Newspaper Page Text
PAGE TEN
DIED.
i
| WITH BOOTS ON
“Bell Tree” Smith, Noted Charac
ter, Met Tragic Death.
OPERATED_UNIQUE BLIND TIGER
Near the Georgia and Alabama State
Line. Was a Man of Great Wealth
and Distributed Much Charity. His
HHome Headquarters for Relief Op
erations During Recent Cyclone.
A dispatch from Borden Springs,
Ala., told of the recent killing of a
upique character by the name of Wil
liam A. Smith, better known as ““Bell
Tree’ Smith,- by Will Chandler.
Smith held a revolver over Chand
ler and made him kneel, telling him
that he had but a few minutes to
live. A brother of Chandler knock
ed Smith down. 'The man threat
ened with death then took Smith's
pistol and shot him dead. The Rome
Tribune-Herald commented on the
tragedy as follows:
‘“ ‘Bill’ Smith, the dead man, was
a unique character and was known
as ‘Bell Tree’ Smith. Standing alone
in the annals of illicit liquor selling
was hisy\ scheme -of disposing of
mountain dew. His home was just
on the state line, where Cherokee
county, Alabama, joins Polk county,
Georgia. A" water oak stood by a
little branch, and marked the geo
graphical division. Nailed to the lit
tle oak was a common soap box,
about three and a half feet from the
ground. A pad of paper was nailed
to the tree, and misspelled words di
rected the observer to ‘rite your or
der and leve the muney.’ There
were no specifications as to what the
commodity was, but the fame of the
tree was such that no one ever or
dered Sunday school literature or
sandwiches.
‘““Above the writing pad was an
other sign, also misspelled, warning
the purchaser not to remain there
after ringing the cowbell, which
hung on the tree, on penalty of be
ing shot. Directions were given to
‘go down the road and wait, you
can tell the place when you get to it.’
The ‘plad®’ was fifty yards down
the road around a bend and here
seats were provided. The purchaser
conld wait in comfort until, still
following directions, he heard the
pell ring again. He was then to
walk slowly back to the bell-tree.
There he would find any brand of
whiskey, beer, wine or other liquor
that he might have ordered left up
on deposit of the regular price
charged in any market. Should the
establishment be out of the particu
lar liquor ordered a note would so
state, and ask tersely, ‘What else?’
“There were many summer vis
itors to Bluffton, Borden-Wheeler
and other nearby resorts, who
learned of the bell-tree's famous
product, and the probation bench
was rarely without an occupant dur
ing the summer days. But of all the
people who patronized the tree, and
there are some in Rome whao admit
it, none kmew the exact manner in
which the mysterious liquor ap
peared. And no one could swear
that Will Smith was the man behind
the scheme. He carried a United
States liquor license, and was never
molested by revenue officers, but had
been under indictments scores of
times by county officials, both of
Georgia and Alabama. But he was
never convicted, and finally the offi
cers grew weary of fruitless arrests.
L.ast March the operation of the bell
tree was suddenly stopped, and thirs
ty visitors might wake the echoes
with their claim, and wait for hours
on the bench, but no liquor ap;
peared.
Was Wealthy Man.
“Smith was a man of great wealth,
not all of it coming from the bell
tree. He inherited some money
from his father, and purchased hun
dreds of acres of land, upon much
of which mineral was found. He
made lucky sales and was one of
the few men in the country who had
money at the time the Bluffton boom
broke. This but served to increase
his holdings and he was continually
buying more land. At the time of
h's death he was said to pay taxes
on $185,000 worth of property. He
owned practically all of Signal Moun
tain, and had every inch of his farm
under cultivation. He raised stock
and supplied many Alabama hotels
with meat during the resort season.
“The dead man was a frequent
visitor to Rome, and was well
known to many people here, who
welcomed him to their homes. He
was a man of genial disposition, ex
cept when crossed. He was of great
Warrenton, N. C.—l was nearly dead
with leidney affection for six months,
growing worse all the time. My case
was hopeless—was unable to get about
but little. I had tried everything with
fittle benefit. I took three bottles of
Stuart’s Buchu and, Juniper and was
perfectly cured. Am now well and all
right. I owe my life to Stuart’s Buchu
and Juniper.—H. T. Macon.
If you suffer with backache, dull head
ache, swollen feet, stiff joints, and have
no energy and see imaginary specks in
the air, you have symptoms of Lidney
trouble.
Stuart’s Buchu and Juniper will relieve
you. All druggists, $l.OO. Write for
free sample. We will send enough to
prove its wonderful merits.
Stuart Drug Manufacturing Co.
ATLANTA, GA.
.physical strength. weighing more
{than 200 pounds and standing six
feet two. He had a wife and seven
children, and was very good to them,
meeting their every wish. His gen
erosity was not confined to his home,
where he lived the life of a fuedal
lord, but extended to others. He
paid the entire salary of the pastor
of the church near Bluffton, and his
home was the center for relief op
erations during the recent cyclone.
The Darker Side.
“But there was a darker side to
his character. He is described by
those who feared him as domineer
ing and insolent. Certain it is that
‘Marse Bill’ had his own way, and
that what he said ‘went,” or there
was trouble, usually trouble for the
other man. More than one person
had yielded up their life before the
pistol that he always carried. At
one time he killed two men on the
porch of the commissary at the old
Etna Furnace near Bluffton, and at
different times he slew two negroes,
making four in his private cemetery.
“or all of theise killings he was ac
juitted on the plea of self-defense.
3Smith also shot a white man, his
hrother-in-law, for beating his wife.
His home was well provided with
weapons, and he in former years al
ways carried a pistol.
““Such are a few of the many in
teresting points in the career of a
man who might well furnish the
outlines for a drama or romance.
Esteemed by some as a benefactor, a{
friend, a gentleman by nature, con
demned by others as a bully, black
guard, desperado and blind tiger
keeper, unable to read .a line or
write his name, vet of keen intellect
and business acumen, this sectionl
will not again see his like.”
UNCLE SAM AND THE FARMER.
Ten Million Men Tilling the Soil
as Proprietors.
There are, as nearly as one may
count, about 10,000,000 men in the
United States engaged in the tilling
of the soil as proprietors. That is,
there are ten million farmers in the
United States proper.
The actual number of people to the
family is difficult of ascertainment,
but it is safe to say the actual agri
cultural population equals one-third
of the total population.
The government has some sixty
experiment stations, each station
spending some $15,000 per year that
*he farmer residing in contiguous
territory may know better how to
plant, cultivate and garner the fruits
of the earth. There are also 65
state agricultural and mechanical
colleges educating 60,000 students at
a cost of 11 million dollars annually,
all of which looks as though the
“Great Father at Washington,” as
the Indian used to say, is looking
after our farmers in a liberal man
ner.—The Cotton Journal.
LAWYERS LOOK FOR BUSINESS.
Atlanta Firms Hunt Cases in South
west Georgia.
The Atlanta lawyer is nothing if
not hustling and enterprising, and
even from his perch upon the Pied
mont escarpment he can smell a dol
lar in Americus. A case in point
is that of the negro Ezekiel McKen
zie, who was killed in the accident
on the Seaboard Railway near Ameri
cus three or four weeks ago. Mec-
Kenzie was a fireman for the road
and earned a good salary, and with
the news of his tragic death came
overtures from the Atlanta bunch to
take the case against the railway
company for damages. It is said that
one “enterprising” firm of legal
lights enclosed newspaper clippings
attesting their success in collecting
damage suits against railroads. It
is not known that any of these im
portuning attorneys have yet been
employed, or that any legal services
whatever will be required in adjust
ment of the case.—Americus Times-
Recorder.
LETTER TO N. B. BARNES,
Dawson, Ga.
Dear Sir: A certain paint-manu
facturer advertised “Waldorf-Astoria
painted throughout with my paint.”’
A part of the basement was so paint-_
ed; not satisfactory: painted Devoe
next time.
There's certain paint, a big con
cern, very proud and ambitious, that
hated to see so big a job of another
paint; so it went for that business.
That former paint was about two
thirds not paint, but this proud and
ambitious paint was only about one
third not paint. It succeeded in get
ting a trial: 25 gallons, 5 kits of
5 gallons each.
' When the painter had used one
kit he called the manager; not satis
factory; 4 of the kits returned. A
paint, one-third not paint, is not
good-enough to displace Devoe.
| This was several years ago. That
Iproud and ambitious paint is better
(NOW; it is nearer honest; it isn't
'short-measure at all, and only 15
‘per cent. adulterated. It's a pretty
good paint now, 13 or 14 gallons
of it goes as far as 10 of Devoe.
Judge T D Fairchild owns two
houses alike in Lufkin, Texas. J M
Torrence painted both houses, one
Devoe, and the other with that proud
and ambitious adulterated-15-per
cent. paint. It took 151% gallons
Devoe and 25 gallons of the proud
tand ambitious paint.
I It takes a pretty-good paint to dis
[turb Devoe. Yours truly
161 F W DEVOE & CO
{ P, S.—Dawson Drug Co. and Peo
iple's Drug Store sell our paint.
Sl e
Regulates the bowels, promotes
easy natural movements, cures con
|stipation—Doan’s Regulets. Ask
,Your druggist for them. 25 cents a
box.
®PENING the good clothes season for fall, with such a fine line
of goods as we have ready for you, is like cutting a fine, bjg
. oy g
melon; everything in it is good, and there’s enough for all of us.
Hart Schatfner & Ma
L 134
é,‘.5:?.g..%;“ Ps S = 9«\\\ have made for us this season the best ot of
i , ‘
)
- » .
0 g . Q clothes we ever offered our friends. There
» g £ ’§\§\\W\\ Qv .
4 £V W area lot of new fabrics, and the new colors
) % 238 Q : :
& > % ¥\ are as varied and as attractive as ever. Th
W -
N[ %fi @la v \ browns are again a notable feature, tans and
WY il ¥ grays are very prominent. They're woye
’ B 4 TS G i : - :
E e \1 ¢ln stripes and plaids and other attractive pat-
I ‘ / , { terns, in an almost endless variety.,
L . “ 0
’ Wi, E SN ¥ New models and new kinks in style: pey
// 70 A Se e e %;. :\.l; A o \”’ } ) e\\
i O EdvEan el i -
;?»3 N 12, | W Ideas in patch pockets, buttoned flaps ang
g %\ . & that sort of thing; you’ll find just what suits
SRS L SERE S b e i
é: f”X% / you. In dark goods also, blue serges and
f:: S L i ~ | black thibets and the like, we’ll show you the
A e o (e f -
o ’L“‘» - e K right thmgs.
I L——p & &
% S e\ M
i \ \Qfi/ P Drop in and look at some of them. TLet us show you
R ~ F g ;,7:7 g what a fine suit you can get for $2O; and prove to you
W :/f o B Sy 7 how well it will pay you to have it. Every Hart Schaf-
QA : / ner & Marx garment is all wool; and this store is the
W Y
i il Home of Hart Schaffner & Marx Clothes
WS = = sNS = =)
A. J. BALDWIN & COMPANY.
WE SELL HEYWOOD’'S FINE SHOES FOR MEN.
THE POLECAT TO BE A JOY FOREVER
A Mississippi Chicken Farmer Solves the Problem of Winning Re
spect for the Pretty Little Animal With a Terrible Reputation,
From time immemorial the pole
cat has been an outcast among ani
mals. The world has respected him;
it has never loved him. There are
certain of his qualities and attributes
which forbid a close acquaintance
ship. But now, thanks to a remark
able scientific discovery, all this is to
be changed. The polecat is to have
not only his present place among the
living beautiful creatures of the out
of-doors, but will bear a message of
fragrance to the world as well. It
is from a Mississippi country weekly
that we glean the glad tidings.
A gentleman farmer of that state,
who is the proprietor of a chicken
farm, has also a polecat farm near
by it. Not long ago his chickens fell
sick. He mixed coal oil in their
feed, and was surprised to find that
ITEX.\S BEES BRING MUCH MONEY
An Annual Revenue of Half a Mil
lion Dollars Is Derived.
The output of honey in Texas last
vear was 4,968,000 pounds. Cali
lt’()rnia came next, with 3,667,000
’pmmds. and New York third with
|3.422.(HW pounds. Missouri was
ifourth. with 3,018,929 pounds. Tex
as a'so 'stands first in the number of
| colonies of bees, there being 417,000.
!'l‘he honey crop of Texas brings an
annual revenue of approximately
15500,000, the price for which it sells
Imnging from 8 to 10 cents a pound.
| In addition the beekeepers sell many
thousand dollars’ worth of bees each
year. These colonies of bees are
shipped to all parts of the United
}States and to foreign countries.
' INTENSIVE GARDENING.
';\wruge Value of Land in France
l $1,600 an Acre.
The last decennial census reported
lthat the annual average value per
jacre of vegetables in Queens county,
[N. Y., was $l4O, the highest average
{in the country, the general average
[for the United States being $42.00.
| These figures pale, however, when
|compared with the market gardens
around Paris, the average annual
{value of whose product is given in
!II:I‘ latest official report as $1,600
tan acre. We have something to learn
:‘\l' the French in methods of inten
isivo gardening.
e
\ CASTOIRILA.
Beare the The Kind You Have Always Bought
. LT,
1 of % A
THE 2AWSON «EWS.
the next batch of eggs which his
faithful hens produced smelled
strongly of petroleum.
A bright idea dawned upon him.
He had long hated the odor of his
polecat farm. Now he mixes laven
der, bergamot and orange flowers
with the food which he gives the
pretty little animals. The results
are all that the most fastidious na
ture could wish; a delicate and de
lightful odor hangs about the pole
cat farm now-—a scent that vies with
the violet and puts the musk rose
and the magnolia to shame. Thus is
an animal of lovely appearance, but
of terrible reputation, transformed
into a creature fit to be the theme
and inspiration of a whole school
of lyric poets.—Uncle Remus’ Home
Magazine.
FOUR CARS OF MULLET.
“Hot Suppers" Bring a Big Demand
for the Fish.
Since cotton picking has become
profitable to the negroes this ‘season
and ‘“‘hot suppers” are being enjoyed
all over the southern part of the
state Savannah fish shippers have
noticed a big increase in tl_le mullet
business for the last three Fridays.
The ‘hot suppers,” consisting
chiefly of fish and mostly of mullet,
are usually held on Saturday night.
hence the heavy shipments Friday.
Yesterday the Southern Express Com
pany shipped four solid cars of mul
let out of Savannah. They were con
signed to smaller towns in Georgia
where cotton is being picked and the
negroes have plenty of ready money.
Although shipments on two previous
Friday’s were large they did not com
pare with the amount that went out
yvesterday.
In a season when the negroes can
make good money picking cotton the
mullet business in Savahnah nets
the fish packers and shippers nice
amounts. Orders come in for large
quantities, pacticularly on Fridays.
The frolics are held on Saturday
nights usually, and tne mullet must
be there, as it is the chief dish.
These shipments are expected to con
tinue for some time now. The time,
however, depends entirelyv on wheth
er the country negroes are making
any money, so the trade is rather
erratic.—Savannah News.
Baby won't suffer five minutes.
with croup if you apply Dr. Thomas’
Eclectric Oil at once. It acts like
magic.
‘ __—l
~———.“m
Begins at the Savings Bank. Patiently and regularly a small
portion of the income is added to the Home Building Fqlld,
80, figuratively, the building process goes on at the Savmgs
Bank before the brick layers and the carpenters begin their
work.
} I
@ |
The Dimes and the Dollars
\“‘
as they are added to the fund represent so much of brick,
lumber, plaster and paint, which will eventually take the
material form of a cozy home. A great advantage in using
the Savings Bank as the depository for the Home Building
Fund is that the savings are drawing interest all the time.
Another is that small amounts—sl.oo and upward—may be
deposited—weekly, monthly or at any time desired. Interest,
compounded quarterly, paid on all deposits.
\
‘
IT'S WHAT YOU SAVE, NOT WHAT YOU EARN, THAT
MAKES WEALTH.
This table shows the result of steady, systematic saving of
small sums for only Five Years.
Daily Saving for Amount Interest Total
Five Years Deposited Earned Ar )nr}t‘
"~ b cents per day.. ... $ 9125 | § 10.66 |s§ 101.91
10 cents per day.... I 182.50 21.32 203.82
15 cents per day..... 273.75 31.98 305.73
20 cents per day..... 365.00 42.64 407.64
25 cents per day..... 456.25 53.30 509.55
30 cents per day..... 547.50 63.96 611.46
40 cents per day..... 730.00 85.28 815.28
50 cents per day,.... 912.60 106.60 1,019.10
75 cents per day.....| 1,368.75 159.90 1,628.65
$l.OO Der day. .. .. 1,825.00 213.20 2,038.20
1.26 per day..... 2,281.25 266.50 2,647.75
1.60 per day..... 2,737.50 319.80 3,057.30
1.5 REC aay, ..., 3,193.75 373.10 3,666.85
2.00 por dav... .. 3,650.00 426.40 4,076.40
The above is on a basis of 4 per cent. per annum.
_‘
First State Bank
Savings Department
J. MERCER BELL, Pres. L. C. HILL, Cashier.
J. E. MORRIS, Asst. Cash.
The News ob Rooms for Best Work
SEPTEMBER 16, 1908,