VOL. VII.
McCRORY, ARKANSAS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1908.
NO. 11.
NEWS OF
ARKANSAS
Tpwns Unite In Law and Order
League.
Representative citizens of Des Arc,
Biscoe and DeVall’s Bluff, met at the
court house in DeVall’s Bluff, Satur
day, to perfect an organization which
will' be known as the Law and Order
League of Prairie County. Its pur
pose is to prevent the illegal sale of
whiskey in the county and to prosecute
blind tigers or any violations of the
law against society. The meeting was
called to order by Rev. J. C. Hooks
as temporary chairman, after which
the following officers were elected: A.
L. Aydelott of Biscoe, president. A. E.
Reinhardt of Des Arc, vice president;
A. M. Blankinship of DeVall's Bluff,
vice president; J. C. Morrow of De
Vall’s Bluff .treasurer, and T. B. Futch.
secretary.
Fruit Growers Complain.
P. A. Rodgers and N. N. Hoover,
northwestern Arkansas fruit growers,
belonging to the Ozark Fruit Growers’
Association, have in preparation a pe
tition to the Interstate Commerce
Commission, asking for a reduction of
freight rates on berries, apples and
peaches, and on refrigerator car
charges. The table prepared, shows
the present rates, which are declared
to be excessive, and the rates asked
for, which are in substance as follows
on berries: Two cents for 100 pounds
for each 25 miles or fraction thereof
over 150 miles and a uniform rate of
12 cents for distances under 150 miles;
the reduction to the minimum carlot
weight to 15,300 pounds and the estab
lishment of refrigeration rates to be
about 00 per cent of the present rate.
$40,000 Fire at Dickinson Mill.
With a loss of between $40,000 and
$45,000, the main building of the plan
ing mill, three miles southeast of Lit
tle Rock, belonging to the Dickinson
Mill Company, was destroyed by fire
Monday night. Had it not been for
the valuable services as firefighters
of about 20 convict “trusties,” hired
by the company from the state, the
whole plant probably would have been
consumed by the flames. The actual
net loss will be about $10,000 or $15,
000 for the building, together with the
machinery and stock contents, was in
sured for $30,000.
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 of
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.
Many Companies Formed.
Secretary of State Ludwig has just
compiled figures which show- that a
total of 935 companies incorporated
under the laws of Arkansas the past
year. Of the entire number only 29
were incorporated before the passage
of the Wingo act. Of the entire num
ber 456 were domestic incorporations
and 479 were foreign corporations,
the foreign companies being in the
majority.
Corporate Limits Extended.
The corporate limits of Springdale
have been extended in all directions
which will add to the population of
the town about 500 or 600 people, and
will enable it, it is thought, to become
a city of the second class, which will
give many advantages in the way of
making improvements. A census will
he taken later.
Pushing Work On New Railway.
The convicts Who have been cutting
a right of way on the Missouri and
North Arkansas Railway at Cotton
Plant for Contractor F. H. Kennedy,
finished the work Saturday and were
returned to Little Rock Monday. The
dump is being rapidly thrown up by
a large army of men.
Mill Hand Killed By Train.
A. young man named Barnes, em
ployed by the Fordyce Lumber Com
Puuy, fell from a logtrain Wednesday
night and was instantly killed. He
Was makiug an extr^i trip when the ac
cident occurred.
Meet Next at Siloam Springs.
At the close of the twenty-eighth
fifinual session of the Arkansas State
Horticultural Society Thursday morn
it was voted to hold the next
meeting at Siloam Springs. The only
®ther cities that asked for the meet
mg are Van Buren and Little Rock.
Officer Strikes Witness.
Because a negro, while in the wit
"e8s chair in Police Court at Hot
brings, Implied that Patrolman Tur
er was a liar, the officer pulled a
gun and dealt the black a stunning
“low across the head.
First Real Test of Blue Laws.
Hot Springs is just entering upon
what is regarded as the most impor
tant season in the history of the re
sort. It is important chiefly because
of the fact that it will be the first
full season under the name “blue
laws.” For this reason it will give the
first ireal test of the new conditions.
The “lid” was on at Hot Springs to
a certain extent last season, but dur
ing the early part of the season it
was not clamped down as tightly as
it will be during the coming few months.
There was racing at Oaklawn Park
during the first four weeks of the sea
son, until the passage of the Amis
anti-betting law brought the meeting
to a premature end. The poolrooms
and gambling houses had been closed
previous to the opening of the season,
but the race meeting undoubtedly
brought many visitors to the city and
furnished an attraction which will be
lacking this season. During the com
ing season, therefore, Hot Springs
will have its first real experience with
the “blue laws.” If the laws are en
forced as rigidly as they have been
for the past six months, and there
is no reason to expect that they will
not be, the resort will have experienc
ed a puritanical season, pure and una
dulated.
Unknown Negro Drowned.
News has been received that a ne
gro was drowned at Reddens Ferry,
six miles above Warren. The negro
drove a buggy off a steep bluff into the
Saline river. The horse was drown
ed and the negro’s dead body was
found on the bank. He either was so
nearly drowned that he died from ex
haustion after he had crawled out cn
the bank, or death resulted from in
juries received in the fall. Dr. J. W.
Thorn hired the negro in Pine Bluff
to bring his buggy to Warren, but does
not know what the negro’s name was,
and he has not been identified yet. It
is thought that' the negro, finding he
could not get across the river on the
ferry boat after night, undertook to
ford it, and in seeking for a fording
place drove off the bluff in the dark
ness. Reddens Ferry seems to be an
unlucky place on the river, for no
less than four people have lost their
lives there.
Daylight Thief Fells a Woman.
.An unknown white man entered the
home of J. W. Bleakley, 1112 West
Second street, Little Rock, about 4
o'clock Tuesday afternoon and stole
a purse containing $180 cash, and a
gold watch, attacking and seriously in
juring Mrs. Bleakley in getting out of
the house just after he had commit
ted the theft. Mrs. Bleakley came
into the hall of the home just as the
thief emerged from the room where
he had stolen the money and watch,
and ordered her to keep still or he
would kill her. Then, without a mo
ment’s hesitation, he struck her in
the right side, knocking her down.
Knife Clue to Burglar Band.
In the arrest of Gillespie Grover,
a negro. 15 years of age, the police
of Hope secured a clew which led to
the arrest of three other negro boys,
ranging in age from 11 to 15 years,
who with Grover, it is alleged, com
posed a gang of thieves, which has
been responsible for a series of bur
glaries committed in Hope during the
last few months. Grover confessed
and implicated the other boys.
Preacher Served His Term.
Rev. R. M. Cook of Greenbrier, a
well-known holiness minister, has been
released from jail. He was fined $20
for taking part in a religious row last
summer, and refused to pay his fine.
On account of his prominence and be
ing well known over the state his
being placed in jail caused quite a
sensation. He refused to let any of
his members pay his fine.
Prisoner Found Dead.
William Wilson, a prisoner in the
county jail at Morrilton, died of con
gestion Sunday. He had expressed
a wish for an orange and Sheriff
Hutto had gone for one. Upon his
return he found him sitting in a chair
near the window dead.
New Buildings at Moriltjn.
Contractor R. L. Loyd has received
the plate glass front for the Mason
White Mercantile Company. The
completion of this building makes
three new modern business blocks
erected in Morrilton during the past
three months.
Prize Hog Butchered.
Benjamin Booth, who lives seven
miles east of Magnolia, Monday kill
ed a hog that weighed 600 pounds
dressed, one of the largest ever butch
ered in the history of the county or
that part of the state. A total of 25
gallons of lard was secured from the
hog.
A Good Customer. -
The United States government Is
the largest individual purchaser of
electric lamps in this country. It buys
850,000 annually,
Judge T. B. Martin Dead.
Judge Thomas B. Martin, one of the
most promine7t and well-known citi
zens of Little Rock, and well known
throughout thf state, died at his home,
1503 Spring street, at 11:45 o’clock
Sunday night, after a long illness. It
was stated at the home that death
was caused by typhoid fever. He had
been failing in health for some time,
and had been bedfast for eight weeks.
Thomas B. Martin was born in
Princeton, Dallas county, this state,
in 1852. He was the son of the late
Col. and Mrs. Robert Martin. Mrs.
Martin is still livng. He was the
lineal descendant of Peter Martin, one
of the first settlers at Jamestown,
Va., who acquired large land grants
in Virginia in early days. When he
was 12 years old, Mr. Martin’s father
being away with the Southern army
during the war, Thomas, the son, was
forced to earn a living and help sup
port the family, and he did so by driv
ing a wagon, hauling salt from Texas
into Arkansas. When a young man
he moved to Jefferson county, where
he was prosecuting attorney for years,
making his home in Pine Bluff. He
moved to IJttle Rock 18 years ago and
started practicing law. He was ap
pointed chancellor of the Pulaski
County Chancery Court in 1892 by the
present United States Senator James
P. Clarke, who was then governor.
During the time he held that office he
made a distingushed name for himself
as a chancellor, deciding some fa
mous cases. He afterward practiced
law with Col. Murphy and was
engaged in law practice the rest of his
life. He was chancellor for eight
years. He built the Martin building
on the corner of Second and Spring
streets, and leaves a large estate for
his heirs. Judge Martin was a broth
er of Smith P. Martin, who served as
prosecuting attorney and circuit judge
of Jefferson county for years.
Increase In Value of Cotton.
At a round estimate, all of the cot
ton now within the borders of Arkan
sas has increased in value $2,760,000
within the last 10 days, as a result
of the operations of Daniel Sully on
the floor of the New York Cotton Ex
change. A tidy sum that, and one
that would purchase nearly 50,000 more
bales at closing price on the market
for middling Saturday, which was 11.56
cents or 69 points higher than 10
days before. This approximation is
based on the assumption that there
are 800,000 bales in the state, which
flgurq most cotton men accept. Should
the hope of the farmer be realized by
seeing the figure per pound soar to 15
cents, the increase in value would be
in the neighborhood of $16,500,000, or
enough to build two battleships such
as the great Connecticut, which is one
of the heaviest type in our naval force,
with a sufficient, sum left over to add
materially to the mosquito fleet. The
total price at 15 cents would be $60,
000,000, which would build a whole
navy, to continue the parallel.
Masked Bandit Shoots iviercnani.
Word was received at Brinkley
Tuesday night that a masked white
robber walked into the general mer
chandise store kept by P. R. Anderson
at Zent, a hamlet on the Cotton Belt,
six miles north of Brinkley, and upon
a show of resistance on the part of
the proprietor, shot him in the temple.
The bandit fled without securing any
loot. Late Monday night, Anderson
was lying in a critical condition. Sher
iff Black and a deputy of Clarendon
have gone to Zent with bloodhounds
to hunt down the robber. Marshal
John Culbert and Deputy Marshal Eli
jah Brown of Brinkley have also gone
to form part of the pursuing posse.
To Erect New Postoffice.
J. H. Edwards, assistant secretary
of the United States Treasury Depart
ment at Washington, has authorized
advertisement for bids for the erec
tion of the new Pine Bluff postoflice
and federal building on the site pur
chased by the government a few years
ago for $75,000. The site for the new
structure is at West Second avenue
and Walnut street.
“Grandma” Estes Is Dead.
“Grandma” Estes died at Yellville,
Monday, and her funeral took place
at Flippin cemetery Tuesday. She
was 100 years old and is mother of Nat
Estes. William Estes of Yellville and
Ben Estes of Boone county and has
many children and great grandchil
dren. She had lived in Marion county
all of her life.
Big Sale of Cotton.
The Arm of F, Gates & Co., of De
Vail’s Bluff, through its manager, Jake
Frolich, sold 336 bales of cotton Sat
urday afternoon to one firm in Hel
ena. There is a great deal of cotton
being held at DeVall’s Bluff and Ha
zen.
Raised Fund of $1,400.
Rev. John Jeter Hurt of Little Rock,
spoke on “Christian Education” at the
Baptist church at El Dorado Sunday
and raised $1,400 for Ouachita and
Central I'aptist Colleges.
VICTORY FOR AUDITOR MOORE
Court of Last Resort Checks All Possi
bility of Continuing Work on Build
ing Without New Appropriation.
There will be no more work done
on the new state capital building until
the Arkansas legislature convenes
again and makes an appropriation to
complete the capitol. This "was decided
when the Supreme Court of Arkansas
handed down a decision in the cele
brated state capitol or Alexander case,
in which the court held that Alexander
could not be paid any money in con
nection with work on the new capitol
by the state, because the fund appro
priated several years ago cannot be
touched until the Arkansas legislature
renews the appropriation. The court
holds that, according to the constitu
tion, state appropriations can be used
for two years, and that after that time
they cannot be used; that the two
years’ time limit for the state capitol
fund has expired, and that it can no
longer be drawn upon.
The decision also holds that it has
apparently been the sense of the legis
lature of recent years not to appro
priate or spend more money on the
completion of the new state capitol,
because of the fact that the last two
sessions of the legislature have failed
to produce any such action. Regard
ing this point, the opinion, which was
rendered by Chief Justice Hill, in part,
says as follows:
“There is no mandate for the legis
lature to make the appropriation or
act in the premises, and its silence is
as potent as its positive action. The
continuing appropriation of the act of
1903, is in condition with this clause of
the constitution and is necessarily
void beyond two years; and the legis
lature not having acted since that
time, it is the legislative determina
tion that this fund be conserved in the
treasury until another legislature ap
propriates it for the purposes for
which it was created.’’
The decision, then, is based on two
principal points; first, that the con
tinuing of any such appropriation is
in violation of the constitution, and,
secondly, that the legislature itself,
which created the fund, has evidenced
no further inclination to continue the
fund, as it has remained silent in ses
sion since then, and has refused to
pass any appropriations extending the
first one.
Basis of the Case.
Specifically, the case was one in
in which W. B. Alexander of Pine
Bluff, a member of the State Capitol
Commission, sought to mandamus
State Auditor Avery E. Moore to re
quire the latter to pay to Mr. Alex
ander the small sum of $14 and some
odd cents, which Alexander claimed
was due him for mileage, etc., ex
penses in attending the business mat
ters connected with the new state
capitol. Alexander had gone to the
state auditor and asked for a warrant
for the money. He was refused on the
ground that the constitution set forth
that no state appropriation could ex
tend more than two years, and that
the time limit for the state capitol ap
propriation had expired. Hence, the
auditor held, according to his inter
pretation of the constitution, no more
money could be paid from the fund or
appropriation. Alexander then brought
mandamus proceedings against the
state auditor, requiring him to pay the
money. On the result of the litiga
tion depended the the matter of com
pleting the new state capitol for the
reason that, should the courts hold the
appropriation was not extinct but
could still be used in paying any sum,
such as that wanted by Alexander,
then the commission could draw on it
for any amount, and if such was the
case, could complete the capitol build
ing.
The lower court decided in favor of
Alexander, awarding the mandamus.
State Auditor Moore appealed, how
ever. The case was submitted to the
Supreme Court, about two weeks ago,
and oral argument was made. Attor
ney General W. F. Kirby made the ar
gument in behalf of State Auditor
Moore. The case was taken under
advisement ,and Monday the decision
was handed down, the decision revers
ing the Judgment of the lower court
and denying the mandamus.
Case Has Been Center of Interest.
The state capitol case has been one
of utmost importance. It has held the
attention and interest of nearly every
one in the state. From state officials
all the way down to the common la
borer employed in the building of the
new state capitol building, all have
waited with intense interest the out
come of the case before the Supreme
Court. Working men who have been
waiting here for weeks, still remained
in the city idle, waiting to see whether
the Supreme Court would decide in
favor of the completion of the state
capitol or against it Opinion was
greatly divided as to the outcome, it
being the opinion of many that the
court would sustain the judgment of
the lower court.
i
State Capital Notes
I
Governor Pindall Wins Forgery Case.
Governor Pindall, who has been in
Arkansas City during the past several
days, where he was engaged in de
fending Henry Owen, a white man,
who was charged with forgery, has
practically won bis fight in both cases
against his client, who was formerly
of Arkansas City, but who now lives
at Warren. The fact that the gov
ernor of the state leaves his execu
tive office and goes to another point
in the state to act as counsel in a law
suit is considered rather out of the
ordinary. “The case came up in the
court before I went into the governor’s
chair,” stated the governor, “and I
was then employed as counsel for the
defendant. Of course when the case
came up after I had become governor
it was almost impossible for me to get
out of going down there and finishing
the case.” The governor further stat
ed that he had not taken part in any
lawsuit or legal action as attorney
since he had entered the governor’s
office except in such cases as the for
gery case, where he had acted as at
torney before his advent into the exe
cutive office.
Negro Must Hang.
The appeal of Col. Jones, the negro
from Miller county, sentenced to be
hanged February 14 on the charge
of murder, was refused Tuesday by
the Supreme Court. The appeal was
refused after the transcript has been
read by one of the justices. The ne
gro is charged with killing a negress.
Unless Governor Pindall intervenes,
the negro will be hanged. Governor
Pindall, asked concerning the matter,
stated that he knew nothing whatever
of the case, and from his attitude indi
cated that it had not been brought
before him.
Commissions Issued.
The secretary of state Tuesday is
sued the following commissions: No
tary public, V. E. Kerst of Pine Bluff,
L. E. Holloway of Wooster, W. P. Ab
bington of Baring Cross, J. A. Reed of
Casa and J. M. Tate of Russellville;
justice of the peace, J. F. James of
Pocahontas. The following were is
sued notary commissions Monday by
the secretary of state: A. R. Parish of
Sugar Grove, S. D. Larking of Monti
cello, R. R. Blair of Ellsworth, J. A.
Williams of Waldron, A. J. Thomp
son of Amity, C. E. Gentry of Guy,
R. G. Davies of Hot Springs, R. W.
Cochran of Beebe and C. J. Click of
Winthrop.
Convicts Called Back to the Farm.
The Penitentiary Board Monday re
called fifty state convicts who have
been working for Contractors Reaves
and Dickinson, and sent the men back
to the state farm, where they are
greatly needed in finishing the task of
picking the state farm cotton before
it is spoiled in the fields. The cotton
crop at the state farm gives promise
of being a record breaker on that
plantation. It is no wthouglit a total
of 1,500 bales of cotton will be se
cured.
Would Be Costly.
Maj. E. B. Jett of the Arkansas
State Guard has completed his esti
mate of the cost of sending a regi
ment of Arkansas infantry to attend
the military maneuvers planned to be
held at Leon Springs, Tex., next fall.
The major placed the estimate of cost
at about $40,000. It is feared by many
that the amount will be thought by the
War Department to be too high and
that no regiment from this state will
get to attend.
Farmers Incorporate.
Articles of agreement and incorpo
ration Were filed with the secretary of
state Monday by the Farmers’ Union
Roller Mill Company. The company
will operate a roller mill at St. Fran
cis, Clay county. There are sixty-two
incorporators. The company has a cap
ital stock of $10,000, of which $117.50
has been subscribed. The stock is
divided into 400 shares, each selling
for $25.
Foreign Company Enters.
The Ladoga Canning Company, in
corporated under the laws of Indiana,
Friday filed a copy of its charter with
the secretary of state. The company
which engages in a canning business,
will operate in Little Rock. It names
as its agent here, Lee Miles. The
company sets forth its assets as $30,
186.08, and its liabilities as $12,243.84.
It will expend $1,000 in Little Rock.
Commissions Issued.
The secretary of state Wednesday
issued four notary public commissions
to the following: George P. Robuck of
Haynes, W. M. Clay of Hot Springs, E.
G. McBride of Garner, and M. Pitts of
Hyrdick. The secretary of state Thurs
day issued a notary public commission
to W. A. Kaiser of Butler.
Books Are Rotting.
A pile of wreckage in the nature of
a moth-eaten and rotted-out old state
record reposed in stately dignity Sat
urday in the middle of the floor of the
office of State Printing Clerk Earl
Hodges. There was nothing left of the
book whatever but the binding, the
leaves having rotted away and left a
sticky, mouldy mess. The wreckage
was viewed by many state officials
during the day and the sight of it
brought forth anew the question as to
what can be done with the state house
records and books, ail of which are
rapidly rotting away and for which
there is no suitable stormy place. The
secretary of state's library is stored in
a room on the first floor of the state
house, in the southwest corner. The
room is no longer a suitable place for
the storage of the books, as they are
moth-eaten and rapidly rotting away
from dampness. It is very probable
that the books will be moved out to
the old penitentiary hospital building
on the new state house grounds, in
which some of the state’s records and
books are already stored, pending the
completion of the new state capitok
Many of the old records in the state
auditor’s office are badly rotted. They
are practically ruined, as writing on
the leaves of the books can no longer
be read. The Supreme Court library
is still in good shape. It could not be
moved anyhow until the Supreme
Court is ready to be moved into the
new state capitol, as the justices have
constant need for all the books in
the library.
Pardons Issued.
Acting Governor X. O. Pindall Mon
day- issued a pardon to Milton E. Rem
ley, a negro, who was convicted at
Drew County- Circuit Court of the
the September, 1907, term of the
charge of assault with intent to kill
and sentenced to three years in the
state penitentiaay. The petition for
his pardon stated that Remley was
charged with klling another negro
and alleged that in Idling the negro
he acted in self-defense.
Acting Governor X. O. Pindall Tues
day issued two pardons. One was
granted Joe Weldon, convicted in the
justice of the peace court of Garland
county, January 2, of petit larceny and
fined $50. The other was granted to
Henry Laney of Alexandria, La., who
was convicted in Police Court recently
for forgery and fined $500 and sen
tenced to six months on the county
farm. Governor Pindall granted the
pardon after receiving a petition from
prominent people at the boy’s home
and consulting with Police Judge Rat
terree, who advised the pardon.
Would Check a Hanging.
The transcript in a murder case in
Miller county in which a man by the
name of Jones has been sentenced to
be hanged, has been rushed to the Su
preme Court and is now being read by
one of the justices of that court. The
man is sentenced to be hanged Feb
ruary 14. In the past two months two
similar cases have come up, both be
ing casse of men under death sen
tence, but granted trial by the Su
preme Court. Jones in the MTtler
county case, is charged with killing
a negro girl.
Eight Made Notaries.
The secretary of state Friday contin
ued to do a land-office business in no
tary public commissions. A total of
eight were issued to the following:
W. L. Gadd of Perry. T. W. Hudson of
Hilsboro, J. R. Craig of Bentonville,
W. H. Etter of Washington, J. W.
Puble of Searcy, W. R. Cole of Chick
alah, George F. Grosser of Newark,
and J. D. Miller of Mt. Ida.
Makes Requisition.
Acting Governor Pimiall Saturday
signed requisition papers asking the
governor of Oklahoma for V. L. Estes,
who is wanted in Logan county on the
charge of false pretense and fraud,
and who is now' said to be living in
Oklahoma. An officer from Logan
county secured the requisition papers
and started after Estes.
Eight Commissioned.
The secretary of state Saturday is
sued the following commissions: No
tary public, E. O. Shelby of Harold
ton, J. B. Robertson of Altheimer, S.
E. Smith of Falrview, B. T. Martin of
Howell, John W. Flynn of Rison; jus
i tice of the peace, J. L. Turner of Rus
sellville, M. R. Williams of Jonesboro
and J. P. Schultz of Jonesboro.
Changes Name.
The Big Star Mining and Milling
Company, with offices in Columbus,
O., incorporated under the laws of Ar
kansas, Saturday filed notice with the
secretary of state that the directors
of the company had decided to change
the name of the company to the Pilot
Rock Lead and Zinc Company.