Newspaper Page Text
Atlanta £n-Week In Sfotwnal
VOL. XXV. 'NO. 192.
NET INCOME FOB
CLASS 1 ROADS IS
LARGEST SINCE IDIS
Southern Carriers Show In
dicated Increase of 20 Per
Cent While Eastern Lines
Double Earnings
BY HARDEN COLFAX
(Special Correspondent to The Atlanta
Journal—Copyright, 1923.)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.—Class 1
railroads throughout the United
States, comprising all steam car
riers with revenues in excess of
$1,000,000 annually, will close 1923,
according to reports received here,
with net income ranging between
$950,000,000 and $1,000,000,000, th?
highest figures recorded since 1916.
Such income is equivalent to
slightly more than 5 per cent on the
valuation 'of the transportation
plants involved as estimated by the
interstate commerce commission. It
falls somewhat below the 5 3-4 per
Cent set by the commission as a
fair return upon the capital invest
ed, but is a much improved show
ing over recent years. Three years
ago, or in 1920, for instance, the
carriers earned total net income of
only $17,000,000.
An appreciable number of the
roads, including a dozen or more
of the largest and strongest, will
show net income for the year in
excess of the 5 3-4 per cent fair re
turn. They will divide the excess
with the federal treasury, share and
share alike. On the other hand, some
of the so-called granger roads, whose
traffic is composed largely of agri
cultural products and whose lines
traverse comparatively sparsely set
tled sections, will fail to make as
good a showing this year as they
did in 1922.
Motor Trucks Cutting In
New England railroads, also, will
fall below last year’s figures, it is
expected. One of the chief causes
for this is the general extension of
the motor truck in New England
as a competitor of the steam rail
road. In that scetion the hauls are
comparatively-short and the automo
bile has cut into the .ailroads’ local
reight traffic by the thousands of
ons.
Net income for the first ten
months of 1923, according to figures
compiled by the interstate commerce
commission and the bureau of rail
way economies, exceeded $821,000,-
000. The banner month of the year,
as usual, was,October, with net in
come of about $102,000,000. Novem
ber income, it is believed, will show
a decided drop from the October
figures, and income for December
will hardly be as large as that for
November. This, however, is the
usual course, due to seasonal in
crease in traffic and other causes.
Railroad executives believe that in
come will hardly touch the hoped
for $1,000,000,000 goal this year.
They incline to the belief that it
may reach $975,000,000.
Analysfs of returns ’to the inter
state commerce commission by the
roads for the first nine months of
the year and preliminary returns
for October shows the spotty situa
tion with reference to net income or
profits. The carriers of the eastern
district, as a whole, appear to have
increased their profits this year bv
about 50 per cent over those of
1922. Os the three regions into which
the district is divided, however* New ;
England shows a drop of about
thirty per cent. In the Ohio-Indiana-
Alleghany region, there was an in
crease of approximately 50 per cent,
while the carriers in the Great
Lakes region, according to prelimi
nary figures, will virtually double
their last year's profits.
Southern Carriers Gain
Carriers of the south show an in
dicated increase of about 20 per
cent in their net income. Here again,
there is a sharp division between
the roads of the coal carrying sec
tion, grouped in what the commis
sion calls the Pocahontas region, and
those elsewhere in the south. The
former will show little, if any, in
crease; the latter appear to have
made about 30 per cent greater net
income this year than last.
West of the Mississippi the year’s
business has not left so large an In
crease of net income as in the east
and south. All roads of the western
district, the commission’s figures in
dicate, will show a total net income
about 13 per cent larger for this
year than last. In the northwestern
and central western regions, the
spread between net income was larg
er than in the southwestern region.
There it approximated 10 per cent
increase.
The figures show only totals.
They apply to about 235,000 miles
of main line operated by about 200
companies and systems and include
roads which failed to earn anything
—a dwindling number—with their
deficits, as well as the growing group
of carriers which close their books
with a profit.
The Weather
FORECAST FOR TUESDAY
Louisiana: Fair, warmer in north
portion.
Arkansas and Oklahoma: Fair,
slowly rising temperature.
East Texas: Fair, somewhat warm
er in north portion.
West Texas: Fair, slightly warm
er in north portion.
Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina and Georgia: Tuesday, fair.
Florida: Generally fair.
Extreme northwest Florida: Fair.
Alabama and Mississippi: Fair.
Tennessee and Kentucky: Fair,
not rpuch change in temperature.
“THE LOVE TRAP,” a brilliant serial story by Hazel Deyo Bachelor, author of “The Wife Cheater 3 ’
and “Destiny’s Child,” begins in the next issue of The Tri-Weekly Journal. It is better than either of those
two stories which captivated our readers this year.
Published Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
JI 7 orld News
Told In
Brief
.NEW YORK.—Detectives seize
large quantities of Christmas liquor
I in districts around Times and Her
j aid squares.
) WARSAW. —American state de
| partment advises foreign office that
| it is willing to negotiate treaties of
amity and commerce with Poland.
LITTLE ROCK. Ark.—Settlement
of the Missouri and North Arkansas
railroad strik? ends one of stormiest
labor disputes in history of state.
ATLANTA.—PhiIip E. Fox «s
found guilty of murder in connec
tion with death of William S. Co
burn and is sentenced to life im
prisonment.
NEW YORK.—Steamship Le
viathan is freed from mud-bank in
upper New York harbor after
her passengers are taken off and
landed.
PARIS. —Premier Poincare reiter
ates his government’s intention not
to evacuate territory beyond the
Rhine “until we are completely
paid.”
W ASHING TON. President
Coolidge declares he is gratified
that Henry Ford is willing to irl
dorse work of administration, but
declines further comment.
PHILADELPHIA. Cyrus H. K.
Curtis, in confirming his purchase
of New York Evening Post, says
he hopes to preserve and strength
en traditions of that newspaper.
CLEVELAND. —Joint meeting of
bituminous miners and operators of
Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana, to nego
tiate new W’age scale is announced
for January 4, 1924, in Cleveland.
WASHINGTON.—Treaty revision
negotiations between Japan and
United States in connection with
Japanese land rights will be investi
gated by Senator Johnson of Cali
fornia, he announces.
WACO. Tex. —Two persons are in
jured, neither seriously when engine
and seven coaches of Houston and
Texas Central railroad train roll
down a 15-foot embankment after
striking broken rail.
SALT LAKE CITY. Hiram
Dempsey, Jack’s father, was arrested
on charge of violating prohibition
laws and released on S3OO bond. He
is alleged to have had liquor at a
case.
WILMINGTON, N. 6.—British
schooner Awasind. laden with 2,218
cases of whisky, goes aground off
Frying Pan Shoals and is pulled off
and taken to Southport harbor by
coast guards. 1
PARIS. —French dirigible Dix
mude late Sunday night was hover
ing out of control over Foum Tata
houine, thirty miles south of Medi
nin, Tunis, with fifty officers and
men aboard.
NEW YORK.—Clergymen in Sun
day sermons conform to appeal in
Bishop William T. Manning’s dio
cesan letter for a “Christmas truce”
in controversy between modern and
conservative factions.
WASHINGTON. —Cost of living
increased 2?1 per cent between July
15 and November 15 and dollar is
now worth 60.5 cents as compared
with July, 1914 value, national in
dustrial conference board states.
MEXICO CITY. —Airplanes led at
tack on Puebla w r hen federal forces
took it from rebels, over 1,000 pris
oners being taken by federals, ac
cording to statements by war de
partment and Secretary of War Ser
rano.
WASHINGTON. Foreign flag
vessels carried less than half of cot
ton exports' from Gulf coast states
in November, although less than
two years ago they carried" 90 per
cent of it, shipping board figures
show.
WASHINGTON. United States
government is satisfied with genu
ineness of documents made public
from Soviet to workers in this
country and will decline to submit
to arbitration question of their au
thenticity. .
PHILADELPHIA. Brotherhood
of clerks, freight handlers, station
employes lose their fight in federal
court 'to force Pennsylvania rail
road to recognize delegates of
brotherhood'as representing all em
ployes in wage conferences.
NEW YORK.—“Wild Bill” Dono
van, famous baseball player and
manager, killed in Twentieth Cen
tury limited wreck December 9, was
to have been married to Miss Peggy
Bacon, an actress, Miss Bacon dis
closes on her arrival on Leviathan.
PARIS. —Premier Poincare in a
speech repeats France's determina
tion not to leave Ruhr until France
had received payment, but says
France is ready to examine all means
of settlement which can make pay-
I ments more rapid and sure.
STARTS PRICE WAR
I Chicago Manufacturer Cuts Clothing
Prices in Half
•
J Chicago, Illinois, December 20th,
- 1923.—The first gun in a bitter price
j war between clothing manufactur
■ ers was fired today by The *Bell
Tailors of Chicago, announcing a
sweeping price reduction on their
entire output. Mr. Bell says they
will sell their entire spring line of
fine all-wool, made-to-measure suits
at a flat price of $31.50, giving the
same guarantee of perfect fit and
satisfaction that they gave when
charging S6O a suit. The Bell Tai
lors’ new spring and summer style
book, containing cloth samples of
their large assortment of handsome
all-wool worsteds, serges, cassimeres,
etc., is now ready for free distribu
tion. The values offered are simply
astounding. If you would like to
look them over with no obligation to
purchase, stud them your name and
address and ask for style book and
price list No. 1451. — (Advertisement.)
JOHNSONASSAILS
FORD FDR JOINING
COOLIDGE FORCES
California Senator Intimates
That Auto Magnate Trad
ed Influence for Muscle
Shoals Support
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.—Henry
Ford’s wffer for the Muscle Shoals,
Ala., power project and his recent
indorsement of President Coolidge,
were discussed by Senator Johnson,
of California, candidate for the Re
publican presidential nomination, in
a statement last night.
Declaring that Mr. Ford was a
“marvelous business man,” Sena
tor Johnson recalled that shortly be
fore indorsing Mr. Coolidge, the De
troit manufacturer had criticised
Secretary, Weeks for opposing his
offer for Muscle Shoals.
“American politics present a most
interesting psychological study,”
said the statement.
“Henry Ford has declared for
Mr. Coolidge because, as he says,
Mr. Coolidge is ‘safe.’ Immediately
the part of the press of the coun
try representing special privilege,
which was always denounced and
caricatured Mr. Ford, gives him a
certificate of character and, with
open arms, 'welcomes him to its
ranks. Perhaps the time is propi
tious for Emma Goldman and Bill
Haywood to return, declare for Mr.
Coolidge and be acclaimed by the
same special privileged press.
“But in the light of Mr. Ford’s
previous utterances, just when did
Mr. Coolidge, in Mr. Ford’s opinion,
became ‘safe?’ On the 13th day of
October, after Mr. Coolidge had
been in office for more than two
months and when Secretary Weeks
had sold what Ford claimed to be
a part of the Muscle Shoals project,
Mr. Ford denounced in unmeasured
terms the secretary of war and in
ferentially, the administration, as
being under the control of private
interests, inimical to the farmers,
and the secretary of war made an
angry rejoinder.
“Obviously, according to Mr.
Ford, the administration of Mr.
Coolidge was then unsafe and didn’t
even wish to do right. Thereafter,
Congressman Madden gave to the
press the outline of a measure he
would present in congress, apparent
ly for the administration, designed to
give Mr. Ford Muscle Shoals and a
plant of like character to that sold by
Weeks. The message of the presi
dent on the sixth day of December
was not inimical to this idea. Mr.
Madden’s bill was then introduced
and is now pending. On the 19th
day of December Mr. Ford gives
out his ‘safe’ interview.
“If Mr. Coolidge were not safe,
and if his administration were un
der the influence of private in-1
terests on the 13th day of October
as Mr. Ford plainly said to the
American people, what occurred be
tween the 13th day of October
and the 19th day of December, to
transmute the bitter denunciation
of Mr. Ford against the adminis
tration t.h'-n, into enthusiastic ad
vocacy now?
“Mr. Ford is entitled, of course,
to his political opinions, equally, of
course, these opinions cannot con
trol a Republican nomination. Air.
Ford was for Mr. Wilson when Mr.
Wilson was president. Mr. Ford
was flor Mr. Harding w'hen Mr.
Harding wa>a president. Mr. Ford
is for Mr. Coolidge while Mr.
Coolidge is president. Mr. Ford is a
marvelous business man.”
Strawberries in Canada
Result of Queer Weather
STRATFORD, Ont., Dec. 21.—The
latest out of season freak developed
by the usual spring-like weather in
Ontario was reported today by Fred
Crocker, who picked ripe strawber
ries in his garden.
1924 BARGAINS
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Combination 53-A
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These offers are made possible by concessions which
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will extend your time for The Journal one year and order
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scriber to the other paper m- papers in the combination
your expiration date will be advanced one year.
MDRDERODSFRENZX
RESULTS IN SLAYING
DF SIX IN MAINE
Young Pole Kills Self After
Shooting to Death Four
Women and Son of Deputy
Sheriff
COOPERS MILLS, Maine, Dec. 23
Six lives were sacrificed to the
murderous frenzy of John Snow, a
young man who came from Poland
a few years ago and ■ married a
Maine woman, according to the defi
nite assertions of' county authorities.
The authorities said they had un
questionable proof that after shoot
ing his wife, three other women
and a 15-year-old boy, Snow turned
the revolver on himself, inflicting a
fatal wound.
The dead are:
John Snow.
Ida Snow, his wife. \
Mrs. Ruth Brann, SO years old,
Mrs. Snow’s mother.
Mrs. Eva Eaton, Mrs. Snow’s
sister.
Mrs. Frank Jewett, wife of Deputy
Sheriff Jewett.
Kenneth Jewett, the deputy’s son
Mrs. Jewett and her son were
killed in their home at Whitefield
seven miles from here, while Deputt
Jewett and other members of the
household were doing some Christ
mas shopping in Gardiner.
The others were shot in the little
cottage which they occupied on a
road a mile from the center of
Coopers Mills, which is in the town
of Jefferson.
Mrs. Eaton’s five-week’s-old baby
was found unhurt in a crib in the
cottage when the murder was dis
covered by Mrs. Eaton’s seven-year
old son, who had been playing in
the yard. ,
Terrified at the slgnt of the three
women lying dead and Snow dying,
the boy ran to the home of a neigh
bor. Others living nearby were no
tified and their first thought was to
send for Deputy Sheriff Jewett. A
messenger was dispatched to Whit
field. When he reached the deputy’s
home there was no response to his
ring at the doorbell and he entered
the house. There he found Mrs.
Jewett and her son dead on the
floor.
Meanwhile Deputy Jewett h'ad
been located in Gardiner.
When he started for the scene of
the murder in Coopers Mills he was
unaware that his own wife and boy
also had been killed.'
Sheriff John P< Kelley, of Booth
Bay Harbor, was notified of the
murders and took charge of the in
vestigation.
It was learned that Snow bad
been employed recently by Jewett,
working in the woods. Members of
the Jewett household said that they
talked with Snow about 6:30 o’clock
this morning and that he spoke of
wanting his wife and baby, from
whom he had been separated for
some time, to go to Gardiner to live
with him. He was crying at the
time.
Deputy Jewett left home at 10:30.
Within an hour Snow was believed
to have shot Mrs. Jewett and Ken
neth Jewett and started for Coopers
Mills in the deputy’s automobile.
Two hours later, according to the
authorities, he had killed the three
women there, and later in the after
noon succumbed to his self-inflicted
wounds.
Snow was about 25 years old and
his wife was a year older.
Investigation showed that all the
victims had been shot in the head
at close range. The body of Mrs
Jewett was found under a bed. At
first it was thought that she had
been killed there when trying to
hide after witnessing the murder of
her son, but later it was believed
the murderer shot her while in s he
pantry and then hid the body. There
were numerous blood stains in the
pantry.
The Three Wise Men
w® Anes--
iWor aw piCTh
sßaliMWiliyii IlliiiiiiW
FORD PLEASES EVERYBODY
FOR ONCE IN HIS LIFE,
IS VIEW AT WASHINGTON
Politicians Breathe Sigh of
Relief —Some G. 0. P.
Leaders Refuse to Em
brace Latest Recruit to
Ranks
BY ROBERT T. SMALL
(Leased Wire Service to The Journal.)
(Copyright, 1923.) |
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22. Mr.
Henry Ford, for once in his life
appears to have done something that
pleases everybody. All Fhe poli
ticians in Washington, no matter
what their faith or creed, are ap
plauding the automobile manufac
turer for eliminating himself from
the presidential race and definitely
taking his stand under the'Coolidge
banner. There,is a great feeling of
relief here in ’the capital. The po
litical boys are wearing a look that
plainly says “thank the Lord, that’s
all threshed out.”
This expression becomes all the
more significant from the realiza
tion that Mr. Ford has not only
eliminated himself from considera
tion in 1924 but for all time. Cer
tainly the Democrats will never
flirt with him again and the Repub
licans, when 1928 comes around will
have other fish to fry. Mr. Ford
has "written himself down as a
standard bearer of the G. O. P. and
in doing that he has proved himself
a very magnanimous young man.
For the Republican leaders have
been saying some nasty things about
Mr. Ford. Even a distinguished
member of the Coolidge cabinet to
day has slung a few carefully se
lected shafts at the Detroit man
of millions and one exceedingly
prominent member of the Republic
an national committee has gravely
announced that he regarded Henry
Ford as a “menace.”
Critics Now Admirers
Os course all these blasts wore let
go when it seemed that Henry was
going to run for president on any
ticket he could get on and would
unquestionably upset many a Re
publican calculation. But now' that
Henry has come out for Cal, why
things are of an entirely different
complexion. Republicans interview
ed today said they thought Mr. Ford
one of the brainiest, one of the
safest and one of the sanest men
this country has ever known.
They say it was absurd for any
one ever to regard Henry Ford as
a menace. They say he is a man
of statesmanlike stature. He has a
keen insight into public affairs, and
what if he does regard history as
“bunk” we are dealing with the
present today and Mr. Ford evi
dently knows what is best for the
country.
So from all this it may be sur
mised that the regular Republicans
who are flocking to the Coolidge
band wagon in a stampede that
causes cold shivers to run up and
down the backs of all the Hiram
Johnson supporters save Hiram him
self.
The Democrats profess to be
equally pleased. They say they are
glad they have smoked Henry out,
just as they were glad "when they
smoked Herbert Hoover out in 1920.
Atlanta, Ga., Tuesday, December 25, 1923.
It is true,' of course, that President
Woodrow Wilson ran Henry Ford
for the United States senate on a
Democratic ticket, but Mr. Ford, as
they cuunted the returns, was not
elected and, therefore, never had to
qualify as a Democrat in public life.
The Democrats are saying that Hen
ry is just “another reactionary,”
another “plutocrat of great wealth’’
who finally and securely has aligned
himself with that gilded home of all
plutocrats the "grand ell party”
Following Doubtful
The Democratic leaders say that
President Coolidge is w*elcoma to the
support of Henry Ford because Hen
ry has no political strength to de
liver. They admit that Henry would
have had considerable strength as a
candidate but he has no following
which could be delivered to the
“stand patters” of the Republican
party. Already the Democratic man
agers say they have received word
that Ford leaders in many states
have announced that, deserted by
their peerless leader, they will go
into the Democratic party rather
than fdilow Henry hook, line and
sinker into the elephant s den.
The Hiram Johnson followers, not
to be the least bit outdone by the
regular .Republicans and regular
Democrats, say that the elimination
of Henry Ford makes Hiram all the
stronger. Much of the Ford senti
ment, they asseverate, will turn au
tomatically to Hiram, the people’s
choice. So long as Mr. Ford profess
ed to be a man of the people, Sena
tor Johnson would have had to deal
with him. But now that one of the
people’s friends has deserted them,
the Johnsonites pay that Hiram is
bound to- be the beneficiary of the
independent thought which was look
ing to Henry Ford as a sort of Moses
to lead it out of the wilderness.
“Coolidge undoubtedly will get
some of the Ford boomers, but w*e
will get thdMion’s share,” said one of
the Johnson lieutenants today.
G. O. P. Still Wary
And thus in the Ford withdrawal
there seems to be glory enough for
all. Mr. Ford once sought to get the
boys out of the trenches by Christ
mas, but it is doubtful if he could
have spread more joy in the success
ful fulfillment of that mission than
he has by his Christmas present to
Mr. Coolidge, which appears to have
been an overflowing cup of political
happiness.
Nevertheless and notwithstanding
some of the regular Republicans are
a little shy about committing them
selves publicly and completely to Mr.
Ford at this time. They are just a
little afraid that he may not stay
out. Suppose, they say that things
shouldn’t go so well with the Muscle
Shoals project as Mr. Ford evidently
expects? Will he then turn upon
the Republican administration and
attempt to rend it? In any event,
the conservative thought prevailed
at a meeting of the Republican coun
ty committee in New York City.
Thursday night, when it was pro
posed that a telegram of congratula
tion and welcome be sent to the au
tomobile millionaire. The message
was voted down.
WALLACE DEFENDS
ROAD FUND POLICY
TOWARD ARKANSAS
WASHINGTON, Dee? 22.—Secre
tary Wallace, of the agricultural de
partment, answered critics of his ad
ministration of the federal-aid high
way funds in Arkansas in a state
ment today declaring that “neither
the federal aid road act nor its ad
ministration is responsible for the
troubles for the Arkansas people
in their road building.”
President Coolidge, the senator
said, “is determined that every
power of the feedral government
should be used to correct abuses
and injustices under which Arkan
sas farmers have suffered in connec
tion with highway taxes.
“All roads on which federal aid
has been used must be properly
maintained by the state,” he con
.tinued. “Old road projects must be
cleaned up before federal aid will
be granted to new projects.”
The secretary said his department
had no intention of making any fur
ther investigation in Arkansas ex
cept as it may be necessary to ad
minisTer federal aid funds justly and
efficiently.
“Abuses due to state laws or state
administration should be corrected
by state authorities,” he said. “To
obtain federal aid, the law makes
certain requirements, and it remains
for the state to meet these.” y
“PlflAfES!” HOMED
THE COLONEL
“As You Please,” responded
Peter Blood, captain of the
Arabella. He gave an or
der. A plank was run out
over the vessel’s side and —
Washington, d. c., Dec. 28.
The* adventures of this gallant sol
dier-of-fortune constitute one of the
finest romances ever written —equal
to Stevenson’s “Treasure Island.” It
is by Sabatini, a writer whose fame
is worldwide, and the name of it is
“Captain Blood.” It is one of the
current best-selling books, which re
tails at $2, but those who read this
notice can get it for 15 cents. The
publishers of the Pathfinder, in or
der to acquaint new readers with
their fast-growing national news
weekly, "which already has over half
a million subscribers, will send their
magazine 13 weeks, including this
splendid serial for only 15 cents.
Besides giving the best of fiction
the Pathfinddr keeps its readers in
formed on cmmestic and "world af
fairs. It is 1. veritable mine of in
formation onSall subjects. There is
no other magazine like it. Send
your 15 cents without delay. This
exciting story will begin in the Jan.
5 issue. Address The Pathfinder,
132 Langdon Station, Washington,
D. C. — (Advertisement.)
o CEM& A COPY,
$1 A YEAR.
NEW TRIAL MOTION s
IS BEING PREPARED
UF FOX ATTORNEYS
Mrs. Margaret Weaver, Held
for Atlanta Police, to Fight
Extradition From Alabama,
Alibi Is Claimed
BIRMINGHAM, Dec. 24.—Mrs.
Margaret Weaver, arrested in Bir
mingham Saturday on an indictment
charging her with being an acces
sory before the fact in the slaying
of William S. Coburn, Ku Klux Klan
attorney, decides not to fight extra
dition and goes to Atlanta where
she is detained at police headquar
ters.
A representative from the office of
Solicitor General John A. Boykin
left Saturday night for Birmingham,
where Mrs. Margaret Weaver, the
woman indicted as an accessory be
fore the fact in the Philip E. Fox
murder case, is held for Atlanta au
throities.
This deputy, it was announced
from the solicitor’s office, is
armed with requisition papers
cured Saturday noon from Governor
Walker upofi information from Bir
mingham that the Weaver woman
will fight extradition to Georgia. If
the move to bring her back proves
successful, it was stated, the alleged
accessory in the slaying of Captain
W. S. Coburn will be placed on trial
etjrly in January.
Meanwhile, attorneys for Fox late
Saturday had prepared a skeleton
motion for new trial for their client,
who was convicted Friday night of
the- murder of Captain Coburn and
sentenced to life imprisonment. At
a late hour Saturday night, Judge
G. H. Howard, who presided at the
Fox trial, had not been seen by the
attorneys, and therefore, no date had
been set for hearing the new trial
move. It is expected the motion
will be filed Monday.
Accusations Denied
The arrest of Mrs. Weaver, who
has keen sought since her indict
ment about two weeks ago, injected
a new angle into the Fox case,
should a ntew trial be granted, as
the state contends that Fox was; in*
company with her from the Satur
day preceding the shooting until
shortly before he entered the office
of Captain Coburn on November 5
and shot him to death.
This assertion was denied by Mra.
Weaver, according to Birmingham
dispatches, which quoted her as stat
,ing that she left Atlanta prior to
the and that she proposed
to produce the records of a Chatta
nooga hotel to show that she was
in that city on the day Fox killed
Captain Coburn. She also was said
to be making efforts to engage an
attorney.
Counsel for Fox did not reveal
upon w'hat grounds the new trial
would be sought, but a statement
from them reiterated the plea set
up during the trial that Fox is in
sane, and declared that every effort
was made in his behalf, in view of
the “early trial” set for him.
The defense attorneys also paid
tflfbute to the manner in which
Judge G. H. Howari. handled the
trial and declared that never was a
case handled in more fair and im
partial vein. They also said ’ tha
jury was highly attentive and as im
partial a group as could have been
gotten together.
Spent Restless Night
“I’m a sick man . . . see my at
torneys ... I don’t feel like talk
ing.” the prisoner said to reporters'
who called Saturday morning. His
cell mates said Fox had spent a
restless night and the twitching of
his features was still noticeable.
Filing of a skeleton motion is th«
usual procedure in seeking a new
trial and this move allows counsel
the opportunity of amending their
petition later. The stenographer’s
record* in the case 'ri'ill not be ready
for several weeks, as the evidence in
the Fox trial was probably the most
voluminous in the history of Fultqn
superior court since the celebrated
Frank case.
While the jurors in the case de
clined to discuss how the balloting
had run during the deliberations,
which lasted nearly twenty hours, It
was stated unofficially at the court
house that ‘the severity of the pun
ishment was the major factor which
delayed the finding of a verdict, some
holding out for the extreme penalty
and with others contending for the
life imprisonment.
“We, the jury, find the defendant
guilty of murder and recommend him
to the mercy of the court,” was the
verdict, read to a crowded courtroom
by Assistant Solicitor E. A. Stephens,
while Fox sat bowed at the defense
table and mumbled a barely audible
“no” when Judge G. H. Howard ask
ed if he had any statement to make.
Sentence was pronounced immediate
ly, and Fox was escorted from the
courtroom by a special detail of dep
uties who had stood around him
when the verdict was announced.
MRS. MARGARET WEAVER
TO RESIST EXTRADITION
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Dec. 22.
All possible processes of law will be
invoked to stay the hand of authori
ties of Georgia and Alabama in at
tempt to remove her to the former
state for trial, if Mrs. Margaret
Weaver, arrested here today in con
nection with the slaying of William
S. Coburn, in Atlanta, on November
5, carries out her announced inten
tion.
Mrs- Weaver told detectives that
she was in Chattanooga on the date
that Philip E. Fox, former publcty
director for the Ku Klux Klan, killed
Captan Coburn, a klan attorney, and
that she was not certan “whether
she even knew either of the men.”
The woman said she proposed, if
necessary, to produce hotel records
to show that she was in the’ Ten
nessee city on the date of the kill
ing. She made no effort to concecal
her identity when officers arrested
her, telling them, “I am the woman
indicted in Atlanta.”