Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-21
4 Murderer lei SCI; Sentenced IN to Death
Asks tor Now Trial.
! DYING DECLARATION
work on Tho Methodist ,nngc
Delayed by s,cit nes.-Ii .-ayorn.
or Employ cd n lobbyist. some In
ssruetlvo Agricultural stotlstic.-
Republicans nesin 10 look for
Convens.on-Ihe s.nG of colone,
Armaead. X.

. . t .
,-:: ~ -
Raleigh. N. c.. Dec. 2o.-In the
Supreme Court yesterday there was
argument in the case of J. ]. jefferson,
the murderer of Copt. Calvin Barnes,
near Wilson. Jefferson ambushed
Barnes and shot him as he sat in his
buggy with his two little sons. AS he
was dying Barnes said to one OF his
sons: Med, have Jefferson arrested"
The lower court promptly convicted
Jefferson and sentenced him to death,
but he asked for q new trial. There is
a new point in this case, the Attorney
General says. this being whether a
proof Of this dying declaration Of the
rather to the son is competent. The
Acknowledgement argued that it was
direct evidence of Jefferson's guilt and
put 1t upon the ground Of motive. for
Jefferson and Barnes had had words on
the morning of the day Of the murder
But apart from all this, the confession
which Jefferson made in the station
mouse here to newspaper reporter
was ample, the Acknowledgement
argued. In the confession Jefferson
rather exufted In his crime. Feeling
has always been strong against him
and he was brought here to save him
from lynching.
THE METHODIST ORPHANAGE.
AS yet no work has been done on the
buildings at the Methodist Orphanage
here, owing to the sickness Of Rev. ].
w. Jenkins. but the trustees say that
by June they will have quarters
ready for 100 orphans The Methodists
IN the State raised $500 for the or
phanage on Thanksgiving Day, those
OF Goldsboro contributing $50 of this
sum.
4, EMPLOYED AS LOBBYIST.
The News and Observer says: One
OF the most remarka bio items In Cover
nor Russelfs Lawyers Fees Account"
published In this paper last week is
that setting forth that Marsh Mott was
paid 5000 for services rendered in the
case against S. Otto and j. w. Wilson,
railroad commissioners. This was 5000
paid for lobbying against the Wilson's,
for Mott appeared here at the last
Legislature in no other capacity than
as lobbyist, and 1t is we'll known
that no lobbied vigorously against the
Wilson's.
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
To-day chapter of the report of B.
". Lacy, Labor Commissioner, was sent
to the printer 1t covers agricultural
statistics Among the features Is a
table of averages compiled from re-
ports made by representative farmers
from all counties up to September Ii Of
this year, and, the prices given may
not be exactly the average for January
10, 1900. when the report will be Issued
The average wages of farm laborers
the report states to be, per month:
Men, 1891; women, 1927; children,
1888. In addition to wages rations to
the value of $3.50 and house. pasture,
ri ~
furnished. bringing the average up to
$15.36 for men.
The cost of the principal crops is as
follows: Bale of cotton $500 pounds),
$24.36; bushel of wheat. 81 cents; corn,
Al cents: oats,-29-cents; 100 pounds to-
bacco, s6a1. The selling prices are
piVen as: Wheat Is cents: corn, 81
cents; oats, 80 cents; tobacco, s771;
cotton. SIS cents per pound. or s34.37
per bale.
THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.
Republicans are now beginning to
look for a call for a meeting of the
State committee to name q time and
place for the next State committee.
Some think 1t ought to be called i'm
mediately and fix it's convention date
independent of the Populists. Others
hold very different view. They say
the Republicans this year must become
the tail to the Populist kite or soon
there'll be no such kite. They favor
holding convention after the Populist
convention and simply endorsing what
1t does.
The Republicans will, therefore.
hardly meet until they decide where
they are at. AS this will not be till
the Populists take some action, the
Republican committee meeting need
not be looked for until some time in
February.
COL. AaMFIELD'S STAFF.
Col ]. F. Armheld OF the First Regl-
ment North Carolina State Guard, sent
the Adjutant General list of his staff
and they were accordingly commits
stoned by Governor Russell. The staff
is as follows:
Maj. and Surgeon, Charles Jordan,
OF Asheville.
Capt. and Quartermaster, Charles c.
Bunch, of Raleigh.
First Lieut.. and Commssary of Sub
Bistace, George l.. Lyon, of Durham.
First Battalion adjutant w. Watson
OF Salisbury.
First Battalion adjutant, Arthur w.
Freeman, of Waynesyille.
First Battalion adjutant, James L.
Watson. Of Salisbury.
First Battalion adjutant, Henry Page.
OF Charlotte.
Capt. and Surgeon Baxter r. Hunter
of Kings Mountain.
LIEUT.. and Surgeon. r. c. Lee. Of
Clinton.