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; THE FORTiMILL TIME^^ VOL. XVII. FORT MILL, S. CM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1908. NO. 38. - SOUTH CAROL# News of Interest Gleaned Fro Arranged For - JJOENSE MAY BE REVOKED. Southern Life Insurance Company Mixed up With the Seminole to its Hurt. On account of being dissatisfied with the statement made by C. J. Cooper, general manager of the Southern Life Insurance Company, to Commissioner McMaster, the latter has ordered the o cinls of that company to show cause on January 18, 3909, why its license to do a life insurance business in South Carolina should not he revoked. The commissioner in his letter to Mr. Cooper reviews his statements as published last week which .statement goes into the history of the deal betwoen ttip Remitirln Sfninritiuo onm pany and the life insurance concern when the former bought the stock of the company. This statement, it will be recalled, shows that the par value pt the stock was $50 per share and 2,300 of these :?hnrcs were sold at an average price of $108,33 1-3 and that other shares at not less than 150 per teg??,-ahare. Mr. McMnsters declares that he considers the company's affairs so Mhopelesaly tangled with the affairs of tbe Seminole compnny that he has decided on this step. ?The Southern Life company was licensed to do n life insurance business in tliin State several months ago and at that time complied with all of the conditions required. The law governing the conduct of life insurance companies under tho supervision of the commissioner requires that 20 days' notice he given when a revocation of a license is contemplated. Commissioner MoMnstor, in addressing the said Cooper says: "A careful consideration of the statements eontaincd therein (Coopers report) seems to me to show that on July 15. 1903, the Southern Life Insuranc company, through voursclf as general mnnnger. entered into an agreement with Mr. C. J. Ilebert to sell the capital stock of the compnny pr* v to the amount of the difference between $500,000, tlie authorized oapt>al and $105,000 already placed nt a price far in excess of the market and Actual known value of the stock to J*' fyouraelf and the other officers and J directors of the companv. * The excessive commissions agreed fo be allowed Mr. Robert, the pen. era! tenor of the contract of July i y 15. and of the letters and telegrams twhich passed between the company and Mr. Hebert convince me that this stock could not have been sold at tie prices agreed npon between the"company and Mr. llchort if a true and bonset representation of the oondition of the company were made to the public?the prospective fellowstockholders of the present officers and directors of the companv. Wit seems to me that the facts shown in this agreement with Mr. Hebert, to which all of the officers and directors of the company were, or should have been, cogniznnt. prcr, . suppose and are based upon intentional deception of the public as to the actual vnluo of the stock. (IT n-J a.i ?t.:i - ' - ? X uuu lUttb WUIIC IU(' COniTRCT OT July 35, between the Southern Lifo and Mr. Hebert, was r.n exclusive I contract (and one very profitable to both Mr. % Hebert and the company), yet it is surpassed and supplanted, in a measure, bv the contract mnde 1 on September 23 with the Seminole Securities company, whereby the. unsold portion of the capital stock of the Southern Life Insurance company par value .$50 per share, was to bo sold by the Seminole Securities comi pany so as to yield the Southern I Life not less than $150 a share, and k herein the interest of the Southern H Life, the Seminole Securities comA pany and C. J. Hebert became so Pi inextricably mixed nr to make each 9 practically a share in tho methods as H| well at in the profits to bo gained from the public. re The Commissioner sets forth at sjjp- lenffth that which forces him to suspect that the officers of the Southern |sj| Life Insurance Co. were pruilty of participation in a scheme to impose ? upon those who would become stockgM holders. ggjg* Ho closes with the following paraItBk graph?: this he true, T am of the H9Hoppir>|r>n that so long as the company M HHns in tlie conerol of it* present 'and directors it is not"Unsafe ^B| *?& reliable concern. Bj?|| ^?ThT?, therefore, is to summon you m^to *Sow cause before me at mv ofSoP^ce in ?ohrfnbia, on January lfl, 1009, at nooij, why your license to do husincss in South Carolina should not bo revoked on the ground that the ^outhjP&B ern Life Insurance company ia not BBm a safe and reliable concern, for the fl^B reasons above stated. This is done ip accordance with the act creating BH ? BU South Carolina Items. ___ |H The colored Masons of South CaroUna are holding a meeting in LauW reus. ^B John 0. Brown has leased the HL Chester Hotel, at Chester, and has H^^akcn active charge. h i "Will Blackwall, colored, while a QH^Brisoner in the county jail at Aiken, H ^tempted to bum the jail and make, HH) escapo. NAINEWS ITEMS m All Sections of the State and Busy Readers the insurance department of South Carolina, approved February 24, 1903. "Very truly, "F. H. MeMASTER, "Insurance Commissioner." RECEIVERSHIP PRAYED. Tho Seminole Company in a Great Tangle?Seems Ono of Three Combined Schemes to Defraud. The Columbin State of the 17th says: "There has been so much talk (about the Seminole Securities company that a number of people have expressed an interest to see the charter of that company. In that connection there are two other companies [promoted by Mr. Jno. Y. Garlington. j The first of these, in point of timo, i was the Carolina Agency company. , The second was tlie Seminole Securi. i ties company and the last is the blue Ridge Investment company. Mr. Gari: A i-- i i oi i * * " - : inigiun una uoen maie ngeni l?r iUO I State Mutual Life of Rome, (la., and i had made a remarkable record as a sclera of insurance. The Carolina I Agency company was organized to handle his renewals of premiums. The original officers of the three companies named were: J. Y. Gar(linglon, president;; J. S. Young, sccj reary. Mr. Young is from Laurens (and is a first rousiu of Mr. Garling! ton. However, there has been a wholesale change in the list of officers of the Carolina Agency company." ' The first of these was chartered March 25. 1907; second. Jnn. 7. 1903, and the third Nov. (i, ]S0S. The objects had many feature-, similar. J. Y. Garlingfon was the chief figure in the three companies. The general purpose of the Semi! nolo corporation and the nature of business it proposed to do was: "To act as agent and manager for financial corporations and insurance companies of all kinds, and to buy, sell and own stocks and bonds and other securitiees of other corporations, both domestic ami foreign. Motions with reference to the Kemjinole Securities company have been made in the courts and there was official action with reference to the Southern Life Insurance company, which is now a subsidary corporation of the Securities company. i The complaint is a caustic arraignment, and if the charges ran he substantiated will reveal a sad state of .affairs. However, most of the allegations are based upon "information and belief" and may not he credited for the full face value of the aecuSa- < i tions until the refense gets its turn before Judge Watts, before whom one 1 of the complaints was made. It seems that the names of unsuspecting good men were secured to mno lunw iu iuc cmerorisp ana soliciting agents used these names for nil they were worth. After describing the offices and duties o fthe several defendnnts, the jromplnint says: "Plaintiffs now bcI lieve, nnd on information and belief 'allege, that the real purpose of the 1 appointment of said trustees was to lend tone, standing nnd credit to the scheme of the managing officers of the said defendant company, and influence the unsuspecting public to become subscribers to its capital stock." It is further alleged that the charter itself was obtained fraudulently, I "upon false and fraudulent certificates" of tho corporators "procured" bv the said J. Y. Gnrlington, nnd that if 50 per cent of the stock was . subscribed, as is required to get a charter, it was done fictitiously, nnd 20 per cent had not been paid in un(less it had been paid in bv the pre, tensive services of the said Garlington. j The plaintiffs allege that such roseate prospects were held out that stocks in the company were ?old above par nnd premiums for insurance were paid in advance of policies which wcro not issued according to promise. Notes were accepted and those notcR dicountcd at the banks nt as much as 40 per otn. i The company is alleged to he insolvent and the records removed from I the State of South Carolina. The i plaintiffs pray the court to enjoin ! certain banks from paying out sums jto the credit of the company. | Oarlington. the chief figure, claims I readiness to fight out the mntter in the courts. Aetna Mills to Resume January 1st. | Union, Special. ? Aetna Cotton Mills, of this city, which were sold at 1 a special meeting of creditors to a [syndicate headed hy Lewis W. Parker and Ellison A. Smith, prominent I mill men. will resume full operations January 1st, though the names of the president and manager have not yet been announced. The mill employs [over two hundred operatives. Seminole Stock in Lexington. Lexington, Special.?It has developed during the last few days that there are several gentlemen in Lexington who. own stock in the Seminole Securities company, which is now being aired by an investigating committeo. The city counc*l of Columbia has reduced the members of the board of | health from fifteen to five members. I J I CARNIVAL OF CRIME Fivo Attempts at Killing in Sp&rtai burg County in Tyro Days?Tw Successful Attempts. Spartanburg, Special.?Since Sal urdny night Spartanburg county ha been the scene of two killing an three attempts at murder. Doth th men killed were negroes, one beiu Will Cox, an Atlanta negro, who wa shot to death last week by an ur known negro at a railroad camo o the line of the Carolina, Clinchflel & Ohio railroad, near the North Care lina line, while the other was Jess Leake, who was' killed late Saturda; night by Dump Dorroh as they wer returning from a negro frolic ilea Swi titer. Dorroh is in jail. The murderous assault on Mrs. Sal lie Green, the aged woman residin; near Campobello, will probably resul in her death, George Mint* was _ai rested in Greenville county cn th charge of committing this crime b, Special Constable Moss Haynes, am is now in jail here. *It is said he ha made a partial confession. Two other attempted killings or currod on the line of the C. C. & C near the city. The first was a diffi culty at tho Leonard & Beckma camp, near Cowpcns, when Foremai Charles Carter was perhaps fatall cut by a white man whose name i not known here. The second difficulty was Saturda; night between negroes of the Ros camp at the edge of tlie city. Ed Johnson had his throatt cut by : "new negro" who has disappeared Johnson will get well. Greenville, Cherokee and Lauren counties all report killings last week Fanner'o Union. Chest ?r. Special.?The Clieste County Farmer's Union met here, th principal purpose cf tho meeting he ing to elect officers for tho comni) year. The meeting was fairly, wel attended. The election of officers re suited as fcllov^^^LG. L. WJiitj J. H. dent; C. C. Me AM M keeper; H. T. J A. IIopo chaplain; declined reelection a#J *1- t S- ? .icna'HCI. -<n- - - - -^ Vldien declined rot-let tion as bt^,)r?S ugcW but will < 'UitinfW' to Sortorui lul duties cf the ofRce Viftil the fi|Bl meeting in Jamint|^Kt which tim? the place will be fi.ted. j At tho.j^siiUfiJ'tn the second day in January fi H ^Wliiuns of tfi United States department ot-fifccifvu; turo will be present and will m.ucl nn address, as will 11, Harris, president of the South Carolina State Farmers' TTnion. It is planned ft have a biir rally at this time, the general public being invited. The Union passed a resolution endorsing the publie cotton weighers ol the county and expressing the hope that the sy?-tcm will be continued. State News Items. Laurens, Special.?A jail delivery in which five white men secured thoil liberty for nbout two hours, occurred here this morning at about ft o'clock, The escape was effected by burning the wooden door around the bolts which held the locks, a poker being used for the purpose. Four of the prisoners were captured in loss than two hours, among them being W-./A. Foreman, who is in jail for boating n ricie 011 the train and is being held for deserting the United States nrmv. The only one not yet captured is Albert Riley, the younjf man from Greenwood, who was arrested for stealing a suit case and some clothes from the Owiugg boarding house. It is reported that Y. C. Duncan has organized a company and h?? bought the Aetna Cotton Mills. lie has been living in Tennessee since his noted connection with the Buffalo and Union cotton mills. k It is estimated that about $000 000 a year has been lost to the Stato by the Texas fever tiek among cattlo. A vigorous educational and quarantine campaign is being carried cn by co-operative State and Federal veterinarians. Instructive and persuasive efforts when unavailable, will be followed by the strong band of the 'aw to effect the eradication of the pest. / Lexington county enjoys a rare record of longevity. "Aunt" Matilda Wise died on the third insfartt \t the age of 117 years. She was ofte of the good old timers and was much beloved for her good characteristics. It is announced authoritatively that the two large cotton mills at Fort Mill will resume work regularly January 4. These mills have been <hut down since the first of Ancusf Moht of the help has moved away o as to obtain employment, and it is doubtful whether there will be sufficient help to run all of the machinery. A correspondent of The State finds Whitmire, Summerville and Honea Path and their adjacent territories on the returning wave of prosperity, Hard times are no longer eomplaiwd of. The surprising statement is rapde that the Chieola cotton mill has run all through the panic and has wutle better profits than ever before. It is almost an assurtd fast that the Southern will build a new w very much enlarged depot at 8tj tanburg. i / KNOX SEC. Of STATE o Pennsylvania Senator Accepts highest Piece in Cabinet a MR. ITAFT IS MUCH GRATIFIED e ? S After Receiving ? Telegram From 8 Philander 0. Knox, Signifying HLb Willingness to Accept, Mr. Taft 'J Announces His Appointment as " Secretary cf Sta'o. c y Augusta. Ga., Special.?"William II. ^ Taft, President-elect of the United r States Friday night announced the I- appointment cf United States SenaS tor Phjlnndor C. Knox, of Pennsyl* vnnia, as Secretary of State in his e Cabinet. y The announcement followed the reil ceipt by Mr. Taft of a tclograiu, 3 which cam; late in the afternoon. conveying the information from Mr. I Knox that be would accept the prei miership of the Taft Cabinet. Mr. n Tnft without delay made the ann nounccmcut that the matter was sets tied. In giving the details.of the negotiations he said that the offer was y made to "Sir. Knox last Sunday moni3 ing in New York. That since the ^ offer he had not heard from Mr. I Knox urtil the klegrnm he received Friday. After a consultation with s Secretary Root in Washington last :. Sunday afternoon, Mr. Toft Haiti he made an effort to see the Pennsylvania Senator there hut was informed he was in New York to attend the r dinner of the Pennsylvania society. p Ho wioal Mr. Knox to see him at the Hem W. Taft. residence Sunday morning. The appointment was kept ' Mr. K:rpx concluding bis visit in time - Tci Judge Taft to attend morning ' church sorviccs, bp4-rrihatning. at the * Taft ! uptjl after Judge Taft '"ychnwh. < foci tl^Bt I am to be eongratulatin "<*CnHog the services of Senl^fitor lvr<^>f in my Cabinet," Judge 1 Tatf soilP in "making the stntemetit with the u?iderslnn?ling that he was to J bo 4)UOt4L>d. "In selecting a Secretory i Of bitatc I wanted tiist n irmit to,,-. 1 | yrr, and, second, a man who would fill the public eye. not onlv here but 1 abroad, as man wIk> stands out prens a great American. ,yrMr.?Knox was n groat. Attorney "-.funeral; bo was a prominent candidate for the presidency, and be is recognized in the Senate and else! whore as ono of the great lawyers of ? that body." Judg Taft also feels that from a political viewpoint the Selection of J Mr. Kr.ox is most happy, lie explained that there was often a fcol1 ing thnt the State of Pennsylvania, with its nssurred Republican majorities, often was slightly in the matter of recognition in the high eounr sels of tho party. That this will not be the case in the next administration was indicated by the announcement by Mr. Taft that lie should invite Senator Knox to come to AuguRtn, Oa., that he might consult him freely with reference to filling other places in his Cnbinent. In fact, he said that he felt the need of such ndvice a she should be able to obtain from Mr. Knox regarding not only tho Cabinet. but many matters preliminary to the beginning of his administration. That Mr. Knox's influence will be potent was freely admitted by Mr. Taft. The hesitation of Senator Knox to make a more speedy decision is interpreted here to his desire to arrange with due regard for the interests of the party and his State for relinquishing his seat in the Senate. Mr. Taft evinced many evidences of gratification at the decision which has been reached. Hoot Will Not Resign, Washington, Special?Reports that Sooretarv Rent ? _ . ^ ing hit tent in the Cabinet in tho ira' mediate future because of the trouble which ho it experiencing from his knee which" was injured while he was i in the West making a speech in behalf of Mr. Taft, ore denied in responsible quarters. Harriman Caeo Decided. Washington, Special.?In deciding the oases of Edward II. Harriman end Otto H. Kahn vs. the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Supreme Court of the United States held that the commission is W>t entitled under thte interestnte commerce law to press questions relative to private transactions, even though they involve deal >ups i% ute securities or interstate railrcnos, when the investigation of which Aueh questions are a part has been begun on the commission's initiative^ i V- ?7 i Five Millions For Canal. 1 Washington, Special.?A request for an urgent deficiency appropriation of $3,559,000 to carry on the , work on the Ist^ian canaLat the t. present raja during the ballfiico of iir fis- \efir and for new projects I was received hf the House Friday I from fho Secretary of War. a Last | year a iefldency appropriatidlk of fill.coo,OOG9?do. II; & -w THE WORK OF CONGRESS Synopvis of the fcroceedinsa of the ' National Hcuce and Senate. Saturday's Session. The House of Representatives SatI urdny wan in its olil-tiire form. No particular programme had been mapped out, but under a call of committees several measures in whioK ttio members were especially interested, and in some eases vitally concerned, i were considered. With few exceptions they engendered the liveliest sort of debate, and it was disclosed that the forces for or against them were fully lined up for the fray. Parliamentary tncties were freely resorted to, with the result that five times the roll was called. The first tangle occurred on a resolution fixing the boundary line between the States of Colorado, Oklahoma and New Mexico, which was agreed to bv a majority but not without two roll calls. The House then by a decisive vote refused to further consider the bill providing for arbitrary settlement of disputes between employers and employes. Nc-\l turning attention to the bill providing for the protection of aliens in the I'nited States the subject was threshed out at length. Tiic measure had rough sailing and it was passed by a slim majority after the roll had been called twice. The Brownsville Affair. The Brownsville affair consumed nearly the entire session of the Senate Monday. Senator Foraker obtained the floor eailv in the day and rend letters firm a former soldier of. the Twenty-fifth Regiment telling of the pioocduie of government detectives ir attempts to get confessions from hi i Mr. Foraker introduced an Amendment to his original bill for the re-enlistment of these soldiers ' providing that a commission of three retired rimy officers be created to dote: mine whether discharged soldiers are innocent of complicity in the shooting up of Brownsville as a prerequisite for llieir re-enlistment in Mi'isu w leaving mat nuiy with the President as provided by the Warner bill. Following closely upon these remarks the President's message giving the results of the War Department's investigation of the Brownsville affair was read and Mr. Foraker agnin took the floor to comment upon the message. Senator Carter announced that he would sneak upon the postal savings hank bill and would ask that it he made the unfinished business of the Senate. In the House. Whi,' ta^sidcring hills dealing with affairs riet the IToi\f^^^^^^b^yncasur? providfor ^^^^^^^^^^B^^nshington. bi 11 e ores the voted <nV|HH|^HpPKentntive Henry, of Tm^^^BpWrain a change >n the refercnc^Ton bill prohibiting the marketing or future contracts on agricultural products brought forth the promise from Chairman Scott, of the agricultural committee, thnt his committee would soon grant hearings to farmers' unions and others on this subject. The House voted to adjourn Saturday, December 10th, to Monday. 'January 4th, and adjourned for the day at 5 p. m. A Special Mccsace. On Tuesday Congress received a special message from the President hearing upon the Panama Canal matter. The message was directed i against the New York Wot Id and was very bitter, demanding that the editor of The World be put in prison and otherwise punished. Repeated peals of laughter greeted the reading In the Senate of the opening paragraph of the President's message on the Panama canal charges. As the secretary read the statement that the charges were "false in every particular," Senator Bailey laughed outright aa ho waa passing along the rear cf the ohamber to his seat. Other Senators on both aides of the chamber joined with him, and when the reader reached the statement thnt n statement in a newspaper which he mentioned would not be believed, there was general merriment from both sides of the chamber. There was only n small number of Senators present when the reading was begun and it was hurried through, the papers aecompanving the message not being rend at nil. m.. XT T.l l.J 1UU XX U UlU IJllt'X CSIC'X. The message elicited the greatest interest in the House of Representatives. The members pave elose attention during the reading of the document and there was a ripple of laughter over the President's characterization of Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of The New York World. The message with its accompanying papers was referred to committee. Accompanying tire President's message was a large bundle of documents bearing upon the transfer of the canal property to the United States. Many of these documents were in French, without English translation. There was nothing which showed diriectly the persons who received the $40,000,000 paid by the United States, but there wa aincluded a list of about 7,000 stockholders in the old and new Panama canal companies, all of them citizens of France and of the Colombian republic. There was not the name of a citizen of tko United States in the entire list. ggg w - x ; -MM WE MflKE A PROFIT h. Favorable Characteristic of th3 Foreign Trade cf the United States I for 1C03?Decline in Value of Ireports is General and Acounis fcr \ Decrease in Total Value Prices of Foodstuffs Remain Stationery? I Gains in Prices cf Ccrn, Wheat and Bacon Exported. * ^ Washington, SpeeiuL ? ^Tailing prices for imports rising prices? for jxports, are declared by the annual eport of the Chief of the.Bureau of Statistics of the Department cf Comnerce and Labor, to be n characterise- ic of the foreign trade of the United States in the iical year IPOS. This s especially true, he sayfc, as to the f manufacturers' material .imported ind foodstuffs exported. In manufacturers' materials, whether raw or f partly manufactured, the average 1 trices for tho year are, says the re- ( ">ort. materially lower than those for ? ho preceding year, and were also- ( uncli lower at the end of the fiscal /ear than at the beginning of the ' rear. The average price per ton of l temp in June, 1!M)8, was but $141.02, 1 igainst $174.78 in June, 1007; of ma- j tila, $137.74, against $202.01 in* June, 1007; cf sisal grass. $100.20, against *2.57 iu June, 1007; of goatskins, ' >cr pound. 24.5 cents in the closing ? nonth of 1008, against 31 cents in < lie corresponding month of the pre wuiug year; 01 Hides of cattle, 10.9 cents in June, 1909, against 15.4 ents in June, 1907; of India rubber, i >G rents per pound in June, 1908. < igainst f>7.1 rents in June of the preceding year; of raw silk. $9.29 per j ">onnd in June, 1908, against $1.09 in j Tune, 1907; of |?ijr iron, 27 cents per ( round in June, 1908. against 99.1 , ents per pound in June. 1907; and if clothing, wool. 17 cents per pound n June. 190S, against 25.7 cents in ( June. 19')7, while ?>th<?r classes of A'ocl also show a similar reduction in iriee during the year. ( The decline in the total value of mporfs, which occurs in nearly all if the principal articles forming the :rcat groups, foodstuffs, mnnufaetur- , us' materials and manufactures, is | lue in a considerable degree to this j 'ailing off in prices, though in many .ascs there is an actual decline in pinntitv. This is particular true in nuufaettirers' raw muterials, which 1 J 'how a marked decline in prices per J uiit c.f quantity, the decline in value j being thus much greater than that ' n quantity. In tlhers, for example, ihe fall in value is from 42 million ^ icllars in 1907 to 35 millions in 1909, ( i decrease i f 1(1 per cent., while in : pinntitv the fall is from 912,999 tons 'o 909,848 tons, a decline of but 3 j ( >er cent. In Indian rubber the fall in value if imports is from 59 uiilIon j lollars in 1907 to 90 1-2 millions in 1909, a decline of 99 per cent.; hut he fall in quantity is only fronr 77 million pounds to (52 million pounds, l decline of but 20 per cent. In hides mil skins I be fall in value of imports 1b f re in 89 millii n dollars to 55 inil':ons, a decline of 94 per cent., while , n gnautitv the 1V11 is from 971 millien pounds to 2Q3 million pounds, a decline cf but 24 per rent. ' In pier ( *cpp:r the value of imports fell from ( 59 millcns dollars to 24 millions, n , lei lino of 40 per cent., and the qunq^ Mty froai 198 million pounds to 345 rnilliin pounds, a decline of 27 per out. In pig tin the value of-tho importations fell from 98 million dolnrs to 25 millions, a decline of 20 per cent., while the nnmititv e?n 1 . . . t1"" , | rrcm OG milhcn pounds to 7.7 million I pounds, a decline of 20 per cent. In ; I raw wool, the value of the import a- , I rions fell from 41 1-2 million-- dollars Jin 1007, to 231-2 millions in 1008, a ( | decline of 44 per cent., while the , | quantity fell from 204 million pounds , | to 120 mil lien pounds, a decline of ( 18 per cent. Thus in practically all J the principal articles used in mpnu- : facturing the falling off in the value of imports as compared with those of last year is due in a greater or J less degree to a reduction in prices , per unit of quantity, though in most of these articles there is an actual reduction in quantities, much less, however than would ho indicated by a mere consideration of figures of value or.lv, Feed stuffs do not shore, ra o rule, in the decline in values, either as to imports or exports, which is ehnrr.cJ teristic of manufacturers' materials. ' The average import price of coffee i in 1908 was 7.(1 cents per pound, i against 7.9 cents in the preceding year; or raw sugar net anove .No. 30 J Dutch standard in color, 2.33 cents per pound, against 2.11 cents in the J preceding year; and of tea, 17.3 cents . , J per pound, against 10.11 cents per j pound in 1907; while in manufactur- , J ors' materials fibers show an average J price in 1908 of ?117 per ton, against J $135 per ton in 1907; hides and skins. | 19.3 cents per pound, against 22.5 | J cents per pound in 1907; India rul)| her. 58.8 rents ner ' i - 70.0 cents per pound in the preceding , year; vnw 8ilic, $1.13 per pound. J against .$4.20 jn 1007; clothing wool. 22.5 con's p?r pound, against 20 cents per pound in 1007; combing wocP27 cents per pound, against 00 cents per pound in 1007; and carpet wocl, an average price of 14.5 cents per pound in 1903, against 15 cents per pound in 1907; all of the above being import prices. On the export side, com shows an average cxpoit price of 04.7 cents per bushel, cgainst 53 cents in 1907; wheat, 99.3 cents per bushel, against 79 cents in 1907; bacon, 10.5 cents per pound, against 10.0 cents per pound in 1907; and lard, 9.1 cents per pound in 1903, ngainst 9.2 cents per pound ig the preceding year. THE TOBACCO TRUST Declared to Be a Combination in Restraint of Trade AND IT SHOULD BE OUTLAWED United States Circuit Court of New York Hands Down a Decision "Which Declares the American Tobacco Company an Illegal Combination in Restraint of Trade. New Yoik. Special.? The decree of he United States Circuit Court in the government's suit against tlie Ameri'nn Tobacco Company and others, vhich \vn* filed, declares the Amcri nn Tobacco Company, the American muff Company, the -H. ,T. Reynolds fompauy, Pierre Lorillard and tho 31aek>vells Durham Company a monopoly and engaged in an illegal combination The decree restrains these lohtijig companies from engaging in foreign and interstate commerce un:il competition between them is restored. The decree denies the re -vivvrsiiip jisKi-d ny ino government. An appeal which has boon taken to ;hc Fnited States Supreme Court will ict as a temporary stay to the de;ree. Nine companies with their subsidiaries, are named as constituting an J legal combination in the final decree tiled in the United States Circuit Court, putting into ofi'eet the judgment recently obtained by the government iu its suit to dissolve ho so-called tobacco trust. The rompanies named are the American Tobacco Company, the American Snuff Company, the American Cigar (Timpony. the American Stogie Company, MneAndrcws and Forbes Company, P. Lorillaid & Co.. It. ?. Reynolds Tobacco Company, lilaekwells Durham Tobacco Company, and the Conlev Foil Company. Each of the first five of these companies, the court declares, is in itself a combination in violation of law. The order enjoins these companies from continuing as parlies i ntlie combination and restrains them from engaging in interstate or foreign trade until "reasonable competition" between them is icstored. Nor may tho com panics named for their subsidiaries acquire by conveyance or otherwise the plant or business of any ither different corporation wherein liny one of them now holds stock, or pxcreisc any control whatsoever over its corporate acts. Both Sides to AppcaV Doth the government and the defendant companies will r.t once take appeals from the decree. Such action an the companies' part will make effective one highly important clause?? that which provides for a suspension if the injunction during the pendency af such appeal. As the matter stands therefore, the companies may continue business as heretofore and until an affirmation of tho judgment is obtained in the Supreme Court. Twenty days is allowed for an appeal ift be filed. The government will appeal on what it considers errors and nmmissinna ill llin (lddrnn nri.l ilin U" fendnnts will appeal from the general decision of the court. , .It is understood that one ground of the government's appeal will he the failure of the court to declare that the American Tobaco Comptuiy, the Amfricnn Snuff Company, the American Pigar Company, the American Stogio Company, Mac Andrews and Forbes Company, and the Conley Foil Company have each attempted- and are attempting to force a monopoly. Another ground for the government's appeal wTll be the denial, of its demand for a receivership for the <js* fend a rit corporations, Dutch Capture Second Ship. Willcmatnd, liy Cable.?Tho Dutch battleship Jacob Von Ileemskerk nr? rived Tuesday morning towing a* n prizo the Ycttojv.mlm coastguard veficl "2.1 do Mayo." The (lag of % The Netherlands had been hoisted to the peak of tho Yonemelnn ahep. and pstcm rf the Dutch flag floated the Venezuelan colors. Florida Man Shot to Death. Jacksonville. Fin., Special.?A telegram received here by Dr. M. II. ITorlong. a p: eminent phvsioian, stated that V. A. Ileilong. his brother and foreman rf the Modeller Dumber Company's nrlls at Woodstock, bad hern shot to death bv a negro employe nr.d that a po-so had been formed and were in hoi pursuit of tho negro, who had escaped to n nearby swamp. Wcodstick is a small sot11 *mrnt ia Ticker rountv and narrV oil 1/Tiij- ,|oinru 11: t v.n'.ic rifii nv lire mi!] in pursuit rf Ik' black man. jno part if.'l.i is cf.lhe murder could' be learned. Woman Assaulted in Home. Spencer. N. C., Special.?Criminally assaulted in her own home Tuesday afternoon at Mora' siding, nwr Whitney, Stanley county, Mrs. .Jame* H. tyeas. a hiylih respecter} Ta/ly ot that place, is in a precarious eondiijon. on account of an attack made'upon her by Henry Young, colored, 'a&fr'd about 25 years, who was Into Tuesday afternoon landed in jail nt Albemarle charged with the crime. M ).