Newspaper Page Text
VOL. X.
I FOR STATE RIGHTS
Senator Frazier, of Tennes-
I ? see, fakes Up Cudgels.
Ir r
t MAKES TELLING SPEECH
■ * Pleads fcr ® tate or California in Po-
J sition Taken in School Row at
I 'Frisco—Laws of State Su-
preme in Matter.
_ encroachment on state
| ’ rights, with ih< Japanese school quos-
I tion as the principal illustration, was
the subject of an address to the sen-
II 4 at<? l,v Senator Frazier of Ten-
nessee. Mr. Frazer said that this
wX IK, t u question I hat concerned
B- California, but concerned the right
'f 01 ‘- VC| T to control its domestic
L# affairs.
f. If the federal government by treaty
could rob a state of the right to con
j ,rol its ov/ n school system, the last
I B >-■ p, stronghold of local self-government
I ( was destroyed. If a treaty could force
1> globgoiians into the white schools of
JKalifornla, a like-treaty could force
--jStj l '- negroes oi Cuba. Santo I'omin.go,
'Hayti and the Congo into the schools
I ; ' ot Tennessee in defiance of the laws
I | ' i'or’the separation of the races.
I He expressed the highest admiration
h 1 lor lhe Japanese, but said that the ae-
J lion of California furnished no pretext,
lor a quarrel with that countrv, The
V school board ot San Francisco had
limply executed a state law providing
lor the education of white and Japan
ese children in separate schools. It
bad been decided over and over again
I hat states f had a perfect right to
make such separation. That the state
of California was but exercising its
legal and constitutional powei
He denied with emphasis that this
government had ever undertaken by
, treaty to interfere with the consti
tutional rights of California.
1 challenge any one to find in the
treaty a word guaranteeing to Japan
ise residents the right to enter public
schools of the .states at all, much
. ; less to enter them in defiance o>
state laws and regulations.
" r yhe I nited.States government pan
* , mt compel a state to create fubilc
of*
• state taxation and subject only to
state control. The right ot residence
guaranteed to the Japanese implied
the right to work and make a
living, but not. to go to school. Hut
L even if the right of residence did ear
ly with it the right to enter public
schools," iie added, "it did not carry
any exception from the right of sep
aration in the schools. The treaty
with Japan provided that the Japan
ese ‘niiist conform themselves to the
laws police regulations of the coun
try like native citizens.’’ Can. it be
c intended that Japanese aliens have
acquired higher privileges than they
would have as citizens oi the United
States’’’
He contended that the president
ought to have followed the example of
Mr. Blaine in the case of the lynch
ing oi Italian citizens in New Or
leans. There was a treaty with Italy,
which guaranteed protection to Ital
ian citizens, but when the Italian gov
ernment complained Mr. Blaine in
formed it that Italian citizens had
no higher rights than American citi
zens and that the right to punish
lor murder was the exclusive prov
ince of the states where the crime
was committed.
Mr. Frazier said he did not believe
wc had reached the point where we
must apologize for our constitution or
change its character by construction
at the dictation of a foreign power.
Our trouble with Japan, he said, had
its origin in our colonial policy which
had inspired a fear in the nations
of tho east that we were attempting
to dominate the politics and com
merce of the Orient.
Mr. Frazier dwelt at length on the
recent speech of Secretary Root,
which’ he declared to be a threat to
wipe out. state lints and absorb all
power of the state into the govern
ment.
“When,’’ be said, “the states are
deprived of the right to judge wheth
er and how tar they shah exercise
their powers we cease to be a free
people. The secretary intimated that
this usurpation of power was neces
sary to control the trusts. Before
seeking to rob the states of their
power, let the federal government use
its own. Let it reduce the monstrous
tariff which had built up and was
protecting the trusts."
it was not necessary, said Mr. Fra
zier, to make the rights and powers
of states conform to a standard set
up by the chief executive alone.
RUSS GOVERNOR ASSASSINATED.
Murderer Fled, Was Pursued and Fa
tally Wounded.
S. A. Alexandrovisky, governor
Penza, Russia, was shot and killed as
he was leaving the theater Thursday
night.
Tiic ciSbiisstu lied, wits pursued .ind
kept tip a running fight during which
he was fatallv wounded. He died
saorjly afterwards in tbe hospital.
The Miller Cointy Liberal.
A CROSSING HORROR.
Train of Wild Cars Strikes Trolley
Loaded with Workmen and Four
Men Are Mangled to Death.
A cut of wild cars shifted by a
Southern freight engine crashed into
a crowded street car at the crossing
at Twenty-seventh street and First
avenue in Birmingham, Ala., about
7:15 o'clock Friday night, with the
result that four people were instant
ly killed and many others badly in
jured.
Ihe car struck was a trailer filled
with people returning to then- homes
at. II.: .-.t I ,‘i k<» It. ti- i
at jmsi i.dixe. Ine trailer ih(
i- for men who wish to smoke, and no
s women were on it. The trailer was
. turned completely over, and pushed
for some distance.
The 'Twenty-seventh street crossing
’ is a. veritable death trap, more than
1 a dozen accidents having happened
t there, it is at a number of furnaces,
5 among them being those of the Sloss-
Sheffield Steel and Iron company. The
' street cars at this point have to
cross about a dozen tracks-, thost of
- the Louisville and Nashville, the
- Southern and other road:..
■ The engineer ot' the freight train,
R. L. Carnes, says that he had a
1 heavy train of coal cars, and that the
cut broke loose accidentally and struck
the street, car.
The judge has actively aided the
police in the capture of Italian law
breakers recently.
Judge Corese was -is years of age,
and oi Italian descent. If is office was
at 23 Passaic street, His son, Robert,
received the infernal machine, which
•came from Newark, and was delivered
by an American Express wagon. Rob
ert handed the package to his father,
who removed the outside wrapper. In
side was another wrapper cl paper,
made last with a strap. The judge
rested the package on the desk and
pulled the end of the strap toward
him, so as to loosen the tongue of
the buckle. The moment he did so
there was an explosion.
A hole (1 feet square was torn in
- ‘ ■ Mjiuuc vt <i .> tl'ill Hl
the floor, and at the desk .was driven
down into the cellar and torn to
pieces. The boy was hurled into a
corner, and seriously bruised end
burned.
Judge - had both legs arid
both ~firms breHvn, his fam and bode
torn and lacera-»v;’, and this back a.p t
liarentlv broken. He war' .-removed to i
mortem statement was ifurtiC-;,
MORE CASH FOR EMPLOYEES.
Norfolk and Western Railway Grants
Increase in Wages.
The following wage increases which
have been granted to employees by
the Norfolk and Western Railway com
pany were announced in Roanoke,
Va , Friday.
Engineers from $1.25 to $4.60 per
day; yard engiuemen, from $3.75 to
$4.25 per day; brakemen, from $1.85
to $2 10 per 10) miles, and 21 cents
per hour for overtime; passenger
brakemen from $1.20 to $1.35 per 100
miles.
WOULD BE UNWISE MOVE.
Clay is Asked by Republicans Not to
Press Philippine Resolution.
An effort has been made by the ad
ministration senators to induce Sen
ator Clay not to press consideration
of his resolution, calling upon Hie sec
retary of war to furnish detailed in
formation as Io military operation:;
and expenditures in the Philippine
Islands since 1902. They contend tiio
resolution is inopportune.
WANAMAKER HOME BURNED.
Country Residence Near Philadelphia
in Ashes and Loss is $1,500,000.
Lyndhurst, the country home oi
John Wanamaker, at Jenkintown, near
Philadelphia, was destroyed by lire
Friday night The loss will reach sl,-
500,000.
Mr. Wanamaker and family were at
their city residence when tiio fire oc
curred. Two valuable paintings,"Christ
Before Pilate’’ and "Christ on Cal-
vary,’’ were saved.
LOTTERY GAME BROKEN UP.
Government Agents Run Honduras
Company Out of Business.
Apparently the government lias won
an extraordinary victory as a result
of the prosecution it has instituted
against the managers and agents of
the Honduras lottery. Suits nave been
brought in various places throughout
the country, one indictment has been
piled upon another and things have
been made so hot for me lottery peo
ple that they' Lave thrown up the
sponge and have gone out of busi
ness.
GRAND JURY INDICTS JUDGE.
Favrot Must Stand Trial for Murder
of Life-Long Friend.
At Baton Rouge, La., Thursday,
Democratic Congressman-ILcct Geo.
K. Favrot, one of the leading mem
bers of the bar, and best known of
younger politicians of the slate, was ■
indicted by the grand jury for the j
murder of his lifelong friend, it. H. I
H,- Aldrich.
COLQUITT. GA. WEDNESDAY. IBRUaRYI.". 1901
fc, ECRO WITNESSES I
Swear That White Men Shot
Up Town of Brownsville.
ALLEGE PLOT BY WHITES
Discharged Negro Soldiers Tell Queer
Tale Before Senate Investigating
Committee Senator Foraker
Called Down by Member.
A Washington special says: Tho
senate committee on military affairs
began its third day of the Browns
ville hearing at 10:30 Wednesday. Ja
cob D. Frazier, former first sergeant
of company D, twenty-fifth infantry,
was called to the stand. Senator For
aker conducted the examination and
he had not proceeded far when iris
methods were challenged by Senator
Pettus, who declared that the Ohio
senator was "leading'’ the witness.
Frazier testified that he, with other
married soldiers, was permitted to live
outside the post quarters and was at
home with his family on the night oi
August 13 when the firing in Browns
tillo occurred. He was awakened by
two shots. On his waj to the quar
ters he heard the gi neral fusilade. Ho
described the call to at ms and the roil
call, which was ordered by Captain
Lyons, and lie said he found every
man present or accounted for.
I-raziei testified that each man was
allowed twenty rounds of ammunition,
ten of which were carried in a belt
and ten in a cartridge box. The earl
ildge boxes were not carried during
the inspection next day, but were hit
at quarters. About two days after I
the trouble all ammunition was turn- •
< d in, ami all was prop, rly accounted
for. Asked if he had anything to do
with thP trouble, | I ,/.]er :-rod
no, and said he didn't know oi anv
other member of his company being
engaged in it. He had withheld no in
formation and declared there was no
conspiracy of silent -.
Senator Warner cross-examined the
witness. Fi'azier had believed, he said,
tiiat some of the. soldiers had "shot
I b . l,t , lh< opii
I never heard any o.’ V l - 11 : 1 arpai
It. He had talked -tom him:.J-.-'T
men, and said he had "tallied one way
to them in order that they might tala
the other way," ami so find cut who
did the shooting.
Frazier stated it as his belief that
the citizens of Brownsville had them
selves "shot up” the town to drive
the soldiers away. Mr Overman stud:
“Do you think the citizens would kill
one of their own number and commit
murder to get you away?"
Frazier replied: "J don’t know
whether any one was killed; tney
wanted us away. Colored men would
spend very little money in the .mloons
on account of their treatment, and the
citizens of Brownsville wanted white
soldiers who would spend their
money.”
With reference to the contention „
that the citizens of Brownsville were p>
disguised as soldi< rs, the fact was „
brought out that Hie witness had les- d
tilled in a former In ario.g that the cit- p
Izens might, have procured discarded 0
caiis and uniforms from toldiers who v
had been there before them. He said .
at. this lime, however, that all men in n
the twenty-fifth infantry wore hats. j
Jerry E. Reeves, former sergeant of q
company D, said that on tue night ot
the trouble ho was awakened by shots -,
which app ared to bo in the direction
of the quarters of company B. He -
could not state who did the shoot
ing and said he had never been able
to get any information from mem- j
hers of company I). He knew noth- ,
Ing of any conspiracy of silence and j
did not believe any of the soldiers (
were implicated in the affray. (
Senator Overman asked: "Could the .
citizens of Brownsville get any Spring
field rifle cartridges?” and Reeves re
plied: “No.”
COTTON TAX FOR VETERANS I
Is Purport of Bill Introduced in the
House of Representatives.
Another bill, which seeks to se
cure for the people of the south, the
cotton tax collected immediately after
the war, was introduced in the house
Thursday by Representative Speight.
It provides that the money just re
turned to the states shall be used
solely for the purpose of paying pen
sions to Confederate soldiers and their
widows.
The amount wth interest is now
about $80,(W0,0ot».
CHARGES AGAINST TRUSTEE.
Savannah Music Dealer Accused of
Embezzling $15,000.
J. P. Holmes, a piano music dealer
at Savannah. Ga., was arrested Tues
day afternoon and lodged in jail upon
a charge of embezzling ?13,'i00 as
trustee in bankruptcy for McAnhurs
i Son company, piano and organ deal-
I ers, who failed in Savannah about
j thrvO ytur-s ago*
MUST SHARE WHARk
_ "
An Alleged Monopoly of the Scjutn
Railway at Brunswick, Ga., geeni
a Fair Way to Be Broken jp
The Bartlett amendment 1$ th; r-
—«w
t.ion of the rivers and Itarbprv w
appropriating $196,000 for llMi £
Ga., passed the house Wedn
morning after Judge- Bartlett tan
rented an able argument in
of his proposition. Tim aim ndm«
aimed at the Southern railway
it is believed will eventually c
this corporation to allow the .
# Elizabeth," the use of wharfage ’1
3 at Brunswick. ■ ‘I
It is provided that the chief U
neer, in expending tl>«1
Brunswick, shall inquire ai)T " f
t ;is to wheflv. i- any railroad is
any independent boat line wh_. .
lights. His report will show. . , i
question that the Southern is I
1 of denying the independent if: I
> belwe: n Macon and BrunswicPbtnf
, man Bari l n will ba.se legislate-'
will kill the monoply thus map' |
l y the company. 'ttxll
When the Brunswick itt'.. 'I
leached A'edne.-day morning u
gr. ssntan Bartlett, with the com < 5f
Chairman Burton, offered his a d-,
mint. He said he had no des ,o
jeopardize the appropriation r
Brunswick but insisted that th.
efrnment should not improve
bors, the wharves of which ai< I
nied independent boat lines. I[< <i
told of the Southern's effort <- .
strict water competition by d
wharfage rights to the "Nan FI: •
both.”
Representative Brantley int’-rr.oi I I
to say that the independent fife d
' asked the Southern tor rhe u. e I.- s
j wharves free of charge. Mr. fai-Rt’
| H-lui'.d this statement by readl .let
ters that had passed bnweei -Im
If ai.d the late .Samuel Spent- ph
showed that Spencer had declh l .to
rem the use of the wharves so m-
consideration.
Chairman Burton took the m<
view of tile question as Mr. Ba etc
He insisted that the .gti/ i lent
should not improve harbot | al- .
low the railroad eonipanic'c’M z( H
thy hs.y. lines to stifle An
... ' = „
ma. -■ «
.'water competition g( , a> and
ter freight rales ar-' ,' mA p_ io r<‘
ERRING SENATOR
Richard Morgan Driven
Senate for Receiving Bribf
Senator Richard W. Moi? tn of
Boulder county, a republica was
expelled from the Colorado sit sen
ate Wednesday afternoon by vow
of »9 to 1. His expulsion wtu com
mended by a majority o .1 >ecial
committee of the : enate, v :• ound
him guilty of having aecejr <’ I bribe.
This finding was based on | state
ment made to the senate iu| ilarcn,
19c5, by Morgan himself, w 9 > hand
ed to the secretary of o.senate ,
$750, which, he declared, ’id been
jiven him by James M. H'-jort. am.
Daniel Sullivan in commhitioii «>:
vis promising to vote lor ATI Adar. ,
democrat, lor governor, ii Ihe Pea
body-Adams contest. Wh-ii-’r vol-,
on the contest was tak< a, Mor..an
voted for Peabody. Morgan ’ailed to
appear before the inveslieai n com
mlttce when summoned I’ fd was i.
in the senate when his dsiou wa
decided upon.
TO PAY PENALTY
Two Men Who Outraged Giri Will
Swing from Same GalSws.
\\-_ R. Fletcher and Guy Lyon, two
Logan county, Kentucky, risoners,
who have been in jail at
Bowling Green since >i'J, 190 u,
charged with assault upon Maty Glad
den, a German girl, wci taken to
Russellville WRdnesda dierc they
will be hanged on the lit.
The scaffold ic arrangd for the
hanging of both at the lame time.
MILLIONS UNLAWFuLy TAKEN
Frcm Southern States n Shape of
Cotton Taxing Dung War.
Representative Heflin of Alabama,
has introduced a bill int'e house i >r
the disposition of be pi reeds of th ■
cotton taxes of 1862, 1-4 and
collected, as alleged, j vlolr-th-r. of
the constitution of theVnltCd F-.aies.
from thirty states, an' amounting m
round numbers to S6B AO'.
The bill provides i t any person
who oaid taxes on efto under tne
acts referred to shalUhi e the right
to establish his claAnprof of which
Is to be made in th| <W ot Ciaill ' ,s -.
TWO-GENT FAREsA MISSOURI.
Law Applies to All f unk Lines ,
State and Ranches.
The Missouri sette Wednesday
■ amended the .-cent ; ilroad passen; ■ r
. rate bill to apply. ail trunk Im -
and lines leased mowned by trunk
i lines, and to Hues over
45 miles long, peril'ting a rate of j
cents per mile <i|t|udependcut lit*-
undfc’i io miles in - Sth-
• J
• 7
II
Threat by stevens;
1 ■
i To Quit Canal Job if Contract
is Given Gut.
WE REVERSES HIMSELF
j Administration Placed in Embarrass
ing Position and Brought Face to
Face with Unpleasant Situa-
\ tion, Delaying Final Action.
• A Washington special says: The
Jmini-jtratioii has Im. n brought lace
>*faea with the alternative of reject-
blds for the construction of
.‘the Panama canal l;y contract or los
ing the sei vi, es of
John F. Stevens. This is the reason
or the delay of President Roosevelt,
Secretary Tati and Chairman Shouts
I of the canal commission in acting
j on the Oliver bid. An effort has been
made to get .Mr. Stevens to change
- his mind, but he has continued ob
durate and the indications are that
the administration •vill accede to his
request and the construction of the
canal will be continued by the gov
ernment.
This information in regard to the
position taken by Mr Stevens comes
from a source that cannot be doubted,
but. it lias created some surprise on
account of the testimony given hx .Mr
Stevens before the senate committee
I on iuteroceanic canals a y ear ago.- Hu
J tncn said h - favored building the ca
| nai by contract.
His friends have advised him that it
a contract is lot tor construction he
will be robbed of Ihe credit ot build
ing this great waterway. Frequent ex
changes of cablegrams between Wash
ington and the isthmus have resulted
i in a demand by .Mr. Stevens for the
acceptance of his re. ignution if the
contract, Is a .arde.l.
I 1 is asseried bv certain senators
who have taken an unusual interest in
all matters relating to Hie canal that
■if one of the bids lor the canai con
struction is accepted it ’will mum Hint
-Hie administration lias determined to
j4duixiuc with,Mi. Stevens as Hie di
;’r‘r.tor. of .ihe ww!
: S S >,
%f p.^.^w ll id.
retai’ have bet?>i'.~’ui</hr
ed bid of W. I. Oliver and his asso
ciates. Secretary T.itt said he be
lieved an early decision should be
readied in justice to the people who
have their niom-y tied up as securi
ties.
After the conlerence between the
president and Secretary Tait, Seere
icy Loeb gave out Hie following
i ta ■ im. nl:
"Tiie bid of the Oliver-McDona'd-
Pierce combination has been received
and examined ami meets the formal
requirements. Mr. Paul D. Cravath,
■.n behalf of his clients, the McArtliur-
Gillespie combination, has r-quested
’ a hearing before final action is taken.
! In addition to granting this hearing,
the secretary of war and the isibmian
eanal commission will make as thor- '
ough examination as possible into the |
I qualifications, experience, business ,
standing and achieve incuts of Mr i
Oliver amt ids associates and into the
responsibility of the sureties. Score- '
tart Taft and the commission will i
probably need a lor!night to complete
a full examination of tin bid and re
port to the president.''
S: cretar,. Taft later in the day
made known to Air. Oliver the; result ,
of his talk with the president and .
framed a litter to Jud. • OT’.tlen, Mr. I
Oliver's counsel, informing him just ;
how the matter stood. This lctt°r
■ stated, among other things, that the
' president was very much inclined to
give the contract to Mr. Oilier and
1 his associates, but that h<‘ would not
surrender his light to reject all bids,
evep. after the iuriher hearing has
lies.i give n io the McArthur Gillespie
combination.
FEIST TRIAL IS RESUMED.
; Nashville Doctor's Attorneys Attempt
to Prove Alibi.
The trial at Nashville, Tenn., ot
Dr. Herman Feist, charged with the
' murder of Airs. Rosa Mangrum, whose
dead body was found floating in the
, river ai Cairo. 111., which was ad
journed last Friday, at the close of
the stale’s testimony, to allow the de
-1 lense to prepare depositions, was re
' I sumed Tuesday morning when an at
- ' tempi v.:.s mad to prove an alibi for
‘ ! Feist >n Hie night Mrs. .Mangrum
i was alleged io have disappeared.
NO WORD FROM ROOSEVELT
As to “Jim Crow” Question Submitted
by People of Oklahoma.
President Roosevelt lias received
the resolutions passed ay the eonsti
-5 tutieji.il cc-nveßtion of Oklr.homa ask
' lug hila ' lie would approve the con
-1 slitutid:i it it. Miould contain a pro
-1 vision on -T" jim crow car questio.’:.
No at-s’ver lias isi’ oemi i:...\tle, ly lb a.
i presldspt to tl.e re.iohuiou.
*
Carrabelle, Tallahassee & Georgia
Railroad.
Passenger Train Schedules Corrected tc June 22, 1906.
NORTHBOUND.
Ex. , 1-ht.
D’ly Sun Sun D’ly June 22 1906. D’ly Sun Sun D’ly
A.M. P..M. A.M. A M. I’ .M. P..M. A.M. P.M.
7:00 Lv . Apalachicola . . Ar 5:35
6:00 8:00 11:35 . f . Carrabelle . . . 2:36 3:10- 10:15
G:ts 8:20 11:50 . . . Lanark . . . . 2:28 3:2010:05
7:21 9:14 12:22 .... Sopchoppy .... I:SS 2:36 9:29
7:45 9:53 12:45 .... Arran 1:36 1:55 9:05 v
J 8:40 11:00 1:35 Ar . Tallahassee . . Lv 12:51 12:30 8:15
6:40 8:50 3:25 Lv . Tallahassee . . Ar 12:46 8:05 8-.50
, 7:17 9:25 4:05 Ar . Havana . . . Lv 12:02 7:27 8:14
- ■ "■■■- —— —.— "■■■
' I 6:25 3:00 Lv . . Quincy . . .Ar 1:15 9:00 10:10
7:10 3:45 Ar . . llav-na . . Lv 12:30 8:15 9:25
Note: See Below.
7:17 9:30 4:05 . . Ar 17 - t
8:25 10:25 5:13 . . . Banbridge . . . 11:00 6:20 7:10
9:23 6:10 . . . Coipiitt .... 9:59 6:li)
i 10:16 7:20 . . . Arlington .... 9:10 5:17
, 10:45 7:46 .... Edison B:3£
11:35 8:30 Ar . . Cuthbert . . . Lv 7:50 4:05
Through Connections Via Tallahhassee.
‘ ' AM. PM. P.M A.M I’ M. PAL
11:15 10:50 . . . Pensacola . - .
i | '
' | 9:40 9:40 9:40 Ar . Savannah . . Lv 6:45 6:45 9:40
8:05 . . .Mon g imery . . . 6:15
; ; P.M. P.M. ViaCnt'i ' It. I’.M.
' ■ 1:00 1:49 Ar . . Smltk.ille . . .Lv 6:33 2:50
4:10 12:50 . . . Mae n .... 3:35 11:35
[ i 7:55 7:10 . . . Atlanta .... 12'01 8:00
' ; P.M. A M A.M. A.M.
NOTE—Additional trains, daily:
1 | Lv Havana 7:3-' - t Quincy 8:20a
Lv Quincy 11:W;' ' Havana 11:45a
J. H. WILLIAMS, G. P. A.
j ,
f The |
1! Bein S Well f
Ellis. J
|l posal '■ > be i.«Sil »w
to those e.mdida ,r s •_ . to ./ 4 ..
“ able to pass the neers-arj lasts. Sneii
______. imply an inquiry and examination into the ancestry of the
( I candidate as well as into his own constitution, health, in-
telligenee and character; and the- possession of such acer-
tiflqpte would involve a s.up< riority to Hm average in all
these respects. No one would be compelled to offer him
' self for such examination, just as no one is compelled to seek a university
degree but its possession would often be an advantage. There is nothing
’ i io prevent the establishment of a board of examiners of this kind tomorrow,
and we may be sure that, once established, many candidates would hasten to
' present themselves. There arc obviously many positions in life wherein a
’ certificate of this kind of superiority would be helpful. Bin its chief dis
-1 ' linction would be that its possession would be a kind of patent of natural
, ' nobility; the man or woman who b<ld it. would lie one of nature's aristo
• I crats. to whom the future of the race might be safely left without further
1 ' question.
$ Witches of Old Salem j
> By /icy. TViomas B Gregory.
OFTER having had a world of trouble with tfl.' U m.niM
the people of Salem fina’ly oidain-d tjjf’ir first sett e, p--J
tor on the 18th of November. It.ixii
This pastor, Hie Re.-. Samuel Parris, bad two it- gto
slaves that he had brought with him from the West Imt.es.
Os a low grade of intelligence, these negroes had broc.rnt
with them the "charms" and “conjurations" that were com
mon among the blacks in Barbadoes and Afiica, am o
learn their Black .Ot a circle or 12 or 11 young girls va >
formed at Mr. Parris's house during the winter ot IC9I-'J2.
The children were apt pupils, and it was not long before they were a >ie
I to talk gibberish, go into “swoons" and repeat i’ll of the outlandish tiic>\-’
j of their ebony-hued teachers. They would go down on all fours, crawl note.
| chairs and tables, go oft into fits. ;«id speak all soits of senseless jaigoa.
But the Salem of 1691-92 was a most Maid ami circumspect commnt..ty,
' full of rhe "fear of the Lord" and of detestation of all frivolity, and tina.lv
the children were severely upbraided by their elders for their silly and un
' seemly action. Then, as Fiske remarked, "seeing themselves in dangei
I getting whipped for meddling with such uncanny matters, what, could
more natural for them than to seek an avenue of escape by declaring that
thyy were bewitched, and could not help doing as they did? ,
Little did the silly voting crea’ares realize the enormity ot their answet.
They were "bewitched!" But who bewitched them?
Out of the answer to that question was born the blackest page in out
1 country’s history—the Salem witch trials, in" which 19 innocent persons wete
hanged, several of whom wete ns noble men and women as have evet hon
! ored the name of humanity. Among the victims were Rebecca Nurse, the
venerable and saintly head of a large and prominent family: the Rev. Geoige
■ Burroughs, a Harvard graduate, a former Salem pastor, a man whose chat-
I acter was as fine as iiis intellect was powerful: and John Proctor, wluwe
[ manly action upon the scaffold shows him to have been some of the salt
I ot the earth.”
When the gills began to accuse the "witches" and "wizards' the min
. isters gave them hearty encouragement. Th.e devil, they claimed, having done
; about all the harm he could in the Old World, was getting ready to entrap
the New Englanders and the "bewitching" of the bevy of girls at the house
of the Rev. Mr. Parris was his first work in the new field.
The lawyers were with Hie ministers, ami when Governor Phipps ap
pointed the court for the witchcraft trials they sprang io the work before
them with alacrity am! delight. To be accused was io be adjudged guilty,
and thick ami fast the cf.ecutions came.
Finally rite girls, growing overconfident, struck too high, and the eyes of
. ! the people were opened. Be:ween Jun. 1692, whn tile trials began, and Jan
uary, 1693, when they were
the court was abolished sfi were lying tn the jails waiting to be tried. —New
York American, ’
i
NG. 2G