The times and democrat. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, December 13, 1905, Image 1

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established IN 18 HUNG AT LAST. *:Mrs. Rogers Dies on the Gallows for Her Crime. MURDERED HUSBAND. "Whom She Chlorolonned at a Meeting in the Woods While She Was Caress log Him. Great Efforts Wer; Made to Save the Woman. ) ' Bat They Failed. ^^cllspatoh from Windsor, Vfc., says Mrs. Mary Bogers was hanged at the "Vermont State prison at 1:13 o'clock Friday a/ternoon for the murder of her husband. Marcus Rogers at Ben nington, on August 13, 1902. Mrs. .Rogers was pronounced dead by the prison officials at 1:27 1-2. The execution took place after the woman had twice been reprieved on account of appeals made by her coun sei and after the Uaited States Su preme Court refused to take action in the case. Only a comparatively few persons witnessed the hanging, the number being restricted to those permitted to attend by the laws of Vermont. Mrs. Rogers maintained her com posure to the last and mounted the gallows with a steady step. Although a deathly pallor overspread her coun- i tenance, hardly a mmcle qaivered as Deputy Sheriff ShEflord pronounced j the fatal words, "I now proceed to execute the sentence of the law and 'may God have mercy on your soul." When the words were pronounced i Deputy Sheriff Angus McAuley sprung i the trap and the drop fell. The crime for which Mrs. Mary Rogers was sentenced to death was i "the murder of her husband, Marcus i Rogers, at Bennington, on August 13, i 1902. At the time the crime was com mltted Mrs. Rogers was only nine- : teen. She had been separated from her husband for some time and was i desirous of marrying a young man :named Mauiice Knapp.. On the day of the murder Marcus ; .Rogers went to Bannington to visit ids wife and that night she arranged to meet bim in the woods near the Walloomsack rivir. While caressing i him she induced him to allow her tu I bind his hands, and while he was pow i erlesii she chloroformed him. In this she was aided by Leon Perbam, a i halfwitted boy who was the son of j the woman with whom she boarded. Another woman, Estella Bates, was present. A few days after tbe murder Mrs. Rogers, Perham and the Bates woman were arrested. Perham made a com plete confession and both he and Mrs. Rogers were found guilty of murder i In tbe first degree. Perham was sen fcenced to imprisonment for life and Mrs. Rogers was sentenced to the death gallows. Various attempts were made to i . commute Mrs Rogers'sentence but all failed. The date set for tbe execution* was February 3,1905. Gov. Bell grant ed two reprieves for the presentation of new evidence, but the court denied the petition for a new trial eaoh time, ?rand the United States Supreme Court ? refused to consider the case. Certain disclosures regarding scan dals in the Vermont State prison at Windsor, where Mrs. Rogers has been confined, have, it is claimed, affected public sentiment. According to testi mocy before the prison investigation '-committee of the Legislature one of tbe convicts at Windsor had access to Mrs. Rogers' cell some time after the first reprieve was granted. It was : alleged that this was part of a con ? spiracy on the part of certain prison officials to bring about such a condi tion as would further postpone the ex Petition. Mrs. Rogers was the first person sentenosd to death in Vermont with in.the past thirteen years who was re fused clemency. The last woman to be ?executed was Mrs. Emeline Maeker, at Windsor, on March 30, 1883. Oj the march to the gallows Mrs. Rogers declined the assistance of dep uties. Her step was firm. She mount ed the sc&ff jld unaided and stopped exactly upon the center of tbe trap. Sae sat down in the chair for a mo ment and, wh6n asked if she had any final stntement to make she shook her head negatively. Mrs. Rogers' body has been claimed by her mother and sister, and will he hurled by them at Ho .sick Falls, N. "Y., where the mother, Mrs. JosieCal lj?han, resides. A Cook Held Up. The Columbia State Pays "the resi dents in the vicinity of Blanding and Bull streets were startled by a cry for the police about 9 o'clock Tuesday night and an investigation disclosed another alleged attempt to hold up a pedestrian. Pour policemen were ?qnickly on tbe scene but a thorough search failed to find any tracs of toe shadowy footpad. A colored cook who is said to work at hotel was on his way ?fco his home in Waverly, when he was confronted by a tall white man who, he says, tried to hold him up but when the colored man gave the alarm the white man disappeared by leaping the low fence enclosing the campu3 of the Presbvterian seminary and rua ning through the yard. No triceof him could be found by the police. Axphyxtated. Frank Martin and John L. Oliver, both of Bath, Me., were found dead in bid at the residence of Martin's sister, Mrs. Francis MicCiuley of Providince, R. I. Taey had been asphyxiuei by illuminating gas, -laccideatly turned on. 69. A TJt&ttlC DEATH. Mans Head Split Op 3D. by Flying Fragments of a Saw cV Resident of Colaab!a Was Oper ating Wood Saw for His Son in Lexingten County The State says Mylas D. Blackmon of Columbia was killed in Lexington county Friday morning about 11 o' clock by the bursting of a circular saw which he was operating In sawing wood, The saw was running at its usual high rate of speed when for some unkno wn reason it new into fragments and one of the pieces sfcruik him full In the^face, splitting open his bead from chin to crown. Mr. Black mon's son and others who were near ran quickly to his assistance and preparations were hurrirdly made so bring the Injured man to the Colum bia hospital. He was placed .n a ve hicle and the start for this city was soon made but before they had pre seeded two miles Mr. Blackmon breathed his last He never regained zonsciousness after he was struck. The accident happened at the home of his son, about eight miles from the olty on the old State road. Mr. Blackmon lived in that city with his two daughters, Misses Mag gie and Lena Biacimon, at 6o4 Ger vais street. He has been working tor about two weeks. Yesterday norning they went to work as usual, dr. Blackmon was running the saw wh'ca cuts the wood iDto short lengths when without an Instant's warning it 3aw into several pieces. One of them struck him in trie faos, just on the dght side of the nose and sunk Itself into the flesh and bone, laying open ills face and cutting deep onto bis orain. A. doctor was near at hand and was soon called. He saw at once how iesperate was the mans condition and jnew that the only possible hope lay io getting him to the hospital. With ill the rapidity of a faithful son's jager efforts, arrangements were soon made to bring him to that city out he was even then beyond hums,n iid and before one fourth of the dis lance bad been covered be had sue lumbed to bis flight ful inju ries, ^ His body was brought to the city and placed in the undertaking par ors of Funderburk & Matteson, where it was prepared for burial. Coroner v7alker of BJcbland county and tbe ?roner of Lexington both decided 5bat no inquest would be necess ity. Mr. Blaokmon was 54 years of age rod was born in Lancaster count? teat, in the Blaok Creek neighborhood. Be has been a resident ot Columbia tor 15 years. Ha is survived by the one son, already mentioned, and the -j-mo daughters with whom be lived. He leaves also three brothers, Messrs. F. C. and Mint Blaokmon of Lancas ter county Minor Blackmon of Florida md two sisters, Mrs. Belle Griff!a rod Mrs. Nancy tCanonton, both of Lancaster county. Tbe renains of Mr. Blaokmon will oe taken to bis former home in L?n gster for interment at 3.30 o'clock Friday afternoon. The funeral will take place on Sunday morning, Blind Tiger Killed. 'Jn Friday morning Chief of Po ice M. D. Ltttlefleld, of Greers, shot ind killed Lewis Brewton, colored, suspected of selling blind tiger liquor. Jbitf Llttlefield went to Greentown, a negro settlement^ to arrest Brewton. He fouud him in a negro bouse, ar rested him and was leading him out of tbe bouse when the negro drew tils gun. The chief was qiick enough Tor nim abd both began firing about the same time. Five shots were ex changed, ^Brewton firing three of these. Tbe negro ran out firing as tie went and fell dead within 100 yards of the home. Coroner Wooten em paneled a jury Friday evening, which rendered a verdict of justifiable hom icide. Lewis Brewton is one of the most notorious blind tigers in this section. He boasted of the piles of money he had made out of the busi ness. It is thought that Brewton was but the agent of white men in the Dark Corner. Big KiMJf Falls, At London, England the south end of the immense roof spanning the Charing Cross main line station sud denlycollapsed Wednesday afternoon and completely blocked the lines. A number of workman and trainmen were caught in the wreckage. Tne roof of the Avenue Theater adjoining the statiau also collapsed. About thirty injured persons have already been taken to the hospital. One of them died and the others are in a critical condition. There are a num ber of dead among the ruins. The Continental express, filled with pis sens ers, was standing outside tbe sta tion waiting for the signal to enter when the collapse of the roof cccur ed. Kassian lied Tape. A storv of Russian red tape is told by W. T. Stead. Gen. Linevitch, while in supreme command of the Russian arm> in Manchuria, once used a rubber-stamp signature for tbe papers which he bad to sign evary day before he could draw forage for his own horses. The commissary general returned the rubber Btamp signed papers as out of order and every day the general commanding an army of 500,000 men had to affix his auGograpb. to the requisition for his horses' oats._ Burned to Death. A dispatc i from Johnston to The Saate says a colored girl 14 years old living on the farm of Mr. J. L. Hart was burned to death Thursday from her clothing catching fire and as she was running could not be saved. O?ANGrEBintG, ! TEH FXB80S SKILLED AndaNmnbsr Injured by a Head on Collision. Ten persons were killed and 11 train ere ploy es and' eight passengers were injured in the wreck of the Overland L'mited passenger train No. 2, on the Union Pacific, five miles west 01 Rock Springs, Wyo,, Thursday morning. The Limited was run int.0 head-on by a freight train and coin, engines we;e demolished. The dyamo car, mail car and din ing car on the limited burned to the wheels. Several of the dead were incinerated. An extra freight train' was given an order before it left Rock Springs to meet four eastbound pas senger trains, of which the Overland limited was the last one, at Ahsay, a siding five miles west of Reck Springs. The freight took the sidirog at Ah say and waited until three of -tnese bad passed east and then pulled out. When a mile and a half west of Ah say the freight met the Overland Limited and crashed into it, head on. Both engines were demolished and the first three cars of the Overland Limited immediately caught fire and were burned. Engineer Brink of the freight train, who it is stated offici ally, was responsible for overrunning his orders was one of the killed. Sev eral trains had been badly delayed at Granger, with the result that four passenger trains were running close to gether. The freight had received posi tive or ders to meet all four of the trains at Ahsay, and the officials say that the orders were either misunder stood or misread. Killed Hie Sou. A special from Anderson to Tbe State says L. J. Jordan a negro who lives on South Fant street, killed his son Westeley Joidan, a youth about 19 years old with a broom stick. The boy had been unruly and the father started to chastise him using a broom stick for that purpose. He struck the boy a sharp blow across the head and the boy sank into a chair and soon be came unconscious and died in a few minutes. Jordan sent for a phyisoian and was working over his son's body, trying to revive nim when_ the physi cian arrived. Tbe physician says that death resulted from ahemmorrhaze of the brain whica was caused by the blow. Jordan remained at his home until the dei;u,y sheriff arrived and arrested him and carried him to jail. It is generally believed that Jordan's story of the killing is correct. Dispensary ttluat Fay. The supreme court of the United! States last week held that the nation al goverment may properly tax the state liquor dispensaries of South Car olina. The action in question was instituted by the state of South Car olina to recover 8200,000 paid to tbe revenue officers of the national gov ernment on acccuat of the sale of liquors by tbe state and county dis pensers under the dispensary law of South Carolina. The state took the position that as the dispensers sold the liquor without profit they should not be taxed by the government, but tbe tax has been collected since 1893. This Is said to have been toe fir^t case in which a state unites in one undertaking tbe exeroise of its police power together with the prosecution of a commercial business. Jasti? 5d in Firing. In Alto on a, Pa., the other night five youag men serenaded the lady love of one of the party. A neighbor raised a nearby window and fired a revolver at the party then called a policeman and bad them all arrested for disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. In police court tbe next morning tbe young men protested that they were singing love songs, and offered to sing for the court by way of proving their innocence of the charge against them. Tne court heard them sing two selections whereupon the serenades were im formed that if the courS had preyiou sly any doubt as to their guilt it bad entirely disappeared. "Anybody would be justified for firing at you, If you were making a noise like that," Raid the judge. He fined them 85 each. _ Purem d by Cannibals. Among the passengers who arrived at San Francisco from Aus tralia on the liner Sonoma were Cap tain Watts and Coief Officer Alex Stinson, of the American ship Susqus banna, which founded shortly arter she left N/hone, New Caledonia, August 23 list, with a cargo of chrome iron tor Delaware breakwater. The orew left the ship in three boats which were headed for tbe Solomon Islands. Only one boat landed there. The other two were picked up at sea by a trading i-chooi er. There che men were kindly treated for a time but finally had to tly for their lives from a set of canuibals who threaten ed their existence. They were sub sequently picked up by a trading ves sel and joined the rest of the crew at Sydney. Little Girl Burned. A little dauehtjr of Mr. Jud Alli son was frightfully burned Tnursday at home about three miles from GalT uey. From the meagre details at hand it is learned that the mother left the little one to go to the well a short distance from fcr-e house. Oa returning she met the child in Harnes. Tne condition of the child is serious. Death IjlHt of Hunters. The total numbar of hunters killed by accident so far this year, vVitconsin and Northern M chigan is twenty-six. Fifty-one have been wounded. Meie hunters were killed this year by ac cidental discharge of their own guns than ever b.fore. Many were sho& by mistake by hunters who took them for deer. S. C., WEDNESDAY, DE< THE GRAFTERS Are Stirred Up By Senator Till man's Big Pitchfork. COERUPHON FUND Being Investigated By the United States Senate, Senator Tiliman Having la* troduced a Bill For That Pur* pose, Which Pases After Some Discussion. > The subj9ct of campaign contribu tions by Insurance companies occupied the major portion of tbe time of the United States Senate or Thursday. It came up in connection with Mr. Tin man's resolution calling for investiga tion of national bank aid in politics and was exploited by the South Caro lina senator in a speech of some length. It was couched in characteristic lan guage and attracted considerable at tention. The resaiuMon directing the secretary of the treasury to report whether the reports of the national bank ezimlners show that the banks have made campaign contributions in recent years was adopted at the close of Mr. Till man's remarks. Outlining his reasons for tbe in quiry, Mr. Tiliman called attention to tue recommendation made by the president in his annual messsge of 1904 an^ 1995 for the enactment of a law for protection against bribery and corruption in connection with elec tions. He quoted with espeoial em phasis tne president's remarks con cerning campaign contributions by corporations. ''Our chief executive has taken a very progressive stand to secure purity in elections," he said, and added, "every good American will say 'well done' and lock for progress along that line." ' He conceded that tbe seoretary might not have the facts wanted but he thought he ought to have. Inci dentally, Mr. Tiliman said that be had been Informed that the comptrol ler of the currency has been investi gating tbe subject of blank c^r tri bu ttons with the view of Instituting le gal proceedings. Before Mr. Tiliman had proceeded far, Mr. Gallinger,- who had Wedoes day objected to the consideration cf the resolution at that time, said that he had done so only for the purpose of inspecting it, that he had doue so and being entirely sathfied as to its propriety would support the resolu tion. Continuing Mr. Tiliman sold that the comptroller has means f getting Information which others have not and added, that if be would "push in his probe he can make dhc jvsrles that are worth while." He added that his reasons for requesting the Informa tion is found in the revelations con cerning the Insurance companies, "It has been shown by the testimony, or confession of a member of this body," he said, "tnat for ten years the in surance corporations have been mak it g annual donations to the Republl can party with the understanding tnat they should be protected trim adverse legislation at Albany." Ha went on to say that such revelations were not agreeable. "I am the holder of a Em 11 policy in one of the mutuals"1 hesatd, "aud I don't like to have my dividends cut down in order to give Mr. McCurdy 8150,000 and his sisters, bis cousins, and his aunts 875,000 eacn." He expressed doubt as to the right of the federal authorities to take con trol of insurance companies and Mr. Hale interrupted to s?y that he agreed with Mr. Tiliman on that point. ] Mr. Bailey asked whether the in surance company contributions to the republican national committee had* been returned to the donors. "I understood," replied Mr. Till mau, "that the president was going to have Mr Cortelyou return them, but I don't know whether he has done so. I know that I have not got my share." Mr. Spooner?Is yours a life* pol icy. Mr. TUlman?It is. Mr. Spooner?Then it is not yet time to realize on it. Mr. Tiliman replied that it was div idens and not the policy itself that be wanted paid. "These," he said, "were pitifully small, while McCurdy has p-een gel ting fat without doing anything." Mr. Bad-^y said he had not fcupposed that the president cjuld makf a Sr-eond recommendation on the subject Of punishiDg campaign contributors un til the money had been returned "Ab, Mr. Ptesldent," responded Mr. Tiliman, "all the Turveydrops and Pecksniffs are not dead vet, al though I would not for a moment be understood as comparing our strenu ous occupant of the White Hou-e with these characters. Wnat we want is results and those we do not seem to have procured ho far." Qaotlng the testimony of Senator Platt before the New York commit tee, Mr. Tiliman congratulated that smatur upun hid stralghifowardness. "Tnere was no dodging," he said, "and I do not believe that a dollar of the money ever stuck to his lingers." lie added nis conviction, however, that tbe cuntrinutions had had tbe effect of controlling the New York legislature in the interest of the in surance companies. Mr. Tiliman quoted the charges maae by Juc'gB Parker in the last campaign connecting the Republican campaign contributions wlta the fact that Chairman Cortelyou had recent CJ4MBEE 13, 1905. ly retired from the office of secretary of the department rf commerce. He also quoted the president's reply which he isaid was "red hot," and added that not a dollar had been needed to elect the president. Notwithstanding this fact, he said that it had been shown that 81,900,000 had been contributed for that purpose, that is, if the news paper men may be believed, "and," he added, "they are about as reliable as any other class. Tney will lie some times as we do, and occasionally they get orders that such and such a man shall be fly blown. Then they proceed to plant the microbes, but upon the whole they may be depended upon." He also made reference to the charge that large expenditures bad been made by the Democrats in the Cleveland campaign, saying it would have b9en fortunate for the Democratic party If Mr. Cleveland had never been elected. He closed with an appeal for a thorough investigation, saying that such a course was necessary to re store the confidence of the public. The senate adjourned until Mon day. JORDAN HAD REPORT CHANGED. induced Secretary Wilson to Esti mate on Gross Weight. ! To President Harvle Jordan of the Southern Cotton Association, accord ing to advices from Washington, is due tbe tact that the government orop estimate was not 500,000 bales larger tban the figures given. According to the story which reached Atlanta, Assistant Secretary Hayes, of the statistical bureau wired Secretary Hester, of the New Orleans Cotton Exchange that the cotton crop estimate would be mide on the basis of 475 pounds tbe bale, instead of 500 pounds as heretofore, tbe object be ing to give the net weight of tne bale. This basis would have increased the estimated by something like 500,000 bales and would undoubtedly have had an appreciable effect in bringing down the price of cotton. Secretary Hester wired this in for mabion to President Jordan of tbe Southern Assrciation and he received the telegram just in time to catch the noon limited train for Washington. Mr. Jordan went right to tbe office of Secretary of Agriculture Wilson and is It said demanded that the estimate be made in accordance with usage that is on the basis of 500 pounds to the bale. It is said this is why the publi cation of the estimate, which was ex pected to have been given out at 10 o'clock, was delayed until 12:30 p. m. According to a telegram from Pres ident Jordan, Secretary Wilson not only granted his request but also a greed to make tbe report without the usual percentage which was added or deducted under the Hyde admlnlstra tlon. Horrible Accident. Oa last Wednesday morning Mr John C. Funches, who lives near R) wps vi lie, met with a most horrible accident. He was operating a sugar cane mill, and by some means his coat sleeve on the right arm was caught In the cogs. Before Mr. Fa aches could pull the sleeve cut his arm was drawn inthe cogs and orusbed to the elbow. The machinery was stopped as soon as possible and Mr. Funches was re leased from tbe mill. Liter Dr. A. S. Hydrick, of this city, assisted by Dr. J. D. S. Falrey, amputated the arm just above the elbow. We ex tend our sympathy to Mr. Funches and ho,e that he will soon be up again. j Bought It Back. The Spartenburg Journal says an important land sale made Monday which was not published was that of of 1466 acres near PiOlet. Tne land was sold under mortgage of W. T. Simmons to the Fidelity Loan and Trust Company, and was bought in by G. L. Carrier for the sum of 89550. This Is considered a fine bargin by those who are best on land values. The land In question has a history. Some weeks ago Mr. Simmons pur chased the property through a Wes tern real estate man, who handled the property for Mr. Carrier paying about 81*1,000 for the property. Mr. Carrier bought back his land. He now has his original tract of land and he is a bout 81.800 to the good. rt Dead Issue. The Columbia Record says J Warren Keifer, of Ohio, formerly speaker of the house, is back In Con gress, and he somes primed and load ed with Southern representative re duction schemes. The chief cook and bottle washer in this movement, Cm m packer, is still on hand, but he has been rebuffed and turned down so often by his own party in this matter that he is as yet undecided what he will pursue in this Congress. He and Kiifer will doubtless get together and produce the annual bill. They will be given the opportunity to make the usual bitter, partisan speeches but Lbis will be as a passing breeze and will be quickly forgotten. KilleU by a l'cnanc. C J. Hughes who formerly resided in Gaffney, was shot and is reported killed by Ruf us Byars, a tenant near his home in Cherokee ounty last week. Relations between me two are said to have been strained for some time. Details of the ail Air are very scarce there. Bvars, too was formerly a resident of GalTaey. The shooting was done with a double barreled shot gun two shots t-iklng affect. Both men are about 30 years old. A war rant has been issued for Byars an hls wife by Mair.qr.rate B. J. Gold, at Rinctaburg. Olli tut* from this city have gone to tue scene. Both men are well kn^wn hprp_ Many Ollicera Ki'icd. A dispatch from Harbin Manchuria says many officers are being killed by rebellious troops. Reserve offi cers are not permitted to return home. All messages from Mancnuria are cen SPUN P BiG SUM. Corti lyou Dispensed Nearly two Mil li?n Dollars on Campaign. It Cime from Many Sources, the Largest Subscription Was One Hundred Thousad Dollars, According to a Washington news paper which, with evidence of friend ly handling, prints a long statement about the expenses of Chairman Cor telyou in 1904, the B --publican nation al committee used the sum of $1,800, 000 to elect Rjosevelt and Fairbanks and had in bank when the campaign was ended about 8100.000. Id is stated that Caairman Cortel you hf d 8930,000 less that Chairman Hanna had in 1900 and nearly $2,000, 000 less than he had in 1896. It is also declared to be a fact tnat the DomoTatic national c immittee in 1892, when Mr. Cleveland was elected the second time, had a fund exceeding anything known in American politics before or since?She sum of $4,100, 000. Chairman Oortelyou, according to this article, turned over to State com mittee in New York, New Jersey West Virginia, Massachusetts, Con necticut, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Nevada the sum of $700,000. No amount is fixed as to the sum exoend p? in New York by the national com mittee through Gov. Oiell, but it must have been largely in excess of 8200,000. For literature, it states, the national committee expended $550, 000; for the speakers' bureau, $175, 000; for lithographs, advertising, etc., 8150,000r for salaries and headquarters expenses, 8150,G00, and for miscellan ecus expenses, 850,000. It is stated that the money expend ed by Chairman Cortelyou came from 10,000 different sources, about 4 000 contributors being known, leaving about 6,000 unknown, to the chairman of the national committee. The larg est single contributor furnished up ward of 8100,000, it is stated, and his identity was not known to either Chairman Oortelyou or Mr. Bliss. The article is lacking in details as to the identity of corporations and corporation managers that contribut ed to the Republican funds- No refer ence whatever is made to contribu tions either from life Insurance comp anies or railway companies, but it is alleged that In every instance where a contribution was made conditional on some political favor to come the of fer was rej icted or the money return ed. In connection with the Republican campaign fund, the statement is made that President Roosevelt and Chair man Cortelyou will cooperate to have passed a law providing for the publi city of contributions to political com mittees. Chairman Cortelyou declined to discuss the figures connected with the campaign of 1904, but intimated that they were "about right." New York Mysteries. Three of New York's great high ways, the river, the underground rail way and street and that dark section known as "Chinatown, each furnished a police mystery last week. An un known man jumped in front of a train as it swung into 137th street and Broadway station of tbe subway. His body was literally ground to pieces. The Chinatown mystery was the death of a white woman, Lottie Lane, whose husband, a Chinaman, died a short time ago. Lottie Lane nad three callers Tuesday night of last week, a Chinaman and a white man and a white woman. During the night these callers summoned a physician and notified the police that tnesr hostess had fainted. The phy sician found her dead. The, police put the three callers under/arrest. William Hallinger, who said he came down from Yonkers and after dispos ing of his load of produce started out to enjoy himself, was dragged from the East river with a fractured skull. Mabel Weber, a 20 year old girl was found lying bound, gagged and sense less in the hallway of her house In West Forty-Fifth street where she resided with two girl compan ions. Attempted Suicide. Dr. J. B. Matthews, in jail at Greensboro, N. C.,. for wife murder, came near ending bis life b v cutting his wrist with a spoon handle one day last week. The physicians reached him in time to stop tbe flow of blood and he is now out of daDger. A guard has been placed in tbe cell with him. A prisoner in an adjoining cell no ticed him lying on his cot with his bandaged wrist banging down. Ask log wnat was the matter, Matthews responded that he was cold and bad bandaged his pulse to make him warm. Suspecting something wrong, tbe j iilor was notified and ou investi gation found the prisoner with a tin spoon handle, but he had failed to sever the artery. He had tied a handkerchief over it and was holding his hand down with the edge of the blanket conceling it while his blood iljwedln a bucket. Matthews swal lowed a quid of tobacco, several match heads and charred stumps of ciga rettes he had been allowed to smoke during the day. The physician gave him a powerful emltlc and saved his life. Burned tu Death. The little community around Kvles Fort, Tenn., has been the scene of two shocking accidents in 24 hours. The first occurring Monday afternoon, was the accidental killing of Miss Rosa Collins, a well known young lady of the neighborhood, by the discharge of a shotgun in the hands of Cephas Roberts, while he was examining tbe gun in the home of Miss Collin's father. The second was the burning to death of Miss Annie Gibson and her mother. Toe daughter's clothing caught fire and the mother running to her rescue was enveloped in the flames. $1.00 PEE ANNUM. NO MORE LEAKS Extraordinary Precautions Taken in Preparing the Cotton Report STATESMEN SHUT IN. Convincing Demonstration 01 tbe Fast ness of thu Estimate Room Given Two Southern Representatives Who Wanted to See How the Work Was Done. A letter from Washington says Sec retary Wilson Is taking extraordinary precautions against leaks in the cotton report. He has had enough of scandal in that connection, and Is determined that hereafter no leaks shall occurs if it takes j? corps of watermen to pre vent it. In making ready for the De cember report he placed the individual reports from the various agents throughout the country in an iron box, and then placed over the box, one of the most trusted employees ia the department, armed with a large revolver. The faithful guardian of the papers remained on duty all night, and unt?l he was relieved on Monday morning by the Secretary. Tne Secretary himself took the re ports from the box and delivered them to four men appointed to tabulate and make the required estimates. The men and the pieolous papers were hurried to a room assigned for them, and the doors of the room were securely lock ed, and guarded on the outside by two men, who were ordered to permit no one to enter or leave the room until the work of the board wai completed. Before tbe board entered the room the telephone connection was severed so that no possible communication could be had with the outside world. It took five hours to make the requir- > ed calculations, and the board was kept in close confinement all that time. A good story is being circulated on Representative Burleson,. of Texas, and Representative Bowie, of Ala bama, in connection with this last cotton report. On Monday they visited Secretary Wilson, being much Inter ested in the cotton matter. The Sec retary politely invited them to remain and witness the method ol tabulation, and the precautions used to prevent a leak. Tne two Representatives gladly accepted the invitation and were taken to the tabulation room. After witnessing the work for some time, and being deeply Impressed with the way in which It was done, they thought it was time for them to go to the capitol to take their seats at tue opening of the session. They thanked the Secretary for what he had done, donned their over coats and prepared to leave, when they were told that no one could leave until the work was completed. Tney plead and argued, but it was all In vain, so their places in the house re mained vacant for three more weary hours. They were not permitted even to send a note explaining their situa tion and could not telephone as the instrument bad been disconnected. So it was that two distinguished Con gressmen 'from the South were not present at the lottery for seats, but they were willing to swear there was no leak inthe Decemher cotton re port. Representative Lewis, of Georgia, has introduced a resolution looking to tbe adoption of some new method for collecting and tabulating cotton stat istics. Tne resolution provides for the appointment of a committee consist ing of seven members to take tbe whole subject into consideration and evolve a system that will make the reports as reliable as possib'e. Pjatoffica Kobbdd. The Columbia Rjcord says the post offlse and the store of R. L. Bell & Co. of Westvillo, Karaoaw county, was robbed Wednesday night, suppos edly by two white tramps who had been seen in the neighborhood yester day. The two Ctrl :ss and store were in one building, Tae extent of tbe loss was not learned, buli some goods and twenty-five coppers, postofflce money, were missing. Westvills is on the Southern railroad sixteen miles from Camdsn. Mr. Bell has offered a reward and there Is also one of 850 by the government. Muut Produce Papers. The State Supreme Court Is deter mined to find out wbat is contained in those alleged private letters and other papers which Chief Beer Dis penser James S. Farnum, of Charles ton, on the advise of counsel had re moved from his dispensary, No. 12 tn Charleston beyond the reaco. of the dispensary Investigating commission toacoher S^ate and to this end Thursday passed an order requiring him to place them before the court. tfiow Collection. A London mcney lender pressed his claim for money loaned in a oitv court and the Judge, after an exhaus tive Inquiry into the merits of the case, directed the defendant to pay the debt at the rate of one penny per month, the entire amount to be paid by the end of the 209 rh vear. Went Democratic. The Democrats of Portland, Me., for the first time in twelve years, elected their mayor. Nathan Clifford, received 4,641, as against 4.429 for the Republican candidate. Killed Him soil'. At New York Allen Kllnedinst committed suicide early Suadi7 night by drinking cirbolic acli. Ha die! three hours afterward! ia taa pres ence of riis. youag wife and child.