Newspaper Page Text
e
IBUY AT HOME
1 AND HELP
DAWSON PROSPER
e L RAINEY
0675 HOME LIFE POOR
‘ )
HTOR
ERCISE VIRTUAL CENSOR
4IP OVER LIVES OF WORK
MEN, REPORT ALLEGES.
.nds May Call at Time of Death,
But Otherwise Only Doctor, Dray
man and Undertaker Are Allowed
On the Premises of Employes.
;,aflh;;u “\\Iltlilil)IIS ill Ihe C(.)a.l fieldS
' pennsylvania, West Virginia and
Jbama are revealed in a report sub
ited to the United States coal com-
Lssion by an independent committee
;xrnmim-m clergymen and educa-1
5, ;
'T'm’ coal commission had' asked for‘
dence of improper coudxtnons in th.ei
.1 mines and coal mining commun{-;
e and the committee, after investi
tion, jorwarded its report, support
hy affidavits, to Thomas B. Mar
-2 former vice president, and a
amber of the coal commission. |
' Many Restrictions.
The report first covers conditions m
. coal fields of Fayette county, Pa.‘
The allegation 1s made that miners
it live in houses owned by thei
mpanies _and situated on company
pperty. One company, W. J. Rm-l
¢ Inc, the report says, glVes the
B . the privilege of mviting only |
e persons into the house or on the
lemises. g ‘
These three are the physician to at
bd any member of the miner’s fam
when sick; the drayman to move
nousehold goods when he changes
idence: the undertaker when any
ember of the family dies. |
The lease gives the additional right
invite to the house “friends in casel
death of the lessee or any member |
his family.” 2 j
The company stores owned by the!
ning companies also are rapped in
e committee report because of the
fts exacted. The mining towns in
neral were condemned in the re-|
brt, which says: ‘
“These towns are the continuous
kidence place of scores of thousands,
not hundreds of thousands of peo
. They stand to them for homes and
- whatever degree of community
. and existence these people (the
iners) possess. It is this fact that
ves to the control exercised by the
2l company and to the lease, which |
submit with this report, their pe
bliar significance. It is over the con-.
wous home and social life of miners
b their families that these leases cast
shadow of supervision and even of
nsorship.”
Pay Deputy Sheriffs.
The report next attacked the arm
g and payment of wages to deputy
eriffs by coal companies. Shifting to
pmerset county, Pa., the committee
id that the sheriff of that county
lected between $30,000 and $40,000
personal reward for assigning dep
v sheriffs to coal companies.
A fee was levied against the com
nies of from 50 cents to $1 a day
r cach deputy. S
I ‘dl"‘l}_\('r county in Pennsylvania
e sheriff swore in 6,180 deputies
fring the coal strike last year, the
port affrrmes,
Anent conditions in Alabama the
mmittee finds that a former sheriff
Jv!.!uuo:; county commissioned 741
putics in one month, who were
ned and paid by the coal compa
s. The former sheriff made affida
to this effect.
These men intimidated the miners,
_report says, and exercised virtual
Plonage in the mining towns. Being
id by private interests, they were
Imed to be partial to the compa-
S paying them whenever a miner
.gfmf‘ of miners were haled before
court,
the report lastly detaited conditions
cralling in certain counties in West
gmnia. Particular attention was paid
‘, county, which is not union
‘e report alleges, and the allega
"18 supported by affidavit, that
* miner was beaten up by deputy
fills tor simply asking “why Lo
tounty was not union?”
Told Ministers to Leave.
jomer instance of tyranny prac
' OV deputies is cited by the com
e ral ministers, attending
- tOnlerence of the Free Will Bap
\,m Dingus Run, Logan county
\f A
o e told to leave because
1l come from Coal River, a
f - ot ‘lhv deputies informed
Jisters that they were suspect
[ P¢ing in sympathy with the
L b and affidavits covering 200
s ged interferences with the
ndividual miners and as
| Lol veure forwarded by
Th ittee to the coal commission.
.. Commission explained that no
; Was necessary, that the evi
ke tor itself. Dates, names,
¢ tmes of witnesses and other
. '3S given in each case, as called
b€ request of the coal com-
T o 2 v '\'(lt'ilu'_
1 ~mited States coal commission
stior o tNgaged for months in in
e " conditions in the coal
.. Signers All Prominent.
.. OMmittee report is signed by
raet -hatee, professor of .law,
A\ versity; Professor Her-
Ty oCh Oberlin college; the
= \. Ryan, director of the
e R SAtholic Welfare Council;
. Arthur E. Holt, social ser
aren . oiary of the Congregational
e\ ate Holladay Claghorn, of
. " )\l School 6f Social Work,
B . Lane and Jerome Davis,
¢ ith r(,]jpgp_
DINNER
_ FOR 10 CENTS.
nd ' lor the unemployed in
! 4re now serving nourishing
niy ten cents.
THE DAWSON NEWS
Aggregate Supply of Cotton for
Past Year Was 13,610,213 Bales
Consumption for Yea:—Vl’—a; 6,644,710 Bales and Carry-Over
Was Given as 2,097,919 Bales. Sixteen
7%lflufi%,'3"~tton Spindles Were Busy in July.
- In a preliminary annual statement
on the domestic supply and distribu
tion of cotton for the cotton year
which ended July 31, the census bu
reau announced the aggregate supply |
was 13,610,218 bales. Consumption for
the year was 6,664,710 bales and thel
carry-over on July 21 was 2,087,919
bales. |
The year’s supply oif cotton was
made up of stocks on August 1, 1922,
aggregating 2,831,553 bales, ginnings
totalling 9,729,306 bales, imports of
469,954 and quantity to balance dis
tribution 579,405 bales. The distribu
tion was:
Consumption 6,664,710 bales; ex
ports 4,822,589 bales; burned 35,000
bales.
Cotton on hand July 31 in consum
ing establishments was 1,089,230 bales
of lint and 127,418 of linters, compar
ed with 1,345,066 of lint and 145,285
of linters on June 30 this year and
1,218,388 of lint and 138,523 of linters
on July 31 last year.
Stock on Hand.
Stocks on hand in public storage
and at compresses was 938,689 bales
of lint and 35,876 of linters compared
with 1,232,888 of lint and 42,014 of
linters on June 30 this year and 1,-
488,165 of lint and 548,507 of linters
on July 31 last year. Cotton spindles
active during July numbered 34,237,-
887 compared with 34,843,421 in June
this year and 52,051,000 in July last
year.
Imports during July totaled 6,356
bales compared with 13,367 in June
BY 1,200 SLAYERS
HAVE BEEN THAT NUMBER
OF HOMICIDES IN STATE IN
PAST THREE YEARS.
In more than 1,200 homicides re
corded by the state bureau of vital
statistics during the last three years
firearms were the weapons used, it
is announced. Each year showed an
increase of approximately 10 per cent
over the previous year. Firearms were
used in 396 homicides in 1920, 405 in
1921, 427 in 1922. Total deaths from
all uses of firearms were 2,010.
The bureau has no record of the
names of the persons committing
homicides, but the records include 302
whites and 896 negroes. Of the whites
23 were women and 278 men. Of the
negroes 133 were women and 763 men.
During the same three years fire
arms were used by 259 people in com
mitting suicide and 550 were killed by
their accidental discharge, making a
total of 2,010 deaths due to the use
of pistols and shotguns.
The records of 1920, 1921 and 1922
show a total of 1,611 homicides. In
72 per cent of this total firearms were
used, and in cases where -firearms
were used the pistol was the weapon.
et e e
DECREASE FOR GEORGIA IN
1923 IS $3,625885 WHILE IN
1922 IT WAS $74,000,000.
Taxable property returned in 150
Georgia counties has shown a decrease
of only $3,625,885 this year in com
parison with a loss of $74,000,000 in
1922, indicating an improvement in
financial conditions in the state, ac
cording to State Tax Commissioner
Fullbright.
The $74,000,000 decrease in 1922
covers the entire 160 counties of the
state and represents a $5,000,000 gain
over 1921, in which year the loss was
$79,000,000, stated Mr? Fulibright.
“I,ast year the total amount of
property returned for taxation was
$1,027,000,000,” the commissioner con
tinued. “This year we expect the total
to be $1,022,000,000. The anticipated
$5.000,000 decrease will mean a reduc
tion of approximately $25,000 n
revenue for the state.
“This showing clearly indicates an
improved financial condition of the
state—especially significant when it
is compared with the $74,000,000 loss
of 1922. Land values are holding up
well, while personal property is slump
ing.
| g‘Thc showing we have made to
‘date is remarkable in face of condi
‘tions. With a threat that the tax
equalization law would be repealed
before the assessors could finish their
work, it is wonderful that we held tax
values where they are.
Most of the increases in value this
year have been recorded by the larger
counties of the state, according to the
commissioner, a majority of the small
er either holding their own or show
ing small decreases.
Weds The Nation; Ships Quarter Million Cars Feedstuffs Annually
BALTIMORE, Md.—A symposiac
just concluded under auspices of the
Manufacturer’s Record discloses that
the scuthern states are aginually ship
ping 150,000 to 300,000 carloads of
foodstuffs to the north and west and
actually feeding the entire American
nation.
The extent to which these ship
ments are being made is indicated in
the fact that two counties in Virginia
are annually shipping nearly 3,000,000
barrels of potatoes mainly to north
ern and western markets, even as far
north -as Canada; and that one rail
road operating between the central
this year and 8,578 in July last year.
Exports during July totaled 171,-
469 bales including 3,661 bales of lin
ters, compared with 214,815 including
1%02 of linters in July this year and
373,243 including 9,300 linters ‘in July
last year.
Statistics for cotton growing states|
follow:
Consumed during July 308,181 bales
compared with 350,667 in June this
year and 304,676 in July last year.
On hand July 31 in consuming es
tablishments 532,203 bales, compared
with 708,602 on June 30 this year and
531,312 on July 31, last year.
On hand July 31 in public storage
and at compresses 752,888 bales com
pared with 941340 on June 30, this
year and 1,123,101 on July 31, -laBt
year. '
. Cotton spindles active during July
'numbered 15,871,865 compared with
'16,009,615 in June this year and 15,-
580,642 in July last year.
PRESIDENT OF KANSAS COR
PORATION INSISTS THEY
SAVE TENTH OF WAGES.
Cleyson 1.. Brown, oi Abilene, Kan.,!
president of the United Light and‘
Power System and of the United Tel
’ephone Company, is forcing the em
ployes of his concerns to save money. |
} More than a year ago he announc-‘
‘ed that each of the 1,200 employes of|
the companies would, after July 1,l
1922, be expected to save and investl
| soundly at least one-tenth of his in
'come from the company. : 1
Bosses Are Included. “
| “I do not want an employe who is
not thrifty,” he said, “and any mem
ber of our force, from top to bottom,
who does not desire to save will have
to seek another job.” |
It created considerable consterna-.
tion at first, but as the plan was un
derstood it was accepted in good
faith. It has been in force for a year,
and as an interesting experience in
compulsory thrift has attracted atten
tion from employers in all parts of
the country.
It was found that many had no
idea of what constitutes a sound in
vestment. The savings committee neg
atived many schemes that promised
unreasonable dividends.
Meetings were held in all parts of
the system at which talks were given
on investing, showing the kind of se
curities that would be approved—and
why.
An analysis of the savings shows
that about 50 per ecnt are putting
their accumulation in preferred stock
of the utilities they serve; 30 per cent
are placing funds in building and loan
stock or paying out on homes; 20 per
cent are depositing in bank savings
accounts or in government savings
certificates.
Debt Is Eliminated.
The persuasive dispenser of oil
stock “units,” banana plantation
shares, and promotion securities is
eliminated from this entire group of
wage earners. :
One problem had to be met and
overcome. It was found that some
employes were in debt. They owed the
clothier, the dry goods merchant, the
grocer—how could they save when
they were in debt? Then orders were
issued that the ten per cent supposed
to be saved was to be applied to the
debts until they were cleaned up.
SCIENTISTS FORECAST EARLY FALL AS ARCTIC ICE FLOES DEFY
SUN: THEORY OF ABNORMAL REFRIGERATION IS NOW CONFIRMED
WASHINGTON, D. C.—Weather
experts display keen interest in the
theory that unusual ice floes in the
north Atlantic influence this year’s
weather conditions and are responsi
ble for some of its freak features.
Possibility of early frosts is believed
to be closely connected with this con
dition.
Presence of unusual amounts of ice
in northern waters is regarded as
having a close relationship with the
abnormalities. of the last year and
even the most conservative scientists,
who insist that all weather is abnor
mal, admit it may have some bearing
on the discovery made by Dr. C. G.
Abbott, of the Smithsonian Institu
tion, that the sun is giving off less
heat than usual.
Existence of abnormal ice fields in
the north Atlantic and in Hudson
Bay has been verified by the hydro
graphic and geodetic survey offices. In
the early season icebergs were sight
ed farther south than ever before and
south and the east handled last year
95.000 carloads of fruits and vegeta
bles destined for northern and west
ern consumption. .
This industry has become of na
tional importance. It has changed the
whole character of the food supply of
the country. In former years all class
es. the rich and the poor alike, had
but a limited supply of winter veg
etables and fruits, depending largefy
upon canned goods, or on such lo
cally raised vegetables as could be
stored through the winter. Today the
condition is entirely reversed. Tens of
thousands of carloads of winter raised
DAWSON, GA., TUESDAY EVENING, AUG. 28, 1923
UNITED STATES AND
MEXIGO T 0 GLASP HANDS
TWO COUNTRIES TO BECOME
FRIENDS AGAIN. RECOGNI
TION IS EXPECTED.
Commissioners of This Country and
Mexican Representatives Arrange
Details of Agreement Between" Both
Countries at Recent Meeting.
While President Coolidge has made
no official announcement of his posi
tion it is understood- in Washington
that he will soon recognize the gov
ernment of Mexico, and this country
will enter again into diplomatic rela
tions with the rep’\iblic south of the
‘Rio Grande.
The American commissioners, Chas.
Beecher Warren and Tohn _ Barton
Payne, who were in Mexico City from
May 14 to Aug. 16, arranging terms
of settlement of the differences be
tween the two republics, are holding
conferences with President Coolidge
and Secretary of State _Hughes in
Washington, explaining in detail the
drait of their agreement with the
Mexican government.
American capital and industrial en
terprises in Mexico will be assured of
}ample protection by the terms of the
agreement, it is said.
| Obregon Masterful.
.~ The first step toward closer rela-
Etious between the two countries was
‘taken by the late President Harding
in May, when he sent two American
tepresentatives to Mexico City to con
ifer with the Mexican commissioners.
It has been apparent for more than
la year in Washington that the admin
istration of President Obregon in
lMexico has placed that country on a
'sound footing and that interests of
foreigners are assured of protection.
Obregon is recognized as a strong
| man, one who has been able to unitei
'the various contending factions that
‘made the- administrations of his pre-|
!decessors so insecure and made of the
' country one vast battle ground. |
The American commissioners, War
ren and Payne, were accorded the
jmost courteous treatment in Mexico
City, they report. When the Ameri
lcans were ready to leave, their work
finished, a special train was furnished
them by President Obregon, and ev
erywhere along the route they were
greeted enthusiastically by Mexican
city officials an(} the military.
Resumption of diplomatic relations
between the two countries will mean
that, American_ qapit;&will again be
welcome i ‘México for the develop
-Iment oi that country.
DRINKS 4 MILLION
BOTTLES OF “POP”
SOFT DRINKS ARE SERVED
OVER COUNTERS OF 110,000
ESTABLISHMENTS IN U. S.
History omits the description of
many of the interesting things about
Methuselah, among them his liquid
capacity. But, says the department of
agriculture, if he had been given the
task of disposing of all the “pop” con
sumed in this country last year he
would have had to start at birth and
down eight bottles every minute of
his 969-year span of life.
Each year, the department’s statis
ticians declare, thirsty America emp
ties 4,000,000,000 bottles of soft drinks
exclusive of such beverages as near
beers made of cereals. The sparkling
flood comes from 10,000 bottling es
tablishments and pour across 110,000
counters.
ships were warned to alter their cours
es.
To failure of the sun to melt the
usual amount of ice and thus compel
recession of the Arctic refrigeration
to the usual distance north is as
cribed the late spring and the heavy
snows which swept across New Eng
land and northward late last winter
and early in the spring.
The sun is already-half way back
from its annual northern trip, with
the result that the unusual accumu
lations of snow and ice have not been
melted. This accumulated cold of the
Arctic has a good start on its yearly
journey southward, a fact that pre
sages an early fall, according to some
weather experts.
During the spring and early sum
mer, it is pointed out, gales lasting
weeks swept against " the eastern
coasts of Greenland, causing disturb
ances which displaced large quantities
of ice from the arctic region. This
eruption, it is believed, caused dis
turbances in the ocean currents, pre
vegetables produced in the south are
distributed in northern and western
markets to the great advantage of the
health of the people, for these veg
etables not only furnish substance to
many millions, but they give them the
kind of nourishing foods so much
needed, but which in former years did
not exist. - -
Food Situation Reversed.
The nation’s entire food situation
has been reversed, and the south. to
its own great profit and to the bless
ing of millions of people in other sec
tions, is carrying on a food Prodncfion
campaign the magnitude of which is
Many Weird and Wonderful Folk
At Dinner of Coney Island Freaks
Baron Pauci, 30 Inches High, Escorts 8-Foot Giantess to the
Table, Where Skeleton Dude, Fat Lady, Half Lady,
Sword Swallower and Others Make Merry.
NEW YORK, N. Y.—The most
brilliant event of a particularly bril
liant social season at Coney Island
took place early this morning when
the forty strange and wonderful peo
ple showing in the various side shows
at the island gathered at Stauch’s for
a farewell dinner. It was held after the
island shows had closed.
The dinner was given by the Dream
land ‘Social club, an exclusive organi
zation recently formed to encourage
the social amenities. It includes bark
ers, porters and other island officials
as well as the strange people.
Covers were laid for forty. Two of
them were for Miss Carrie Holt, the
fat lady from Providence, whao wore
one of the new waistless gowns to
great advantage. Prof. Henry Red Ea
gle, a lecturer at one of the side
shows, sat at the head of the table in
his capacity as toastmaster and presi
dent of the club. Préi. Red Eagle
comes from one of the oldest families
in America. His great-great-gramd
uncle was Hiawatha, who married
Minnehaha, she of the Laughing
Water family. :
Madame Aboma, the giantess, was
taken in to dinner by the Baron Pauci,
the smallest man alive, so he says.
The Baron was every inch—every
30 inches oif him—the nobleman as
he escorted. the demure Aboma, eight
feet of petite, mulatto femininity, to
the table. The baron wore hisqdeco
ration, the badge of the Order of Dep
uty Sheriffs. He was created one re
cently, at a time when they were hav-
FIGHT ANTICIPATED
IN NEXT CONGRESS
LIKELY TO GET ALL RILED
UP ABOUT RUSSIA. WILL ‘
URGE RECOGNITION. |
Russia will cause a great howdy-do
in congress when it convenes again in
December. This is the opinion of
those in close touch with the political
affafrs of this. country.
Recognition of the soviet govern
ment of Russia, with consequent re
sumption of diplomatic and trade re
lations, will be the bone of conten
tion. .
The attitude of the present admin
istration was revealed by Secretary of
State Hughes in his reeent letter to
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor. The
secretary said that it was his opinion
that conditions in Russia did not per
mit of this country according recog
nition as vet, that the soviet leaders
were still intent on fomenting world
wide revolution and the overthrow of
all existing governments.
On the other hand, several United
States senators have visited Russia
during recent months and they have!
returned with the conviction that the
government of Russia should be im
mediately recognized by the United
States.
The most prominent of these are
Senator I.aFollette, of Wisconsin;
Senator Brookhart, of lowa, and Sen
ator Borah. of Idaho, all foes of the
present republican administration, and
who will urge that this country re
sume diplomatic relations with Rus
sia.
A number of democrats will advo
cate the same thing. While congress
cannot force recognition of Russia
the question will undoubtedly cause
the administration considerable em-
Barrassment during the next session.
venting the usual mollifying effect
upon the climate of. England and of
western Europe by the Gulf stream,
resulting in their late spring.
This, it is believed, caused the dis
placement of the permanent “Azores
low,” which this summer has permit
ted the winds from the Sahara to fur
nish the same section of Europe with
a continuous Turkish bath.
The marked presence of ice in the
north Atlantic has been duplicated in
the Pacific Arctic regions, and leading
meteorologists of Japan already have
predicted a rice famine in that coun
try because of the damaging effect of
the air currents blowing over Japan
from their origin in the ice fields of
the Siberian and Alaskan coasts. Pro
jection of the Asiatic coast ice boun
dary toward the south this year has
been marked.
Whether or not the tendency of the
ice boundaries of the north to project
southward has affected drouth condi
tions in the United States is a ques
tion upon which government scientists
are divided.
presented in. this issue as never be
fore. This country will be awakened
by a study of the fact’ given by rail
road executives and special corre
spondence as to the influence of this
industry upon the agricultural prod
ucts oi the south, upon the railroads
which transport this food, and upon
the consuming population in other
sections of the country.
To the south the dévelopment of
this industry means an increase al
most without limit of agricultural
wealth. It means that as the nation’s
population increasts and the con
sumption of winter vegetables grows
ing .trouble at Coney and thought
they might need a stern hand at the
helm of the ship of state down there,
Slats, the skeleton dude, was there.
The Princess Ida, English half lady,
and Lillian Moloney, the Albino, went
in on the arms, respectively, of Ajax
the swordswallower, and Peter the
armless wonder,
Alice, the legless lady, was taken
in by Lionel, the boy with the face
like a lion. ;
Qut of respect for the swordswal
lower the menu included planked
swordfish.
The banquet was farewell in nature,
because the freaks are soon to leave
for the various county and state fairs,
none of which is complete without
their presence.
CAUSES OF DEATH
IN GEORGIA GIVEN
BRIGHTS DISEASE LEADS AND
TUBERCULOSIS IS SECOND.
CANCER KILLS MANY.
In 1922 Bright's disease was the
chief cause of deaths in Georgia,
causing 2,903, or 9% per cent of all
deaths and showing a rate of 100
{deaths per 100,000 population, accord
ing to a report by the bureau of vital
statistics. While almost one death in
ten was due to Bright's disease tu
berculosis came second as an individ
ual cause with 2,642 deaths or 8.8 per
cent of the total death records. Pneu
monia was given as the cause of 1,773,
organic heart disease 1,703, apoplexy
1,563, cancer 1,212 and diarrhoea in
children under 2 years of age 1,175.
There were 1,483 deaths due to acci
dents with 2,842 ascribed to diseases
and conditions peculiar to infancy,
making a total of' 18,351, or 60 per
cent of all deaths in Georgia due to
these ten chief causes of death. |
In the white race Bri%ht’s disease
led, with 99 per cent of all white
deaths with a rate of 94.2; tuberculo
sis was second, 88 per cent of all
deaths and a rate of 59.6 deaths per
100,000 white population.
Among the negroes tuberculosis
was the chief cause, claiming 11.7 per
cent and a rate of 140; Bright's dis
ease came second with 9 per cent of
all negro deaths and a rate of 108.6
deaths per 100,000 negro population.
Cancer produced 782 deaths in the!
white race and 429 in the negro with
a white rate of 46.2 and a negro rate
of 35.6 per 100,000. %
Of the deaths due to accidents 833
were white and 649 negro, showing a‘
rate of 49 deaths in the white race
and 53 in the negro race per 100,000 l
population. ! ‘
MOUNTAIN CHILDREN
LIVE IN OWN WORLD
KNOW NOTHING OF “OUT
SIDE,” AND SOME HAVE |
NEVER LEFT HOME.
Southern mountain children and
the task of making them acquainted
with the world is the problem that
faces the children’s bureau of the de
partment of labor at Washington, D.
C. The department recently made a
survey of the mountain districts of
the south. Following are a few ex
cerpts from a report of the survey.
In Isolated Homes.
“Some houses visited could not be
reached even by wagon and had to
be sought eut by trail over mountains
and through streams. A few mothers
‘and fathers were visited who had not
been to nearby villages in years; some
never had seen a train.
- “In one family, separated by a
mountain range from the nearest store
and postoffice, the father had not call
'ed for his mail in 12 months, the
‘mother had not been to the settlement
in seven years, and the father’s moth
er had lived 50 years before she saw
a train.
| At Home Twenty Years.
~ *“Another woman had not been to
the nearest town, only six miles away,
in 20 years. A mother who lived only
three miles from a town was in her
home a year before she saw another
'woman. At one home the father an
swered all the questions, and, explain
ing his wife’s shyness, said: ‘She has
seen mighty nigh no strangers- and
never a train!’
“Then there is the case of ' Uncle
Fred Meares, of Haywood county,
who lived to be 112 years old. He
saw very few trains in his day, but
still life was sweet to him. Some of
his children grew up and moved out
of the mountains and died long, long
before he did. He had no wagon, but
he walked to Waynesville twice a
year, the rouhmd trip coverinig 44
miles.” ;
more rapidly than population there
will be room in the south for a vast
increase in the production of {food
stuffs for winter consumption, and of
potatoes, watermelons, peaches, pears,
citrus and other fruits for consump
tion in the early spring and summer
before northern products are ready
for the market. gh
Amid the gloom which seems to
settle over some parts of the wheat
growirig regions of the west is here
shown by contrast the wonderful pros
perity which these trucking and fruit
growin% regions are enjoying to the
good of this section and the nation.
A NEWSPAPER
DEVOTED TO
PUBLIC SERVICE
VOL. 40.—N0. 52
10 MAKE RAIN COME
KHODESAN PARENT AND FIVE
NATIVES GET DEATH SEN
‘ TENCE FOR THEIR ACT.
{ AT
llnquiry and Trial Rcveal That Other.
Human Sacrifices Have Occurred.
! Tribe Is Steeped in Pagan Super
stition, It Is Revealed.
CAPE TOWN.—Sir Clarkson
Tredgold, senior judge of southern
Rhodesia, and a jury were engaged
two days at the end of May investi
gating the circumstances in which
Manduza, the second surviving son of
Chief Chigango, of a section of the
Matawara tribe, was offered up as a
sacrifice to appease the wrath of the
Mwari (the Great Spirit).
Those charged with the crime of
murder included Chigango, father of
the victim; Chiswiti, paramount chief,
whose only proved share in the pro
ceedings was, the provision of an es
’cort to carry out the orders of Chi
gango; Chiriseri, headman of a neigh
boring kraal, and four “police boys,”
or priests, who, acting on orders,
carried out the ceremony.
Chief Freed.
‘ The three principals are elderly men
and so frail that they had to be con
veyed to the court in a rickshaw and
were accommodated with seats during
the hearing. The paramount chief was
found not guilty and discharged; the
others’ were found guilty and sen
tenced to death.
~ In passing sentence - the judge an
}nounced he would support the stronfi
recommendation tc mercy with whic
the jury had coupled their verdict.
$o far as the actual crime was con
cerned the evidence was clear. Coun
sel for Chigango based his defense on
the plea that the chief had merely
carried out a religious ceremony of
long-established usage among his peo
ple. The advocate for the others urg
ed his clients were guilty but insane.
This latter defense was overruled by
the judge.
The scene of the tragedy, Chigan
go’s Kraal, is about 45 miles beyond
Mount Darwin and only a quarter of
a mile from the river which forms
the boundary between Rhodesia and
Portuguese territory. It is country
infested with tsetse fly, so that it is
wholly inaccessible to police and oth
ers depending on animal transport; a
patrol by police involves a 14 days’
trip on foot.
Steeped in Superstition.
From what is known of the Mata
wara tribe it appears its members pos
sess a higher standard of intelligence
than is usual among the Mashonas.
The tribe is steeped in pagan super
stition and tradition. The tribal or
ganizations and customs present sev
eral somewhat unique features. One
branch of the tribe is domiciled in
Portuguese territory, and the chief of
this branch, named Gosa, is supposed
to exercise some undefined form of
suzerainty over the three branches in
Rhodesia.
The Mwari (the Great Spirit) of
the tribe, according to tradition, be
came a man, bought a wife from
Gosa and placed her under the charge
of Chigango, one of the ancestors of
the present chief of the same name.
This wife, named Mashoughvudzi,
was domiciled within a circle of im
posing trees and became one of the
paramount chiefs of the section of
}the people under Chigango.
| Think Mwari Angry.
The story goes that when there is
'a shortage of rain Gosa sends a pres
ent of limbo (colored cotton print)
to the Mwari, who is expected imme
diately to respond by sending the
necessary rain. The .gift is usually
placed within easy reach of the home
of the “Rain Goddess.” When the
news spreads that the limbo has ar
rived there is rejoicing among the
natives, who confidently expect to see
their crops .saved from ruin.
I When the usual ritual has been fol
lowed and rain fails to come the
tribesmen usually jump to the con
clusion that Mwari is angry and that
some one has seduced his junior wife.
The only remedy, it- seems, is that
the culprit should be sacrificed by fire.
l In January last the Mtawara tribe,
in common with others, saw their
|crops being destroyed by a scorching
sun and starvation staring them in
the face. Suspicion fell on Manduza—
so far as has been gathered without
the slightest justification—and his
father ordered that he should be put
to death with all the customary cere
mony.
Outside Escort Obtained.
It came out in evidence that Chi
gango could nct trust his own people
to execute this decree and obtained
an escort of about 70 from Chiswiti,
so that the victim should not allow
‘his courage to fail and seek safety in
(flight.
| Manduza was conveyed in the night
to Chiswiti’s “sitting place.” Instruc
tions came from Chigango that his
son should be sacrificed. An eyewit
| ness of the scene described how Man
|duza's hands were bound with a hm
bo, specially kept for such occasions,
and was then carried by the “police
boys” to a place where a wood fire
| had been prepared.
| The man was laid on the pyre and
| further timber placed over him. It did
|not transpire that he offered any re
sistance. By daybreak nothing remain
ed but a pile of ashes and human
bones from which the flesh had been
‘burned.
| Brother Tells.
In the meantime Chigango’s second*
lson. who heard what had . happened
'to his brother apnd evidently feared
‘that he might be marked out for the
same faic, went to the police post at
‘Mount Darwiz and reported the oc
currence. =
Tongass National Forest of Alaska
contains 15,475,893 acres. ; :