The leader., 1897-02-10
SOUTHERN oLEANINos.


Prayer Va . Distiilsry.
| c. ID. Gillespie, Of Tucker county, We
Va. applied to the finance COMMITTEES
Of the West Virginia legislature for
the refunding Of e45 paid by him last
summer for the privilege of running
iistillery near Parsons, which he failed
to operate. Gillespie stated that he
went to Tucker county, and, seeing
large fruit crop, purchased tract OF
mountain laud, on which was located
never-failing spring, and obtained
permission to put up and operate dis
tillery. Some of the good people OF
the neigh borhood met at their churches
and offered up prayers for the destruc-
tion of the distillery.
Gillespie only laughed, and pro-
ceeded with preparing to make run
Of apple brandy. About the time he
had several tubs of crushed apples
ready for the still, the prayers of his
neighbors to destroy the still having
continued almost without ceasing,
steady rain came, causing a large
landslide from the steep mountain
above to come rushing down, and COM
pletely buried his entire outfit, which
he was net able to rebuild. His neigh
bors, who offered up prayers for the
destruction of the still, firmly believe
and zealously maintain that it was an
answer to prayers.
Won the Money on Mckinley.
Mrs. Mary Shreve Ransom, the
wealthiest woman in Kentucky, has
completed arrangements to open free
souphouse and lodging house for the
poor in Louisville. This is the applica.
tion of several thousand dollars won
by Mrs. Ransom on the recent cleo
tions. She had bets of large size on
Mckinley being elected, and upon
Kentucky going republican. She said
at the time the bets were made that
the money, if won. was to be used for
charitable purposes. She will, there
| fore, open the souphouse and conduct
it during the remainder of the winter.
Three Persons Shot with Ono Charge.
At Stoneham, in Grimes county, Tex,
Hal, the young son of J. o. Stoneham,
took down his gun to go hunting and
set it beside the door. His mother,
opening the door, dislodged the gun.
In falling it exploded. A load of buck
shot struck Hal in tho leg, tearing
away the calf Three shot took effect
in the head and breast of younger
child, and one buckshot struck an In
FAINT of Mrs. &. S. Crittenden in the
jaw, breaking it and lodging near the
spine In the back of the head. All the
wounds are serious.
Senator Harris Eye Operated Upon.
Senator Harris, of Tennessee. re-
Gently underwent an operation on his
eye to relieve the intense pain he had
been suffering and which it was
feared might, if allowed to continue,
60 to the brain. He bravely withstood
the operation without taking an an
aesthetic. For week Senator Harris
had been great sufferer from the
pain which the operation relieved. For
five hours he suffered in an excruciat-
ing manner, and the operation was
performed upon his earnest pleading.
Long a bsent Husbands Return.
Twenty years ago James P. Gooch,
farmer of Waynes burg, Lincoln, KY,
deserted his wife and family and went
to Texas. Nothing was heard of him,
and he was given up as dead. The
other day, however, Gooch, who is now
70 years old, and almost blind. re-
turned, begged his wife's forgiveness,
and was taken back into the bosom of
his now grown-up family. Gooch is
the father of Hon. 4. G. Gooch, and
the family is one of the best-known in
that section.
AIsbama University's Claim Allowed.
The general assembly of Ala bama ha.
acknowledged for the state an indebt-
edness to the university of Ala bama of
So, 200, 900, and agreed that it should
remain as a perpetual obligation
to bear three per cent. interest
The amount accrued from funds aris-
ing from the sale of lands granted the
university by the general government
70 years ago, and which the state has
Systematically appropriated to its own
use.
Alabama'a Coal Output.
From incomplete reports received
the state mine inspector of Alabama
approximates the total output of coal
in Alabame in 1895 at 500, 900 tons.
The output in 1895 was 5,691, I'll tons.
The decrease from last year, which
was the best in the history of mining
in Alabama, is not as great as was OK
pected. jefferson county held its own,
mining about $780, 900 tons, as against
practically the same quantity in 1895.
Head of Remarkable Family.
Thomas Perry, of Carter county,
east Tennessee, died recently, leaving
widow, aged 81, hale and hearty.
They had 4 sons and daughters, IS
grandchildren and 1877 great-grand-
children, nearly all of whom belong to
the Christian church and, it is said,
vote the republican ticket.
Every south Carolina Seat Contested.
The seat of every mem Der of con-
gress elect from South Carolina is to
be contested. The chief ground of
contest in all these ases is the uncon-
| stitutionality Of the new registration
| and election laws of the state. II one
member is unseated all will be uu-
| seated.
Cotton MIL for st. Louis.
The establishment of a cotton mill
in st. Louis is, according to James
Cox, secretary of the Business Mems
league, and j. l.. Prince, of the cotton
| exchange, an assured fact.