Newspaper Page Text
BANKS COUNTY JOURNAL.
VOL VII.
MANY DM
In Wake of Terrific
Cyclone in North
Alabama.
KOONDVILLE IS WRECKED
Little Town in Hale County
is Literally Wiped Oft’ the
Map—Death List is
Thirty-Eight.
The most disastrous cyclone that
✓
ever swept over northern Alabama
visited Moundville, a town of 300 in
habitants, Friday morning at 1 o'clock,
and as a result, thirty-eight persons,
six white and thirty-two colored, were
killed and sixty-five wounded, of
whom about a dozen are expected to
die
Every business house, with the ex
ception of a small drug store, war
completely destroyed.
The cyclone struck the city from
the southwest, dealing death and de
struction as it made its path through
the (own. The path of the cyclone
was a qaarter of a tqoh- wide.
Where once S.HHi the ousiness por
tion of the town, the depot and the
dwellings, there were found scores
of mangled cattle, bogs, horses and
suffering humanity. So horrible was
the scene that it is impossible to de
ec ribe the suffering and destruction
Persons were blown hundreds of
feet from their beds in the blackness
of night. Through terror, a father,
mother and three children fled from
their name to ■■■•4 refuge, and tu
their excitement left a 5-year-old boy
In bed. When morning came he was
pulled from beneath some timber, and
thus far it is impossible to find any
other member of the iamily.
Bedding, carpets and wearing appa
rel are scattered a distance of ten
miles through what was a forest, but
which is now as clear as if it had been
cut by the woodman's ax.
FTeight cars were torn to splinters,
the trucks from them being hurled
hundreds of feet from the track.
The depot, the hotel, ware houses,
gins, thirty homes, the store houses
occupied by R. L. Griffin, A. W. Wig
gins A- Son. W. J. Domenick, A. D.
Griffin and W. P. Phifer, together with
their stocks, were completely destroy
ed. Where they stood it is impossible
to find even the pillars upon which
these structures rested.
Bales of cotton, which were stored
in warehouses, were torn to atoms,
the fragments of iint lodging in treat,
making it appear as If that section
had been visited by a snowstorm.
Heavy iron safes were carried by the
storm, the doors of which were torn
from their hinges.
Hundreds of homeless persons, hus
bands without wives, wives without
husbands, children without parents,
all without food or raiment, stood
amidst the debris wringing their
hands in despair.
Surgeons were rushed to Mound
vine from Greensboro and Tuscaloosa,
and all possible was done to alleviate
the sufferings of tha injured.
Relief measures were at once ta
ken by the citizens of Tuscaloosa, un
der the leadership of General W. W.
Brandon, adjutant general of Ala
bama, Six hundred dollars was raised
for the sufferers within a short time,
•while the pupils from tho female col
leges at Tuscaloosa went to Mound
ville and served hot coffee and food
to the destitute and wounded.
Telegrams were received from Bir
mingham and other places offering as
sistance.
The tornado-swept district is a
Beene of much desolation, and drew
curious crowds of spectators for
miles around.
As soon as the victims received
medical attention they were carried to
Greensboro. Many horribly mangled
victims were twenty-four hours with
out attention, owing to the great
scope of the cyclone.
An eye-witness of the scene de
scribes the cyclone as resembling
great dark clouds, one from the east,
the other from the west, which met
one mile south of Moundville, causing
a tremendous roaring, great gulches
being plowed through the earth where
the clouds met.
HOMER. BANKS COUNTY. GA.. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY i>7. 1904
!GOVERNOR TAFT ARRIVES
Lands at ’Frisco and Talks of Situa
tion in Philippines—Comes to Take
Root’s Place as War Secretary,
Former Governor Taft, of the Phil-
I >PPines, arrived at San Francisco Sat
urday on the steamer Korea. With
him were Mrs. Taft, their two chil
dren, Fred Carpenter, his secretary,
and Judge Woifley, attorney general
iof the Philippines, who is traveling
with the governor's party on his way
i home, on leave of absence.
Later Governor Taft boarded the
eastern overland train for Washing
ton. On arriving at the capital he
will at once assume his duties as sec-
I retary of war.
Mr. Taft talked at length to a rep
j resentatlve of the Associated Press
| regarding conditions in the Philip
pines and briefly on the Japanese-
Russian controversy. No significance
I of a political nature, he said, need be
; attached to the haste with which he <s
traveling. Secretary Root had been
retained now one month longer than
! he had expected and was anxious to
turn affairs over to be settled so he
; could take up the practice of law in
New York, which he had arranged lo
!do on February 1. Besides he had a
: reception dated for the 29th instant,
at which he proposed to introduce
i Mr. Taft and make him at home ofll
| dally in his new department.
In regarde lo the trouble between
i Japan and Russia and the general sit
| uatton that prevailed when he left
, the Orient, ex-Governor Taft said imt
; affairs looked quite warlike. Ho had
I hopes, however, that the crisis might
i yet ie bridged over and peace pre
served.
Governor Taft said that conditions
in the Philippines were better than
i ever before, and he doubted If great
er tranquility ever prevailed, even un
■ der Spanish administration.
"We are looking forward,” he said,
In regard to the trouble between
’road building throughout the Island.
Kngllsh and Belgian capitalists have
|so far controlled the field, but the
people of the Islands arc anxious for
the Introduction of our American cap
i ital, which so far has not been forth
! coming,
"One American syndicate, headed
! by a Mr. Swift, of Detroit, is engaged
IV ■ fts. Hoi of oloctrl ■ •■•oads,
grldironlng the streets of Manila,
with the object In view of extensions
which will connect the suburban
points.
“Two new branch lines have just
been authorized by the government,
ono of 35 miles and another of 350
miles, on the line of the road now run
ning out for a distance of 120 miles
from Manila to Dagupan.
"The census will be published In
October next aud on that date, pro
vided the country is tranquil, as at
present, the government will author
ize the election of an assembly of not
less than fifty, nor more than 100
; members. This assembly will be a
: legislative body, co-ordinate with the
i commission, passing all enactments
for the government of trie territory.
It will be provided, however, that
• houid they fall at any time to pass
| the necessary appropriations, the gov
ernor and treasurer will have power
to do so.
"This will give the present Philip--
pine commission two and a half years
more in which to complete their ar
rangements for the government of the
islands and the enactment of whit
they may consider necessary legisla
tion."
In reply to a quesction whether or
not the Philippines were in a condi
tion to govern themselves Governor
Taft said that they certainly were not
at present and to make a prediction
on the subject would be looking too
far into the future.
MILK TRUST IN CHICAGO.
Big Dairy Company is Formed With
Capital of Four Millions.
Under the name of “The Chicago
Dairy Company," Chicago capitalists
are forming a corporation designed to
control the milk supplies in Chicago.
Organized under the laws of the
state of Maine, the company has an
authorized capital of four million dol
lars.
BURTON UNDER GRAFT CHARGE.
Kansas Senator Indicted on Nine
Counts by St. Louis Jury.
The federal grand jury at St. Louis,
Saturday, returned an indictment
against Joseph R. Burton, United
States senator from Kansas, charging
him on nine counts with accepting
five checks of $5OO ‘■ach from the
Rialto Grain and Security Company,
while a United States senator, for his
alleged services in interceding with
the po3tmaster-general, chief postof
fice inspector and other high officials,
to induce them to render a favorable
decision in matters affecting the per
mission of the Rialto company to use
the mails.
Devoted to diving the News, Encouraging the Progress, and Aiding the Prosperity of Banks County.
ROBBERS’ BIG HAUL
Train of the Southern Pacific
Looted in Sum ot SBO,OOO
THREWOFF EXPRESS SAFE
Work Was Done During Temporary
Absence of Messenger—Express
Company Denies that Such
Large Amount is Lost.
A special from San Luis Obispo,
j Cal., states that train No. 9, which
left that town at 10:40 Wednesday
night for San Francisco, was robbed
of tho express safe on Questa grade,
about six miles to the northeast.
Messenger Sullivan, in charge of the
express car, had occasion to leave tho
car west of Tunnel No. 6, and return
ing later found the door burst open
and the safe gone. The safe is said
to have contained about 380,00(k
As soon as notified officers went to
the scene in search of the robbers.
At the office ot Ihe Wells-Fargo Ex
press Company no information regard
ing the robbery could be obtained. It
was admitted that the safe of Messen
ger Sullivan had been taken during
his temporary absence from the car.
hut regarding the details or the affair
the officials were reticent. The report
that the amount taken aggregated
about SBO,OOO, was denied and the
statement is made that the contents
of ihe purloined safe were of little
value. No definite figures were given.
The engineer, so the report says,
pulled up at the sight of a red light
displayed as a danger signal when the
trainmen were overpowered and the
robbers forced an entrance into the
express and mail cars.
At the office of the Southern Pa
cific, In San FYanclsco, the only infor
mation received wns to the effect that
jhc train known as section No. 2 of
the Sunset Limited, had been rohbed
by bandits who had taken the safe
from the express car weighing 200
pounds and thrown it off fhe car.
The expre messenger. T S lllvau,
uad two cars'to look after, nnd short
ly after the train left San Luis Obispo
and while it was nearing San Mar
querote, he discovered Ihe loss of the
safe. He had been working in the
forward express car and ns soon as
he went to the rear he made the ns- !
founding discovery that the safe had
been wrenched trom the corner of ihe
car. where It had been secured by j
heavy steel bars, and carried away.
The messenger Immediately gave the
warning. The train was stopped and
word was wired along the line to
look out for the robbers
The safe was found Thursday in Ihe
rough lands along the track. It bad
been rifled of everything excep? a val
uable diamond and jome valuable pa
pers. Notwithstanding the express
people's statements Chat there was lit
tle of value in the safe, it is stated
that one package sent from Santa Bar
bara was worth about $1,500.
The Wells-Pargo officers say there
were two safes in the train, one of
which is a depository for local valua
bles. which is locked at New Orleans,
the other being they assert, seldom
contains more than $1,500. It was the
latter safe that was stolen.
PURE FOOD BILL PASSED.
Measure Goe s Through After Ineffect
ual Attempts to Amend.
A Washington special says: The
house has passed the Hepburn pure
food bill in a rising vote of 201 to OS.
A roll call on the bill could not bs ob
tained. The amendment inserting the
word “willful” referring to persons i
who sell adulterated or misbranded j
goods, and which would have eompell
ed the government to prove intent to
violate the law by the vendors was ,
stricken out on a yea and' nay Tote !
In the house Several attempts were j
made to amend the bill, but no ma- !
terial changes were made.
The bill fixes the standard of foods
and drugs as to their purity, strength
and character, and defines what shall
be considered adulterations or mis
branding of foods and drugs. It also
prohibits inter-state commerce, impor
tation and exportation of such mis
branded or adulterated articles. It is
pioposed to enlarge the scope of the
bureau of chemistry to include the
bureau of foods and impost upon it
the duty of performing ali chemical
work for the other executive depart
ments. This bureau will be charged
with the duty of Inspecting food and
drug products which belong to Inter
state or foreign commerce. The sec
retary of agriculture is given author
ity to employ such chemfsts, inspect
ors, clerks and laborers as may be
necessary for the enforcement of the
act.
j GARNISHMENT ILLEGAL.
1 Atlanta Judge Renders Decision of
| Far-Reaching Import—Laborer Can
not Waive Homestead Rights.
At Atlanta, Wednesday morning,
Juudge J. H. Lumpkin, of the Fulton
county- superior court handed down an
opinion that is regarded In legal cir
cles as a stiff blow to money lenders
on whom the county grand jury has
been waging a crusade for several
months past.
~ The opinion is based on a case ap
pealed from an Atlanta justice court,
and in it Judge Lumpkin holds that a
laborer has no legal right to waive his
exemption from the garnishment laws
of the state of Georgia. Tho state law
provides that all day laborers shall bo
exempt from garnishment, nnd under
a decision of Judge Lumpkin, no la
borer has tho authority to sign an
agreement waiving this exemption in
favor of a money lender of any one
■■ The effect of the decision, lawyers
Aecare, will bo far reaching. It means
to taking from money lenders tho
power of subjecting the wages of a la
borer to garnishment. It Is under
stood that the practice is In voguo in
Atlanta of having laborers who borrow
money to sign an agreement assigning
their salary to the money lender, and
also waiving their exemption trom gar
nishment, nnd tho opinion of Judge
Lumpkin is a direct knock-out blow
to ‘his method of procedure.
’’he case on which tho opinion Is
ft ’’.tded waH brought by one Charles
Colyer, u money lender, against Peter
Mills, in the court of Justice of the
Peace Bloodworth. Mills was an em
ployee of the Southern Railway Com
pany and in 1900 borrowed the sum
of sl2 from Colyer, assigning hlB sal
ary to Colyer and signing an agree
ment waiving his exemption from gar
nishment on Ills salary for Ihe months
o f ihe years 1901 and 1902.
Mills, for some reason, failed to
make payment on the note, and a suit
was instituted and summons of gar
nishment taken out. Mills claimed that,
his wages were exompt from the gar
nishment. as he was a day laborer,
; and that his agreement to waive such
' o .omption was Invalid. Colyer, on the
tu her hand, contended that the walv
r, vr. { perfectly legal and of force.
The case was tried before a jury
in Judge Bloodworth’s court and a
verdict rendered in favor of Colyor,
the waiver being sustained. The case
was then appealed, by certiorari, to
(he superior court and was heard be
fore Judge Lumpkin. After carefully
deliberating on the questions Involved,
Judge Lumpkin, on Wednesday, hand
ed down his opinion, reversing the
verdict of the Justice court. It is ex
pected that thw case will he appealed
to the supreme court, and if It should
be, tho decision of that, tribunal will
be watched with much interest.
Judge Lumpkin hold that the main
question at issue in the case is wheth
er a day laborer has tho right to
waive his exemption from garnish
ment. He held that such an exemp
tion is contrary to the law of the
state, and that it is against the mor
als and public policy of the state. He
cited numbers of authorities, both from
| the decisions of the Georgia supreme
court and from the supreme courts of
other states, to sustain his position
and to demonstrate that the waiving
cf an exemption from garnishment is a
matter that affects the public policy
of the state.
The opinion deals fully with the
questions raised by the case and
forms a lengthy typewritten document.
COLONY OF ITALIAN SETTLERS
Locating in Alabama County on Lands
Bought by the Southern.
Seven thousand acres of land sit- j
uated in Washington county, Alabama! ;
35 miles from Mobile, on the main
line of the Southern railway, has been ;
purchased for colonization purposes. ]
The tract will be sub-divided into j
small farms and sold to Ifhlian farm- j
ers. The heads of twenty-five families
have already reached the property and i
commenced the erection of buildings.
Farms will be opened up at once. The
settlers will engage in general farm* |
Ing. the growing of fruits and vegeta'
hies.
CONFEDERATE DAY AT ST. LOUIS
Annual Convention of Daughters Also
to Be Held During the Fair.
Mrs. A. T. Smythe, of Charleston, S.
C., president general of the United
Daughters of the Confederacy, and
Mrs. A. W. Rapley, of St. Louis, pres
ident of the Missouri district, United
Daughters of the Confederacy, have
notified Mrs. John P. Hickman, of
Nashville, Tenn., secretary general,
United Daughters of the Confederacy,
that the annual convention will
be held in St. Louis October 4th to
Bth, 1904, and that October 7th has
been designated Confederate day at
the Louisiana Purchase exposition.
CLOUDSARE LIFTING
More Optimistic Feeling Re
garding War Situation,
PEACEADVOCATESONTOP
Latest Phase of Situation Indicates
that Russia is About Ready to
Accede Japanese Demands,
Averting a Conflict.
A Washington special says: For
the first time in weeks Secretary Hay
has become hopeful that peace will be
the outcome of negotiations between
Russia and Japan. He bases his
hopes upon the indications that the
peace party is in the ascendant at St.
Petersburg, and lie sees hope that
Russia will practically come to Japan’s
terms. He places his> hopes principal
ly upon Witte, whom he regards not
only the best posted, but the safest of
tho czar's advisers, and who is strong
ly for peace.
This more hopeful view on Ihe part
of the secretary of state is regarded
highly significant in Washington as up
to the present time he has believed
there was no peace in sight, even af
ter the peace talk of the czar himself.
It Is assumed that his latest advices
from St. Petersbuurg have led him
to put greater faith in the promises of
peace, showing that the’ Wltte-Lams
dorff influence is in the ascendant.
That he should feel ame to leave
Washington at this time is taken as
evidence of his belief that there is no
crisis immediately in sight, and that
the trend is toward peace.
In tho absence of further advices
from Seoul, the state department offi
cials bellove conditions are growing
better at tho Korean capital.
FLORIDA REPUBLICANS
Hold State and Congressional District
Convention in St. Augustine.
The republicans of Florida held
Ihoir state convent.!,-u, and ihe Con
vention for-tacit, •.ongresslenal dls/tilrt
in St. Augustine Wednesday.
Joseph E. Lee, collector of Internal
revenue, presided over the state con
vention. This convention left the
question of putting out a state ticket
to tho executive committee. D. N.
Combs, Joseph E. Lee, Henry S. Chub
and M. S. White were selected as dele
gates to the national republican con
vention.
The first district convention nomi
nated E. It. Gunby for congress and
selected G. W. Allen and H. W. Chan
dler as delegates to the national repub
lican convention.
In tho second district J. N. Cheny
waß nominated for congress by accla
mation, and G. W. Robinson and F. S.
Harris were chosen to represent tho ]
district in the national convention.
L. M. Whro, the lone republican In
the legislature, was nominated for
congress in the third district, and W.
H. Northrop and C F. Buffam were
elected as delegates to the national
•convention.
The state and congressional dele- !
gates to the national republican con
vention wore divided equally between j
the races.
SERMON CAUSED LYNCHING.
Rev. Elwood to Be Tried for Inciting
Mob at Wilmington, Delaware.
The New Castle Presbytery at Do
ver, Delaware, has decided to try Rev.
R. A. Elwood, of Wilmington, on
charges in connection with the preach
ing of a sermon by him last Juno, en
titled “Should tho murderer of Helen
Bishop be lynched?” The trial will
take place in the Presbyterian church
at New Castle on February 2.
The complaint against Mr. Elwood is
that he delivered a sermon at Wil
mington, which it is alleged so worked
up the people that the next night a
mob gathered, stormed the work
house, took out George White, tho col
ored man who confessed to assaultin/
and murdering Helen Bishop, ;>/<\
burned him at stake.
HOLLAND 80CIETY BANQUET.
Large Attendance at Annual Dinner
of Members in New York.
Over 400 members and guests of the ,
Holland Society of New York attended i
the annual dinner at the WaMorf-As- !
toria Thursday night. The list of j
toasts included "T'eace,” Wi J. Bry
an; “Holland, Our Ally in the Revo !
lution,” Rev. George Lorimer; 'T'he !
Friendly Relations of the Dutch with j
Other Nations,” Sir Chen-Tung Liang i
Cheng; “Our Hero Ancestors,” James
M. Beck.
A letter from President Roosevelt
was read expressing regret at his ina- j
bility to attend.
NO. 43.
LIVELY DEBATE IN SENATE
Gorman Resolution of Inquiry Into
Panama Matter Adopted—Till
man Discucses Recess
Appointments.
A Washington special says: The
senate Friday adopted the resolution
of inquiry concerning affnirs In Pana
ma introduced by Mr. Gorman, and,
In addition, listened to a speech on
the Panama question by Mr. Dolllver
and another on the subject of rocess
appointments to office by Mr. Tillman.
Mr. Dolllver defended the course ot
the administration in Panama, con
tending that it was patriotic through
out.
Following are the main points of
tho Gorman resolution adopted:
“Resolved, That the president he
requested, if not. In his Judgment in
compatible with the public interest,
to Inform tho senate—
"l. The date when, anti the circum
stances under which the United States
has used a military force in the In
ternal affairs Colombia, under' the
treaty of 184 G ; whether such use of
military force was on Ihe initiative
of the United States or by the request
of Colombia.
“2. Also, to Inform the senate
whether or not the United States has
been asked by Colombia to execute
by armed force, ell her the guaranty
of the neutrality of the isthmus or
of the sovereignty of Colombia over
tho same.
"3. And also to inform the senate
in which, if any, of the disturbances
on the Isthmus of Panama the United
States employed a military force,
solely on its own initiative, and un
invited by the government owulng the
isthmus.
"4. And also that lie will Inform tho
senate of the dates when and circtim
stances under which the United
States has employed military force in
the interanl affairs of Colombia.”
Mr. Tillman was recognized to speak
on his resolution relating to senate
recesses. Ills remarks referred es
pecially to the nomination {if Dr. Crum
to be collector at Charleston, S. C.
Mr. Tillman disclaimed any Inten
tion to consldc.ohiiis as a party ques
tion, but cla,that, his desire was
lo prevent me establishment of a
harmful precedent at.d to find out
■■ 1 .-. r,.:... ’ .. fit /' "con
structivo recess." Ho said it had re
mained for our presonl executive to
assort the right and exercise the
power of making appointments be
tween 12 o'clock and 12 o’clock of
tbo same day.
Mr. Hale took exception to the
statement that the president had
committed himself to the proposition
as set forth. A.<* for himself, he did
not accept the theory of a construc
tive recess.
Mr. Tillman quoted a letter from
Secretary Shaw concerning the ap
pointment of Collector Crum, taking
the position that there had been a
constructive recess between -he time
of the adjournment of the late extra
sossion of congress and the beginning
of Ihe present regular sessio - . This,
Mr. Tillman contended, was in viola
tion of the constitution and lie also
contended that there was no common
sense in Iho plea that there was any
interregnum between l.ho extra session
and regular session when one was im
mediately adjourned to prepare for
the other.
Mr. Spooner suggested that the re
sult of following Mr. Tillman’s reason
ing would be to cause many vacancies
In office.
In response Mr. Tillman said:
“This is (he first, point. I have ever
heard the senator make, but it won't
j go-”
Mr, Spooner cited Ihe possible case
of an emergency military appointment,
i hut. Mr. Tillman replied that there
were always officers on hand to per
form Ihe duiles required and he said:
"That won’t do, you’ll have to shout
again.” He did not object to inter
ruptions, he said, but wanted all tho
light, he could get “for,’’ he said, "I
have some thundering stuff here on
this subject.”
Mr. Tillman then quoted a number
of precedents In support of his posi
tion. \rnong other utterances quoted
were those of Chas. Sumner and John
Sherman, both of whom the senator
lauded.
MOUNDSVILLE NEEDS HELP.
Urgent Appeal Issued in Behalf of
Alabama Cyclone Sufferers.
“The village of Moundsville was de
stroyed on Thursday night by a cy
clone. The town was completely de
molished. A number of people were
killed; a large number were Injured,
and now aid is necessary on every
side.
“The injured have been brought
here, and are being cared for by our
citizens. Any contributions will he
greatly appreciated, and can be sent
to me. (Signed.)
“N. L. CASTLEMAN, Mayor.”