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The Times-Recorder is the ONLY paper
in the Third Congressional District with
Associated Press Service.
THIRTY-NINTH YEAR.
CONGRESS CALLED TO MEET ON APRIL 2ND
GRAVE SITUATION IS
REASON FOR SECOND
CALL FOR CONGRESS
First Date Was Set
For April
16th
STATE OF M MAY
st final result
Earliest Date Is
Named For The
Session
WASHINGTON. D. C.. March 21.
Congress has been called by Presi
dent Wilson to assemble in extraor
dinary session on April 2nd. The law
making body, when it assembles will
probably be asked to declare a state
of war between the United States and
Germany.
An earlier called issued by the pres
ident named April 16th as the date
tor congress to assemble, the neces
sity tor an extra session being the
failure of important appropriations
measures to pass the senate before the
recent congress expired by constitu
tional limitation.. Since the call was
issued, however, stirring events in
connection with the submarine men
ace have occurred, and president Wil
son determined today to call congress
into session two weeks earlier than j
originally intended.
President Wilson called the extra
session of congress April 2nd to take
action on the state of war which ad
mittedly exists between the United
States and Germany, and congress will
probably be asked to declare a state of
war has existed since a recent date
when German submarines began a se
ries of warlike operations against j
American commerce. The official
proclamation states the president calls
congress into session for it to receive,
a communication from him concerning
"grave questions of national policy.”
The proclamation does not state the
president considers a state of war ex
ists, but leaves the question open for
discussion in his address and for con
gressional action.
The president's decision was made
as a result of yesterday’s cabinet meet-|
ing, at which practically a unanimous
opinion existed that while preparations
continue going forward to put the na
tion in a state of armed neutrality,
congress which alone has the war
making power, should be summoned
to meet and discuss the situation.. J
Sentiment in congress is understood to}
be overwhelmingly in favor of a dec- }■
laration that as a result of Germany’s
fcets a state of "ar already exists.
In his address before congress in
joint session. President Wilson will
recite Germany’s overt acts against
( nited States commerce and citizens
and will also probably discuss univer-.
sal training as a military measure <.o
be enforced in this country. The fore- j
most act which actuated the pres:-1
dent's decision was the unwarned tor-1
pedoing of the American steamer Vig
ilancia, with the loss of fifteen lives,
several of whom were Americans. He
is stated to have chose April 2nd as ,
the date for congress to assemble, be- i
cause it was thought impossible for
some congressmen to reach V ashing
ton at an earlier date.
The passage of a resolution by con
gress that a state of war exists will
not be a declaration of war in a tech
nical sense, although practically it will
amount to the same thing. If such a
resolution is passed, however, the
United States will then take additiono
steps to protect American interests
against German aggressions, and if
actual war comes In its full sense, it
will result from future acts by Ger- #
many.
Members of the cabinet in urging
the move upon President Wilson, are
described as being more thoroughly
united than they have heretofore been
on any other question. At first there
was a suggestion that the result might
be to allow Germany to use subma
rines against the American coast, but
the navy feels able to take care of
that even now. Meanwhile the navy}
department continuing rushing prepa-'
rations for any eventuality.
The war department and army offi-}
cers have prepared complete plans for
an industrial mobilization of the na
tion, and hundreds of great corpora
tions have already voluntary offered
their services, together with all their
equipment to the nation in the event !
of need, and the president in his proc-I
tarnation aak» congress to give this'
matter immediate consideration.
OVERTON IS KILLED
81 SHERIFF'S POSSE
BIRMINGHAM. Ala.. March 21.—Da-I
vid D. Overton, former official of I
Huntsville, under a sentence of death!
for the murder of Judge W. T. Lawler.'
his political rival, last summer, was'
shot and killed by a posse of deputy ;
sheriffs, near here last njght. Overton 1
met death in a fight in which he and
six companions engaged after they l
had escaped from the Jefferson county
jail early in the day.
Tony Mahno, another fugitive, also,
I was killed and J. L. Latham, a member
of the escaped band, was seriously
wounded.
Four of Overton’s companions fled
v hen the fight with the deputies began
and were pursued some distance by
the posse. None of the deputies were
injured.
Malino was under a death sentence
for the murder of a peddler here sev- ■
eral months ago. Latham had been I
indicted on a charge of forgery.
The prisoners fled from the Binning-,
ham jail about 8 o’clock yesterday .
j morning, after overpowering two ■
guards and a turnkey. They were all
heavily armed.
Thoroughfares in every direction out’
of Birmingham were searched and late .
in the evening the police were inform-'
ed by a negro that the prisoners were'
in hiding back of Owenton college.!
This college is within 100 yards of
’ the home of Solicitor Joseph R. Tat?, 1
' v ho last fall represented the state in
1 the prosecution of Overton.
Fifty shots were fired in the battle
which was fought in a wooded fie'd }
back of the college in the semi-dusk.
; The deputies under Sheriff Batson, of |
I Birmingham, guided by a negro in-,
I former, surrounded the escaping men
* and soon were joined by students from
| Owenton college. These students led
in a chase after Overton's four com-'
i panions when the firing began.
CZAR Ji WIFE ARE
i DEPRIVED LIBERTY
LONDON. March 21.—The Russian
provisional government today ordered
i Nicholas Romanoff, as the deposed em
' peror is designated, and his consort.,
■ who before her marriage was a Ger-,
I man princess, to be deprived of their
• liberty and brought to Tzarikoe Selo,
according to Reuters’ Petrograd cor-1
respondent. The provisional govern-'
ment. following the czar’s abdication,
ordered Romanoff and his family to
take up their residence on his private
estates on the Crimean peninsula, bet
later reconsidered this order and the
couple will probably be kept under
guard until after the elections already!
.ordered have been held.
AMERIEUS TIMES-RECORDER
MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
AMERICUS, GEOPGI A. WEPNESDAY AFTER MOON, MARCH 21, 1917
CAPITALIST IS SHOT
IN NEGRO’S HOME
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 21.
Police authorities here announced this
morning they are convinced robbery
was not tlie motive actuating the kill
ing of Edmund J. Murch, aged 55. a
Bangor, Me., capitalist, who was shot
to death yesterday in the home of
George Thompson, a negro restaurant
keeper here. When the crime first
became known efforts were made to
cover it up entirely, but police inves
-1 tigations soon convinced the authori
ties the wealthy tourist had met with
foul play.
The first known of the affair was
when Murch returned to his apart
ments in a fashionable hotel here, and
told his wife he had been injured 'n
an automobile accident. He was suf
j sering intensely at the time, and physi
! clans were hurriedly summoned. Be
j fore adequate aid could be rendered,
i however, Murch died. Tracing his
! "'hereabouts during the day, the po
lice founds Murch had been shot by
the negro Thompson, after following
his wife there, and laying in wait out
side until the Bangor man entered the
I woman’s room
WORkTeGINS ON
56,000 ADDITION
00 FURLOW LAWN
I
Workmen this morning commenced |
I operations at the Furlow Lawn Bap
j tist church, where $6,000 is to be ex
-1 pended in veneering the building with
brick and in constructing an addition
I containing 14 new class rooms for
Sunday school purposes.
A few weeks ago a bond issue was
! floated to provide funds for the im
provements, anw now that the mate
rials have arrived, th< work will be'
pushed to completion without delay.
The addition to the edifice will be
two stories in height and besides the
regular class rooms for the Sunday
school classes, special rooms will he
I arranged for the Baraca and Philathea
■ classes. The south wall of the church ■
I is to be moved out 10 feet and an-.
I other entrance cut at the southwest
; corner, while the present wall between
, the main auditorium and the lecture
room will be entirely removed. The
' church steeple is to be removed and a
more attractive belfry constructed in
I its place.
The plans call for the construction
' of a commodious choir and organ loft
; directly in the rear of the pulpit ros-.
trum, while the baptistry will be plac-,
ed at the left of the pulpit.
The seating capacity of the main
auditorium, when the alterations are
completed, will be about five hundred, ■
i and the Sunday school facilities will
, be greatly increased to provide for the ■
rapid growth of this branch of the
! church.
The plans provide for the installa-}
! tion of a hot-air heating system for the
church, and other improvements de-}
I signed to render the edifice more mod
ern and up-to-date have been arrang- ‘
' ed.
It is also intended to purchase a
pipe organ of suitable size and a com-,
! n.ittee has been appointed to look .if-,
ter this important feature. In fact,;
! negotiations have been entered into
i with a well known organ house look-,
ing toward the installation of a first
class instrument.
The construction work will be com
pleted during the month of June, it >s
anticipated, the plan being to have
the church ready for use during the
• state convention of the Baracas and
■ Philatheas which occurs in this city at
j that time.
SMALL BLAZE GAVE
FIREMEN EXERCISE
An alarm turned in from east Jct
ferson street shortly after 12 o’clock
today brought the fire department to,
the Rollins store in that section, where!
a pile of clothing was found ablaze. |
The flames were extinguished by ’
J means of chemical' and little damage'
| resulted. I
{GERMAN SPIES ENTER PLEAS
OF GUILTY AT NEW YORK TODAY j
NEW YORK, March 21.—Albert C.
Sander and Charles H. Wunneburg,
both Germans, pleaded guilty today to i
an indictment charging them with en
gaging in a military enterprise in
violation of United States neutrality.
The men were accused of sending
spies from America to England to se
cure military information for German
authorities, information leading to
their arrest being furnished by Brit
ish secret agents. Both prisoners will
he sentenced tomorrow.
frenclTfollow
GERMAN RETREAT
WITH CAPTURES
NEW YORK, March 21.—(Compiled
by the Associated Press from European
cables during the day.)—Russian
troops driving southward from Sakkiz, |
Persia, have crossed the Mesopotamian '
frontier into Turkish territory, ae- J
cording to a Russian official an
nouncement.
The French announced rapid pro
gress in the pursuit of retreating Ger
mans in the west, with important gains ■
registered on both sides of the Laon j
road and the capture of ten villages,
. including Jussy, about nine miles
i south of St. Quentin, which is situated
|on the famous fortified Hindenburg
I line. The Paris war office also an-
I nounced the repulse of a German sur
prise attack in the Champaign region.
Another Chief Against Turks.
LONDON, March 21.—Foreign Secre
tary Balfour in the house of commons
today announced that another import
ant chieftain in Arabia had risen
against Turkish authority in that
country. I
I JOEL P« ATER TO DELIVER
LECTURE TO TECH STUDENTS
ATLANTA.. Ga.. March 21.—1 n re
sponse to requests from students of
the school of commerce of Georgia i
Tech Tech. as well as from other inter
! ested parties over the state, Joel Hun- }
I ter. of Atlanta, chairman of the Geor
gia State Board of Accounting, will
deliver a lecture before the school next.
1 Friday night, March 23, on how to pre.
' pare for the forthcoming certified pub
lie accountant examinations and what!
they consist of. The federal income!
j tax law and other legislation requiring}
detailed financial income tax law and
' other legislation requiring detailed fi
nancial reports to the government have
■ greatly increased the demand forcer-
■ tided public accountants, and the
1 Georgia State Board of Accounting
Examiners are anxious to interest am- I
bilious young men in the opportuni-1
ties open to them in this inviting field.'
- j
HIRD TO STOP SMUGGLING
FROM HOI LAND TO GERMANY
THE HAGUE, March 21.—There
were 8.200 convictions out of 11,000 ar
rests during the last three months of
1 1916 for smuggling from Holland to
Germany. The Minister of Justice told
. the members of Parliament about them
during a discussion of a bill to check
} smuggling by exercising a stricter
' guard of the frontier. I
Call For The Red Cross
At 10 o'clock Thursday morning, a meeting will be held at the Car
negie Library to formally perfect the organization of the Americus
branch of the Red Cross. At the meeting tomorrow officers will be ,
elected and the other features necessary to giving the Americus branch
an official aspect will be entered into.
A large and interesting meeting was held several weeks ago. and
it was then decided to organize. The petition has been secured, and all
of the citizens who attended the last meeting are urged to be present
Thursday morning, together with the general public who are cordially
urged to assist in forming the Red Cross, which is an indispensible
asset for the nation in time of peace and war—where famine and dis
aster is watched in the peace hours, and the flower of the nation is
eared for in war times.
The young people are invited to participate in the organization. ,
Athens, Griffin. Savannah and Macon are prominent examples in Geor.
gia of recent Red Cross organizations.
CRIMINAL CASESAHE
fflllN TAKEN IIP
City court again took up the consid
eration of the criminal calendar this
morning, after having been in recess
since Monday on account of the ab
sence of several lawyers from the city,
necessitating the holding over of the
cases in which they are interested.
A’andy Marshall, a negro charged'
with larceny from the person, was con
victed and sentenced to pay a fine of'
$75 or serve Ift months on the chain •
gang. Marshall snatched a purse
from a negro woman a few weeks ago.
Simon Tinsley, a negro charged with
carrying concealed weapons, was ac
quitted by the jury.
The case of the state vs. Mark H.
Bell, a white man living near Friend
ship, was called for trial this after
noon. The defendant is charged with
assault and battery, the complaining
witness being a lady residing on Pros-j
pect Heights.
SUIT INVOLVES
LAND ON WHICH
LEESBURG, LIES
Litigation involving the land upon ■
which the town of Leesburg is located!
has involved several well known citi
zens of this city and surrounding sec
tion. and W. P. Wallis, of Americus,
has been named as auditor to pass up-1
on certain phases of the matter.
If the plaintiffs are successful in se-j
curing their claims to the property |
under dispute, about 2,000 acres of
kind, including the townsite upon
which Leesburg is built, will pass from
the hands of the present owners.
, The provisions of a will made some
|6O years ago are made the basis of
I the litigation which may prove of great
| moment to citizens of Hie I
i testament of the late Dudley Snead is i
introduced by the plaintiffs to uphold
their claims, the testator having been I
the owner of the lands now in litiga
tion.
W. T. Cock, of Leslie, is claimed by
the plaintiffs to be the only remaining
I heir to the Snead estate, receiving a
■ half interest in the property as heir,
} after it has passed through several
' bands since the death of Dudley Snead.
The suit is brought by W. T. Cock
} against Mrs. J. N. Calloway, et al., the
other parties named as defendants be
ing individuals who have purchased
and are holding land affected by the
terms of the Snead will. The various
transactions that have occurred since
the death of Dudley Snead, as regards
the transfer of the land in question,
are claimed by the plaintiffs to be II-
I legal and void.
i The litigation promises to be bit
' terly fought through the courts of
} the state and a vast quantity of docu
mentary evidence has been introduced
I by both sides in support of their con
tentions.
The decision of W. P. Wallis as aud-'
iter will have a distinct effect on the,
claims of the plaintiff and his judg-j
ment upon certain phases of the case ]
is anticipated with much interest.
W. T. Lane and Shipp & Sheppard, of
Americus, with Ware G. Martin, of
Leesburg, appear for the plaintiff,
while Wilkerson & Yeomans, of Daw-
I son. represent the defendants.
CHISP EXPECTS
DECLARATION OF
WARBTGONGRESS
“I believe that the calling of this
extraordinary session of congress by
j President Wilson on April 2nd means
that the chief executive will ask for
i a declaration of war against Ger
j many,’’ said Congressman Charles R.
Crisp this morning, when informed by
a representative of the Times-Re
corder that the president had called
congress to meet on April 2nd, instead
of April 16th.
Judge Crisp, who is confined to his
bed temporarily by an attack of bron
chial trouble, stated that he would
leave for Washington, D. C., some time
next week, to be present at a caucus
lof the democratic members of the
house. Under the arrangements as
at first constituted for the session be
ginning April 16th, Judge Crisp in
tended to go to Washington about
April 7th, in response to a call from
Congressman Claude Kitchen, demo
cratic leader of the house.
“There is no question in my mind
but that congress will accede to any
request made by President Wilson;
certainly the house will support him in
any action he may see fit to take iu
the present crisis, while the senate,
in view of the wave of adverse senti-
I ment which has swept over the coun
i try at its failure to uphold Wilson,
; will undoubtedly come into line,” said
I Judge. Crisp.
“The sinking of American ships by
German submarines Is to my mind a
' tactit declaration of war on the part
ot Germany and it is my opinion that
I President Wilson will ask nothing
’ short of a formal declaration of war
I by congress,” he continued.
“Congress may be again asked to
pass the “armed neutrality” resolu
tion and it will go through without dif
ficulty, but I do not expect that even
the passage of such a resolution will
prevent a formal declaration of war,”
j said he.
Judge Crisp indicated his belief that
a coalition of both the great political
j parties in congress will be brought
I about for the purpose of organizing the
house, so that the little group of five!
independents will not be able to hold
the balance of power and dictate the
actions of the lower branch of con
gress.
Democratic Caucus March ,10th.
WASHINGTON, D. C„ March 21.-!
A democratic caucus for organization
I of the new house was today called to I
assemble in Washington March 3Oth. !
—————
AUTOMOBILE A( (IDENT ON
LEE STREET DURING SHOWER
I
A collision occurred on Lee street}
shortly after 12 o’clock today during |
the heavy rainstorm which deulged the.
city, two Ford cars, owned respectively (
by Hollis Fort and Lee M. Hansford.}
figuring in the smashup.
Mr. Hansford was backing out of .
| the garage at his home, while Mr.}
I Fort came driving down Lee street
}at a good rate of speed. Before the (
I accident could be prevented, the two!
machines came together, the Fort car (
striking the Hansford machine broad
side.
Both cars were considerably damag
ed. but neither Mr. Fort or Mr. Hans
ford was inju-ed beyond a bad shak
ing up.
AMERICUS FISHING CLUB
ORGANIZED IESTEBDIU
I The Americus Fishing club was or-
I ganized yesterday by several local en
thusiasts who are more or less expert
I with the rod and line. The club mem
-1 hership has not yet been fully complet
ed, but arrangements for the season
are being made by President Arthur
Rylander and Secretary-Treasurer W.
M. Humbe.
Plans for a big picnic and fish-fry to,
, take place some time in Apii are now
'on foot and a series of similar af
fairs are anticipated during the sum- (
mer.
CHY
i“DRY BILL” SURF
TO BE PUSHED TO
i PfISSICEJ ONGE
t ATI ANTA, Ga., March 21.—That the
’ 1 one dry prohibition bill prepared by
i Governor Harris and submitted by him
' to the legislature for passage at the
extra session which convened yester
. day will be accepted by the house and
’ senate and enacted without undue de
lay was evident yesterday afternoon
i by the manner in which the bill was
I received by the temperance commit
tees of both branches of the general
> assembly
■ I The only feature of the bill on which
1 there is any marked disposition to take
i issue with the governor is that which
> provides for the creation of a prohibl-
- tion commissioner, who shall keep re
’ cords of all shipments of alcohol and
■ wine, as permitted by the bill, and who
shall exercise a general supervision
- over the enforcement of the law in
i the state.
The temperance committees of both
house and senatb yesterday afternoon
I were strongly inclined to strike out
’ this provision of the bill, on the theory
that in counties w’here public senti
-1 ment demands the enforcement of the
la w it will be enforced, while in coun-
■ ties where public sentiment condones
violations of the law' the importation of
agents of the prohibition commissioner
■ to work up evidence would merely fur
! nish the juries an excuse so refusing
to convict.
In consequence of this view which
1 was taken by members of both com-
- mittees, the senate committee struck
out provision for the prohibition com-
5 missioner. while the house committee
decided to retain the commissioner, but
to curtail his authority considerably.
1 With one exception, the bill is sub
stantially approved by both commit
tees, although neither of them finish
ed with the bill yesterday afternoon.
After going over about half of its sec
tions, ad sereatum, the committees ad
journed until this morning, when they
planned to take up the remaining sec
tions and dispose of them before the
J hour when the house and senate con-
I vene, if possible.
, Some signs of a .desire to delay ac
i tion on the bill were manifested yes
, terday in the house by members of
i the minority, who succeeded in pre
} venting the passage of the present pro-
I hibition laws during the session of
} 1916, and thereby necessitated the
; calling of an extra session. What they
! would like to accomplish by a filibuster
is not the actual defeat of the bill, but
j to force a compromise postponing the
! date when it shall go into effect. How-
I ever they realize that their chances
! are very slim and they are by no means
• determined to maintain their diliatory
, tactics.
( OLUMBUS WANTS $7,000 STO< K
COMPANY TO MANAGE BIG FAIR
COLUMBUS. Ga.. March 21.—Com
mittees of the Chamber of Commerce
' are today engaged in soliciting sub
, eriptions to a stock issue of $7,000,
! uith which to organize and operate i
; air association for the counties con
} igious to Columbus in the Chattahoo
' chee valley. The plans thus far de-
I veloped for staging the first exhibition
contemplates a display of live stock
and agricultural products, an automo
bile show, poultry show, with the us
ual displays by merchants and tnanu
i facturers. Mort L. Bixley, secretary
of the Gulf Coast fair. Mobile, Ala.,
} will act as manager of the local fa>r
and with his partner will put SI,OOO i'l
the capitalization.
WANT CURFEW ORDINANCE
AGAINST NEGRO WOMEN
ATLANTA Ga.. March 21.—A new
■(kind of Puritan legislation, and class
• legislation at that is being suggested
i in Atlanta, namely the enacting of a
•curfew ordinance directed solelv
against negro women to keep them off
1 the streets at night.
The strange part of it is that the
suggestion came from the negroes
themselves. B. R. Holmes, head of a
large negro institute here, is the au
| tbor of the idea.
NUMBER «»