Newspaper Page Text
ASSOCIATED
PRESS NEWS
OF THE WORLD
FORTY-SECOND YEAR—NO. 139
~G. O. P. BRIDGES THREATENED LEAGUE SPLIT
War romance bared as
GA. HERO IS TRIED HERE
FOR WEDDING 2 WOMEN
Randolph County Young Man Says Marriage to
Red Cross Nurse in France Was Illegal—
, Both ‘Wives’ in Court
A strange story of a war romance in France between a Georgia
soldier of the 1 5 Ist machine gun battalion, Rainbow division, and a
Red Cross nurse, which resulted in their marriage overseas and of his
subsequent re-marriage in Sumter county without a divorce, was
brought in the Sumter Superior court yesterday when A. H. McCoy,
a prominent Randolph county young man, was placed on trial on a
charge of bigamy. Both of his alleged wives were present when the
trial began and sat in the court room conversing with each other be
fore the taking of the testimony was begun and the second wife was
excluded. Also present as a witness for the state was a young woman
who testified she had been a witness to the first wedding in France,
she being a Red Cross nurse there also.
It was a most unusual story that was unfolded. Young McCoy
taking the stand in his own defense, admitted his marriage in France,
but declared it was only a marriage in form, was illegal, and that he
and the nurse, who was Miss Orpha D. Wood, now of Atlanta, had an
agreement and understanding in Atlanta, after their return that they
were to consider themselves free and single, and that they both
recognized the illegality of the marriage they went through in France.
He declared that his second wife had been taken from him three
hours after their marriage by force and that the prosecution was the
result of efforts on the part of her parents to have the marriage an
nulled.
The jury, which went out 1 2 :
2:15, fixing the sentence at from 2
The case was hard fought and lis
tened to most intently by the court
room audience.
Attorneys engaged in the case were
C W. Worrill and L. B. West, of
Cuthbert, Ellis & Webb and Jule Fel
ton, of Americus, for the state, and
G. H. Perry, of Cuthbert and Zach
Childers, of Americus, for the de
fendant.. . ...
r* The state's star witness was Miss
W Mollie Buckley who testified she was
' a witness to the wedding of McCoy
and Miss Wood, then a Red Cross
nurse overseas, but now a trained
nurse in Atlanta. During the prog
ress of the trial the second wife, Mrs.
Georgia Pitts McCoy, an 18-year-old
Alabama girl, who was married to Mc-
Coy while a student at Andrew col
lege on October 13, 1919, was ex
cluded from the courtroom, but while
counsel argued the case against her
husband after the taking of testimony
had been, finished and she had been
readmitted to the room, she wept very
softly and dried her eyes frequently
with‘a small handkerchief.
McCoy Takes Stand
McCoy, a member of the famous
151st Machine Gun Battalion; who
served first at the Mexican border
and afterwards went to France as a
member of Capt. Julian Peacock’s
Macon company, sat with his aged fa
ther and his counsel during the trial
and looked at neither of the women
each of whom claimed to be his law
ful wife. On the stand he made a
clear, straightforward statement, as
serting that he went through a cere
mony in France with Miss Wood, but
that both recognized this as illegal at
the time, and asserted that afterward
they had met in Atlanta and there
agreed their “wedding” in France was
without sanction in law, each agreeing
to recognize the staus of the other as
that of an unmarried person. With
this view’ embedded in his mind as
correct, and firm in the opinion that
he had a right to marry the woman of
his choice, McCoy told the jury that
he had met and loved Miss Pitts, that
he had married her in this county and
that he still loved her, but that due to
the opposition of her parents he had
never entered into the marriage re
lai on with her, and had not been in
her company since three hours follow
ing their marriage, when she was tak
en from him under duress.
Came to Georgia for Divorce
Mrs. Orpha D. Wood McCoy, al
leged first wife, who appears to be
several vears older than the defend
ant, sat unmoved throughout the
whole trial. She said to a newspaper
man that she had come to Georgia
for the purpose of getting a divorce
and refused to divulge her Atlanta
street address, saying she had been
promised that nothing about the trial
would be printed in the newspapers
’ * x when she consented to come to Amer-
to attend the hearing. She cx
* pressed herself not at all concerned
about the outcome of the trial but ev
idenced satisfaction whenever coun
sel for the state scored in a contested
point against the defense.
Miss Mollie Buckley, who made an
excellent witness, gave the first oral
testimony introduced by the state.
She was on the stand more than an
hour, during which she answered the
many questions put to her by oppos
ing counsel, with an equanimity that
impressed her upon all in the court
room as a splendid witness. She told
of having been in France in Red
Cross service with Miss Wood, and of
having met McCoy there. Together
with Miss Wood, she was stationed at
Chaumont Base Hospital, No. 101, she
told the jury, and McCoy was brought l
there suffering with a disease which i
afterward developed into diphteria. A I
THE fftOaRgCORDER
PUBLISHED IN THE HEART OF pixie;
I 5, returned a verdict of guilty at
to 3 years imprisonment.
friendship between Miss Wood and
McCoy began there, she stated, and
numerous notes passed between the
two. She was a witness to the al
leged marriage of McCoy and Miss
Wood, which she said was performed
by Rev. H. Boyd Edwards, captain
and chaplain of the 101st Engineers,
U. S. A. and identified a certificate
of the marriage which ghe had signed
as a witness, and to which was affix
ed the signature of the minister. This
certificate was to the effect that Mc-
Coy and Miss Wood had been mar
ried on Friday, June 7, 1918, in
France, by the attesting minister. She
identified a number of documents
which were later offered as evidence,
several of those being letters in
handwriting which she said was that
of McCoy, and addressed to Miss
Wood.
Minister on Stand.
Rev. J. W. Tinley, of Shellman, was
another witness introduced by the
state. He told of having married
Miss Pitts and McCoy, at the home
of Ed Stewart, near Americus, on
the afternoon of Sunday, October 13.
1919, and identified a certificate of
such marriage, which he signed on
that date. He was on the stand only
a brief while, and was not questioned
by the defense.
W. G. Pitts, of Pittsview, Ala.,
prosecutor in the case, and father of
Mrs. Georgia Pitts McCoy, testified
that his daughter was about 18 years
of age and a student at Andrew col
lege when she married McCoy, and
that she had lived at his home since
that time.
Here the defense attempted to es
tablish that the prosecution was the
result of Pitts effort to have McCoy
consent to the annullment of his mar
riage with Miss Pitts, and that it was
not a prosecution in good faith, to
which the state objected, the objec
tion being sustained.
Pitts denied that he had offered to
use his best endeavors to bring about
a nolle prosse of the indictment
against McCoy in consideration of
his not opposing the annullment of
the marriage of Miss Georgia Pitts
McCoy, a petition to that effect
which is now pending in Randolph
Superior court. He said that he had
not sent any money to Rev. H. Boyd
Edwards who is alleged to have mar
ried McCoy and Miss Wood, to in
duce him to come here and testify,
but that he had offered to pay the
expense of Miss Buckley from New
York to the Georgia state line in or
der to have her come here and give
evidence in the case.
G. C. Webb, one of the counsel
for the state, testified the Rev Mr.
Edwards had not been brought here
to testify, because of the expense in
volved, this being decided unnecess
sary on the advice of Solicitor Jule
Felton. He denied that the preacher
had demanded S2OO as the price of
•his coming here to testify.
Following Mr. Webb’s testimony
and the introduction of several doc
uments, the defendant made his state
ment and argument was beguh by
counsel.
The first argument was by G. H.
Perrv. for the defense, who was fol
lowed by C. G. Worrell, for the state.
Worrill being most scathing in his
denunciation of the defendant and
his act in marrying Miss Pitts. At
the conclusion of address.
Judge Littlejohn announced that ad
journment would be taken until this
morning at 9 o’clock.
Defense Moves Mistrial
This morning Solicitor General
Jule Felton talked before the jury
more than an hour. He had gotten
(Continued on page 8)
AMERICUS, GEORGIA, THURSDAY AFTERNOON, JUNE 10, 1920
G. 0. P. Convention Too Darned
Lady-Like, Growls Old Timer
CHICAGO, June 10.—(Special
Dispatch)—“l know what’s the
matter with this convention,” an-
nonunced a vet
eran reporter at
the coliseum
yesterday. “It’s
getting 1 a d y
like.”
All the o 1 d
timers in the
press box have
been grumbling
steadily since
the opening of
the Republican
national conven
tion about how
tame it is and
how exciting all
former ones
were and all we
first-timers have
M
MABEL ABBOTT
been listening devoutly. They have
quarreled about the reason and
they have blamed prohibition and
Senator Lodge and the lack of a
Roosevelt psychology and the
stars and everything else. But this
was a new one.
“I’m serious,” the veterans re
porter insisted. “It’s come to me
since I’ve been sitting here and
looking out at that.”
“That,” was the moving, mur
muring mass of humanity spread
out before us like a marvelous
tapestry. It was somber in the
foreground with only here and
there widely scattered dots of
color that we knew were women’s
hats. Farther back was a brighter
strip. There the larger proportion
of women alternates added more
color to the pattern and the gal
leries fairly glov.ed with summer
gowns.
Getting Too Refined.
“There are only 26 women dele
gates here,” the veteran admitted,
“but look at all the other women
and its all having its effect some
how and politics are getting so
blankety-blank refined that the
pep’s all gone out of them.”
Whether the' veteran reporter
was right about what ails the con
vention or not it is a fact that in
the hour and half that were the
second day of the convention’s
work two unprecedented things
happened and both of them con
cerned women. The G. O. P. na
tional executive committee was
enlarged from ten to fifteen and an
assistant chairmanship was creat
ed “to provide for new reinforce-
WILL ROGERS SAYS:
One Quart of Old Crow in The National Com
mittee Room Will Seat More Delegates fan
All the Voters in The World
BY WILL ROGERS,
Famous Oklahoma Cowboy Humorist
and Motion PicjMre Star.
(Copyright, 1920, by the Newspaper
Enterprise Association.)
SOMEWHERE IN PENNSYL
VANIA, June 10.—When I heard
Boies Penrose was not going to Chi
cago I decided to steal a march on the
other eminent authors and go where
the candidate would be nominated.
So I came to see Penrose about it.
• » ♦
When I arrived off Hog Island I
w T as met by that boat they built
there. It’s finished now.
• * •
•
Why I came here was: I hap
pened to be in Philadelphia the
night of the last presidential elec
tion, and saw Penrose and Knox
lead the parade for Hughes
the one night he was president.
Now Philadelphia was supposed to
be slow and there it was two days
ahead of facts.
» ♦ ♦
So I decided there is the place to
find out who is nominated before
Penrose phones it* to Chicago.
You see 1 knew Boies' Penrose on
acount of my being in Boise, Idaho,
once, the town he was named after.
He said: “Why, hello, Will, I have
heard of Idaho. That’s the state Sen
ator Borah is from.”
« « *
Now Penrose told me who was
nominated. But he asked me not
to tip it off as the hotels and oth
er crooks in Chicago wanted to
keep the suckers there a few days
till they were thoroughly renovat
ed.;
* * •
Boies told me: “You know, Will,
your business and mine are alike. We
have a few five-reel features in pol
itics, but most of them are one and
two-reel comedies.
• • *
Pen says to me: “For appear
ances sake I am. for Sproul.” Then
1 asked him: "Who is Sproul?”
And he said: "I dont know any
more about him than you do, but
was the darkest horse I could
think of.
BY MABEL ABBOTT,
N. E. A. Staff Correspondent.
| ments, the ladies,” thus giving
seven women a place in inner-par
ty council. And a woman dele
gate addressed the convention.
The crowd recognized the inter
est of the second event and clap
, ped and cheered and stood up as
Mrs. Margaret Hill McArthur, a
pleasant, motherly-looking woman
in brown, was led to the platform.
Mrs. McArthur stood half a pace
too far from the telephonic trans
mitter that hangs just above the
heads of the speakers and her first
words didn’t reach every one clear
ly. Then, whether consciously or
unconsciously, she took a step for
ward and suddenly her voice was
heard all over the hall.
A Great Event.
She didn’t say anything more
startling than that she represent
ed 20,000 women and that she hop-,
ed the Star Spangled Banner would
continue to wave over the land of
the free and the home of the brave.
But it was a great event, just the
same. The veteran reporter look
ed dubious as the cheers subsided
within a decorous interval and we
first-timers craned to see Senator
Lodge escorting the speaker with
magnificent courtesy to her place
and we scribbled with all our
mights about “the old order and
the new.’
Mrs. McArthur is a writer of
J several successful novels, the pres
ident of the largest Woman’s Club
in Kansas, and the mother of three
children and the grandmother of
one. She lives in Topeka.
“I wasn’t a bit nervous,” she
told me afterwards. “I mean, not*
for myself. Os course, I hoped I
was to get through without doing
or saying anything that would re
act unfavorably on all the women
I represented just then. If I had
done anything foolish the men
would have included all women
delegates in their opinion of me.”
Sure Enough Tame.
There was no excitement at all
among the women about enlarg
ing the executive committee,
though it was a real concession to
the women’s desire for equal rep
resentation throughout the party
organization. The veteran report
er hastily dragged out his watch
to time the applause. There was a
polite spatter of hand-clappin" and
a cheer or two from the boxes.
That was all. The veteran report
er shook his head.
“Too darned lady-like for me,”
he sighed.
Ilr ■'
If . i
jfcrX '
■■■'
sry .■ -'w/zz.
< * &OGEQ3
Boies has to stop now to phone
Chicago what delegates to throw out
but he will give me some more dope
on it maybe, tomorrow.
* * *
It looks to me 'ike the way can
didates are spending money’ it will
finally be John D. Rockefeler who
will be nominated.
* * •
Lowden offered every delegate in
Missouri a Pullman car.
• • •
Congress is investigating these
slush funds. So that means nothing
will be done about it.
• • •
Imagine a congress that equan
ders 670 million dollars to make
one airship trying to investigate
where some candidate spent a few
thousand.
* * *
You know delegates are only elect
ed every four years, and as very few
of them do anything between times
you see they really are not charging
too much.
• a *
In these times when our votes are
seldom counted anyway, I think we
(Continued on page 8)
FIERCE BATTLE
BELOW SURFACE
ON AT CHICAGO
Johnson Out of It, Says
Rickey; Hays’ ‘Name
To Front.’
BY H. N. RICKEY,
N. E. A. Staff Correspondent.
CHICAGO, June 10.— (Special I
Dispatch)—On the surface this con
vention appears to be unspeakably
dull and uninteresting. Wednesday’s!
session lasted less
than an hour and
but for the speech
of th,e veteran
Chauncey Depew, I
would have been
entirely without,
savour. At 87
Chauncy r e tains I
many of t h e I
charms that have
made him famous
as a convention
spell-binder. H e
got something of
an ovation and
furnished fifteen
minutes of real en
tertainment. The
adjournment until
i
Thursday was to give the resolutions
committee a chance to report, that
being the next order of business.
That was all there was on the sur
face, quite unexciting.
But beneath the surface the fierce
est battle that has been waged in a
national convention in a generation
is raging. Thte battle involves not
only the issue of who the candidate
is to be but also, and of even more
importance from the standpoint of
the port leaders, it involves the issue
of the future control of the party.
Three groups, all aniy led, have been
fighting for control ever since the
party leaders and delegates gather
ed here. Roiighly, they are the Old
Guard, or more properly the sena
torial group; the New Guard, or
group of middle western machine
politicians, and the radical group
headed by Johnson and Borah.
Johnson Eliminated.
About the only thing that any two
of the three groups had in common
was the determination of the two
first named that the party should
not go radical. This meant that
Johnson and his democratic bed-fel
low, Hearst must be killed off, what
ever else happened.
•The result has been that Johnson
cannot be nominated, even though he
has many powerful personal friends
among the two other groups, par
ticularly thte senatorial group. If
Johnson still thinks that he may be
in the he is the only man
in Chicago who knows what is going
on who is of that opinion.
The battle, then, has narrowed
down to a duel between the Old
Guard and the New Guard—the sena
torial group headed by Penrose,
Smoot, Lodge and Watson, and the
middle western machine political
group which centers about Chairman
Will Hays and the members of the
national committee conferences are
being held day and night among vari
ous members of these two groups
The wiser heads among both groups
realize the importance of not carry
ing their fight so far as to lose con
trol of the* convention an < thus give
the radicals a chance to pick it up.
There are evidences that the Old j
Guard have abandoned their original >
idea of trying to nominate a reac-l
tionary candidate. The New Guard:
have convinced them that such a
candidate might not be elected. The
New Guard was all set to nominate
Lowden and, while not wanting him,
the Old Guard would probably have
accepted him but for the Missouri
boodle expose. They are now in-i
sisting that Lowden be dropped be
cause he would have, to make a de
fensive campaign and the democrats
might win. The New Guards hate
to give up Lowden, but it looks as
though they would have .o.
Some Problem Faced.
The problem which confronts the
two groups that together control
enough votes to swing the nomination
is this: To agree upon a candidate
who is not personally objectionable
to the leaders of either group, who
has a good enough public record to
make his election reasonably cer
tain, and who can be relied upon to
share party leader-ship with the
senate group and not challenge the
political leadership of the Hays
group.
It is some problem. One by one
the candidates are being subjected
to the acid test. Wood smells strong
ly of gunpowder and boodle. They
are afraid he would be defeated
Too much boodle about Lowden
Jonhson too radical and too extreme
on the treaty. The Old Guard have
urged Knox and Sproul the New
Guard, are afraid Knpx would be weak
in the west and they don’t know
enough about Sproul to be sure of
him. Also he is too close to Pen
rose to suit them. Coolidge is not
enough of a national figure. He’s
all right for vice-president though
and may get that. Hoover’s name
has been brought forward at prac-
FACTIONS ADOPT PLANK
DODGING RATIFICATION;
ENDORSE SENATE STAND
Johnson Hails Agreement as Victory—Committee
After Long Struggle, Is Not Ready to Report
and Convention Adjourns Till 4 P. M.
, COLISEUM, CHICAGO, June 10—(By Associated Press)
While awaiting the report of the platform committee the Republican
National convention held a brief session this morning, then much to
the disappointment of the galleries, took a recess until 4 o'clock this
afternoon. While the convention managers were debating what to do
word came from down town that the platform committee had agreed
on a report. A few minutes later Senator McCormick of the sub com
mittee appeared on the speakers platform announced that unanimous
agreement had been reached and moved for recess until 4 o’clock
when this platform will be presented. On a standing vote the chair
man decided a majority wanted the recess.
The convention got under way at 1 1.20 o’clock. Cardinal Gib
bons offered prayer before Senator McCormick’s motion ended the
session.
A League of Nations plank draft
ed by Elihu Root was accepted as the
basis of a compromise today by the
irreconcilables on the Republican na
tional convention committee. The
plank, which upholds the position of
the senate, does not declare in spe
cific terms for ratification of the
treaty. It is also agreeable to Ogden
Mills, representative of the mild res
ervation group on the sub-committee.
All the members of the sub-commit
tee seemed satisfied with the devel
opment and smilingly asserted that
the peril of a party split was over.
The agreement, reached at a confer
ence attended by Chairman Lodge,
came as a sensation.
While the plank accepted today
was drafted originally by Root, it was
said some modifications in it had been
made in pre-convention conferences
of leaders and in the meeting this
morning. Root himself is in Europe.
Omitting all endorsement of the
pending league covenant, the Root
resolution provided for a new agree
agreement with other nations which
shall include a tribunal for the set
tlement of international disputes. It
was prepared by Root before his de
parture for Europe but has been
modified considerably by the sub
committee.
An Irreconcilables Victory.
Senator Lodge had no statement to
make when he emerged from thte
conference, but he immediately went
into consultation with Senator Wat
son, head of the sub-committee, who
with Senator Smoot, had been at
work all night to bring the battling
elements into harmony.
Senator Borah described the com
promise plank as establishing three
principles for which the irreconcil
ables had contended—omission of
any pledge for ratification, com
mendation of the senate for refus
ing to ratify and a statement that
any future league must be in accord
with American ideals and the prin
ciples of Washington.
The news of the agreement start
ed lively speculation as to whether
the chances of any presidential can
didate would be aided or injured by
the adjustment. Generally the ex
pressed first impression was it would
affect none except perhaps, Johnson.
He immediately hailed it as a victory
for the principles he advocates, but it
was pointed out it probably removes
the opportunity which many dele
gates thought he wanted for an im
passioned debate on the subject on
the convention floor.
The Lowden, Wood, Butler and
Harding headquarters refused to
make any statement at once on the
plank. Senator Crane withheld com
ment. Ogden Mills said Crane was
perfectly satisfied.
Opened Expecting Agreement
When the resolutions committee
went into session with the League of
Nations plank still threatening a
party split a tentative foreign rela
tions plank was under consideration
declaring opposition to the treaty
without reservations but favoring rat
tically all of the conferences. The
leaders of both groups are unanimous
in the opinion that Hoover would be i
the surest of election of any man \
they could nominate and there is no
personal objection to him. But
Hoover is rejected on the grounds
that to nominate him would be slap
ping Johnson in the face and also
that he would not submit to dictation
from the political masters of the
party. He is pictured as a m«n of
the W’ilson type who would insist
upon running the whole show—
senate, national committee macine,
everything. But he could surely be
elected. They all known that the and
every now and then they come back
to the discussion of Hoover.
Hay'» Name Considered.
There is a tremendously interst
ing fact about these conferences
Mark it well. It may have no sig
nificance in the final stage of this
great battle and again it may have
great significance. This is it among
all the names that are being consid
ered by these masters of the conven
tion that of Will Hays, chairman of
the national committee, is the on<
that up to now has brought forth
the least objection.
«‘M<37 n
ttA J
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
ification with American rights safe
guarded.
As conference began in a desperate
effort to conclude its work and lay
the completed platform before the
convention at today’s session, leaders
on both sides of the League of Na
tions row expressed confidence of an
agreement but conceded that material
obstacles remained.
~ san ) e time the remainder of
the full resolutions committee began
its consideration of other planks
SL °" last by the sub-com
mittee. These included an industrial
lelations declaration from which anv
r hJen e a . ntl ' str ‘ ke legislation had
been omitted; a plank blaming the
h^ P 5 ecia£lo ? v f - money values for the
high cost of living; one opposing gov
railroldl-°^> nerShip °* °P eration of
railroads, one expressing in general
terms, without mention of cash bonus .
nnw gl e atl | ude and S ener osity of the
party to former service men.
It was indicated that although ref
erences to the League of Nations
were still in a formative stage, the
the'tonAr tee ? r °? ably WOU,d acce Pt
ifra I ? dra£t 80 far as it re
lated to Mexico, Armenia and the
peace resolutions. e
In the planks agreed on last night
there was one asking prompt ratifi
men? h £h ?
ment, but the sub-committee voted
against the inclusion of any direct
reference to prohibition. V *
How Resolution Went
nlank >, t nd tatlVe £orei » n relations
ft atlk «nder consideration ahead of
the Root draft provided in part:
We approve the action of the Re
publican Senate with respect to the
proposed treaty of peace w : th the cov
enapt of the League of Nations. We
declare opposition to the treaty and
League as submitted by the president
and approve the action of the Repub
licau Senate in resisting its ratifica
ton without safeguarding reserva
tions. M e favor ratification with res
ervations m accord with Americas
principles.”
Those portions of the tentative
plank relating to the peace resolution
Mexico and Armenia, say in part - '
I eace Resolution—We approve
he action of the Republican party in
congress in passing a resolution to re
peal the declaration of war with Ger
many.
“Mandate for Armenia—We con
demn President Wilson for asking
congress to empower him to accept
£or Armenia and commend
the Republican Senate for refusing
his request. No more striking illus
tration is to be found of the presi
dent s disregard of the lives of Amer
ican boys or American interests. We
deeply sympathize with the people of
Armenia and stand ready 'to help
them in all proper ways.”
Mexico——The ineffective policy of
the present administration in Mexican
matters has been largely responsible
for the continued loss of American
lives m that country and upon the
border, for the enormous loss of Am
erican and foreign property, for the
lowering of American standards of
morality and social relations with
Mexicans and for bringing American
| ideals of justice and national honor
I into contempt and ridicule in Mexico
i and throughout the world. We should
not recognize any Mexican govern
ment unless it be a responsible gov
ernment, willing and able to give
sufficient guarantees that the lives
and rights of Americans will be pro
tected.”
A. F. L. Rejects Plan
To Spread Propaganda
MONTREAL, June 10.—The
American Federation of Labor con
vention today rejected a proposal
to create a permanent educational
department to distribute propaganda
urging support of the federation pol
icy of non-partisanship in politics.
leather
Forecast for Georgia—Fair to
night and Friday; not much change,
in temperature.