Newspaper Page Text
Don’t Waste Money
On circulars and hand'
hills when you can put 40
advertisement in such a
far*reaching medium as
The Tribune.
ESTABLISHED 1887.
BRIDGES’ STATEMENT. .
CASE COMING TO CLOSE
Be Was One Hour and Fifty-Five Minutes Mak
ing His Statement.
ARGUMENT BEGAN YESTERDAY MORNING
Climax to Bridges Talk Was Dra
matic—The Argument Will End
Before Noon Today.*
The Bridges case is drawing to a cjpse.
Solicitor Mose Wright will conclude
ihis speech this morining by 9:30, and
Capt. J. W. Ewing will close the argu
ment in behalf of the state.
It is expected that the case will go to
the jury before noon.
Yesterday morning the court house
was crowded to the doors with people
who had come to hear Mr. Bridges’ state'
ment. His wife and two daughters sat
in chairs to the left of the judge’s stand,
and next to the accused.
There was intense silence as Mr. Bridges
arose, and asked to be allowed to stand
while making his statsment. The terri
ble strain of the past few days, and the
confinement in the jail for the two previ
ous nights had had" their effect on him.
He looked worn and Laggard, but other
wise was calm and collected. His hands
trembled slightly as he held papers in
them, but his voice was clear and even,’
He began at 8:30 and it was 10:35
when he closed. He had been on the
stand one hour and fifty-five minutes.
His close was dramatic. .Uplifting his
hands he said:
“Somebody must suffer for the heart
drippings and anguish of my wife and
daughters. So sure as there is a God and
justice Bill Bridges will stand on firm
ground.”
After an effort to re introduce the
auditor’s report in rebuttal had failed the
state announced that they had no further
evidence to introduce.
At 10:55 Capt. Rowell began the ar
gument. He spoke in behalf of the
defense. Judge Harris, for the state;
Mr. Hamilton, for the state; Maj.
Fouche for the defense fo’lowed. Mr.
Wright began the concluding speech
for the state and will finish this
morning.
Mr. Bridges succeeded in making
bond late yesterday afternoon, and
spent last night with his family in
North Rome.
The following gentlemen went on
his bond: H. U. and H. S. Everett
and A. Q. and A. M. Bridges. They
are all men of standing and are worth
considerable money. .
BRIDGES’ STATEMENT.
He Was On the stand From 8:30 to 10:25
Yesterday Morning;.
As Mr. Bridges left his seat he had
quite a lot of manuscript and books in
his hands. He laid them on the witness
chair ai d asked the judge if ho might
stand in delivering hfe statement. The
judge replied in the affirmative and the
defendant opened by saying:
“There was a statement made in yes
terday’s Tribune concerning a receipt—’’
“Wait a minute,” interrupted Judge
Henry. “The jury has no right to know
what was in The Tribane.”
“Very well, sir,” continued Mr.
Bridges. “Counsel for state, then, ex
hibited a receipt to Mr. Black for poll
tax for 1893 and stated that my books aid
not show that amount disbursed. The
truth is that amount and more was dis
bursed in 1893. At one time I paid
$500.30, at another $149.81, and at an
other SI,OOO making $3,000 of the poll
tax 1893 which the receipt alludes to.- I
receipted Mr. Black for the '93 poll tax
in 1894, when the amount of net poll tax
was ascertained.
“The $2,800 in question I receipted for
nearly a year after 1 received the money.
This money was disbursed in ’93 and was
passed upon and approv’d by the grand
jury in July following. Quarterly item
ized statements were made in '94 and ’95
which was a change of the old law.
* 'These statements were to be sent to
THE ROHE TRIBUNE.
the state school commissioner every
three months; designed to draw money
out of treasury. I approximated the
amount new teachers would receive at
end of quarter, and the report was
therefore not exactly correct, and there
fore had to make out statement dif
ferent from that itemized statement.
These statements of payments to teach
ers were in my office when the investi
gating committee took charge of it. I
have not seen them since.
“About those vouchers, when paid
annually it was no trouble. ■ When the
office was seized and I was suspended
incompleted vouchers and memoranda
were taken by the committee. 1 never
at any time presented vouchers show
ing a completion of my werk. ”
The witness here at some length ex
plained the disbursement of poll tax,
stating that it was long delayed paid to
him, and he had to make supplement
to annual system of vouchers. In refer
ence to the $1,1?2 talked of he could not
make complete vouchers. In ’95 he got
cash book and kept each quarter to
itself. In that book is a complete list of
I amounts received and amounts dis
i bursed for that quarter,be said. Didn’t
' put down fourth quarter of ’95 because
I he was in the midst of payment.
I “A check in evidence shows I issued
|it two days before suspension,” he
continued. “During the investiga
tion from Uth to 15th of February
when suspended, I paid out one fourth
the amount due teachers. It was im
possible, therefore, to follow out plan
of quarterly, statments < had acloped
and the vouchers the committee had
were necessarily incomplete.”
' Concerning delay in poll tax be
told of the charge in the law in 1894
which .sent this to the state treasurer.
He found it would be about the same
in ’95 as ’94. He had opened up ac
count with teachers and paid out
bulk of poll tax as showed in certifl.
cates. Couldn’t get money out of poll
taxon December.3o, because Mr. Black
hadn’t sent it in. He went to Atlanta
but couldn’t get it. Came back and
did the best he could. First of’April
found him in same fix. Money could
only be drawn out of there on March
31. but Mr. Black did not send in ’till
April 2nd. This technicality, in spite
of all he could do, barred him from
getting it then. One day’s delay in
sending it in caused it. He came
home without the poll tax and had to
suffer for it On the 6th day of Aug
ust he disbursed this $2,500 poll tax.
“Following the plan of payment I over
paid teachers every year. I managed it
by making them give me notes which I
collected at following or next payments.
The last quarter of ’951 wasn’t permitted
to complete the vouchers. ■ Also made
mistake about amount I should pay
teachers. Books,'vouchers and commit
tee’s report show that I paid $l2O to
a number of teachers where the amount
should have been $102.50. It may have
been bad business, but the pressure was
too great, ou account of teachers’ having
weekly expenses and the like.”
lie said that a bank president came to
him about the school scrip and suggested
a plan by which teachers could be accom
modated. He discounted the scrip three
or four years and made a large revenue
until some other jobbers beat him in
price, said the witness. In orders to
merchants I endorsed scrip and filed
orders and scrip together. Omitted in
many cases receipt of payment, but final,
ly made teachers endorse on back when
scrip was paid. Collected much money
with no name but mine on back and had
(Continued on Page Two)
ROME. GA., SATURDAY. JULY 31, 1897.
DOWN IN ALABAMA
Two Hangings and an Acci
dental Killing.
A Negro Rapist Convicted in Mont
gomery—Hangings in Selma
and Livingstone.
Montgomery. July 30.—Pig Newell,
colored, was hanged at Selma today. He
was calm and prayed for two angels to,
come down and carry him to heaven.
John Johnstone was hanged at Living
ston for murder.
At Decatur the ten-year-old son of
Fred Nored shot and killed his little
brother aged three. The pistol was not
supposed to he loaded.
The negro, Lewis Thompson, was tried
here today for raping a small white girl.
He was found guilty and will hang. The
man and woman who held the child
while the crime was committed have not
been tried.
NATIONAL LEAGUE.
All of the Leaders Got the Best of the Argu
ment Yesterday.
Washington, July 30.—The leaders
all won out today, and retained their
positions in the race. Baltimore made
it three straights from Washington in
a slugging match. The scores.
New York, 3; Brooklyn, 1.
Philadelphia, 3; Boston, 7.
Cincinnati, 8; Cleveland, 2.
Washington, 11; Baltimore, 15.
Pittsburg, 7; Chicago, 5.
St. Louis, 7; Louisville-, 6.
THE FLANAGAN CASE.
The Jury Reached No Verdict Rast Night—
Probably Will I'oday.
Atlanta, July 30.—The case of E. C-
Flanagan went to the jury this afternoon,
but late tonight they had made no ver
dict. The verdict will not be reached
before tomorrow.
A great crowd has been present wait
ing to hear the result; but there’ have
been no signs of any trouble.
NO VERDICT REACHED.
Mrs. James Simmons on Trial Charjjed
With Killing Huce Webb,
Centre, Ala., July 30.—Mrs. James
Simmons has been on trial this week
charged with killing Deputy Sheriff
Houston Webb.
The case went to the jury yesterday
evening at 6 o’clock, but no verdict has
been reached yet.
RADFORIS FOUND guilty.
Alabamian Convicted I»» Colombia of
Murdering a Merchant.
New York, July 30.—A dispatch to
The Herald from Panama says: Tele
graphic advices from Medellin say that
Charles Radford of Alabama has been
tried on au appeal and found guilty
there of murder in the first degree for
killing Charles H. Simmonds, a promi
nent of Cali. Radford will
in all probability bo sentenced to death.
Radford came to Colombia from the
United States about two years ago and
settled in Cali. He had a difficulty
with Mr. Simmonds over a land claim
and one day walked into his office while
Mr. Simmonds had his back turned and
shot him dead. Excitement in Cali ran
so high at the time that the authorities
feared Radford would be lynched if al
lowed to remain there, so he was taken
to Medellin, where he remained in
prison until his trill.
GreenVnVe STau Fined Fitfe Cents.
Greenville, S. 0., July 30.—A negro
woman in J. D. M. Dillard’s employ
some time ago insulted his wife and
then slapped her face. When Dillard
learned of the negro’s action he hunted
her up and gave her a sound thrashing.
The woman had him arrested for as
sault and battery. Dillard pleaded
guilty. When Judge Watts was about
to sentence he stated to Dillard that he
had done exactly right, and that any
man would have pursued the same
course. He then sentenced Dillard to
pay a fine of 5 cents or be confined in
the county jail for ten minutes. The
fine was paid. Dillard is a leading con
tractor of this city.
Hi. ICfiulied 111. Rival’s SUull.
Hazelton, Pa., July 30. George
Martina killed Andrew Albertini in the
latter’s home at Beaver Meadow. The
men quarreled over a love affair. Mar
tina seized a gun and using the stock
for a club, crushed his rival’s skull.
Albertini died almost instantly. Mar
tina came to this city at midnight and
joined his father and brother nt the
Washington hotel. Ho left at Ba. m.
and since then nothing has been heard
of him.
Highway Bobber* Sentenced.
New York, July 30 —John F. Ryan
and Leon Graves, who lured Lawyer
Burt si. Clark of Brooklyn’to aflat in
this city, on July 16, and robbed him
and tried to force acid down his throat,
have been sentenced to 18 years impris
onment at hard labor at Sing Sing.
Both pleadpd guijty. . . .
FOUR DEAD
IN A WRECK
Engine, Baggage and
Mail Cars Derailed,
____ I
IT WAS IN INDIANA
Ftur Were Killed Outright and Quite
a ljumber Injured.
•
OPEX SWITCH CAUSES ACCIDENT
It Was Spyked and Was a De
liberate Plot.
PASSENGERS SHAKEN UP SEVERELY
4.
Detectives at Work on the Case—Engineer
and Fireman and Two Tramps Are
the Dead Onee.
Cincinnati, July 30.—The Chicago
express on the Cleveland, Cincinnati,
Chicago and St. Louis railway, due in
Cincinnati at 7 a. m., was wrecked at
Thorntown. Ind., about 2:30 a. in. Four
were killed outright and s< veral slightly
injured. There was a deliberate plot tc
wreck the train, as a coupling pin had
been driven into the switch so as to
hold it open and throw the fast train
from Chicago to Cincinnati off the track
as it passed this point. The engine and
tender, the mail, express and baggage
cars were thrown off the track and
wrecked.
The coaches and W ;ner sleeping
cars remained on the tr and hone of
the passengers wgre seriously hurt, al
though they had a lively shake up.
None of those in the cars that were
thrown from the track were seriously
hurt. Seth Winslow of Greensburg,
lud., the engineer, and E B. Crick
more of Indianapolis, the fireman, and
two unidentified tramps we.e killed out
right.
When the train left Chicago it was
an unusually long one. Only four stops
were to be made between Chicago and
Indianapolis. The train was passing
Thorntown at high speed when the en
gine struck the switch that had been
opened and fastened open. The two
tramps who were killed were stealing a
ride on the front end of the mail car
and their remains cannot be identified.
A rel es train was sent from Indianap
olis to Thorntwn and as soon as the
track was cleared, a new train was
made up for this city and other points.
The train was unusually crowded with
passengers.
Engineer Winslow leaves a widow
and two children. His remains were
taken to his home at Greensburg, and
those of Fireman Crickmore to In
dianapolis. The officials of the railroad
have instituted a thorough investigation
as to the perpetrators of the wreck. The
reports from Thorntown leave uo doubts
about'the switch having been thrown
open and a coupling pin fastened in the
switch to hold it open. There have re
cently been some labor troubles at and
about Thorntown, but none .of them
have been in any manner connected
with the railway. ‘
It is stated that since the mining
troubles there had been a number of
striking miners about the place who are
not connected with the strike, but who
are supposed to have been tramping
about with a viow to plunder during
the expected trouble. No attempt was
made to rob the express or other cars
after the wreck and no understanding
of the plot can be ascertained. A num
ber of reliable detectives are at work on
the case.
MurUarecl'ln a Queer Manner,
Washington, Ind., July 30.—Henry
Lester, son of the purchasing agent for
the Monon, was murdered here. He
was pushed from the train, it is alleged,
by John Williams of Teuton, Mo, Les
ter’s home was at Bedford. Williams
is in jail. An engineer named George
Welch claims to have seen the murder.
Mare Gohl Gal ng to Europe.
New York, July 30.—Lizard Freres
will ship $1,700,00(1 and Heidelback, Ick
elheimer & Co., $500,001’ in gold to Eu
rope Saturday, Kidder, J?eabody & Co.
of Boston will ship $750,000 in gold on
Tuesday next, and L. Von Hoffman <&
Co. $1,000,000 Saturday. Total an
nounced thus far, $3,950,000.
Foul Air In a Tunnel Proven Fatal.
Hinton, W. Va., July 30. —A freight
train stalled in Lewis’ tunnel, on the
Chesapeake and Ohio, and the crew was
overcome by foul air. Conduotor Ed
Bray is dead and Sam Halil toil, Ed
Womack and Tom Kamewood are in a
precarious condition.
WHITE LEFT HOME
Beset With Bad Luck He
Disappeared.
He Told His Wife That He Would
Never Return—Child
Died. Since.
Atlanta, July 30. —Several weeks
ago George B. Wifite left his home at
Kirkwood. He told his wife that he
would never return, and that she could
look upon him as one dead.
He left and since then not- one word
has been heard from or of him.
There is absolutely no glue to his
whereabouts. Today his child died
and every effort is being made to locate
the father but so far without success.
White is a son-in-law of Dr. W. F.
Cooke, presiding elder of the Atlanta
circuit. Six years ago he, married
Miss Cooke in Griffin. At that time
he was cashier of the leading bank
there, and was a man of influence and
position.
But bad luek began to follow him
like nemesis, and he gradually lost all
his hard earned accumulations. He
brooded over his troubles night, and
day. It finally ended in bis leaving
home.
AMERICAN IS IN TROUBLE.
Our Ambassador at Berlin Trying to Se
cure Alfred Wessling"* Release.
Berlin, July 30.—Ambassador White
is just now giving close attention to a
matter which promises to involve some
diplomatic complications. It is the
case of Alfred Wessling, son of a nat
uralized American citizen,Charles Wess- 1
ling, of New York.
Young Wessling, while visiting Ger-,
many last spring, was drafted into the
German army. He protested and proved
that he had made a formal declaration
of his intention to become a citizen of
the United States, although his natu
ralization had not been perfected.
His protest was absolutely ignored,
and he was enrolled in the Seventy
fourth regiment, stationed in- Hanover,
Recently, for the petty offense of
chaffing, he was struck a violent blow
by his sergeant. Enraged at the injus
tice, young Wessling felled his tor
menter to the ground and fled. Late at
night he reached the United States con
sulate, in the city of Hanover, com
pletely fagged out and half starved.
United States Consul Crane persuaded
him to surrender to the authorities, and
he is now awaiting trial ou the charge
of assaulting his superior.
This offense is punishable in war
time by summary execution after court
martial, and in time of peace by several
years imprisonment. Ambassador
White is endeavoring to secure his re
lease..
BOTH PARTIES’ARE BUSY.
Republican*-and Democrats Striding Lit
erature to Three States.
Washington, July 30.—The Republi
can national committee is maintaining
its headquarters here during the sum
mer aud keeping a force of employes at
work getting out documents for use in
those states where the campaign next
fall will be of a national character. The
states are lowa, Maryland and Ohio.
The legislatures which will be elected
by them next fall will choose United
States senators. Major Dick, the secre
tary of the Republican national com
mittee, is in charge of the headquarters
and will be assisted by Mr. S. A. Per
kins, assistant secretary. A literary
bureau is maintained to supply cam
paign matter to country newspapers.
The Republican congressional com
mittee also has its headquarters open.
It is hot expected, however, that much
will be done before next winter except
planning out the lines of the literary
work. Chairman Babcock says advices
from Ohio are very gratifying aud he
expresses himself as having no doubt
that the Republicans will elect a majo-.»
ity of the legislature and return Mr.
Hanna to the senate.
The free silver men are not behind
the Republicans in their industry. The
American Bimetallic union has head
quarters here, with Messrs. George E.
Bowen and H. F. Bartine in charge.
Literature bearing on the free silver
question is being distributed. Much of
it goes to lowa and Ohio.
Foster on i’awatlatl Question.
London, July 30.—John W. Foster,
in an interview with a representative of
the Associated Press, before leaving
London, said: “As to the Hawaiian
question, I may say that in London,
Paris, Berlin and St. Petersburg, I have
had ample opportunity to ascertain the
prevailing sentiment in political and
commercial circles. In all these oapitals
annexation is generally regarded as the
natural, if not the inevitable, result of
the large growth and expansion of th i
United States on the western coast of
America.”
kt —t « —• —<a ——
Daiu Breaks anti Doen Damage,
Middletown, Conn., July 30. A
dam, 40 feet wide, containing water
from which three factories get power,
burst, letting down a tremendous vol
ume of water. Huge stones, of which
the dam was built, crashed into the fac
tory of William Wilcox’s Jock shops
and the lower floors of the factory were
flooded. Forty workmen were com
pelled to flee for their lives. Much dam
age was done aud the water la still
rushing down. ...
Talk to Tear Trade.
The Tribune has the
largest circulation of any
newspaper in North Geor<«
gia. breaches your trade
daily*
PRICE FIVE CENTS
DARK FOR
THE MINERS
Looks Like They Will
Loose the Fight.
EXPECTED EXODUS
Os liners From a Number of Mites Did
Not Occur.
CAKPliifi STRIKERS DISAPPOINTED
I
Demonstrations Near De
mitt’s to be Kept Up.
ALL IS QUIET IN PITTSBURG SECTION
No Violence 1b Feared— New York and Cleve
land Coal £C< mpanj ’s Men Fail
to Come Out.
Pittsburg, July 30 After a long
and weary night of waiting to learn the
result of the meeting of the miners of
the New York and Cleveland Gas Coal
company, the camping strikers are a
disappointed lot of men. The expected
exodus of Plum Creek, Oak Hill and
Sandy Creek miners did not occur. The
miners did not quit work as they prom
ised to do and all the mines are in ope
ration. Until now the indentions were
that the strikers had won and that no
more coal would be mined until the
strike was over, but the dawn brought
disappointment.
In the vicinity of the Sandy Creek
and Oak Hill mines anxious inquiry
was made about Plum Creek. At two
meetings the leaders, announced that
the Plum Creek miners would come out
and that no more coal would be dug un
til the strike was won. What these
statements were based on could noF be
learned, but they must nave been un
founded, for 400 strikers, making a
at the slum Greek mines,
■ went into camp Negley Postoffi'ce,
.one-half mile from Hie tipple, where
'they remained until they learned that
all the miners Sad gone in and that
their work had been fruitless At Sandy
Creek a small body yf strikers watched
a majority of the hiinefs wild attended
the meeting go back to work.
The main interest in the strike, so
far as DiArmitt’s men are concerned,
was at Oak Hill, about 2 miles from
Turtle Creek. The strikers thought that
mine would close, but the miners
boarded the train at Turtle Creek as
usual and started to work. The body
of strikers was camped along the rail
road track and as the train hauling the
miners passed the camp, four of the
strikers jumped on the cars. Two of
the miners, believing the strikers were
about to make an attack, jumped from
the cars and joined the strikers. These
two were the only Oak Hill miners who
started from Turtle Creek for the mine
and did not go to work. The mine offi
cials say that, including these two men,
not over 6 per cent of the Oak Hill
miners are idle and that their absence
is caused by sickness or something other
than the strike.
What the marchers will now do is
unknown, but from indications it is be
lieved that large bodies of strikers wjll
be brought to the vicinity of the De-
Armitt mines and the demonstrations
will be kept up. Much credit is given
the leaders and the strikers for the good
order which is maintained, and the in
dications are there will be no violence.
The men are not drinking and perfect
order is maintained in the camps. (
General 'Hatnp’ibiY Tit '• -*rlsco.
San Francisco, July 30.—General
Wade Hampton, United States commis
sioner of railways, is here on an annual
inspection tour of the government aided
lines. Thus far he has found the phys
ical condition of the properties fully up
to the standard and after the account
ant of the commission makes his annual
inspection of the books and acoonnts of
the companies, General Hampton will
make his report to congress and ash
for such measures as he may deem wisa
for the protection of .the government’)
interests.
Knee Between steam Yacht.*.
Waukegan, Ills., July 30.—Thegreal
race between the steam yachts Path
finder and Enquirer has ended in the
victory for the Buffalo boat. The Path
finder gave up the contest when off this
point and has turned back for Chicago.
Notorious Outlaw K«capea.
Huntington, W. Va.. July 30.—Cap
tain Hatfield, the notorious outlaw held
for murder on two oases, escaped from v
the Mingo jail by cutting his way out.
with » hatchet A large reward is
offered for him. .