Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-20
THE LATEST ALABAMA NEWS Captain JohnSton's Speeches in
 Montgomery County DREW LARGE AUDIENCES His Ability as a Speaker Far Exceeded Their Most Sanguine Expectations and Re-
 suIted in Much Good

Montgomery, Feb. 19-(Special) )--Cap- tain Johnston spoke at Banner, in this county. last night, and at Sprague Juno tion, beat 15, at noon today. He was greeted at both places by large audi ences. The people of Montgomery eoun- ty are really astonished to know that Captain Johnston is a forcible speaker. They had been told that he was afraid to meet Mir. Clarke on the stump, and the Advertiser had SC belittled him that his vigorous and spicy speeches have really occasioned astonishment. The speeches, therefore have come as agree- able surprises and have resulted, it is believed, greatly to Captain Johnston's s advantages. It is unQuestionaby true that Mir Clarke's speech here was a dis appointment, not that it was not first class speech from his standpoint, but because the people had been taught to expect too much of him.
 Iomax Will Present Him.
 A fine audience is promised for Captain Johnstons speaking tomorrow night at the theater. A good many of the friends ofCaptain Johnston throughout the coun- ty will be present, and it is expected that many of the Clarke men of the city will attend and give the speaker respect full hearing. Hon. Tennant LomaX Will introduce Captain Johnston.
 Johnston's Friends Are Confident
 President J. R. Warren and Secretary A. M. Spong of the Montgomery John- ston club are boen very confident Of Jet- ferson's candidate carrying Montgomery county MT. Warren has received re- ports from reliable sources in every beat in the county, and almost all are ex- tremely gratifying. MT. Spong has care fully canvassed the vote in the two city beats and says JohnstCn will certainly o,.,,u of 10 oitN heats and most probably both.
 The Country, Too, Is for Him.
 Mr. S. J. Pettus of beat is one Of the old-time, rock-ribbed democrats or this county, one who has never been known to halt or to finch. He is an ardent Johnston man and is doing good service for his choice for governor. He says the Clarke men in his beat are as scarce as hens teeth. His observation of the sit uation throughout the county IS that the Johnston men have the Clarke men on the run all along the line. He thinks Johnston is undoubtedly gaining ground in the county every day.
 Can Sell Pools Now.
 In 1888 the Alabama legislature passed law making it penal oIense to sell pools on any race or other event occurr- ing outside the state of Alabama, but al- lowing the sale of pools on all such events taking place in the state. Some days ago MT. James c. Striplng, one of the best known sporting men in the south, sold pools on a race outside the state for the express purpose of testing the law. A friend filed information against him and he was placed under arrest. At the pre- liminary trial he was bound over to await the action of the grand jury. His attorney applied for his release on writ of habeas corpus and the application was argued before Judge Winter of the city court, who this morning rendered his de- cision, declaring the law unconstitution- al. The matter will now go to the su- preme court on an appeal taken by the solicitor.
 The Railroad Claims Contributory Negll-
 gence.
 Congressman George P. Harrison, chief attorney for the Western Railroad of Alabama, today filed. demurrer to the complaint of the administrator of Miss Hattie Murdoch, who has begun suit for $50, 900 for the death of Miss Murdoch, who was killed by a train on the Western road last October at Mt. Meigs, in this county. The demurrer alleges that the, deceased was, at the time of her death, on the right of way of the company and that she was guilty of contributory negli- gence The case comes up for trial at the present term of the court.
 A Standard Oil Depot for Montgomery
 It is reported that the Standard oil company has purchased the oil business of MT. William Tatum and will at an early date locate a branch depot here, which will be the distributing point for all the oil sold by the company in this section It is stated that Mir Tatum will be manager of the branch here.