PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKU*
LIVE AT HOME
Haid Cotton and Reduce Acreage Plan
for Relief of Southern Farmers
GIVES URGENT ADVICE
Keep Unsold Portion of Present Crop
Off Market, Plant 25 Per Cent Less
Next Year, Urgent Advice to Cot
ton Producers from New Orleans
Conference.
The farmers of the South must
withhold,from the market every re
maining bale of the present season's
crop of cotton and follow .this with
a concerted and binding agreement
to reduce next season's cotton acre
age at least 25 per cent, if they hope
to restore the South's great money
staple to a normal price level and
retrieve the losses sustaned by rea
son of present low prices.
This Is the plan which the Confer
ence of Southern Governors adopted
at its concluding session. Tuesday at
New Orleans to secure immediate re
lief from the depression in the price
of the staple. The proposal of for
eign banking interests to finance a
holding movement covering 2,000;
000 bales of the present crop was
referred to special committee for fu
ture action.
As a means of securing permanent
relief from such conditions, and to
guarantee the cotton farmer in the
future against the necessity of glut
ting the market with his supplies ii
the opening of the season, the Con
ference adopted resolutions favoring
the establishment, in every cotton
growing State, Of State controlled
ware houses , and the collection and
periodical publication of statistics
bearing upon the world's demand for
and consumption of American cot
ton. The recommendation are as fol
lows:
"We earnestly recommend to th
planters of the Southern States to
follow the example of Louisiana and
so diversity their crops as to product
everything necessary for consumption
on the farm and let cotton be the
surplus crop, even if the quantity
raised shall be twenty-five per cent
less than the present crop, as then
they will get just as much in return
for much less labor than this year',
"v crop" will yield at present prices: '
They will soon free themselves from
debt and be in condition without fi
nancial aid to sell gradually as the
demand shall exist and not market
the work of a year in 60 or 90 days
as they have been accustomed to do
ing.
"We call upon our Representatives
in Congress to have the present crop
reporting system so . amended as to
require the periodical . publication
of reliable statistics of (cotton con
sumption and trade Information,
gathered from all cotton consuming
countries, and we recommend, also,
and, for ourselves, agree that the
commissioners of agriculture in the
cotton (States gather and publish like
information of the cotton States to
adopt to this end, any uniform leg
islation enabling the agricultural
commissioners to act in concert and
to constitute a bureau of cotton
manufactured, cotton trade, and cot
ton consuming information,. to the
end that, with the estimates of pro
duction which are now furnished by
the Federal Government, there may
also be estimates of demand and
thus put the plaster in position to
fix a fair price for his products.
"The members of the conference
have been reliably informed that
bulls on the cotton exchanges have
been indicted in the United Statei
Courts under the Sherman Act for
conspiring to buy cotton and advance
the price, and if this be in- accord
ance with the provisions of this Act,
then we respectfully insist that the
bears in the exchanges who conspire
to sell cotton, which they do not pos
sess, with the expectation of a de
cline in price, or for the purpose of
affecting a decline, be likewise pros
ecuted.
"A fair and comprehensive system
of future trading is accepted by the
commercial world as essential to the
proper and advantageous movement
and distribution of the crop, but it
is urgently recommended that Con-|
gress shall pass such laws as will
abate abuses and regulate future con
tract trading in exchanges, to the
end that it discharge its functions as
a trade utility, fair alike to both
buyer and seller, and to the com
modity which is the subject of the
future transactions.
"It is earnestly recommended that
the several State Governments shall
take appropriate action to bring)
about such warehousing system, asi
will best serve the interests of the;
producer of cotton.
"In view of the apparent demand
for cotton during the next thirteen
months, we recommend that the un
sold cotton of the present crop be
withdrawn from the market and dis
posed of by a system of gradual mar
keting. We urge bankers and busi
ness men to co-operate with farmers
iu this undertaking.
"We report to the cotton farmers
that tentative and attractive prop
ositions have been made by respon
sible financial interests for purchas
ing some two million bales of the
present crop. This negotiation is. re
ferred, for development in practical
form, to a committee.
"Reduction of acreage in 1912 is
TAFT MEANS DEFEAT
SENATOR BOITIN B SAYS THE
PEOPLE DO NOT TRUST HIM.
Popular Government Movement Has
Set the Country Thinking and the
Result is Striking.
In answer to the Question whether
he thought the nomination of Presi
dent Taft mean the defeat of the Re
publicans in the next national elec
tion, Senator Jonothan Bourne, Jr.,
said:
"Yes. The Beverly l->tter of Sept.
15, 1910, signed by the President's
Secretary, Mr. Norton, and the Ari
zona veto message, in my opinion,
will and should defeat Mr. Taft for
re-election. The BeverJy letter con
fess that President Taft attempted to
use Federal patronage to reward
members of Congress who voted as he
desired on legislation and to with
hold patronage from seme members
of Congress who voted contrary to
his i views and in accordance with
their own convictions.
"Thus was established a precedent
of rewards and premiums for sub
servience and mental' dishonesty and
punishment for independent thought
and honest action. With such an ex
ample emanating by confession from
the office of the nation's Chief Execu
tive is the wholesale bartering of
votes in Adams County, 0., and Dan
ville, 111., and many legislative bodies
to be wondered at?
"The president's Arizona veto mes
sage demonstrates to my mind that
he lacks faith in the intelligence and
independence of the American peo
ple. A man afraid to trust the peo
ple will not be and should not be
trusted by the people. To use one of
his own favorite expressions, Presi
dent Taft -^as disingenious in his
Peoria speech when attempting to ex
plain his position to the people and
to define his attitude tovard the Ar
izona Constitution.
' "He claimed to have confidence in
the sober second thought of the
American people, yet he vetoted the
Statehood resilution which proposed
to submit to the people of Arizona
the second time the question whether
their constitutional provision for the
recall should apply to Judges as well
as other officers. Here was a plain
proposal to submit to the sober sec
ond thought of the people, but the
President was not willing and insist
ed that the recall of. Jucl&es must be
eliminated even though by the terms
of'the resolution the Arizona elector
ate would have had a second oppor
tunity for the most ma-turn considera
tion of the subject."
RANDALL WAS EXONERATED.
Gaffney Man Held Blameless of Kill
ing Whither.
The coroner's jury at Shelby, N.
C, Monday morning rendered a ver
dict of justifiable homicide, exonerat
ing Lucius Randall, the prominent
Gaffney business man who shot and
killed Sam Whither, a wea-thy Cleve
land county farmer, Sundr.y evening.
Whither held up Randall i;i his auto
mobile at the point of a p;stol. The
jury found, upon examination, that
the weapon was empty, hut it held
that Randall did not knovr this and
his deed was entirely justifiable.
urged as a necessary part of any
plan of holding and financing the
present crop. We recommend, and
for ourselves agree, that the Gover
nor of each cotton State proceed at
once to appoint a representative in
each county, who in tuna will ap
point a representative in each achool
district or voting precinct, to secure
from every farmer a binding, writ
ten pledge to reduce his cotton ac
reage in 1912, 25 per cent blew his
acreage in 1911.
"Without, discussing the merits of
pending proposals for monetary re
form, we recommend that in any leg
islation which Congress may enact
for emergency currency based upon
commercial paper, underwritten by
banks or associations of banks, pro
vision be made for including in these
acts, for such emergency currency
based upon commercial paper, un
derwritten by banks or associations
oi banks provisios be made for in
icluding.in these acts, for such emerg
ency currency commercial paper, rep
resenting transactions in cotton as
well as transactions in cotton goods
and other manufactured products.
"It is our firm opinion, that by
prompt action under co-operation
and organization the co':ton farm
ers and business men of the South
ern States can speedily rescue them
selves from impending sacrifice and
can restore the fair price which de
monstrated demand warrants, and
can insure stable values from year
to year."
It was decided to hold similar con
ferences in the future on the call of
the chairman. The committee which
is to conside the proposed finaniinfc
of two million bales of the present
crop is composed of Governor Col
quitt. of Texas; Governor Sanders, of
Louisiana; Governor O'Neal, of Ala
bama; Governor Noel, of Mississippi,
and four oitizens of business life tc
be appointed by the governor named.
Child Dies of Bums.
At Atlanta, Ga., Luther Dutton,
aged three, son of Mr. M. M. Dutton,
died Monday from burnt; receiveo
when he overturned a pot of boiling
water Saturday afternoon.
ORANGEBURC
SOUfttERN RAILWAY
WONDERFUL GROWTH OF THIS
GREAT TRUNK LINE.
What It Is Doing for the South Gen
erally and the Towns Along Its
Lines Specially.
The financial and Commercial
Chronicle, reviewing the annual
statement of the Southern Railway
Company, issued this month, con
nects the showing made in that re
port directly With the recent mark
ed development and commercial and
industrial advancement of the South,
and characterizes the report itself as
"a record of marvelous growth ana
development." Eitlier is interesting
comment to the Southerner; both
are more so, in view of the fact that
gross revenues, net revenues, trade
and traffic statistics are the best in
the company's history.
The lengh of road operated in
1900 was 6,3 06 miles, which earned
a gross operating revenue of $31,
200,870. In 1911 the total mileage
was 7,042 and the gross operating
revenue $61,696,181. Thus, with on
ly 10 per cent additional mileage
there has been an expansion accord
ing to quotation from the annual re
port of over $30,000,000 in gross re
ceipts, the ratio of gain being almost
100 per cent. In 1900 the gross rev
enues per mile of road were $4,948;
for 1911 they were $8,761 per mile.
The net earnings per mile (after the
deduction of taxes) in the same in
terval increased from $1,485 to $2,
437.
As a result of this great growth,
the income account for the year un
der review is of a highly gratifying
character. The balance over and a
bove all expenses and fixed charges
for the 12 months is $6,670,003.
This is more than twice the full 5
per cent dividend to which the $60,
000,000 of preferred stock is en
titled. Dividends were resumed on
these shares during the year, but ac
tion was very cautious and conser
vative, 1 per cent having been pa.'d
last April and another 1 per cent
the present October, the two togeth
er calling for only $1,200,000 where- ,
as the surplus above the fixed charg
es, as we have seen was $6,670,003.
Of the remainder of the surplus a
round $3,000,000 has been chargeu
off to represent the discount on se
curities sold, which at the end of the
previous year had stood at $4,853,
154 and which now a year later (af
ter allowing for some slight, altera
tions during the 12 months) has been
reduced to $1,688,029; $66,045 was
also appropriated for additions and
betterments. Even after these various
deductjons and allowances, an undis
tributed surplus of $2,403,957 re
mains on the operations of the 12
months over and above the 2 per cent
paid out in dividends. Commenting
on this showing, the Financial and
Commercial Chronicle says:
The results here recorded could
not have been achieved except for
the advance in operating efficiency
and the broad and liberal policy pur
sued in the management and conduct
of the property. Of course the South
itself has enjoyed wonderful growth,
but this growth has followed in large
measure from the building up of the
lines embraced in the Southern Rail
way system and the development of
their efficiency as public carriers.
Some figures regarding growth in
population which we find in the re
port bear out this statement in a
striking manner.
These show that the population of
the stations on the lines of the
Southern Railway?or at least the
stations of sufficient importance to
be returned separately?in the 10
years from 1900 to 1910 increased
34.2 per cent., and in the 20 years
from 1890 to 1910 75.3 per cent. But
the fact to which we wish to direct
especial attention is that the growth
at these Southern Railway stations
has in every state been larger pro
portionately than the growth in
population of the state as a whole, in
dicating what the building up of this
system of roads has done for the
communities served.
In Virginia the growth in popu
lation for the entire state during the
last decade was 11.2 per cent, but
that of the Southern Railway sta
tions was no less than 42.2 per cent;
in North Carolina the growth for
the entire state was 16.5 per cent,
that for Southern Railway stations
60.5 percent; in South Carolina 13.1
for the entire state and 25.4 for the
stations; in Georgia 17.7 for the state
and S3.2 for the stations; in Missis
sippi lf>.S for the state and 47.9 for
the stations, in Tennessee S.l for the
state and 3 4.7 for the stations; and
in Kentucky 6.6 for the state and
13.G for the stations.
If one looks at the traffic and train
statistics, a record of achievement is
found fully as striking as the growth
in traffic and income. For example,
we find that in 1911 the number of
miles run by the freight trains was
almost precisely the same as in 1904,
seven years before?the comparison
being 16.999,638 miles in 1911 and
1 6,955,900 miles in 1904. Yet, with
the mileage practically unchanged
5,111,331,177 tons of freight (in
cluding company material) were car
ried in the latest year as against on
ly 3,812,S64,988 ton-miles in the
earlier year. In other words 1300,
000 ton-miles more of freight were
moved in 1911 with no addition to
the miles run. This means that in
the seven years the average train
load has been raised from 224 tons
to 300 tons.
I S. C, THURSDAY, NOVEM
THE REBELS WIN
j
The Thoroughly Frightened Haochos
Ready to Give Them Anything.
FLEEING FROM PEKING
Even Lick the Rebel Hand That
Smites Them?Throne Concedes
Nearly All That Is Asked, To
Forestall Summary Substitution
of Republic For Monarchy.
A dispatch from Peking, China,
says terror which has gripped the
entire imperial court was further re
vealed Tuesday by a long list of ed
icts supplementing Monday's re
markable proclamation and offering
further concessions of the most rad
ical character. Tuesday's edicts in
dicate that even though the dynasty
survives, Manchu rule is at an end.
Even the transfer of the cabinet
offices to native Chinese is ordered
and the throne swears that "here
after Manchus and Chinese shall be
regarded equally," meaning that the
elaborate system of ..Manchu pen
sions, which are now paid to prac
tically every member of the race,
will be discontinued and the Man
chus left to earn a living by their
own enterprise.
The edicts make a complete cap
itulation to the damnds of the na
tional assembly and even go so far
as to offer extravagant praise to the
rebels for bringing about the great
reforms which are promised. The
throne acknowledges its incapacity,
pleads ignorance of affairs, asks that
its lapses be pardoned, and requests
the assistance and advice of all cit
izens.
Finally, it makes a hysterical ef
fort to rally Chinese and Manchus
alike to, the royal standard by hint
ing at grave foreign dangers which
it thinks should be faced by a unit
ed China. In his struggle for ex
istence, the infant emperor whose
name is signed to the edicts, even
condemns many of his own closest
relatives.
The present officialdom, he de
clares, has not sought the interests
of the people, but only its own pock
ets. The revolutionists declare that
the dynasty's partial surrender has
come too late. Moreover, they do
not trust the throne, regarding their
present position as too strong for
yielding to promises which they feel
are insincere.
The revolutionists point out that
such edicts as these, wherein the
throne's own appointees and relatives
are called thieves and scoundrels, do
not tend to encourage confidence.
What the edicts state regarding the
methods of the present administra
tion is of course admitted by the
revolutionists, but the throne's plea
of ignorance hitherto is regarded as
incredible.
But while the edicts have appar
ently failed of their hoped for effect
in conciliating the rebels, they have
stirred up a most formidable oppos
tion from a new source. The an
nouncement that most' of the Man
chu officeholders must go and that
all the Manchu pensions will be cut
off immediately, produced a pro
nounced disaffection in the ranks of
the Manchus and many members of |
this race at once began talking in
favor of a massacre for revenge.
There were indications already
that these proposals would find sup
port, particularly among, the young
er Manchu princes, who will now lie
stripped of their high offices and un
able longer to exploit their positions.
Officials prominent among the na
tive Chinese profess to have infor
mation that Prince Tsai Tao, uncle
of the/'baby emperor, is willing to
lead the massacre party.
Throughout the day the foreign
legations, the missions and even
private houses occupied by foreign
ers were beseiged by both Manchus
and Chinese who sought protection
from each other. Prince Ching, the
premier, is using his influence to re
strain that element of the Manchus
who may be disposed toward vio
lence. For their part the Manchus
dread a rebel investment of the capi
tal.
Foreign legations are advising
both Chinese and Manchus to take
refuge in case of trouble behind the
Methodist mission, which is situated
in that corner of the main city lying
between the legation quarter and the
east wall. This is the most easily de
fended section of the city and the
legation guards may be called to
protect those who gather there.
Long lines of carts piled high
with the household belongings of the
fugitives continue to pass out of the
city gates before the early closing
hours. Many carts emerge from the
forbidden city, some guarded by sol
diers. Cart loads of silver, some
times without a guard, pass day and
night in and out of the legation
quarter.
The money is brought to the lega
tions from the defenseless Chinese
banks for a temporary safe deposit
and then removed to replace the
paper circulations or to be forward
ed to the minister of war. Gen. Yin
Tchang, for the loyal troops, who
are receiving their pay with unpre
ceedented regularity. Wealthy citi
zens also are exhausting their for
tunes to foreigners.
Foreigners are anxious over the
situation in Peking but not alarmed.
Outsiders have not yet entered the
BER, 2, 1911.
YIELDS TO DEMAND
MANOHU GOVERNMENT BOWS TO
THE PEOPLE.
The Chinese Are Promised Complete
Constitutional Rule and Thorough
Reform in all Departments.
A dispatch from Peking. China,
says the demand of the nationa) as
sembly for a complete constitution
al government has been accepted to
by the throne. An imperial edict was
issued Monday apologizing, for the
past neglect of the throne and grant
ing an immediate constitution with
a (Cabinet from which nobles shall be
excluded. A second edict grants par
don to political offenders connected
with the revolution of 1898 and sub
sequent revolutions and to those com
pelled to join in the present rebel
lion. The imperial edict, which is
from the hand of the emperor, Hsuan
Tung, says:
"I have reigned three years and
have always acted conscientiously in
the interest of the people. But I have
not employed men properly, as I am
without political skill. I have em
ployed too many nobles in political
positions which contravenes consti
tutionalism.
"On railway matters one whom I
trusted deceived me. Hence public
opinion was antagonized. When I
urge reform, officials and the gentry
seize the opportunity to embezzle.
Much of the people's money has been
taken, but nothing to benefit the peo
ple has been accomplished.
"On several occasions edicts have
promulgated laws, but none of them
has been obeyed. The people are
grumbling why I do not know. Dis
aster looms ah'-ad, but I do not see."
After referring to uprising in va
rious ^places the edict continues:
'The whole empire is seething. The
spirits of our nine deceased emper
ors are unable to enjoy the sacrifices
properly, while it is feared that the
people will suffer greviously.
"All these things are my own
fault, and I hereby announce to the
world that I swear to reform and
with our soldiers and people to car
ry out the constitution faithful!},
modifying legislation, promoting the
Interests of the people and abolish
ing their hardships, all in accordance
with their wishes and their interest.
"The old laws that are unsuitable
will be abolished. The union of the
Manchus and Chinese mentioned by
the late emperor I shall carry out
now. Even if we unite I still fear
that we may fall. If the emperor do
not regard and do not honor fate and
the people be easily misled by out
laws then the future of China is un
thinkable. I am most anxious day
and night. My only hope is that my
subjects will thc.oughly under
stand."
REPORT LARGE LOSSES.
The Italians Kills Arabs With Their
Women Folks.
A dispatch from Tripoli says for
three days the Italians have been
systematically slaughtering Arabs in
the residential oasis outside the city.
Every Arab met has been shot down
without trial. Many women have been
killed. In the confusion attending
the Italian bombardment of Beng
hazi on October 19, immense damage
was done. Three hundrod civilians,
one half of whom were women and
children, were killed.
A dispatch from Constantinople
says: "According to news from Trip
oli published here, the Turks have
captured the last of the Italian out
er entrenchments and oqcupied the
Buburb Zahre and all. approaches to
Tripoli irom the northwest.
"Before the battle the tribesmen
took a solemn oath to sacrifice them
selves to the last man in defense of
their country. One hundred and fifty
Arabs who were holding a certain po
sition bound themselves together
with straps fastened to their ankles
and swore not to move from their
tracks until their ammuniton was
exhausted."
Taken to the Infirmary.
The St. Matthews corresposdent of
The State says: "Mrs. H. A. Raysor,
who was injured in a collision be
tween her carriage and an automo
bile some ,days ago, was carried to
an infirmary in Columbia Sunday.
Her injuries are more serious than
at first supposed." We hope the
treatment up there will soon restore
this most estimable lady to complete
health.
Aviator Falls to His Death.
Prof. John J. Montgomery of San
ta Clara, Cal., college died Tuesday
aftersoon after a fall from an aero
plane with which he was experiment
ing. Apparently he lost control of tin
machine. He sustained injuries to the
brain. Mrs. Montgomery was watch
ing her husband when the accident
occurred.
legation quarter. Nevertheless, the
fullest precautions are being taken.
Unarmed pickets form a line about
the legation walls and extending in
to the Chinese quarters.
Fears are entertained for the for
eigners in the province of Shan Si,
many of whom are Americans. The
rebels in that province are said to
be ill possession of the capital, Tia
Yuan Fu, where there are several
missiors and which is also the seat
of Shuan Si university.
CRISIS IN PARTY
TAFT ADMITS REPUBLICANS MAY
BE DEFEATED.
Confession of Weakness of His Fol
lowing Surprises Large Audience
at Hamilton Club.
President Taft surprised a large
audience at the dinner of the Hamil
ton club at Chicago on Monday , by
what most of his hearers construed
as an admission of the possibility
of Republican defeat in the coming
national election. He was speaking
to what had promised to be an un
usually enthusiastic audience of Re
publicans.
Those present hastened to ascribe
the president's utterances to weari
ness after his long tour of speech
making, and especially after the hard
three-day "campaign" in Chicago. It
was his last public utterance in Chic
ago before leaving for Pittsburg
Monday night.
"Now we are at, some people
think, the crisis in the Republican
party with reference to its contin
uance in the guidance of the na
tion," the president said. "I am
hopeful that the good people of the
country who know a good thing when
they see it have only chastened us in
order that we may do better here
after, but with no intention of shift
ing from shoulders that are better
fitted to bear the burdens of the
present problems and carry them to
a successful solution to those which
are untried and which have new
theories of action that we do not be
llve in, and that we do not believe
the people believe In. However, if so
be it that they desire to make a
change, we shall loyally support the
new government under any condi
tions, with the hope it will Insure <to
the benefit of the country, but with
the consolation that, after one trial
the people think they ought to go
back to the old party that has served
them so well in the progress of the
nation, they will do so. We can do
so. We can bear that load?that is
all."
The address before the Hamilton
club, in which the possibility of de
feat found expression, followed the
laying of the cornerstone of the new
home of the Hamilton club, one of
leading Republican clubs of the Mid
dle West. The cornerstone cere
mony followed a trip through the
stock yards, and a visit to the Na
tional Dairy show. The remainder
of the president's day was spent at
his hotel in receiving politicians and
friends.
LYNCH NEGRO IN TEXAS.
Fiend Who Attacked Woman is Tak
en From Officers.
Will Ollie, a negro charged with
criminally attacking a white woman
five miles west of Marshall, Tex., last
Friday morning, was taken from offi
cers by a mob at an early hour Mon
day morning and hanged to a tree
near the scene of his attempted
crime. It Is charged that Ollie at
, tacked the white woman Friday as
she was entering a field on her farm,
and after choking the woman at
tempted "to hang her and set fire to
her clothing. The negro was fright
ened away, however, and escaped.
He was located in Longview by an
other negro, who immediately re
ported Ollie' whereabouts to Mar
shall officers, and he was arrested
shortly after midnight Sunday night.
A mob of about 500 men intercepted
the officers as they were bringing
the prisoner to Marshall Monday
morning and lynched him.
Belton Physician Badly Hurt.
Dr. C G. Todd. a prominent prac
ticing physician of Belton< was badl}
injured Tuesday afternooi^ when his
automobile collided with the gas-elec
trie car of the Southern Railway, in
the Belton yards. The car was goi:
out of the yards departing for
Greenville when it hit the machine
as Dr. Todd attempted to cross the
track ahead of it.
Kindness Was Rewarded.
The kindness of little Miss Alice
H. Meier, of Cleveland, Ohio, to
Thomas Owen, an aged man, who
boarded at her home, won $1,000 for
her. Before leaving the city on a
lake 'trip, Owen took out an accident
policy for $1,000. Owen was drown
ed and the girl got the money.
More Than He Could Hear.
Profound sorrow over the deaths
of his wife and a brother, which oc
curred recently .caused Jake C.
Cromer a substantial Anderson
county farmer, to become mentally
unbalanced and in this condition he
committed suicide Monday after
noos.
Mistake Cost Many laves.
The bedrock key, specified in the
plans for the Austin dam, was left
out in the construction, according to
the New York inspector of dams and
locks, McKim, just as he returned
from an inspection of the scene of
the disaster. He says it was an ap
palling mistake.
Cholera Rages Among Soldiers.
There has been a sudden and viru
lent outbreak of cholera among the
members of the Royal Scots regi
ment at Benares, India, , .
TWO CENTS PER COPY.
ARE IN BAD FIX
?? i
Three Am ricaos Hay Be Freed Fron a
H xican Tortore Prison
-?- i
UNDER WATERS OF GULF
President Madero "Was Shocked by
the Plight of the Three Prisoners,
Whose Death Sentence for a Mur
der Had Been Committed' Four
Years Ago by the Governor.
A letter from Vera Cruz, Mexico,
says that three Americans?Leslie E.
Hurlbert, alias Richardson; William
Mitchell alias Mason, and Dr.
Charles's. Harie? who for four
years have been confined to the sub
terranean prison of San Juan de
Ulua, have a prospect of release. For
six years prior to their removal to
this prison they were under sentence
of death for murder.
"Horrible! Horrible! I could not
believe that such a "terrible condi
tion existed in Mexico or any other
civilized country," exclaimed Fran
cisco I. Madero recently as he emerg
ed from the gloomy chambers under
the waters of the Gulf in the Harbor
of Vera Cruz, where hundreds are
confined in a living tomb.
He said that one of the first acts
of his administration will be to prac
tically obliterate this prison. On
this visit to the prison Madero paid
special attention to the cases of Hur
ibert, Mitchell and Harle, and it is
considered probable that one of his
early ?jc.ts when he becomes Presi
dent will be (to pardon these men.
The crimes with which they are
charged were committed ten years
ago. They were feund guilty of mur
dering Harry Mitchell, half-brother
of William Mitichell and brother-in
law of Hurlbert, and William De
vars, a drunken outcast whom they
ran acrostj^n El Paso. The two men
were murdered in Chihuahua for
$35,000 life insurance takea out by
the men who killed them.
All three of these Americans had
previously occupied good positions in
society. Dr. Harle is a native of Abi
lene, Tex., and his mother still re
sides there. He was one of the lead
ing physicians of Dallas before he
moved ,to El Paso and became asso
ciated with Huribert and Mitchell,
who were prominent in life insur
ance circles.
The three were prosecuted by the
American insurance company which
they sought to defraud, and the com
pany was aided by the Mexican au
thorities. The men B*pent two years in
prison in Chihuahua before they were
tried; and upon conviction of mur
der they were sentenced to be shot.
The death watch had been set
when the Governor of Chlhuahuar
Enrique Creel, commuted the sen
tences to twenty years imprisonment.
Under Mexican law'the first six years
of this imprisonment must be in sol
itary confinement and soor. after the
commutation of their sentences they
were taken to San Juan de Ulua.
Little is known, even to the peo
ple of Vera Cruz, of what transpires
within the silent walls of the isola
ted prison. The only evidence of life
to be seen from the city is one lone
palm tree that rises out of the little
court yard. The waters around the
prison teem witih sharks, which serve
as guards against esca.pe, if escape
were otherwise possible. Instances
are known of fugitives falling vic
tims to these sharks.
Hurlbert, Mitchell and Harle have
l>een granted more liberties than the
average prisoner. Through the in
fluence of Consul Canada in this
city they have been permitted to
write and receive letters at stated in
tervals, and many influential friends
in Texas have been making strenuous
efforts to secure Dr. Hale's pardon.
President Diaz was persistently deaf
to all appeals for the release of the
three Americans.
It is said that there is still in use
in this prison some of the imple
ments of torture that were features
of the Spanish Tnquistion. In the roof
of one of the chambers is a small
hole that connects with the waters
of the gulf, and through this there
drips constantly, drop by drop, wat
er that has worn away the surface of
the floor.
FUNDS SAFETY IN TRUNK.
A Child In Wayncsville Rescued
From Burning House.
Displaying unusual presence of
mind Edgar Applegate, the 4-year
old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Apple
gate, saved himself from burning to
death by hiding in his mother's trunk
when a fire, which he started while
playing with matches gutted his
home at Waynesville, N. C, early
Monday evening. The older McCrak
en of Waynesville. rushing into the
house, seized the trunk and rushed
through the door with it to the yard.
The lid of the trunk was lifted and
the boy was found inside, badly
frightened but uninjured.
They Fought Fatal Duel.
At Aberdeen, Miss., Joe Reese, a
locomotive fireman in the employ of
the Illinois Central Railroad and
Frank Seltz, a timber man of Long
view, Miss., fought a pistol duel
Sunday morning about 2 o'clock at
the Illinois Central Railway statics)
resulting in the death of both*