Newspaper Page Text
J
THE WEATHER.
Forecast—To-day and to-mor
row, partly cloudy, with varia
ble winds.
VOL. XI. NO. 222.
\XTA OEORGI
1
Read f or Profit—GEORGIAN WANT ADS - Use For Results
uttn
By OFFICIALS HE ACCUSES
Probers To Be Formally Appointed
To-day Will Take Up the Charges
Against Ragsdale, Maddox and
Spratling—Statement Branded Lies.
•
Maddox Says Allegations Are a Mass
of Lies—Ragsdale and Spratling
Also M.ake Brief General Denial.
Sensation in Council To-morrow.
Alderman John K. McClelland has tiled sensational
charges against three Aldermen, accusing them of having acted
in violation of the law to their own profit.
The accused are Aldermen J. W. Maddux. 1. X. Ragsdale and
F. J. Spratling. Maddox alone replied at any length, branding
McClelland’s statement as a mass of “lies." The other two con
tented themselves with the declaration thut they would be ready
to prove their innocence when the Council committee meets.
The investigators will be formally appointed thF aft
ernoon and sensational developments are looked for. Alderman
John 8. Candler will be ebairman of the committee. Mere is a
copy of McClelland's statement addressed to Judge C andler, lur-
uislied to.the newspapers:
CHARGES AGAINST MADDOX.
Hon. John S. Candler, Chairman Special Investigating Committee
City Council, City.
Dear Sir: Under the resolution approved April 11, lillJ. and
iu furtherance of the orderly proceeding of vour honorable com
mittee, 1 do hereby charge as follows:
That Alderman ,1. W. Maddox Is engaged in the business ot excavating
ar.d removing dirt and rock, and has violated section P)0 of the lit Code
of 1910. provided as follows:
It shall not be lawful for any member of the General Council
to be interested, either directly or indirectly, in any contract with
ihe city of Atlanta, the Mayor and General Council, ouf any one or
more of them, having for its object the public improvement of the
city, or any part thereof, or the expenditures of its moneys. Aav
violation of this section by any member of the General Council, shad
on conviction thereof, be punished as prescribed in section 4110 o’
the Code of this State (being section 1039 of Criminal Code of 1895 >.
I charge that said Alderman has repeatedly, openly and notoriously,*ac
cepted and performed sub-contracts for the removal of rock, dirt and grading,
from persons, firms and corporations who had contracted with the city of
Atlanta for the construction of public improvements. Said direct, contracts
having been made and entered into While said Maddox was an official mem
ber of the Board of Alderman of the city of Atlanta.
I further charge that his said conduct was so openly violative of said
section (hat the then presiding Mayor of the city of Atlanta. Honorable
Courtland S. Winn, requested said Maddox to dither abandon said contracts
or to resign his official position, in order that the charier law of the city
might be respected and obeyed.
1 further charge that said Maddox declined to comply with the request
of Honorable Courtland S. Winn, and that he neither resigned his said posi
tion as alderman, nor abandoned his contracts; and lhat he continued to
openly violate said section.
I further charge that the object of said section was to pevent any offi
cial from using his position to advance his personal interests; and that said
conduct upon the part of said Maddox was detrimental to the interests of
the public, and that he did, as an official, use his official position for the
purpose of advancing his pecuniary interests.
CHARGES AGAINST RAGSDALE.
i charge that I. N. Ragsdale, a member of the Aldermanic Board of the
city of Atlanta, is, and has been, engaged in the barter and sale of live
stock, and th2t, since his election to the Aldermanic Board, he had occupied
a position on the Board of Fire Masters—a department of the city which
is constantly engaged in the purchase and sale of live stock.
I charge that Said Ragsdale, directly or indirectly, formed with others
r, dummy partnership, known as J. R. Lawhon & Company, and that said
Lawhon contributed no substantial capital to said firm; and that the capi
tal of said firm was almost entirely contributed by said 1. X. Ragsdale, di-
rectly, or indirectly, and another firm which likewise dealt largely with the
<i y of Atlanta in live stock.
1 charge that said J. R. Lawhon & Company since the election lo office
of said Ragsdale has been constantly buying and selling live stock for the
city of Atlanta, through the said Ragsdale, as the official representative of
the city of Atlanta and member of the Board of Fire Masters.
3ai(i dummy partnership was formed and said transactions w ere had by
said Ragsdale for the end and purpose that he would be colorable protected
from section 100 of the Code of 1910, which is above fully set forth.
I charge that said Ragsdale has further, in violation of said section
directly, sold live stock to the city of Atlanta, and has had warrants and
vouchers issued to him directly by the city, transferring to him public funds
in payment of said sales.
I further charge that live stock, the property of the city of Atlanta, has
been condemned as being unfit for use, and that the disposal of the same
was delegated to the satd Ragsdale; and that he did sell said live stock,
without public advertisement or competitive bids, to his dummy partner
ship. Lawhon & Company, or others interested with him, for sums less than
the real value of' said stock.
I further charge that said transaction constituted a deliberate disregard
of the obligations and trust imposed upon, and assumed by. the said Rags
dale as a public official of the city of Atlanta, and were in denial of the legal
lestrictions imposed by said section 100 of ihe Code of the city of Atlanta.
CHARGES AGAINST SPRATLING.
I charge that F. J. Spratling. a member of the Aldermanic Board of ilie
city of Atlanta, was nominated at a pitman lielfl ip the fall of 1911, which
aid nomination was the equivalent of a legal election; that he was there
after duly elected a member of the Vldernuinie Board A fie aid ueiiii
Continued on Page Two.
Morgan’s Estate
Is Largest Ever
Given in the U. S.
Lowest estimate of val
ue of real estate, in-
surance, bank, railroad,
industrial and other
stocks .$40,000,000
Value of art collections,
conservatively e st i -
mated 60.000,000
Total $100,000,000
How it compares with other in
herited fortunes:
John Jacob Astor $87,216,691
E. H. Harriman 69.686.654
Cornelius Vanderbilt 68.350.000
Russell Sage 79.000,000
John L. Kennedy 65,558,000
Marshall Field 70.000,000
Jay Gould 78.000.000
W. H. Vanderbilt 40,000.000
Mr. Morgan left $3,000,000 to
each daughter, $100,000 a year and
residences in town and country to
wife, residuary estate absolutely to
his only son.
Colonel Astor *left $5,000,000 to
wife. $5,000,000 to daughter, and
residuary to his son, Vincent.
Mr. Harriman and Mr. •Suge left
their entire fortune absolutely to
their wives, without reserve.
Cornelius Vanderbilt left $1,000,-
000 to eldest son and namesake and
more than $60,000,000 to his sec
ond, Alfred.
Jay Gould left $5,000,000 special
bequest to eldest son. George, and
divided all the rest equally itMO ng
his five children, b|/s and girls
alike, giving each one more than
$10,000,000.
FIND THREE DEAD
ATLANTA. (!A.. MONDAY. APRIL 21. 191:5.
STRINGER IMS
11,000 THEFT
TO DRINKING JAPAN IS ANGRY
2 CENTS EVERYWHERE
M RS. COPLEY THAW, formerly the Counters of Yarmouth,
and sister of Harry K. Thaw, who will marry Geoffrey G.
Whitney, s banker, of Boston, at Cumberland Island. Ga„ to
morrow.
Express Messenger, in Jesup Jail,
Tells Story of Crime to Sun
day American.
FELL
WHILE
i
INTOXICATED
Illinois Woman and Her Two Chil
dren Slain and Their Bodies
Hidden for Week,
ELGIN. ILL, April 21.—Search for
Mrs. Maud Sleep and bur two chil
dren. who disappeared last Monday
< vening. ended to-day tvith the find
ing of the three bodies in an aban
doned well on her husband's farm
near Elgin.
Mrs. Sleep had been shot four tim< -s
and the two children had been beat
en to death. The Elgin police bf-
j lieved all three had been murdered
j mu their bodies thrown into the well,
i There were four, bullet wounds in
Mrs. Sleep’s body. An ax, stained
with blood, was found in a shed near
the well. It was supposed the slaver
of the trio killed the children with
the ax aftc shooting the mother to
deat'i.
Posses of farmers were organiz d
tills afternoon to search for traces of
the slayer of Mrs. Sleep and her two
children. A lynching is expected if
the.murderer is found.
At the inquest begun by the Coro
ner this afternoon a note was pro
duced. It was found in the well and
was signed “Maud/’ The note Said:
“Dear Father—I have killed my
self. Good-bye.”
The note was not in the handwrP-
ing of Mrs. Sleep, according to neigh
bors who were close friends of the
murdered woman. The police were
convinced it jvas a forgery.
New Skirt Shows
Limbs to the Knee
Flesh-Colored Stockings Revealed by
Slash # in Front of the
Garment.
NEW YORK. April 21. Fifth Ave
nue was treated to a view of the lat
est freak of fashion to-day when a,
trim little blonde strolled up the ave
nue above Forty-second Street wear- j
ing a skirt that was divided In front. (
As the little woman walked along, i
the divided skirt gave an ample
glimpse of flesh-colored silk stockings j
to the point just below the knee.
The new skirt was of heavy dark
blue cloth of moderate width and of
ordinary walking length. The divi
sion in front was cut away much in
the fashion of a. man’s cutaway coat
and was bound with heavy black
braid.
Just what style it was above the
knees no one seemed to notice.
Convict Succeeds
To Title in England
Noble Prisoner Has Spent Most of
His Time Behind Bars in
United States.
LEAVENWORTH, KAN'S., April
21.—Fred Grey, nerving a sentence for
misuse of the mails, was notified to-
I day that he has succeeded to a Brit
ish title "and a large estate in Eng-
I land on account of the death of his
older brother. Mis : erm will expire
I June 16. and be will leave at once for
; England.
Since he was nineteen yearn old, j
Grey has spent most of his time in!
Knuli h and American >risons on I
i charges of forger* bi amy and u in , I
i the mails to defraim 'T-»iuytji; s. h s j
of land in Mexico led u. l,i* last a. - |
Habit Just a Month Old—Refused
to Touch Another Package
Containing $4,500.
JESUP. GA.. April 21 J. R.
Stiinger, the young express messen
ger arrested to-day for the heft of
$5,000 in currency in transit between
Brunswick and Atlanta banks, from
the Souhern Express Company, told
| the story of his crime and Us causes
[ lo -The Sunday American a* he sat
' in his cell in the county jail. He
' blamed drink for his plight.
Stringer, a slight country boy,
seemed frightened and on the verge
of an emotional collapse in the Wayne
county jail this afternoon. With his
lingers nervous!:# working and pinch
ing at his face h explained the as
tonishing case, z'
The boy made the remarkable state
ment that he burned a package
which contained $4.500—*the com
panion of the one he stole.
“I let it lie there, in the ear.” he
said. "1 did not want it. After l
had taken the one package, the other
seemed to repel me.
"It is all because I drank too much
Wednesday night. I don’t know of
anything else that made me take the
money. 1 have handled many pack
ages containing thousands of dollars
before this, and did not want to take
them.
Began Drinking Month Ago.
“But about a month ago I started
»t» drink a little, and Wed lesday night
I drank tob mYrclr: -MV Tierrw-* '-rf-cre
shattered. In the ear the temptation
came to me to take the money out
of the package.
“The temptation was new to me,
but nervous and sick as I was 1 did
not seem to care. I cut up sonic
papers I had in the car Lo read, and
put the scraps in the package, re-
sealed it. and put the money in the
safe until f got to Jesup. Somehow,
1 could not urge myself to touch the
other package with the $4,500.
"When I got to Jesup. I took the
money with me, got a glass jar from
the restaurant, went down the rail
road to the water tank and buried the
money.
“Then 1 sat down, still and quiet,
for the first time since the impulse
first came to me. The fought of
what I had done sobered me. and
I saw what a fix 1 was in. 1 decided
to return the money, but they caught
me.”
Alone in His Offense.
The boy declared that he uas alone
In his offense, and that nothing had
inspired him to steal the money ex
cept the drunken impulse.
“Before I left Brunswick on the
trip,” lie said. “1 had no i.iought that
I would take the money. The idea
had never entered my head. Ft came
all at once, like that, and seemed to
bold me.”
The boy seemed ignorant and help
less. Ht- has not employed a lawyer,
and said he did not know what he
would do.
“1 don't know what will happen,”
he said, in a tone of hopelessness.
“And 1 don’t know what to do. I
can't do anything. I reckon.”
Stringer waived preliminary hear
ing. and his case will go to the grand
jury for consideration. A bond of
$5,000 was fixed, which the boy has
not furnished. The Superior four
session begins here next week, with
Judge E. Graham, of Hazelnurst, pre
siding. and it is probable that he will
be tried then.
Superintendent Knowles. of the
Southern Express f'ompany, was
here to-day. but would make no state
ment except that the entire $5,000 had
been recovered, and that Stringer had
taken it. He left this afternoon with
his detectives for Brunswick, but will
be here Tuesday wheft court convenes.
Express Thefts Infrequent.
Bocal officials of \he Southern Ex
press Company, discussing yester
day ihe theft of $5,000 by J. B. Strin
ger, declared that they did not fear
repetitions of the offense. Dishonesty
among employees, they said, is In
frequent.
Here is how Joseph E. Skaggs, At
lanta agent of the company, answer
ed the question as to why so few
packages containing money were
stolen:
Because of the inherent honesty of
the employees.
Because the employees are trusted
implicitly and respect their trust.
Because there is a fraternity among
the employees of the express com
panies that makes them work to
gether for the company and for them
selves.
Only 1 in 1,000 Goes Wrong.
“Express companies work on the j
theory,” said Mr. Skaggs, “that all |
men are honest until they arc proven
otherwise, and though, of course, we |
do not throw temptation in any man’s j
vay more Than i.. necessary, it is a
fact that the honesty of tin- express
employee i. the safety of the pack- ’
ages. Honesty Is a better safeguard I
that, all tin system:' »*:' protection]
iliai could he deviat'd, and if y ou let i
Urges Conciliatory Policy Toward
Japan on Alien Land
Legislation.
DISREGARDS ALL PROTESTS
Alarmed Over Growing Anti-
American Feeling in the Ori
ental Kingdom.
\Y A S H1N( 4T( )X, A pri! 2!. p ■ -si -
dent \\ ilson, thoroughly alarmed over
the rising tide of anti-American feel
ing in Japan, caused Secretary Bryan
to send a telegram to Governor John
son. of California to-day. urging a
conciliatory policy toward the Orien
tal nation in the proposed alien land
legislation.
The step was taken by the President
over the protest of the California del
egation. the members of which declare
that the national government has no
right lo interfere in a matter So vital
to the social*and industrial life «>f
that community.
Hew is the message to Governor
Johnson:
“The President direct* me to
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that while he fully recognizes the
right of the people of California to
legislate according to their judgment
on tin- subject of land 1 nure, he
feels it his duty to urge a recogni
tion of the international character of
such legislation. Being anxious to
preserve and strengthen* the long
standing friendly relations existing
between this country-and the nations
of the Orient, he very respectfully but
most earnestly advises against the
use of the word 'ineligible to citizen
ship.’ He asks that you bring this
view to the attention of the legisla
tors. He believes the Senate bill as
telegraphed to the Department of
State is greatly to be preferred. That
bill limited ownership to citizens and
those who had declared their inten
tions to become citizens.
(Signed) “\V. J. BRYAN.”
Japanese Start Trouble.
The telegram was the result of a
two-hour conference between the
President and the State Department
officials. Confidential reports were
read which tell that the warring po
litical factions in Japan are making
use of the California incident to
arouse feeling among the uneducated
masses which could easily precipitate
war.
The following interviews obtained
by The Sunday American correspond
ent indicate clearly the attitude of the
California delegation:
Representative Kent: Japan is
running its usual bluff. The pre
tense that the Japanese nation does
not recognize racial distinctions in its
international relations is absurd. [
There are racial distinctions which
must be reckoned w ithin international
intercourse, and Japan should ac
knowledge this and take a broad
view of the question.”
Says Delay Is Dangerous.
Representative Raker: “If the
California legislature will only go
ahead and pass its legislation the
disturbance will subside and the alien
ad can then be calmly viewed
through the ordinary diplomatic
channel. The legislation itself is not
half so dangerous as the delay which
gives opportunity for agitation and
Japanese Jingoism."
Congressman Kahn: “What is all
the turmoil about? Is California to
l>e prohibited from doing what the
I'nited States Government and many
of the State Governments have al
ready done? Stales where the race
problem does not ester have anti- !
alien laws. California is clearly with- j
in its light- and is dealing with
problem far more vita! :• u* future*
titan that which existed v hen other]
States adopted uroilar I .’gEsinlion. 1
lu»p«- there will be no further delay
by the Legislature." >
Will Outbid Detroit
For Asphalt Expert
Chairman Smith Says County Must
Have Proctor, No Matter
What the Cost.
Chairman Shelby Smith, of the
County Board, said yesteifc v he had
telegraphed*C. A. Proctor. \ trojt as
phalf expert. asking what \ Jury he
would accept to supervise the roa 1
work of Fulton County. Mr. Smith
said Vhe county would outbid De
troit for Mr Proctor's services if nee.
essary.
Smith said that Grice Proctor had
declined to accept the position of
fered him at a salaV.v of $3,600 he
had made an extensive investigation
that developed the fact that Proctor
was one of the five flrst-cia*s asphalt
experts available in the linked States
and that he v.as doubly determined
Fulton Cotmty and Atlanta should
have the best.
“We want Proctor at any cost,”
he said. “We have talked our situa
tion over with him iri detail, and
would rather have him than any man
we know of.
“Proctor gets something over $4-
000 now. and we’ll have to conic a bit
stronger than that. I have no doubt
the city will pay its share of the
salary when they' see what a good
man he in.”
I
‘Hdd-up Insurance’
Issued in New York
Timid Citizen Can Now Pay Premium
and Trot Horne Happily, Re
gardless of Footpads.
NEW YORK, April 2 1 The rerent
increase in the number of hold-ups
here has resulted in big indemnity
firms issuing “hold-up insurance.”
The timid citizen who fears his
homeward journey will be molested
by the man with gun and mask has
only to go to his broker, fill in a
policy, pay a small premium and
trot happily homeward.
Some (“oneerriH will protect against
burglars, taxi bandits* who lift the
till after trussing the clerk up and
storing him beneath the counter, or
the pickpocket who removes your
roll in a crowd.
“It’s a new *klnk.' but the public are |
beginning to catch on to it." said K. t
R. Cbepharci. a intpifeger <*f one of j
the firms dee b og in the new insur- i
;»i:ce. h should be n perfect god- j
send i«> women shoppers.”
Will Take Moving Pictures of Eu
ropean Working Women as
High Tariff Argument,
N K\V YORK. April 21.—Lillian
Russell is going to Europe early in
June on a novel philanthropic project.
Accompanied by moving picture op
erators, she will visit England,
France, Belgium, Holland. Germany,
Austria, Russia and Italy for the pur
pose of making pictures of the women
workers in those countries. She in
tend* next winter to lecture on the
subject of labor slavery in Europe.
The pictures will illustrate her ad
dresses. Miss Russell said to-day:
“I intend getting material that will
ease the discontent of women with
their lot. I think that our women live
in an industrial paradise compared
with most other nations. I am going
to get pictures of English women
dragging coal trucks like beasts of
burden for a shilling a day.
“L will show Belgian and Dutch
women lugging at plough® and har
rows and pulling barges like oxen. I
will show the field labor of women in
Austria. Germany, Russia and Italy.
I will show the abominable condi
tions under which the poor live and
toil all over Europe.
“During the Congressional cam
paigns next fall I shall go on the
stump with my motion pictures in
aid of those candidates who favor
protection of American industries.”
Southern Cooking
Just Suits Senators
Dixie Manager to Supply Hungry
Statesmen With Hot piscuit
and Corn Pone.
WASHINGTON, April 21.—South
ern oookrig, which has become fa
mous all over the world, has won an
other victory. It has captured no
less Important a body than the United
States Senate. The Committee on
Rule* of that body settled the “hun
ger spike” existirg by deciding tc
engage a Southern manager to take
< barge. He promises lo supply hot
L*i>< . corn pone him) other delica-i
• **->• :«t up, T"0'»! 25 to 50
P* i •••■iu Tc-* urin those ’heretofore
prevailing!
‘SOUL TO GOO’
Opening Words Commit Soul to
Savior and Urge Children to
Keep Christian Faith—Relig
ious Spirit Is Manifest.
Widow Gets $1,000,000 in
Trust, $100,000 Annual In
come and City and Country
Homes—3 Daughters Share.
Two Sons-in-Law Draw $1,000,—
000 Each—Art Treasures Go
to J. P, Morgan, Jr.—$3,000,-
000 to Relatives and Others.
NEW YORK, April 1H. 1 commit
my soul into the hands of my Sa
viour, in full confidence that, having
redeemed it and washed in Hts most
precious blood, He will present It
faultless before the throne of my
Heaven 1> Father: and i entreat my
children to maintain and defend at alt
hazards and at any cost of personal
sacrifice, the blessed doctrine of the
c omplete atonement for sin through
the blood of Jesus Chris t, once offered,
and through that alone.”
This is the striking utterance which
begins the last will and testament of
John Pisrpont Morgan. hvho died at
Rome on March 31 last, whose body,
heaped over with dowers from the
crowned $ieads of Europe, was a fort
night later brought back to his own
iuiid, an 1 last Monday was borne to
its last resting place at Hai^fowl,
Conn.
t Ever since the funeral the publica
tion of the great financier’s last will
has been awaited with ketfn expecta
tion, and it is safe to say that of alt
the interesting testaments of eminent
citizens of America that of Mr. Mor
gan is by far the most interesting.
No Idea of Fortune.
As to the amount of the estate,
there is nothing in the will to give
any accurate idea, and the executors
declare no announcement will b<*
made on this point until the ap
praisal has been made for determin
ing the State inheritance tax.
The amount of bequeets and trust."*
named by specific sums is under *20,-
000,000, but the entire residue of the
estate is left to J. P. Morgan. Jr., who
is designated by hi.« father to be
come the chief heir, not only to his
fortune, but to his many charitable
and artistic activities.
Mr. Morgan has apparently pro
vided with painstaking care for every'’
contingency that might affect his
family or his banking firm and to his
executors, his son, John Pierpont
Morgan, Jr., his two sons-in-law,
William Pierson Hamilton and H. L.
*Satterlee, and his friend. Lewis Cass
Ledyard, he gives careful directions
under many clauses as to alternate
course of procedure.
Grandson Is Trustee.
His grandson. Junius Spencer Mor
gan, Jr., a young man of only 21,
now a student at Harvard, is repeat
edly nominated to take up important
duties in the event of death of hit*
father, John Pierpont Morgan, Jr.
The question most frequently asked
has been as to the disposition of Mr.
Morgan’s collections of pictures and
other an treasures. Mr. .Morgan
make? plain what his own hopes on
this point have fipen. and leaves his
son entire freedom on the matter.
His will declared he left the mat
ter of establishing a permanent dis
position of these collections until to ►
late, and says: “Jr would be agree
able to me to have the ‘Morgan
Memorial,’ which forms a portion of
the property of the Wadsworth Athe
naeum at Hartford, Conn., utilized to
effectuate a part of this purpose. I
do not, however, by the expression of
these wishes. Intend to impose upon
my said son, or my said grandson,
any duty or obligation, legal or moral,
nor to qualify, in any manner or In
any degree, Ills absolute and unquali
fied ownership of said collections,
should they pass to him under this
will.”
EDITOR NELSON FREED
OF CONTEMPT CHARGE
JEFFERSON CITY. MO.. April 19.
William R. Nelson, owner of Th<s
Kansas City Star, who was charged
with malice In the publication of an
article in his paper, was fojnd not
guilty in the State Supreme Court - - j
to-day.
tempt
Mr. Nelson was held in con-
empt <>f <*ourt-last February for the j
Hiblication of the article avid sen-*
ed lo serve one day in Jail.