Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-13
THE OLD NORTH STATE.
aAIErcRs NEWS NUGGETS.

fenced 10 peath-tseca Business Prospects
A Snske stery.
Especial telegram 70 the Dispatch.l
RALEIGH, n. c., August l2.--To.
day the Shotwell Memorial Association
was organized here. Hon. Daniel G..
Fowle was chosen president and Samuel
G. White secretary. The latter was
designated to receive contributions
from all parts Of the State. The plan
is TO erect handsome monument to the
late Captain Randolph A. Shotwell
over his grave in the Confederate GEM
etery here.
Bishop Beckwith, OF Georgia, is at
Asheyille. An unusually large number
Of prominent clergymen are in Western
North Carolina.
The case Of Abe Hensley, tried dur
ing the present term Of the Madison
Superior Court for the murder of John
Riddle. began Thursday last, and was
ably and stubbornly contested until the
final issue yesterday morning. Judge
Gudger pronounced the death-sentence,
and fixed the day Of execution for Oc-
toher Cd. lie also directed the prisoner
TO be taken TO Buncombe-county jail
for safe-keeping. AS one Of the pleas
OF the defence was idiocy the Governor.
may be influenced to commute the death
sentence 10 Imprisonment for life.
A negro named Johnston was yester-
day sent TO Jail in Dallas on the charge
Of murder. lie was trsin-hand, and
last Saturday became engaged in friend.
" tussle with fellow-laborer. John
ston was used more roughly than he ex-
pected, and, without proyocation, he
grasped a pick-axe and broke the skull
of his companion. The wounded negro
died yesterday.
Many people came east to-day from
Waynesyille, where the hotel was de-
stroyed yesterday. 1t was remarkable
that there was no loss Of life.
To-day twelve conyicts were placed
in the penitentiary from four counties.
State Treasurer Balm to-day issued
licenses to three Richmond firms.
Trayelling-men give good accounts OF
the business prospects in the State.
They say there are few complaints Of
drought. but these are local, and in
very small areas. In nearly every por-
tion Of the State the crops are unpre-
cedented-so much so, in fact, as to
cause talk. Some crops west Of the
Blue Ridge are the best in half CEN
fury. Businessmen look for sharp
decline in prices Of cotton.
Quite big row has grown out Of the
late encampment Of State troops. Three
companies Of the Third regiment left
camp. The Adjutant-G General desires to
know whether they did so of their own
volition or by permission of their colo
mel. Ii is not known how the affair
will result. Ii is unfortunate that such
contentious occur, as they tend to di-
minish the high regard for troops.
Yesterday two cOnvicts made their |
escape from the penitentiary. There is |
q stockade of logs outside Of the great
wall. and between the wall and the
StOckade many men are at work.
While the cOavicts went to dinner two
concealed themselves and scaled the |
fence as soon as left unguarded. They
were aided by parties outside Of the
stockade, and changed their clothing at
once. Both were negroes, one serving
ten years and the other twenty years.
The escapes have been unfrequent re-
Gently.
The State Superintendent Of Public
Instruction has completed his tour Of
inspection Of the State normal schools,
having visited in all thirteen. The
schools were this year more successful
than ever.
Work progresses rapidly on the large
building Of the St. Augustine Normal
School here. This school is maintained
by the Protestant Episcopal Church,
and is doing important work educating
Colored teachers. Raleigh now has two
of the largest colored colleges in the
South.
At Columbia, Terrell county, yester-
day Miss johnson was perhaps fatally
burned by the explosion of kerosene
can. In attempting to save her, her
father, W. +. johnson, a prominent
citizen, was seriously burned on the
hands, waist, and arms.
A fire broke out at Plymouth yester-
day and soon burned four wooden
buildings. 1t is supposed to have been
A singular story comes from Hyde
county. Sunday, while Mr. Van Will
lis was in a boat in New river, he was
aStonished TO see black snake, fully
twelve feet long, swim up to the boat
and try to board it. lie shot the rep
tile twice with a shotgun and killed it.
The boat was fully a mile from shore.
The snake appeared to be in violent
rage.
The North Carolina Adventist Con-
ference meets at Wilmington to-mor-
row. Most Of the delegates are from
he extreme western portions of the
State.