The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-29
NORTH CAROLINA NEWS.
GOVERNOR FOWLE TEMPERS JUS
TlCE WITH MERCY.

Two Death Sentences Commuted-Census
Agent LyIe's work-RaIsigh Police In
New rniforms-Items Gathered at Char
lotse.
RALEIGH, y. c., January 2S.-' special. t.
Governor FOwle commuted to-day the death
sentence Of two men wh) were 10 b. hangef
February 7th, thereby decreasing the nu.
Der OF executions set for that day from fs
to three. The two men are samuel Halfor
and y. +. Willis, who were convicted D.,
burglary in Rutherford county last spring.
The crime Of which they were convicted
was entering the house Of samuel Elliott,
who lived with his sister and terrorzing
him at the point of a pistol into giving them
500 which he had IN the house.
Their sentence Is changed tO life imprison-
ment. and the reason given is that they did
not break into the house and did not intend
10 take human life.
The United States census agent N. 4.
Lyle. who has his headquarters here and IL
engaged in taking the recorded indebted
ness Of the State. said to-day that the work
Of taking statistics Of Wake county had
been concluded, and that he expected TO
close ont the canvass of the whole state
within less than sixty days. lie now has
men at work in different counties all oyef
the State. lie states the total number OF
mortgages in Wake county for the last ten
years is only about fOrty-hNc hundred.
gtNCw uniforms for the entire Raleigh pO-
lice force arrived here to-day. The police
will turn out in their new clothes on Feb
uary lst.
The Boyer-Ieagie contested election case
for sheriff Of Forsyth county. which has
been on trial since the 9Th instant. came to
an end TO-DAY, the jury rendering a verdict
in favor of Bower. the plaintiff league,
Republican who has held Office since the
lst of December. lsSS. claimed 10 have been
elected by only twenty-f0ur majority.
Boyer, the Democratic candidate. cOntes-
ted the election ON the ground that a num-
ber of negroes voted foi league. who were
nOn-residents. Counsel for plaintiff claim
10 have proven that enough " illegal votes
were east for league 10 make BOyer's ma
j0rity twenty-five. league has appealed.
Great interest has developed In the large
deposits Of iron, which have recently been
discovered near LincOinton. and agents Of
Northern companies are on the grounds
making an Investigation. One lease on the
tract OF land has been taken at $4,000.
Governor fOwle has made public an Inn
p0rtant letter Just received by him from "A
formorsrcsident Of this state who il now
living in Birmingham. Ala. In this lotrer
the writer states that number Of years ago
he resided 40 Wake Forest. in this county,
and that while there, he discovered an in
eNhaustihle quarry OF beautiful marble
near his house, on the banks of the Neuse
river. lie states that be quarried some OF
it and used 10 for mantel pieces andshearth
stones, hut that since be- LETT the place be-
does not think any Of the marble has been
gotten out. The marble is described as Of "A
most beautiful texture. IL is rich dark
purple with 6troaks Of green and yellow.
making quite a rare and beautiful stone.
Governor fowle will see that the matter il
Investigated.
The shad season has just opened in full
blast nc Wilmington. The season docs not
usually open till the first Of March, but the
run is now so plentiful that the fishermen
expect 10 make big hauls in the next few
days. The fishermen say they never saw 30
many shad In January, and the fact Is re-
sarded as an indication that this will be An
unusually profitable season for them.
Two murder trials are to come up AT
Asheyille shortly; those OF Berry and Fare.
The officials there state that il will be
almost impossible 10 get a jury in Bun
combe county in either ease, as everybody
in the county is said 10 have expressed an
opinion In both cases.
An expert from the North has Just COM
pleted an examination Of the Egypt coal
beds in Chatham county, and will soon make
a report on tho quality, quantity, accessi-
bility. etc, Of the coal supply there. This
report will be very favorable. Coal Is now
being mined in grea, quantities from these
deposits.
Lige Moore who is in Jail at Greensboro
under death sentesce for the murder Of
Laura Hiatt, q disreputablo negro woman,
s said tO Dee very Indifferent 10 his fate. On
last Saturday, when hc was told that the
Governor bad decided not 10 interfere with
the course Of the law in his behalf, he merely
turned OIL, walked 10 q window. and, look
ing ont, began tO whistle. lie il 10 be
hanged on February lth.
A peculiar circumstance occurred last
week In connection with the murder Of Ran
some l.. Gill near Lowisburg Gil was on
jury, and when he did not answer 10 bis
name on the morning after the murder the
Judge bad "a iine entered against him, not
Knowing the cause OF his absence.