Newspaper Page Text
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THE ATLANTA (JEOKOJLAN AM) NhVVS, FK1UAV, .MAY H>, I HI.',.
2-Year Han Hunt Ends in I.WylieSmith’sCapture CUPID'S WIRELESS I^SE^riSHSS
Relentless Pursuit of Fugitive by Victim Revealed
Fleeing Atlantan Had
Thrilling Career in
Rebel Annv andi
Brigand
Mexico
Wreck I
('amps of i
— Hardships!
lis Health.
ii
14
The veil of mystery was lifted by
The Georgian Friday from the move-1
ments of J. Wylie Smith since the
wrecking <>f the Commercial Loan and |
Discount Company, of which he wasi
president two years ago. and his
spectacular flight from justice into]
Mexico.
A story was revealed whose every
phase poaaes/ied the strongest dra
matic interest. One scene showed
the fugitive rotting In a Mexican Jail.
In another he was Impressed in the
army of Orozco. Broken In body
and spirit, by privation and difease,
he sought asylum In the rendezvous
of brigands, cut-throats and other
outlaws in the fastnesses of the Mex
ican mountains. Then with the shad
ow of death hovering over him came
his surrender
A companion picture is that of the
relentless pursuit by one man who
accomplished single-handed more
than the United States Government
with the powerful machinery of its
diplomatic system. That man wa«
T>r»- M. Hamilton, of Hapeville.
Swore to Bring Him Back.
“I swore that I’d bring him back
to Atlanta if 1 lived.” was his simple
declaration after he had returned.
But behind his quiet assertion was
the story of a two-year man hunt
which in persistency of purpose and
unalterable determination seldom has
been equaled
Hamilton was one of the heaviest
losers when the crash came.
How much he lost he has refused
to say. But It is known that practi
cally all of his savings of years were
swept away. His plans for a com
fortable old age wore shattered. His
one purpose since June 14, 1911, has
been to bring Smith back to stand
trial In the courts.
Hamilton was aided in his two-
year chase by the fact that Smith
finally came to the realization that he
had the choice between two alterna
tives—death in the lair of a band .*f
.fugitives like himself or surrender to
the authorities. The grim specter came
nearer and nearer. When it appeared
that he could not live much longer ne
gave In.
Hamilton is a quiet man. He says
little, but he Iiuh a determination that
is unconquerable. After the total
failure of the Government, owing
largely to the unsettled conditions in
Mexico, he gave up all hope of an/
assistance from that source and start
ed out on a lone hunt.
Kept Hi* Plans Secret.
He had been disappointed enough
by the inability to extradite Smith.
The fugitive was in prison in Chihua
hua for seven months, but the United
States Government was unable to get
a requisition honored by the Mexican
Government, although repeated u-
tempts were* made iflrid Pinkerton de
tectives were constantly on the alert
'for an opportunity to spirit him across
the border.
Hamilton confided his intention •
no one. He kept his plans to himself.
Only those officials with whom it was
absolutely necessary for him to deal
Wife a Pathetic
Figure in Tragedy
The heart-broken wife of Wy
lie Smith provides a moet pathetic
feature of thin many-Kided tragedy
of a human life gone Wrong, f li
able to live in the city where her
huattand was accused of betraying
the truet of Home of hitt best
friende. .she went to San Antonio
to live with a counln. Crushed by
Borrow, she was little seen In the
society of the lively Texas town.
When Smith came tnrosit the
border into El Paso, he dispatched
tier a wire Baying that lie had sur
rendered anti would pass through
San Antonio. He had not seen her
during the two year« he had (,een
a fugitive and he wanted her to
meet him at the train for a few
words.
The train stopped at San An
tonio. but Mrs. Smith did not ap
pear. Instead came the cousin to
say that she was prostrated with
grief and was so ill and hysterical
that the doctors feared for her life.
The capture of iter husband had
been too great a shock to bear af
ter all her anxiety through tin,
months since the (light of Smith.
I;i|>(
villa
user in
Man, Heavy
Alleged
Swindle, T r a i 1 e d
Loan Agent Through
'Tropical J angles and
Mountain Wilds.
REAL LOVE TESI
“Heart” Vibrations Must Be in
Tune to Wed Happily, Declares
Naturalist.
free for about two months after he
loft Atlanta. Then be was thrown
into prison at Chihuahua. ‘Mexico,
and kept then* for never) months.
Requisition papers were sent there
and repeated efforts were made to
have him extradited to the United
States, but things were in iruoh an
unsettled condition down there that
nothing came of It.
‘Pinkertons were there, but they
might ps well have been in China,
for it was impossible to get any ac
tion. Orozco felt that he had been
insulted by Uncle Sam and was none
too friendly, anyway.
“Smith later vvhh taken to Juarez
by ‘ Orozco and kept under guard
there for a time, although not close
ly confined. Finally he was liberated
and impressed into Orozco’s army, I
understand
Racked by rover.
"He was unable to stand the hard
ships and the climate and was at
tacked by the fever. For weeks and
months iie was racked by the dis
ease. He had barely recovered and
was able to stagger about it little when
he was taken with pneumonia."
It was at this time that Hamilton
believes that Smith fell in with the
outlaws in one of the almost inacces
sible liitle villages of Mexico. He
lay sick there most of last summer,
and in this way became heavily in
debted to the people there.
He shook off the dread pneumo
nia. l»ul his body was wasted by the
sickness and the privations. Then
there was haunting him the constant
knowledge that he was a bailed man.
He was safe where he was. but he
dare not venture forth if permitted,
and he was not permitted, for his
comrades were determined that he
should pay his indebtedness before
he left
Large rewards hung over the heads
of some of the men with whom Smith
associated. Human blood was on
the hands of some, but the reasons
they had come there were little dis
cussed. Others had got away with
large sums from banks, but they had
picked a poor place for the spend*
ing.
! By a mysterious, round about way,
chanics, and. In fact, members of
almost every profession and trade.
Smith had made a clean sweep and
excluded no one who desired to ben
efit by the rich harvest which it was
understood he was reaping for those
who placed their money with him.
Among those who arc reported iO
have lost in Smith's operations were
such men as Frank M. Myers, Jr.,
president of the Commercial compa
ny; Judge Simmons, J. L. Sims, of
Hapeville; James Stallings. ^ R. L.
Morris, Guy Thurman. Dr. D. E. Dew
berry, S. J. <’oilier, \V. F. Brandt an!
others. The individual ^mounts are
said to have run from a few hundred
dollars up to as high as $20,000. One
business woman who had made a. suc
cess in the city deposited Sl.aOO with
the operate r, only to lose the entire
amount.
Method of Operation Perilous.
Smith's method of operation was a
perilous one, despite the fact that he
pursued it for several months before
it finally sent him from the city a
fugitive. He is said to have acted
a.- agent between persons who wanted
to borrow and persons who wanted to
lend money at a profitable rate of in-
t* ! • - t He would go to a person
financially well fixed, it. Is alleged,
with the information that he had a
customer who desired to borrow a
hirgc sum of money. After declaring
that the Investment would be per
fectly safe. Smith would Induce the
person to let him take the money,
giving notes In return as security for
the amount. These notes later would
prove worthless.
Other notes given out by Smith
proved to be forgeries. One of them,
for $400. bore the signature of M. M.
Anderson Another note wae on By
rum Huir, teller of the American
National Bank, for $370. which proved
a forgery. There were many others.
It was- on these forged notes that
charges were placed against the oper-
ator.
Speculations in stock, in which
Smith is said to nave engaged, arc
given ac the cause for his venturing
beyond the law.
Most pathetic of all affected by
the departure of Smith was the oper
ator's own wife ard adopted child.
In the Smith home at 249 Pulliam
Mrs. Smith, herself an invalid
LOS ANGELES. May 16.—That the
time will come when harmonious
mental vibration Arid understanding
between man and woman will be the
requirements for marriage wars the
statement made by a well-known
! naturalist, Charles Kellogg, at u meet-
' log of the city school teacners.
According to Kellogg there is a
certain vibration between persons,
the same as vibrations between wire
less telegraph stations. The pitch
! of the vibration between any two
persons must vary*, and Kellogg’s
' idea is that before a man and woman
should marry they should be In
‘tune’’ with each other and thereby
have mutual understanding. He to id
•he teachers no wild animals were
ill except those disturbed by the fear
of man.
"The rattlesnake is your bent
friend,” he said. “Nature made all
things good. If you can. bring me
a bad boy and I will show you he
Is the best boy in the world. He
becomes good if you can reach him.
"A baby thrown into the water
will not drown of itself. It is Just
like an animal. But if its parents
know' that the child has been thrown
in the water and fear it will drown
that fear Is carried to the child’s
mind and it will instantly sink."
CHICAGO. May 16.—Newlyweds
| should live at least one mile away
j from the parents of each, according
j to the advice Judge Pettit gave Mr.
nnd Mrs. John Schweir, who were
| .v eking divorce. When lie finished
the 8chweirs were clasped in each
other's arms. Judge Pettit upset the
theories of eugenics.
"Every man comes to the place
where he thinks of getting married.”
he said. "He has met the girl. They
mate very much like the birds. It
is not scientific, not at all."
Judge Pettit said "too many matri
monial ships are wrecked on the
mother-in-law rock."
JOHN TEMPLE GRAVES TO
BE ORATOR AT VANDERBILT
NASHVILLE. TENN May If,.—
Colonel John Temple Graves, of At
lanta and New York, will deliver the
literary address at the Vanderbilt
University commencement here next
month. United States Attorney Gen
eral J. C. McReynolds, a former Nash
ville lawyer, will be the chief speaker
at the alumni banquet. Dr. Wash
ington Gladden, a noted divine, will
preach the commencement sermon.
Dr. Edwin Mims, of the department of
English, will deliver the alumni ad
dress.
TAX COLLECTOR TO SUE
LIEUT. GOV. O’HARA FOR $7
CHICAGO, May 16.—County tax au
thorities to-day were preparing to
bring suit against Lieutenant Govern
or Barratt O’Hara, charging him with
T-
WASHINGTON, May 13.—Seven
special delivery messengers of the
Washington postoffice have resigned
because they* decline to serve with
negroes. They charge the postal au
thorities give negro messengers
shorter runs.
L. J. Robinson, assistant postmas
ter. declares the messenger at the top
of the list is given the first message
that comes In. There were 34 white
boys and 14 negroes.
STATE AID TO BE ASKED
FOR MEDICAL COLLEGE
AUGUSTA, GA. May 16—The
board of directors of ti\e medical
department of the University of Geor
gia has re-elected the entire faculty
with one exception. Dr. Richard La*-
mar. of the Rockefeller Institute of
Medical Research, being selected to
succeed Dr. C. D. Partridge, as head
of the department of pathology.
The directors voted to ask the State
for an appropriation to help maintain
the medical college.
PEANUT HULL KILLS CHILD.
CHICAGO, May 16 —Rose Mausak.
aged 1 year, is dead to-day as a re
sult of trying to swallow a peanut
shell. A doctor removed the shell,
but was unable to stop the convul
sions that followed.
Wisconsin Declines
to Ban Elopements
MADISON. W1S., May 16.—The
State Legislature defeated a bill to
make elopements into adjoining
States illeg.'i. The bill, championed
by Assemblyman Rosa, himself a
bachelor, was Intended to prevent the
marriage in other States of divorced
persons forbidden to remarry under
decrees granted In Wisconsin. The
law would make such marriages void
In this State.
It was found, however, that the
frequent elopements of W isconsin
people Into Michigan, Illinois, Iowa
and Minnesota would thereby be
made illegal, and any children illegi
timate.
HINDUS TURNED BACK
BY IMMIGRATION MEN
TAJ1PA, FLA.. Ma> 18.—'Three
Hindus, claimed to be und^r con
tract to work in the Atwood grape
fruit groves, at Manavista. were
turned back for the third time to
day by immigration officials. They
tried to enter through Key West
several weeks ago and two weeks
ago made an effort to come in through
this city from Havana. Last night
they came in again from Cuba.
Many of the big fruit growers are
figuring on cheaper .labor to offset the
tariff cut of 78 per cent in citrus
fruits.
Steel Head Denies
Price Agreement
NEW YORK, May 16.—There is no
agreement or understanding of any
kind to fix prices in the steel indus
try, according to the testimony of
James A. Farrell, President of the
U. S. Steel Corporation, at the hear
ings in the suit to dissolve the cor
poration jls an illegal combination.
Prices arc governed solely by mar
ket conditions, he said, and the fact
that they remain unchanged for con
siderable periods does not indicate
that competitive conditions do not
exist "except In the minds of theor
ists and economists.”
AUGUSTA GIRL NEW HEAD
OF EPISCOPAL AUXILIARY
AUGUSTA, GA., May 16.—The an-
anual meeting of the Junior Auxil
iary of the Episcopal IJiocese of Geor
gia wait held here yesterday after
noon. Mies Mary C. Cuthbert, of Au
gusta, was re-elected president. Re
ports from the Junior Auxiliaries of
Thomasville, Albany. Brunswick and
other cities were read. Rev. G. Croft
Williams delivered a talk on “The
Boys’ Home." a charitable institution
of this city that la maintained by the
Auxiliary.
White City Park Now Open
evading the payment of taxe».
amount involved Is $7.39.
The
arrested by the Pinkerton men, but
in each Instance they failed to ex
tradite him owMng to his miflitary
connections.
At one time he was placed under
arrest in Jaurez. Smith then was
under the command of the Mexican
rebel general, Antonio Rojas, and a
warm personal friend of that official. j
It was in the Chihuahua prison ‘
where General Rojas was confined
with Smith that the friendship was
made fast. Upon his arrest in
Juarez his release was ordered im
mediately by the Mexican general
lowing a trail into war-torn MexUo
with the certainty of a bloodhound.
His task was made the easier in
that his quarry, sickened and waste i
was anxious to get away from th*
brjgands by whom he virtually was
held a captive for debt. Rut the end
would have been the safne In any
event, (if this Hamilton is sure. The
rapture might have taken a lit'ie
longer, but it would have come final’./.
Only Seeks Justice, He Says.
Hamilton did not appear the im
placable. vindictive person his ac- j
tions might Indicate when he was
seen Friday.
"We do not want to Ill-treat Smith
In any way," he said. "Myself and
the others who lost, however, believ
word came to Smith that one man
continued on his trail despite the re
ported failure of the Government to
effect his capture In Ills weakened
condition, the thought preyed on his
mind incessantly.
Wrote to U. S. Consul.
He did not want to die there as a
member of the outlaw gang. He knew
that If he left his capture would be
only a question of time.
Driven desperate, he finally wrote
Marion Letcher, the American Consul
at Chihuahua. He pleaded that his
debts be paid so that he might leave
the brigands. He said, with some
show of bravado, that it would be im
possible to take him if he didn’t want
to come. A warrant never was hon-
that he should be brought back. Then,
if he has been wrongly accused or if
he lias been made the goat,’ that fact
can be developed. As It was. he was
•lowly dying of disease and poor
nutrition there in the camp of those
outlaws. Now, he can be canal for
and he will be given just the food
that will bring him back to health.
“From what I can learn. Smith was
Benefited Many Who
had Lung Trouble
Those who suffer from Lung Trou
ble are generally troubled with night
sweats, fever, loss of strength and s
little or no appetite. Eckmann Al- ?
terative is a medicine which has been |>
most successful in stopping night
st", t. Mrs. «„m , nersetr ™ - and a .lay or so later the army with
prostreted when «he earned ] gm|th )n |( moved Bouthwar d into
of her husband » dt*appearamr D<- the lnt „ rlor of Me x!co, leaving the
spite this, however, she rem detectives again without their iiuai-
loyal to him. ry
Still Believed in Him.
“No matter what they say about
Smith appeared In Juarez the next
time with the Diaz rebels a week
ago. His physical condition had be- |
come completely broken down. He '
was a wrecked man.
It was then that he listened to
Smith the pleas of thp detectives that he
return to Atlanta and face the charges
against him. He consented to meet
Mr. Hamilton and after a long con
ference crossed the border to El
Paso. Texas, and gave himself up.
Of his own free will Smith stepped
I on a train which bore him to Atlanta
, and when he stepped down into this
feet 9 inches tall; blue hp S,M1 a / r f e >nan. Willing-
ly ho gave himself into the custody
of the detectives who were waiting
for him at the station and resigned
himself to the law. Had he chosen
to remain in Mexico he would never
have been placed under arrest. As
a soldier of Diaz he was beyond
reach of the laws of the United
States.
many who ha\
saved their live
<bd in tlvs CAM
four years 1 ws
veats, reducing
1 4 Ing appetite, and
used it declare it
Investigate what i
"Dear Sir. For
troubled with cough, which gradually ) j toertv*
became worse. 1 had night sweats <! "I’m glad
and pains in my chest. 1 was losing <: Smith when on
my appetite and had become so thin ?! This was the
and weak I could not attend to my (j
household duties. A physician pro- \ i
bounced my disease Consumption. >•
) Not being satisfied. 1 was examined < ;
' by the physicians of the Polyclinic s |
> Hospital. They also confirmed my > |
/ trouble and 1 was ordered away for ? |
< treatment. My nephew would not (I
< allow me to go until I had tried Eck- > \
> man's Alternative. Before 1 bad taken ) |
< the medicine three weeks I hud ?;
marked relief, night sweats ceased,
pain In the breast relieved, cough be- \ ,
came loose and easy, fever left me (
and 1 commenced getting well My (1
healtii became normal. 1 am in ex- \ j
cellent health now and have been for ^ |
, twelve years. I strongly recommend s |
I i>" i
j • Signed • 1MRS.1 M ARY WASSON, \ |
< Care Ed Green. 1722 S. 17th St .
4 Philadelphia. Pa
5 tAbove abbreviated, more on re- ?!
ored in his little village, he said, even
if it were signed by the President
himself. The inhabitants were a law'
unto themselves.
The letter came to Consul Letcher,
not directly, but through various in
termediaries. At the same time he
received a letter from Atlanta written
by Hamilton. The Consul merely for
warded Hamilton’s letter to Smith.
Smith made some conditions on which
he would surrender himeelf and the
arrangements finally were completed.
Hamilton was empowered as an
)\ officer and left for El Paso Before
y he departed he was careful to obtain
?! requisition papers upon the Governor
j I of Text*. He was fearful that Smith
/.might change his mind about coining
j willingly.
Glad it’s All Over.
American Consul Edwards, of
Jaurez. conducted Smith Into El Paso,
where he w on met by Hamilton. Thor»
was a brief conversation and Smith
(J made no objection*’ whatever and suh-
y; initted himself quietly to arrest in
( Atlanta when
is met by Die d< -
over with,” said
iboard the train,
extent of his comment
base of two years and his suf-
while hiding from the au-
Eekman ■
proven by
Br
Iterative
in
L
Aff«
ies of severe < ,
ctlons. Rron- S
on the i
ferings
thorities
Twenty-three months have passed
since J. Wylie Smith, dealer in fren
zied finance. abruptly let fall his me
teoric speculations and in a nigkt
fled Atlanta.
And for 23 months charges of for
geries amounting to *$150,000 have
hung over his head. Detectives traced
the fleeing speculator front point to
point throughout the United States
and at last down Into the Jungles and
mountains of Mexico.
It was on the night of June 14. 1911.
that the erstwhile head of the Com
mercial company lockod his desk in a
dingy back office over a •♦ore at 29 1-2
Whitehall Street and became corn-
been JI pletely lost to Atlanta Not until the
following morning did the fact of hi-?
tny husband,” she declared at the
time. "I still believe in him. He al
ways lias been so upright I can’t be
lieve that he has done anything
wrong.”
As she uttered those words
was fleeing from Atlanta, leaving in
hts wake a sheaf of warrants suffi
cient, if upheld in a court of law. to
send him to prison for many years.
Quickly by telegraph and telephone
the entire country was notified of tile
speculator’s disappearance. In
mo;-wages he was described £
years old. 5
eyes, blonde hair, a thin face with
hollow hecks and weight close to 125
pounds.
Several arrests were made In the
cave during the week that followed Us
origin. Berry Smith, a step-brother
of the missing man. was taken into
custody on suspicion of knowing
something of* Smith’** whereabouts,
but to no avail.
Smith had disappeared from iden- \
tity and for several months his ob
literation remained complete. Half
a year later he was located by the
Pinkerton detectives who had been
put on the case. Smith was reported
to be in Mexico. He had Joined the
rebel forces and was fighting under
a foreign sun for a cause In which
he could not have felt an Interest,
Captured by Enemy.
Just whether he Joined in this per
ilous undertaking to rid his mind of
the financial troubles with which it
must have been burdened or because
of the love of excitement which he
had exhibited so clearly in Atlanta Is
a point tor conjecture. It is safe to
say that Smith proved a brave and
reckless soldier.
After a desperate battle near the
Mexican provincial capital of Chihua
hua, Smith was captured and thrown
into prison in that city. He was
wounded severely and the filth of the
Mexican jail soon brought disease
into his body. Lack of medical at
tention caused the soldier’s wound to
become affected, and even now. as he
lies in the Tower, the wound is still
open and painful—a bitter reminder
of his former days.
While in the Chihuahua prison,
Smith was located by the Pinkerton
detectives who had been trailing him.
They immediately set about getting
extradition papers to take the fugi
tive back to justice, but the arm of
the law w is foiled. Before extradi
tion could be arranged between the
State Department at Washington and
the Am tiean Ambassador at Mexico
City, the Madero revolutionist* had
raptured Chihuahua and released
Smith from the Juil. on condition that
he Join the rebel army.
Smith agreed to this proposition,
and. despite his weakened condition,
followed the Mexican flag again to
the battlefield, leaving his pursuers
behind him, baffled. However, Smith’s
strength was slowly ebbing from him.
Never Could Extradite Him.
Frequently during the later period
of his Mexican career, Smith was
BACKACHE IS
II DINGER SIGNAL
Kidney Troubles. Bladder Disorders.
Rheumatism, and Serioqs Diseases
Follow.
There is no more effective reme-
pains in the region of the kidney*
nervousness, dizziness. tired and
worn-out feeling, weak bladder, or
urinary troubles, which are just as
dangerous, for the slightest kidney
derangement if neglected may devel
op Into the deadly Bright’s disease.
Dropsy or Diabetes.
It is not only dangerous, but need
less. for you to suffer, and endure
the tortures of these troubles, for
the new discpvery, Croxone. prompt
ly ends all such misery.
There is no more effective reme
dy known for kidney, bladder trou
ble. and rheumatism than this new
scientific preparation, because it re
moves the cause. It soaks right
into the kidneys through the walls
and linings, cleans out the clogged
up pores, neutralizes and dissolves
the poisonous uric acid and waste
matter that lodge in the joints and
muscles and cause those terrible
rheumatic pains, and makes the kid
neys filtec the poison from the blood
and drives it out of the system
Three doses of Croxone a day for
few days is often all that Is ever
needed to relieve the worst backache
or overcome disagreeable ur'.narv
[ disorders, and you can take it with
the utmost confidence that nothing on
earth will so quickly reach the worst
case of kidney, bladder trouble, or
rheumatism.
You will find Croxone different
from all other remedies. It is so
prepared that it is practically im
possible to take it into the human
system without results. An original
package costs but a trifle, and all
druggists are authorized to return
the ininehase price if Croxone should
fail In a single case.
be > J 1
ortn
known.
One
"i
J chitie.
f Coidx and in upbuilding:
< Does not contain narn
S or habit-forming drugs.
? ail Jacobs' Drug Stoi*
< leading druggists \Yr
s man Labdrator>. f’inla
5 for booklet telling of r<
born > I fi, .
tem S othei
so P* <' story
free
t.
Best Gasoline - 19c per gal.
Oil 35c per gal.
■ = Open at Night— ~ - ‘ :
Day & Night Service Co.
12 Houston Street
Just off Peachtree St.
SPECIAL NO. 1
White Pique Dresses
With Lace Collar and Cuffs
$1.98
Just for Saturday only we will offer these beautiful
white pique dresses trimmed with lace collar and cuffs, for
$1.98. You can look in our window and readily see this is
the same dress other stores are selling at $5.00.
SPECIAL NO. 2
SILK m RATINE
'"*!
These Silk and Ratine Dresses are also
great values at $12.50.
$3.00 DOWN
Yes, you can take your choice of this lot and
pay only $3.00 down, then $1.00 A WEEK.
Every one made and trimmed in the new Bul
garian effects with sash and draped skirts.
They are the same dresses you see ip 'other
stores priced from $18.C0 to $20.CO.
SPECIAL NO. 3
MEN’S SUITS
$1*7.50
In this lot of suits you will find all wool serges, Norfolks, cassimeres,
fancy worsteds, in fact, every kind of suit you desire. These suits were
formerly $18.00, $20.00 and $22.50. All on our easy plan of credit.
UNITED
CREDIT
CLOTHING
COMPANY