Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME XV.
ALBANY, GA., SATURDAY AFTERNOON, JUNE 9, 1906.
NUMBER 196.
1C THE MABEL PAGE
' MURDER CASE.
While Suffering from In
tense Heat, the Water
Supply on Hill Tops Fails.
Great Alarm.
Cincinnati, June 9.—While suffering
from Intense heat today, Cincinnati is
also suffering from a water famine,
the supply on the hilltops having
failed last night and being still short
today. No explanation is given, but
energetic action has been taken by the
city officials. Many sections of the
city are without water and Its possible
danger from Are ■ Is causing great
alarm.
SENATOR BLACKBURN
SUCCEEDS GORMAN
As Chairman of the Senate Demo
cratic Caucus.
Washington, June 9.—At a meeting
of the Democratic senators today Sen-,
ator Blackburn, of Kentucky, was
elected chairman of the Democratic
conference, succeeding the late Sen
ator Gorman.
A CABINET RUMOR
ON RUSSIAN BOURSE.
St. Petersburg, June 9.—The Bourse
Gazette today prints the statement
that the Goremykin ministry resigned
last evening. No confirmation of the
report is obtainable yet.
TALKING POLITICS
IN SAVANNAH.
Special to The Herald.
Savannah, Ga., June 9.—Outside of
polities, everything Is very dull nere.
Everybody who Ip anybody Is talking
politics.
Mill Supply
Department:
Genuine Gandy
Belt, .Atkin’s Cir
cular and Cross
Cut Saws, Marsh
Steam Pumps.
Implement
Department:
Harvesting Ma
chinery, Thresh
ing Machines in
stock, all sizes
•A
CHARLES L. TUCKER TO PAY DEATH
ALTY—MOST INTERESTING CASE.
PEN-
Chronology of the Page Murder Caee.
March 31, 1904—Miss Mabel Page
was found murdered In her room by
her father, Edward Page.
April 4—Chas. L. Tucker was exam
ined by the police, but not detained.
April 9—Tucker arrested, charged
with murder.
January 2, 1906—Tucker’s trial op
ened.
January 26—Tucker found guilty of
murder in first degree.
April 3—Motion for new trial de
nied. Sentenced to die In the electrte
chair the week of June 10,1906.
Gasoline
Engines,
Towers
and Tanks
Albany
Machinery
Co.
Boston, Mass.,' June 9.—His counsel
having unayailingly exhausted every
twist and turn known to the law, Chas.
L. Tucker, at an age when most young
men still have the pleasures of life be-
for them, lies In the death cell at the
Charlestown state prison facing the
prospect of an Ignoble death in the
electric chair within the next forty-
eight hours. His last hours will be
spent In company with his spiritual,
adviser and Ills aged parents, whoso
unflinching loyalty and devotion to
their son has been one of the pathetic
features of the celebrated case.
The crime for which Tucker la to
pay the death penalty was one of the
most sensational as well as the most
Inexplicable homicides Massachusetts
has seen In many years. The murder
of Mabel Page, for atrocity, delibera
tion, malice aud strangeness, ranks
among the remarkable crimes of rural
New England. For more than two
years Its details have excited Interest,
wonder, and Imagination, while the
public has discussed the possibilities
with widely divergent views. But the
government held from the start that
the explanation of this remarkable
homicide lies with Chas. L. Tucker.
The young man—he Is but 26 years
old now—was arrested for the crime,
tried, convicted and sentenced to the
electric chair. He has had the benefit
of able counsel, who for two years
have practically abandoned nil other
business In their efforts to save tfielr
client from his fate. The ease was
carried to the highest courts in the
land without avail. A petition for
clemency, said to he the largest peti
tion of^the kind ever framed in this
country, was presented to Gov. Guild.
The chief executive, however, after
consultation with his council and with
the judges who had presided at the
trial, tailed to see his way clear to In
terfere with the decision of the courts.
The murder of Mabel Page occurred
at the suburban town of Weston on
March 31, 1904. It was a crime that
might at any time occur In a suburban
community. ' There was no mofp ap
parent motive for anyone to kill her
than there would he for the assassina
tion of any modest, retiring, Intellec
tual woman who never gave offense
and who might be found any day in
her home. She *vas 40 years old, thq
daughter of Edward Page,, a retired
dealer In steel and iron, whom busi
ness reverses had reduced to com
paratively poor circumstances. Mr,
Page passed away but a few months
ago, dragged to his grave by the over
whelming isorrow of his daughter’s
violent death.
On the day of the crime Miss Page
was left alone In the house. Her fath
er returned shortly after 2 o'clock In
the afternoon. On a writing table In
the living room he found a note In
Miss Page’s handwriting, t and evident
ly left fqr him. It stated that.she had
Just received word that her brother
had met with an accident and was In
a Boston hospital and that she had
left for the city to see him. Going up
stairs Mr. Page found the body of. his
daughter, extended on the floor of her
bedroom. She was dressed apparently
to go out An examination revealed
the fact that she had been stabbed to
death. For several days the Investiga
tion brought forward no person with a
possible motive and opportunity.
The theory of the detectives was
that the murderer must have told Miss
Page her brother had been Injured and
waB In the hospital. She must have
left him downstairs while Bhe went up
to dress, after writing the note for her
father. He undoubtedly stealthily
crept upstairs, entered the room while
she was standing before the mirror
adjusting* her hat, and stabbed her to
death before she had an bpportuntty to
resist The theory was advanced that
the murderer must have been someone
whom Miss Page recognised, else, be
ing a timid woman, she would not
have left him downstairs while she
went to her room to dress.
For three dnys the Btate detectives
worked day and night trying to find
everyone who was In the vicinity of
the Page house on the day of the mur
der. Finally, on the fourth day, It was
ascertained that a young man who had
not been previously described had
been seen In the neighborhood about
noon On the day of the crime. Late
that night the identity of the man was
established as Chas. L. Tucker, living
In Aubumdale.
Tucker was the son of Albert F.
Tucker, an old and respected employe
of the Boston & Albany railroad. He
had always lived In, Auburndale and
wns known nil over that section. He
had been Inclined to be somewhat
wild and dissipated, though never sus
pected up to that time of any serious
crime. Although very young, ho was
a widower. His wife had been drowned
by the overturning of a canoe on the
Charles river about a year previously.
Tucker was with her at the time and
was an expert swimmer. The wife’s
, death was regarded as somewhat mys
terious, but Tucker's explanation of
the accident was accepted at the time.
1 Upon being questioned by the police
Tucker told an apparently straightfor
ward story of his movements on the
day of the Page murder. He was not
taken Into custody, but was kept under
surveillance. Within a day or two
new developments came to light and
strengthened the suspicions against
Tucker. He was placed under arrest
and a search made of his house. Parts
of a broken knife blade were found
and Tucker admitted that the knife
was his. Among other things found
was a Canadian shield stick pin, which
at the trial was Identified by the fam
ily as having belonged to Miss Pnge.
The broken knife and the stick pin
were the two things that contributed
most to Tucker's conviction. Other
evidence Introduced tended to show
that,Tucker had at one time been an
acquaintance of Miss Page's brother
and had called at the house. Witness
es testified also to Tucker’s having
money following the time of the mur
der, and the possession of which he
could not reasonably explain. The evi-
dence showed that Miss Page had a
$10 bill In her purse on the morning of
the murder and that It wan missing
when the body was found.
The verdict of the jury was received
with surprise by those who had fob
lowed the trial closoly. This senti
ment was not unanimously based upon
a belief In Tucker’s Innocence, but up
on the .opinion that the evidence did
not fix the guilt upon the young man.
"Tucker mny have done It.” was the
expression heard on every hand, "but
the evidence did not show beyond a
reasonable doubt that he did It.”
But efforts to secure n new trial
were fruitless. The higher courts of
Massachusetts and the United Stntes
supreme court upheld the verdict of
the trial court
BROKE HER ARM
BUTTONING WAIST
UP THE BACK,
St. Louis, Mo„ June 9.—Miss Annie
Welsbaum, a prominent society lady,
broke her left arm last evening try
ing to button hpr shirtwaist up the
back.
BYRD IS WANTED
ON TWO CHARGES.
This morning J. B. Byrd was ar
rested by the police, and he Is being
held for the sheriff of Colquitt
County,
Byrd, who Is wanted for larceny In
charge Byrd’Is wanted for kidnaping,
time, and when the police were ap
prised of his presence steps were
made at once to capture him. In
some way be fotind out what was com
ing and tried to leave, but be was
landed before he could get out of the
city.
Besides having to answer this
charge Byrd Is wanted for kidnapping.
He Is evidently a worthless sort of
man and was recently adjudged 4p;
capable of supporting his family.
However, be kidnaped his own child,
in spite of the court proceedings
which took away his authority over
the child. The sheriff of Colquitt will
come over today for him.
THE TEXAS STEER AFFECTED
BY THE PACKING HOUSE SCANDAL
CONGRESSMAN GARNER ASKS COMMITTEE TO
HURRY UP ACTION.
Washington, June 9.—The beef In
spection hearing before the house ag
ricultural committee was begun-today
with a statement from Representative
Garner, of Texas, who urged Bpeedy
action on behalf of tho Texas stock-
raisers. He said:
“Every day this thing Is continued
the stockmen are losing money. Con
tractors -who take our Texas steers,
have become alarmed, saying they
don’t know whether or not they can
take our cattle, and we are In a state
of uncertainty.’’
The Stock Raisers Anxious.
S. H. Cowan, attornoy for the Texas
Cattle Ralsors Association, also ap
peared before the committee. He said
that the additional expense put upon
the packers for Inspection would
come out of the cattle raisers. He
showed a telegram from President
Lytle, of the association, saying that
the present agitation had already de
pressed the cattle business, and that
qgttlo will suffer four to five dollars
per head decline. A Colorado author
ity said that the loss would be one
dollar per hundred pounds.
Representative Haughen, of the
committee, said he believed every
member of the committee would favor
the government paying the cost of
inspection, which had boon estimated
at from $8,000,000 to $20,000,000 an
nually, but that congress at most
would not appropriate more than
$2,000,000. In th^B view, he believed
It would be better to assess the cost
on the packers.
E
E
NEW YORK, June 9.—A Herald dispatch from
Panama says that the cruiser Marblehead, anchored in
that harbor, got urgent orders at 2 o’clock yesterday
afternoon, and after taking on supplies, sail'ed last
night. There is no information as to the Marblehead’s
destination, but it is believed that she will go to San
Jose, Guatemala, to protect Americans there.
NEW YORK, June 9.—Mrs. Alice Kinnan, a wealthy, widow, living
on Washington avenue, was mysteriously killed last night. She was
called to the front door by an unknown man, who, after a brief con
versation, struck her in the head with a blunt Instrument, causing her
death shortly afterward. Thero Is no known oduse for the crime, as
the body was not robbed. The aged mother of MrB. Kinnan was In an
adjoining room and heard the doorbell ring and a few words uttered.
HOT INIS F
BLOW DEATH TO
CHICAGO, June 9.—Although yesterday was ap
preciably cooler than the preceding day, the continued
heat resulted in eight deaths and several prostrations.
The wind blew forty miles an hour off the prairie from
the southwest.
t west ram
fi
i
Cadet Herald S. Hetrick, of
Connecticut, at the Head
of the Class — The Next
Four in Order.
New York, June 9.—A special from
West Point says It was learned yes
terday that Cadet Herald S. Hetrick,
of Connecticut, x wlll be graduated at
the head of his class at the military
academy next Tuesday. The next
four In order are W. A. Johnson, of
New York; Jas. J. Loving, of Arkan
sas; Fred B. Downing, of Virginia;
and Edmund L. Daley, of Massachu
setts.
ATLANTA’S NEW
POLICE MATRON.
Special to The Herald.
Atlanta, Ga„* June 9. — Miss Ruth
SanderBon, a trained nurse, has taken
charge of the matrons' ward at police
station, succeeding Mrs. Mary Bohne-
feld, discharged. She was chosen fly
Cl)lef of Police Jennings, who had been
Instructed by the board of police com.
mlssloners to secure a matron. /She
will be elected by the board when It
meets Tuesday night The new ma
tron began her duties Thursday even
ing.
THE WORST IN
THE COUNTRY'’
Will Begin Next Week, and
Fruit Will Go Forward*in
Carload Lots During the
Following Week.
The shipment of cantaloupes froth
Albany to the markets of the North
and East will begin In a few dayB,
probably by the latter part of next
week. The first consignments will
go forward by express, being limited
to a comparatively small number of
crates, which will be expected to
bring fancy priceB.
But early In the following week, be
ginning about the 18th or 19th Inst.,
shipments In larger volumes will be
gin, and the canttes will begin to go
forward In carload lots,
Up to the present time, conditions
have favored the cantaloupe crop as
few erops have been favored In the
past. There has been neither too
much nor too little moisture, and no
blasting, beating winds have come to
tear and twist the tender vines.
For these reasons, there will be
shipped during the coming season
fruit of a superior quality. In slso
and shape, the melons will be perfeat,
and they will possess the distinctive
flavor for which Rocky Fords grown
In Southwest Georgia are famous.
Tho growers feel that they are go
ing to receive good prices for their
crop this season. For that matter,
they always feel that they are going
to come out of the season with fly
ing colors and snug balances on the
right side of the ledgers, but they are
occasionally keenly disappointed. This
year, however, the prospect Is decid
edly brighter than usual, -and unless
all signs fall, It Is going to be a good-
year. Planting was discreetly plan
ned, and there will not be a supply
exceeding the demand.
One of the great problems with
which the growers will have to con-,
tend will be that Involving labor;
There is In J)>Jp part of the pounl
as all over' the' South, a shortago
dependable labor, ■ which ■ Is especli
felt, by the growers of crops whicl
have to be. rapidly moved.
So
me
Brush
es
That Is What One of Its
Own Members Says of
the Atlanta Bar Associa
tion.
Special to the Herald.
Atlanta, Ga., June 9.—Charges that
many law firms in Atlanta were guilty
of unprofessional conduct were made
this morning-at a meeting of the At
lanta Bar Association.
It was alleged that some firms used
runners to solicit business.
Lewis P. Thomas declared that "the
Atlanta. Bar Association la the worst
In the country,” and James L. Key
said the guilty members should be
kicked out of tho organization. No
action was taken.
HAMILTON, ONTARIO,
STUCK BY STORM;
Tornado 8truck a Dozen Villages,
Levelling Everything.
Buffalo, N. Y., June 9.—Hamilton,
Ontario, suffered greatly from yester
day’s storm. One man was killed by
a falling tree near London. Two men
are reported killed near - Springfield.
The tornado swept a dozen villages,
leveling everything In Its path.
VCe are showing n
a beautiful line' of
bristle goods, includ
ing'
Hair Brushes,
75c to
Tooth Brushes,
V
10c to $1.
Nail Brushes,
25 c to $1.
Bath Brushes,
75 c.
Shaving Brushes,
25c to $1.50.
Clothes Brushes,
25c to $1
Hilsman-Sa
