The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, October 10, 1907, Image 3
TWO BANKS LOOTED j
Four Masked Terrorize
Ale ama Tow j,
SHERIFF IS SHOT DEAD
One Bank Robbed of $575,525 and AnI
other Burned to the Ground in an t
Attempt to Blow Safe?One
Robber, a Negro, Captured.
Four masked bank robbers ? two
white men and two negroes ? looted
the First National Bank of Sedden,
Ala., Saturday night of $375,525, sho:
Sheriff John Williams dead as he attempted
to arrest them and escaped
by means of a hand car of the Southern
railway.
The bold robbery and the tragic
death of Sheriff Williams, who was
.universally admired, threw the town
into the greatest excitement and a
nosse was cuickly organized and be
gan a chase of the robbers in the
northerly direction that they took.
The robbery was discovered about
10 o'ciock by some one who was passing
the bank. Looking through the
darkened windows he discovered the
four men at work. He immediately
gave the alarm and notified Sheriff
JWilliams.
As the officer reached the bank the
robbers, who had evidently learned of
the alarm, attempted to leave when
they were met by Sheriff Williams,
who called on them to halt The robber,
hid in the darkness, opened fire
on him with a volley and he was instantly
killed.
Bystanders who had arrived at the scene
were terrorized by the men, who
ran through the street, carrying their
booty with them, and firing as they ran.
The men escaped to the yards of the
Southern railway, where they secured j i
the handcar. I;
They immediately threw their plun- I
der on^the car and ran it down a ;
heavy grade, making good their escape.
A negro who was shot in the Land
find captured in Leeds, Ala., by Con- i
stable George Lamar, confessed to i
being one of the party of four who
cobbed the bank at Sedden.
LEEDS BANK BURNED.
About 8 o'clock Sunday night Constables
Lamar and Smith were stand-.
tog in the drug store, when they heard
ft noise in the Leeds bank, wnicn adloins
the store. They went toward
the bank with their pistols drawn aftd
ready. Constable Smith went to the
bac^ door of the bank, which opens
out on the court house square. Suddenly
the back door opened and four
masked and armed men attempted to
pass him. He called for Lamar to
Join him, at the same time firing his
revolver.
Lamar turned the corner, and as he
did so the negro attempted to pass.
He fired, hitting him in the hand. The
negro stopped running and was captured.
Smith pursued the other three
men, and a running fight ensued. Smith
was shot in the abdomen and, though
.seriously wounded, he continued the
chase. However, the robbers succeeded
in making their escape.
About this time Sre broke out in
the bank, and an explosion occurred.
IThe fiames gained rapidly, and in a
short time the bank building and the
adjoining drug store were totally destroyed.
It is thought the fire was
caused by the robbers in an attempt
to blow up the safe.
The nesro caDtured refused to tell
who his companions were, but gave his
came as Tom Benjamin.
Constable Lamar said he was certain
that they were the same gang that robbed
the bank at Sedden and held up
.and robbed the county treasurer at
Pell City Sunday. A posse with bloodhounds
are scouring the country, and
if caught the culprits will probably be
lynched. At last accounts Constable
Smith was resting easily. ~
-NINETY-TWO BISHOPS PRESENT.
-Great Protestant Episcopal Church
Convention Opens at Richmond.
The forty-fifth triennial general convention
of the Protestant Episcopal
-church convention in the United States
convened at Richmond, Va., Wednesday.
Of the 102 members of the house
of bishops only ten were absent. A
large number of foreign high church
dignitaries were present, including the
Archbishop of the West Indies and
the bishops of London, St. Albans,
Montgomery, Niagara, Quebec and Ontario.
COTTON GINNING REPORT.
ralocs Turned Out Ud to SeDtember 25
Placed at 1,569,977.
The census bureau at Washington
issued a complete report Friday showing
the amount of cotton ginned from
the 1907 crop up to September 25 to
have been 1,559,997 bales. This report
compares with 2,057,255 bales last year
and 2,355,716 bales year before last,
counting round bales as half bales.
'- c--v. _ -r - -i.'. -
.-/-v " * ' t " v;-;-s > ..- * - > -
PUT UP TO CONGRESS, |
Waterways Commission, in Strong
Resolutions, Asks Congress to
Deepen Mississippi River.
After selecting Chicago for the meeting
place next year and calling upon j
congress to authorize work for a 14- [
chapnel from the gulf of Mexico to the j
great lakes, the second annual con- |
vention of the Lakes to the Gulf Waterways
Association adjourned sine
die in Memphis late Saturday. The
.1 nrA?A 4-S\-r> T?r- /I Q UnnGllpf Af.d
UeitJgcll~i> vvt'iC icuu^i\.a u. uuu>i?v. ? ,
smoker Saturday night.
This meeting in the interest o? the
waterways was probably the most important
ever held in the south. Speeches
were delivered by men who have
made a life study of the nation's rivers
and harbors, and in every instance,
a deep water channel from the gulf to i
the northern lakes was adopted.
The report of the resolutions committee
was received and adopted without
a dissenting vote. The resolu- j
tions are as follows:
"1. Resolved, That it is the sense of ;
this convention that the deepening of j
the waterways from the lakes to the
gulf is.a public necessity, and that it j
is a national duty to take definite and j
immediate action to deepen said water- j
ways to a depth of 14 feet from the j
lakes to the gulf of Mexico, through i
the route already selected by the army J
onorinoove irith ail nractical speed.
?
"2. Be it further resolved, That we |
respectfully ask that said work be con- |
structed according to the continuing
contract system.
"3. Be it further resolved, That the
Lakes to the Gulf Deep Waterways Association
hereby extends thanks to our
co-laborers in the great work of inland
waterways improvement, the Missouri
Valley Improvement Association,
the Interstate- Mississippi River Improvement
and Levee Association, the
Ohio Valley Improvement Association,
and all other kindred associations in
this great valley, for their valuable
assistance in the past, and assure
them of our sympathetic interests in
the object of their efforts in the
important work in which they are respectively
engaged, and of our most
cordial and energetic co-operation
bU^/i Viii.
"Be it further resolved, That we
hereby tender the unanimous and profound
thanks of this association to the
president for his masterly and forceful
address and for the great honor he has
conferred upon us by his presence here
as our most distinguished guest.
"5. Be it urther resolved, That we
hereby tender our cordial thanks to the
governors of seventeen sovereign
states, and to the other distinguished
statesmen and gentlemen who have
honored us by their presence, and
we also thank the patriotic and publicspirited
people of the great and growing
city of Memphis for their unvarying
courtesy and royal hospitality.
- "6. Be it further resolved, That the j
Hon. William K. Kavanaugh, president
of the Lakes to the Gulf Deep Waterways
Association, he and he is hereby
requested and empowered to appoint a
committee composed of fifty members
to present these resolutions to the
next congress of the United States and
also to use all honorable and proper
means as the representatives of and in
connection with this association to
induce congress to act favorably thereon
at its next session, and that the
said president of this association be
chairman of said committee.''
TO HOUSE STRIKEBREAKERS
Vessel is Being Fitted Up to Be Anchored
in Midstream.
A sailing vessel is being fitted up
at New Orleans to house striketreakers,
about 1,000 of whom are expected
from northern cities within a few
days. It is planned to anchor this
vessel near midstream for the safety
of those on board. The Southern Pacific
company already has nearly 100
strikebreakers at work.
JAIL THREAT WAS EFFECTIVE.
Prominent Chattanooga Man Forced
to Testify Before Grand Jury.
W. M. Laslev, president of the
Southern Clay company, and one of the
leading business men of Chattanooga,
was carried before Judge McReynolds,
in the criminal court Thursday, and
given the option of going to jail for
contempt or of going before the grand
jury and testifying in the investiga
tion of numerous charges of bribery
and graft made against prominent
business men and city officials. Lasley
took the latter course.
DEADLY EXPLOSION OF GAS.
Three Men Killed and Two Fatally
Hurt in Mine Accident.
In a gas explosion at the Xo. 7 mine
of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad
company one mile from Pratt
City, Ala., Friday morning at 6:30
o'clock, three men were killed and two
others fatally hurt.
imulh-murderer
Edwards
Confesses to Have
Killed Fourteen Men.
LIKE HARRY ORCHARD
Sensation Was Sprung at Murder Trial
in Chattanooga ? Unexpected
* Admission Startled
the Jury. >.
"I have shot and probably killed fourteen
men in my time and the list mayrun
up to twenty-five."
That remarkable statement was
made by D. D. Edwards, on trial at
Chattanooga, Tenn., for killing Tcm
Brooks last December.
Edwards made his confession while
under cross-examination.
He was asked by the attorney general
if he killed any one previous to
the killing of Brooks. Edwards admitted
that he had killed a man in
Kentucky. "Is that all?" asked the
attorney general.
"Well," said Edwards, "I have shot
and probably killed fourteen men in
my time."
He stated that most of this occurred
in Breathitt county, Kentucky, in
feuds and in a strike in Chicago several
years ago. He is a native oi
Breathitt county and recently aided
in running down and capturing in the
mountains of Breathitt the Lookout
mountain wife murderer, Ed Turner.
Edwards did not change expression
or give any indication of feeling when
he confessed, under cross-examination
io ms o:ooay record, DUt auer geiung
off the witness stand, added that the
list might run up to twenty-five, "if
everything was included."
This is his second trial, he having
been released without bail after his
first trial. Since then he has been in
another state, but, when notified of the
date of his case, came back to Chattanooga
immediately. He is considered
the most remarkable prisoner ever
tried in Hamilton county.
ROOSEVELT AT CAIRO.
Citizens of Illinois Town Listen to
Speech by Chief Executive.
President Roosevelt and party arrived
at Cairo, 111., Thursday morning
at 9 o'clock and were saluted by the
Danville battery and hundreds of
steamboats and other whistles. The
party was met by the reception committee
headed by Mayor Parson and
fifty carriages, all drawn by white
horses, conveyed them along the line
of march to St. Mary's park, where
the president spoke.
When the "fleet" again started for
Memphis, it was amid the booming
of cannon and other popular demonstrations.
CANT HOLD TWO JOBS.
Inspector General of Georgia Troops
Out of Brigadier General Race.
Colonel W. G. Obear, inspector general
of Georgia troops, who is to be
quartermaster of the national guard
of the state, has announced his retirement
from the race for brigadier
general under the new military larw.
The retirement was caused by the
announcement of Governor Smith that
he would not permit him to hold two
positions, one a salaried office and the
other a position purely of honor.
NEW VESSEL IS ADDED.
Savannah Line Now Has Ship of Greater
Carrying Capacity.
The new steamship City of Savannah,
the latest addition to the New
York and Savannah line, reached port
at New York Thursday to await the
start of her maiden voyage to Savannah.
The City of Savannah exceeds
all other ships of the line in carrying
capacity.
SHERIFF KILLED BY TRAMPS.
Officer Wounded'Two of Three Hoboes
and All Were Captured.
Sheriff Charles Oglesby was shot and
killed Saturday at the Pennsylvania
railroad depot in Winamae, Ind., by
three tramps whom he was endeavoring
to arrest. Two bullets entered the
officer's body. After dropping to the
ground he raised himself on his el
bow and emptied his revolver at the
men, fatally wounding one of them and
putting a bullet into the body of a
second one. All three men were
caught.
DAG0E8 APPEAL TO CONSUL.
Italian Laborers Allege Cruel Treatment
at Sumrall, Miss.
The Italian consul in New Orleans
announced Wednesday that he is Investigating
charges of cruelty to Italian
laborers at Sumrall, Miss.
For several days reports of impending
race riots, involving Italians principally,
have emanated from Sumrall.
[SMITH ATTACKS COMER. J
.
Governor of Alabama Given Hard Rap 1
by President of the Lcuisvilie
and Nashville Railway.
I
The railroad situation in Alabama I
promises to become a talkfest between I
the governor on one side and Presi- 1
dent Milton H. Smith of the Louis- j
villo and Nashville railroad, on the i
' - J! ? It V ? ^ !
I otner, says a cuspaiuu num *uuu L^umery.
The latest from Mr. Smith is
an answer to the letter of the governor
in which he announced that he i
would call an extra session of the leg- j
islature to make those roads not now !
i
operating under the new rates coma '.
in and do so; in which some rather ,
warm things are said of the executive !
of the state.
A personal shot is taken at Governor
Comer in the statement that the pos- !
session of cotton mills and immense .
plantations may constitute swollen for-;
tunes, which is held now to be very bad
and should not ta allowed.
Mr Smith finvprnnr Cnm^r
of intimidating the members of the
legislature to make them take part
against the railroads, and charges that
laws were "railroaded" through the :
legislature so rapidly that the rail-:
roads, whose interests were vitally af- j
fected, had no chance to be heard. The
governor is called upon by Mr. Smith
to show where a single interest has
suffered by the "domination" of the
Louisville and Nashville railroad," or
by its attempts to influence legislation
in the past. He also says that:
railroad interests, like those of the 1
farmers, have a right to be heard^in
all matters that effect their interests.j
"It does not seem to have occurred
to you," writes Mr. Smith, "in teach- J
ing the people to take from the own- j
ers of railways their property with- \
out regard to their property rights, i
that someone else may teach them to .
bring about a distribution of the prop- :
erty of other than railway corpora- j
tions; that they may in time fail to j
distinguish between capital invested !
in railways (which is the aggregate
capital of individuals) and the aggregation
of property by individuals.
Reference to the fortune of the governor
is made in the mention of a
"twenty-five thousand acre farm,' in '
connection with which he says: It
is true that the extent of a fortune
before it is swollen has not been clearly
defined, but there are many who .
may be taught to believe that a man
who owns and cultivates a farm of j
25,000 acres, owns cotton mills, valuable
real estate, etc., has more than his
share?his fortune may be swollen."
At about the same time this letter
was being given out, the governor was
saying, in an interview printed it
Montgomery and Birmingham, that he
had not changed his mind about an
extra session since March 21, when he
said it would be called if all the roads
were not working under the new Alabama
rates, pending their adjudication
by the courts.
RESENT CHARGES OF GRAFT.
Birmingham Mayor's Assertion Causes
Riot in City Council.
Tn what w?<3 nrnhahlv thp mnct rlrn.
matic scene ever witnessed at a council
meeting in Birmingham, Ala., Mayor
George B. Ward Wednesday nignt
presided over the sessions with the
assistance of the police department.
The president of the council, John L.
Parker, who was put in control during
the mayor's recent absence in Eu- j
rope, attempted to preside, but was
put down by the chief of police.
The meeting was full of turbulence
and the word "liar" was used so freely
that numerous arrests had to be made
because of the disorder. The sensation
was the culmination of the charges of
grafting, which were publicly made a
few days ago against two aldermen by
Mayor Ward.
The feeling against the mayor-was
very bitter and but for the police he
might have been put out of the council
chamber.
A SUNDAY MORNING LYNCHING.
I
. I
Mob in Cumberland, Md.f Avenges Murder
of a Policeman.
William Burns, a negro desperado,
who had killed Policeman August Banter,
Saturday, felt the judgment of (
lynchers at Cumberland, Md., Sunday ;
morning.
Only Deputy Sheriff Adam Pendley
was at the jail when, after midnight,
a hundred men appeared and demand- (
ed the keys. These being refused, a
telegraph pole was used as a batter- .
ing ram and an entrance to the build- i .
ing was forced, the negro taken out ! :
and kicked and shot to death.
FAILED ON COMPROMISE.
Strike of Cotton Handlers at New Orleans
is Still On.
A New Orleans special says: 3Iayor j
Behreman failed Thursday to compro- !
raise the levee strike at a conference j
between steamship agents and repre- j
sentatives of the 8,000 striking cotton
handlers who are holding out in sympathy
with striking screwnwn.
FOR WATERWAYS
?
I
An Urgent Plea is Made By
Roosevelt at Memphis,
i
!
COUNTERACT RAILROADS!
Deeper Channel for Father of Waters
Absolutely Necessary to the Regulation
of Rates, Says Chief
Executive.
With bands playing, children singing j
and enthusiastic men shouting the j
slogan of deep waterways, Memphis, [
Tenn., threw wide her gates Friday j
afternoon to President Roosevelt, a j
score of governors and many other distinguished
personages from the states
in the fertile Mississippi river valley.
The president arrived on the United
States steamer Mississippi shortly after
10 o'clock. The bluffs, overlooking
the river were packed with people who
gave the chief executive a warm weliwme.
As the steamer landed the whis
ties of all crafts in the harbor were
sounded. Immediately following the
steamer Mississippi was the steamboat
Alton, carrying visiting governors and
other notables. When all had landed
the president was conducted to a carriage
by Governor Patterson of Tennessee,
and Mayor Malone of Memphis
and the most imposing parade ever
seen in Bluff City then began.
The president was continuously
cheered throughout the march. The i
city was a waving mass of color, not
only along the line of parade, but on
many other streets as well. When the
president's carriage turned into Main j
street he was saluted by a regiment of !
confederate veterans who from that
point acted as a body guard. The president
arose and warmly greeted the
grizzled warriors of lialf a century
ago.
Despite a lively downpour of rain,
which lasted until noon, the streets
were jammed with citizens and visitors.
Passing north on Second street
200 school children were seated on a
decorated arch and sang patriotic
songs as the president passed. The
president arose in his carriage and
bowed repeatedly to these little ones.
Arriving at the auditorium rink, where i
i
the deep waterways convention is be- i
ing held, President Roosevelt alighted j
and after chatting with several friends i
ascended the platform. ' The huge !
structure filled up rapidly and when !
Governor Malcom R. Patterson of Ten 1
nessee arose to present the president
an immense assemblage greeted him.President
Roosevelt departed from j
his printed speech in several instances, j
Speaking of the confederate guard of
honor, he said it was a touching sight
to see these old confederate soldiers
carrying the flag of this great union.
If any one wanted to know how they
1 JJ a-Vi illAi
WOUiU xIqLIL JLUX" luau uag ICI,' uiai aon
the boys in blue bow they fought
against it. He said with emphasis that
he was as much the president of the
south as of the north and was devoted
to its interests. He said he was half
a southerner, and when he told of two
or three of his uncles having worn the
gray he was tremendously applauded.
Speaking of a deep water channel
from 'the gulf to the lakes, the president
said he favored rapid improvement
of the Mississippi river. "Like
Davy Crockett, the great Tennesseean,"
he said, "I favor his motto, 'be
sure you are right and then go ahead.'
and this deep water problem is al- !
most up to the 'go ahead' stage, but
we want to be dead sure about it."
In connection with his discussion of
the corporations, the president said
his experience in the past few-years
had brought him to the point of feeling
"sincere sympathy for certain
gentlemen who are cast into a frenzy
hv thp most common sense remarks." I
"I will use my utmost power to |
stamp out murderous and lawless anarchy,"
he declared, "and I will not
hiore stay my hand because a wrongdoer
masquerades as a labor leader
than if he masquerades as a captain
of industry. I have heretofore expressed
myself on the subject of undesirable
citizens and I stand by what
I said, alike when he is a great capitalist
who wins a fortune by chicanery
and wrongdoing and when he is
a man -who under the guise of standing
up for labor, preaches and encourages
violence and murder."
When the president closed his address
he was driven rapidly to his
train at the Missouri Pacific railroad
e+oHnn iinH dpnnrtod at n o'clock for
OCUtiVU w ?
Lake Providence, La., for a hunting
trip.
METHODISTS AFTER MAHOON.
Baltimore Mayor Condemned for Welcoming
Makers of Booze.
Vice President Fairbanks came in j
for condemnation at the hands cf the
Methodists because he served cocktails
at a presidential luncheon.
Now Mayor Mahocn of Baltimore Is
being condemned by Methodists for
welcoming the delegates to the recent
convention cf Brew Masters.
ATKINSON AT THE HEAD. |JJ
President of A., B. & A. Will Also B? ^|||
General Manager?Wadley Remains
Vice President, ^
On October loth, H. M. Atkinson will,
in addition to hi3 position as president
of the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic
railroad, become general manager
of the company, and on and af- 'vm
ter the date mentioned will devote the SWl
major portion of his time to the active
duties of and general supervision ' .fli
of the road.
Mr. Atkinson's taking over of the
general management of the Atlanta, ;[ja|
Birmingham and Atlantic follows in
the wake of the relinquishment by
George Dole Wadley, second vice president
and general manager of the lat- r.kjam
ter title, which is effective October 15.
Mr. Wadley will still continue to oecupy
the position of second vice pres- ^18
ident and will, as formerly, be in
charge of the construction of all the
lines of the company.
These changes were brought about as ;-J|S
the result of the rapid extension of
the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic, . |
and the fact that the duties of general -aS
manager and second vice president
combined were becoming too heavy*
Being relieved of the position of general
manager, Mr. Wadley will be able
to devote a good deal more time to the
rapidly increasing volume of construe- 'i
Tin 4-V?ir? fi'rM A A fWnflftll V? Q Q At*-.
up CU tiilO UiliU i'll AVaiUOWU UV*
voted himself almost exclusively to the
financing of the road, which is now in
excellent shape. However, Mr. Atkin- ^
son has kept in perfect touch with all ^
the details of the road and is splendid* - ^
ly equipped for his new position. . 3
MERRIT TO QUIT OFFICE.
Georgia School Commissioner Resigns :|||
and Prof. Pound Succeeds Hfm. '|j
Georgia State School Commissioner
Merritt has resigned his office, effect- 0$
ive January 1, 1903, and Jere M. "
Pound, professor of pedagogy at the
Georgia Normal and Industrial school;Milledgeville,
has been appointed by %
Gov* Smith to succeed him.
The resignation and appointment
came as a surprise, as it was nofcjiaB
known that Commissioner Merritt con- <1!
templated giving up his office, which
he ha3 filled ably and well fof the
last five years.
Business and financial considerations J||
are given as the reasons for Mr. I?er- -%
ritt's resignation. He ha3 accepted ?
lucrative position with the West Bay
Naval Stores and Lumber company ot
Florida, the syndicate which recently
bought from the J. P. "Williams Land
company of Tallahassee, 44,000 acres '-??&
of virgin pine and cypress near St. Andrews,
in southern Florida, for 33QQ.- ' -i|l
AAA XT'y XTorriti- ic tn havo fhft aIV "'iSiS
tive management of the company's^|^H
work in Florida, besides an interest
State School Commissioner Merritt
had just begun his third term in that '$
office, having first been elected in 1902?>Jj
Professor Pound is one of the best $
known educators in the state. Born at
Barnesvillp, in Pike county/ he graduated
first at the Gordon institute, at
that place, and later at the state unl- |
versity at Athens.
Returning to his home, he became
president of Gordon institute. His wori --M
; attracting attention, he was called tc v?
the superintendency of public schools
| of Bibb county, where he served tor :fj
some years, resigning to accept the po- / ^
sltion of president of the East Florida J3
seminary at Gainesville, Fla. Upon the
consolidation of the East Florida seminary
with that cf west Florida, and the M
formation cf the Florida university,
Professor Pound returned to Georgia -
in his present position with the Geor gia
Normal at Milledgeville.
It is said in accepting the position of
state school commissioner he gives up ;"^?|
a better salary than that which his new ^
s\flRna Tr-ill n?>v Tho snlarv nf the state ?*?ll
school commissioner is $2,000, being
one of the few offices in which no in- 9
crease has been made by the legisla- . ja
LIVED HALF A CENTURY AS MISER
Supposed Pauper Was Possessor of ' II
$350,000 in Cash and Securities.
After living as a miser for more than
fifty years and accumulating more
than $350,000, Landtr E. Merrick died? |1
at the home of strangers in Kenosha, 111
Wis., Wednesday. The old man came i:
to Kenosha county in 1840, and lived
in the town of Randall until two years
ago, when the officers of the town
found him nearly half starved and
took charge of him and his property.
When the hut which the old man
occupied was searched, $350,000 in
cash and. securities was found.
ALIENISTS PRESENT BILLS.
Want $23,000 for Services Rendered 3
Jerome in the Thaw Trial.
A New York dispatch says: Ten of
District Attorney Jerome's alienists fn
the trial of Harry K. Thaw, it was
announced Wednesday, have rendered
bills for their services. The total of
these hills is slightly in excess of %2Zf