention will be held at Memphis, it
having been decided to transfer the
convention from Louisville to the
latter place.
While two citizens were watching
them, burglars looted the First Na
tional bank at Montgomery, Ind.,
and escaped with $3,500 in money
and bonds.
It is the opinion in diplomatic cir
cles at Washington that the outcome
of the Anglo-Japanese agreement
will be the abandonment of Manchu
ria by Kussia.
The fines imposed on soldiers for
breach of discipline during the Span
ish-American war, amounting to
$100,000, is to be distributed among
the national guards.
Members of the National Whole
sale Lumbermen’s Association de
clare the high price of lumber is due
to scarcity of the product, and not
to any combination of agreement.
Spot cotton jumped to 9 cents
per pound on the New York exchange
on the 5th. The advance in cotton
is due to actual shortage of the crop,
which has now passed out of the
hands of the producer to the middle
men, or speculators.
The river and harbor bill before
congress carries the following
amounts for Arkansas: Arkansas
river, general improvement and re
moving obstructions and operating
snag boats, $110,000; Ouachita and
Black rivers, $114,000, continuing
contract of $353,954 upper White,
$70,000; White, Cache, Black and
Current rivers, Arkansas and Mis
souri, $52,000.
The Kansas cities and towns
which tolerated Carrie Nation and
her raiders will be obliged to pay for
the saloons which . were wrecked
The supreme court of Kansas, in a
recent decision, declared that joints,
operated in violation of the prihibi
tory law, were, nevertheless, the
property of the owner, and entitled
to police protection just as much as
the property of the merchant.
Ex-Gov. Hogg, now in England
on a visit, refused to be presented to
King Edward at a levee, because he
would have been compelled to wear
knee breeches, sword, etc., the regu
S». lation court dress.
The government of Colombia has
announced that the Panama Canal
Company will not be allowed to
transfer its concessions to another
nation without the assent of Colom
bia.
The population of Ireland, by last
year’s census, was 60,18?, as against
65,563 in 1891 and 72,852 in 1881,
showing a steady decline. The cen
sus shows 31,065 males and 29,122
females. The families numbered
12,377, with an average of 4.7 per
sons to a family. They occupied 12,
692 houses, being an average of 4.8
persons to a house.
Bepresentatives of the Boers had
an interview with President Roose
velt last week and requested that
some action be taken by this gov
ernment to prevent the shipment of
supplies to South Africa for the
British army. President Roosevelt
pointed out to the committee that
the attitude of the United States
in connection with the South Afri
can war had been strictly neutral
and that the government had done
nothing to prevent shipments of
commodities to the Boer forces as
well as the British.
Chas. B. Bouss, the blind million
aire merchant of New York City, is
dead. Mr. Rouss was 66 years old.
He served in the Confederate army,
and erected at his own expense a
monument to the dead Confederate
soldiers buried in a New York cem
etery, founded the physical laborato
ry at the University of Virginia and
gave $100,000 for the Confederate
Battle Abbey to be located at Rich
mond, Va. Some years ago he be
came blind. He offered $1,000,000
to anyone who could restore his
sight, but the reward was never suc
cessfully claimed.
It is announced that there has
been organized in New York City
an association to promote southern
education to be known as the gen
eral education board, and that more
than a million dollars has been
placed at the disposal of the board
of trustees. The underlying princi
ple of the association is stated to be
recognition of the fact that the peo
ple of the southern states are ear
nestly engaged in the promotion of
public education and that in this ef
for they should receive generous aid :
and to this end and in pursuance of
this and kindred objects, the asso
ciation will seek gifts large and
small from those in sympathy with
its plans.
The monthly statement of the
government receipts and expendi
tures shows that for the month of
February the total receipts were
$41,159,739 and the expenditures
$39,099,200, leaving a surplus for
the month of $2,060,449. The re
ceipts from the several sources of
revenue are given as follows: Cus
toms, $20,213,929, an increase as
compared with February, 1901, of
$1,500,000; internal revenue, $18,
55,790, decrease $3,500,000; mis
cellaneous. $2,490,000, decrease $2,
500,000. The expenditures on ac
count of the war department were
$8,578,516; decrease, $2,400,000.
On account of navy, $5,709,079; in
crease. $1,350,000. The total ex
penditures show an increase of $65,
000.
A Galveston, Harrisburg and San
Antonio passenger train was wreck
ed two miles from Maxon, Tex., on
the 7th, in which fourteen passen
gers were killed and a large num
ber injured. The engine jumped
the track and three coaches were
piled in a heap about twenty feet
from the roadbed. The accident
was made more horrible by the
wreckage catching fire, and several
unfortunate victims who were pin
ioned down by timbers, and who
were not killed outright, were burn
ed alive. The names of the dead
are as follows: Three children of
Mart Riddle, of Chetopa, Kan.:
Estavon Contraras, Del Rio, Texas;
Andrew C. Shelly, wife and child,
Loirer, Texas; O. E. Housens, child,
Racine, Wis.; Mr. and Mrs. White,
Manitowoc, Wis.; Engineer A1 Mast,
El Paso; Fireman H. Bertscholst;
El Paso; L. A. Boone, news agent,
Boyline, La.; Chris Keel, contractor,
San Antonio; W. W. Price, engi
neer, San Antonio.
At last Miss, Stone has been re
leased by her captors, the alleged
Bulgarian brigands.
An English syndicate is said to
have a representative in this country
securing options on stockyard prop
erty.
Brakcman Gus Boot was killed in
a head-end collusion on the Frisco
near Pleasanton, Kas., due to an op
erator giving the wrong order.
Detailed reports of a battle be
tween Boers and British November
34th show that Delarney, the Boer
commander, laid his plans with care
and precise knowledge of the posi
tion. For two hours the British
held out. They then divided and
were overwhelmed. A few minutes
of cautious fighting and all was
over. The Boers galloped along the
line, firing at every man who show
ed the slightest tendency to resist,
until they reached and captured the
guns. Besides the killed, 4G7 Brit
ish were taken prisoners.
Capt. Enoch P. King, who pilot
ed the steamer Lee in the famous
race with the Natchez on the Missis
sippi in the early ’70s, died at his
home in St. Louis last week. Capt.
King served on the river until ten
years ago, when he was forced to
retire on account of a weakness of
his eyes. He, while running the riv
er, was one of the best informed pi
lots in service and knew every snag,
crook and sand bar from St. Louis
to New Orleans. He was fond of
telling of his piloting the Lee in
the notable race and of his aeqaint
anceship with Samuel L. Clemens.
Both these men started about the
same time to learn the river and af
terward often served on the same
boat.
The Spanish treaty claims com
mission has handed down a decision
against the claimants for deaths and
injuries received by officers and sea
men in the wreck of the battleship
Maine in Havana harbor. The
commission holds that “individual
claims of citizens of one nation may
arise against the government of an
other nation for redress of injury to
persons or property, which such citi
, zens may have sustained from such
government or any of its agents.
But such individual claims do not
; arise in favor of the officers and
seamen of a ship of war, who re
ceive, in the line of duty, injuries
to their persons for which a foreign
government is responsible. The
claims so far filed with the commis
sion which would be affected by this
decision amount to about $2,500,
000, which probably would be in
creased to $5,000,000 had the decis
ion been favorable to the claimants.
Dun’s monthly review of business
says: Although the shortest month
of the year was further curtailed by
two holidays and handicapped by the
j most severe storms of the winter,
industrial and trade results were
most satisfactory. The closing week
brought a general resumption of ac
tivity in lines that suffered from the
weather, and preparation for an ex
ceptionally heavy spring business
was reported at many points, south
ern cities alone being backward. In
sufficient motive power and bad
weather combined to restrict the
movement of coke from Connells
ville, and pig iron production suffers
at a time when a maximum output
would not be excessive. This diffi
culty extends all along the line.
Pressure for structural material is
already severe, and will probably be
still more so as the regular building
season draws nearer. Further har
dening of quotations is reported,
and inquiries for delivery in 1903
are not exceptional. More foreign
| steel has been engaged and domestic
concerns are still bidding in the
German market. Footwear buyers
are leaving New England without do
ing much more than a fair sample
business, outside special lines. Mak
ers of cotton goods are very cautious
about undertaking future deliveries
owing to the uncertainty as to labor
and raw matdgial. Export orders
are still available, but at prices
slightly below, the views of holders.
As a rule, woolen goods are well
maintained and in brisk demand, but
new lines of heavy weights are not
sought. >'
NEWS OF ARKANSAS.
Old Claims to be Paid.
The senate has passed, without op.
position, a bill for the payment of
a large number of claims for stores
and supplies reported by the court
of claims under what is generally
known as the Bowman act. Many
persons in the south and southwest
are beneficiaries under the bill,
which will undoubtedly pass the
house and become a law. The claims
are largely for quarter-master’s
stores taken by federal troops during
the war and the uses of churches
and other buildings as hospitals and
army headquarters. The allowances
for Arkansas are as follows: Samuel
F. Davidson, of Phillips county,
$1,579; John B. Henderson, admin
istrator of Michael C. Henderson,
deceased, Benton county, $677;
Louis Bondlin, administrator of
Charles Hogan, deceased, of Craw
ford county, $1,270; Richard T.
Holleman, Ouachita county, $510;
W. D. Rogers, administrator of
Eliza Miller, deaceased, of Drew
county, $1,280; Martha A. Payne,
administratrix of Samuel H. Payne,
deceased, of Sebastian county, $755;
Felix 0. Smith, administrator of
Sarah J. Smith, deceased, of Jeffer
son county, $580; S. S. Faulkner,
administrator of John R. Williams,
deceased, of Phillips county, $1,845;
James K. McCurdy, administrator
of Samuel McCurdy, deceased, of
Crawford county, $229; Elizabeth
J. Hampton, of Pulaski county,
$480; Marion A. Horn, administra
trix of John A. Horn, deceased,
$145; Ernest Neill, administrator
of Joseph H. Egner, deceased, $1,
632; A. P. Rutherford, administra
tor of William Kountz, deceased,
$885; Louis T. Penn, administra
tor of William Kountz, deceased,
$1,873; Elias R. Core, $693; F. M.
Holthoff, sole heir of Frank Holt
hoff, deceased, $325.
Republican Executive Committee.
The republican state executive
committee met at Little Rock on the
6th inst., and made recommenda
tions for the appointment of the fol
lowing parties to the otTicers named:
United States marshal of the eastern
district, Col. A. S. Fowler, to suc
ceed Hon. Henry M. Cooper; col
lector of internal revenue, Capt. F.
W. Tucker, of Clover Bend, to suc
ceed Hon. H. L. Remmel ; John E.
Bush, to be receiver of the land of
fice at Little Rock. The following
recommendations for postmaster
ships were also made: At Fayette
ville, B. F. Campbell; Rogers, W. R.
Cady; Bentonville, E. 0. Leforce.
Resolutions were adopted condemn
ing the course of the faction known
as insurgents, who preferred charges
at Washington against a number of
officeholders, and who, it is said, are
responsible for the coming retire
ment from office of one or two lead
ing members of the party. The
strength of the insurgents in com
mittee was not strong enough to mar
the plan mapped out by the regu
lars, but the former threaten to
carry the fight into the rank and
file of the party in a general cam
paign. Col. Foreman, of Texarkana,
resigned from the committee, and is
succeeded by J. W. Harriss. It is
the general belief that President
Roosevelt will recognize the commit
tee by appointing those recommend
ed to fill federal offices in this state.
Business Done by Insurance Companies.
A statement has been prepared at
the auditor's office showing the finan
cial condition of the fire insurance
companies doing business over this
state, also showing the volume of
business transacted by them in the
state during the year 1001. The
premiums collected were $1,258,878,
and the total losses were $717,838,
a loss ratio to premiums of 57.3 per
cent. The ratio of losses to pre
miums, was 73 per cent in 1900.
There were fifty-eight companies
named in 1900, and they received
$139,171 less in premiums than did
the fifty-three companies in 1901,
but paid $130,479 more in losses.
Wife Murderer Hanged.
Kit Helton was hanged at Van
Buren on the 7th. The crime for
which lie paid the penalty with his
life was the assassination of his
wife on September 28th last.' Hel
ton's wife had him arrested on a
charge of bigamy and he was held
by .lustice O’Kelly under bond 1o
answer to the grand jury. On the
morning of September 28th Helton
appeared at O’Kelly’s home and af
ter paying him fifty cents that was
due, suddenly and without warning
pulled a pistol and shot O’Kelly in
the abdomen. O’Kelly recovered
from the wound. After shooting
O’Kelly Helton went to his home
and, calling his wife to the gate,
shot her through the heart, killing
her instantly. He then left, express
ing a determination to hunt up and
kill Brush Stewart, his stepson.
Late that evening Helton was dis
covered by some farmers who were
looking for him; after a pitched
battle in which Helton was wound
ed, and his pistol becoming broken,
he surrendered. Helton expressed
no regret at any time for his crime,
and met his fate cooly. He was
about 50 years of age.
Prominent Man Arrested.
A sensation was created at Casa
one day recently, when a deputy
United States marshal appeared and
placed under arrest J. A. Alexander,
one of the most highly re
spected citizens of the community.
It is alleged that Alexander’s real
name is Huddleston, and that in
1890 he was convicted at Paris,
Tex., of passing counterfeit money,
but escaped before sentence was pass
ed upon him, forfeiting his bond of
$5,000. Alexander, or Huddleston,
so his friends claim, purchased a
bill of goods, and among the money
tendered in payment were a few
counterfeit silver dollars. Judge
Trieber, at Little Rock, before whom
he was taken for an order of remov
al, gave him a personal letter to
the federal judge at Paris recom
mending that the court exercise
clemency and suspend sentence. He
has led an exemplary life since com
ing to Arkansas, and his neighbors
are positive he is a victim of cir
cumstances.
Close of Celebrated Case.
The death of V. A. Potts at Esau,
Perry county, closes a remarkable
criminal case that has been in the
courts several years. Potts'" death
was due to the kick of a horse. In
1808 Totts, who was employed as a
guard at a convict camp in Pulaski
county, shot and killed Warden Giles
Hudson. The trouble arose over the
killing of a convict by another
guard, P. Fulgum, who was exon
erated on the ground of self-defense.
Potts was indicted October 3, 1808,
for murder in the first degree and
his bond fixed at $5,000, a change of
venue taken to Perry county, where
he was convicted and sentenced to
serve five years in the penitentiary.
A new trial was granted by the su
premo court after he had served a
portion of his sentence, and he was
released. But the new trial never
took place.
In Good Condition.
Estimates filed with Engineer
Pharr, of the St. Francis levee
board, show that $17,000 worth of
work was done in February on the
line from Scanlan to Cat Island.
The contract was to have been com
pleted by March 1, but bad weather
prevented this. About a mile of
work is yet to be done. The gap at
Pecan Point has just been complet
ed, and the repair and wing work are
practically complete. As a whole,
the St. Francis line in this state is
considered in good condition to with
stand any flood which may reason
ably be expected from the Ohio riv
er.
Change in Superintendents.
J. G. Hartigan has succeeded W.
J. McKee as superintendent of the
Arkansas division of the Iron Moun
tain and Southern railway. Mr.
Ilartigan comes to' the Gould system
from the Gulf, Colorado and Santa
Fe, having been division superin
tendent of that road at Cleburne,
Tex,, for the past eight months.
Fatal Row Near Forrest City.
William and John Gossett, broth
ers, were killed in a difficulty with
Wm. Walker at Goodwin, near For
rest City. It is said the Gossetts
went into a store where Walker was
and started a fuss. They were told
to leave, and did so, but later re
turned and ordered some molasses.
While Walker was filling the order
one of the Gossetts attempted to
draw his pistol. Walker, seeing
this, drew his pistol and emptied
every barrel into his body and then
picked up Gossett’s pistol and shot
the other Gossett.
Non-Expert Testimony No Good.
In the case of John Jarvis X3.
State, the supreme court held that
the opinion of a non-expert witness
as to the sanity or insanity of a de
fendant is not admissible as evi
dence, unless accompanied by a state
ment of the facts inducing it. Jar
vis was tried in the Washington cir
cuit court for murder in the first de
gree. He pleaded insanity, but on
trial was convicted and sentenced to
hang. The opinion of the court re
verses the verdict and a new trial hat
been ordered.
Drouth Sufferers Still in Need.
Notwithstanding contributions of
money and food already donated the
drouth sufferers of the northwestern
counties are still greatly in need.
The citizens of the afflicted territory
are among the most industrious in
the state, and their present distress
is not due to any fault of their own.
In each county affected committees
composed of thoroughly responsible
parties will distribute any funds or
provisions sent them, seeing to it
that none but those actually worthy
and in need receive assistance.
Accidentally Killed with Toy Gun.
Bessie, the 11-year-old daughter of
Wm. E. Farrell, was accidentally
shot and killed at Little Bock by
Rusfisell May, a ten-vear-old
playmate. The children were
examining a toy rifle the
May boy had just been presented
with, and in some manner the weap
on was discharged, the ball entering
the little girl's temple.
BRIEF MENTION.
A man named Odell was caught
between the cars on a logging road
in Jefferson county and instantly
killed.
The nomination of S. F. Stahl
as marshal of the western district
of Arkansas has been confirmed by
the senate.
The receipts of the state treasury
since December 31, 1901, have been
$134,031.95, of which $133,038.60
was in currency and $1,983.35 in
scrip.
A party of Nebraska capitalists
who recently visited this state, upon
returning home sent a check for
$111.55 to Gov. Davis for the
drouth sufferers.
Billy Rice, the veteran minstrel,
died at Hot Springs last week of
dropsy. Though at one time Rice
was quite wealthy, he died in indi
gent circumstances.
J. M. Bates, who mysteriously dis
appeared several months ago from
Hatfield, Polk county, is reported to
be in Washington, D. C., looking
after some legal matters.
“Umbrella” Bill McGuigan, the
famous owner of Lady Inez and oth
er celebrated race horses, is one of
the democratic nominees for the leg
islature from Garland county.
Gen. Powell Clayton is reported to
be ill from rheumatism, and has been
compelled to leave his duties in the
City of Mexico and is seeking relief
in the mountains of the Aztecs.
Engineer A. Hannerkan was
found dead, his head hanging out of
his cab window, at a small station
near Coal Hill. It is thought he
was killed by being struck in the
head by an overhead trestles.
A young man named H. S. Foster
is thought to have been drowned in
the Saline river near Warren. He
was employed by a lumber company
in looking after floating timber, us
ing a naptha launch, which was
found floating in the river.