The age-herald., 1899-01-19
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

The Age -Herald's special dispatch from Washington, printed yesterday. stated that three Alabamans were applicants for the additional judgeship of the Fifth United States circuit namely, David D. Shelby, of Huntsville William Vaughan and J. A. w. Smith, of Birmingham. District Attorney Vaughan, Postmaster Hughes and other re- publican leaders have gone to Washington, and it was understood that they went in the interest of Mir. Shelby for the new judg- ship
 MT Smith was seen yesterday afternoon. and he declared that all he knew about the
 matter was what he had read in the Age Herald.
 "rhen, you are not an applicant?' "I repeat, that all 1 know is what I have read in the Age-Herald." "Mr. Smith would be wise and just judge" declared a democratic politician in
 the lobby last night winston Smith is not | only an able lawyer and the descendant of
 wise judges he Is just. even-tempered, | impartial man. and one of sound judgment. l He would make an ideal judge.
 
 l <'It is not generally believed here that | United State Attorney Vaughan is seeking | the judgeship. His fitness is not questioned. | MT Shelby is a gentleman and of l the most competent attorneys of the Ala | bama bar. He has been always republi- can but his political utilization is based l upon his sense of duty. He is no rabid politician, but sturdy supporter of his | party, and no one can question the sin cerity of his purposes. He is a clean true l man, and would adorn the bench of the | United States circuit pourt Speaking of J. A. Winston Smith, he re- turned yesterday afternoon from a trip on legal business to DeKaib and Cherokee counties. He was worn out, physically, but was as cheerful as his usual good spirits make him.
 "I travelled over the mountain from Collinsville to Centre" said he, "and it was a painful trip. The roads were in horrible condition. Our vehicle frequently sank up to the hubs in the mud. After we reached the plateau on top of the mountain there was little mud, but going up hill and going down was frightful. And then, when I reached Centre, 1 found that my cases in the circuit court had been continued" l "Assuredly the people of the various Ala bama counties should at this particular season appreciate the absolute necessity of good roads," said lounger, who heard what MT. Smith said of roads in Cherokee and DeKalb. Jefferson has a hundred miles more of good roads than any other county in the state, this county having something like 200 miles of first-cass coun- try roads. Colbert and Madison counties have some excellent roads, and Montgom- cry has about eighty miles of perfect high way. These are the only counties out of the sixty-six in this state which have done anything worthy in roadbuilding. As a matter of course, the piney-woods counties in south Alabama have dry roads, for there is no mud in that sandy country. These roads are rough because of roots and stumps but there is other fault about l them, except deep sand-beds'
 
 Several men in the lobby were discussing the matter of divine healers," most of them agreeing that there was nothing "d- vine'' about the healing; that it was merely a magnetic power or some other physical l force not quite understood. q knew of healer who was formerly a deck-hand on a Mississippi river seamer,' said Major Mccoy. "He was an ignorant man, and the knowledge that he could heal physical ailments by the touch of his hands came to him by accident. He had a little niece who came to him night suffering from violent sick headache. He took her on his knee and carressed her, passing his hand tenderly over her forehead. Her head ceased instantly to ache. That set him 10 thinking and experimenting. The result was that he gave up his job on the steamboat, o453o I IJa pered so well that he removed to Brooklyn, and opened offices. His fame spread and strong force of police was required to keep in order the throngs of people who called to be healed. He arrived in Brook lyn weighing 25O pounds. In compara- lively short time he was reduced to 125 pounds, and his power to cure had passed from him. The physical strength of the man had gone out from him in the process of healing others"
 .I knew a healer in Texas who appeared to perform wonders,' declared Major Me coy. He was not intellectual man, and he too discovered by accident that he had power to heal human ailments. That which made his fame was his treatment of an old negro woman, who was carried to him helplessly crippled with rheumatism. He iaid his hands upon her, and she was healed at once and actually began dancing, shout ing and singing
 The crowds in the Hobbies yesterday were larger and more spirited than ana seen since before the holidays. The hotels were crowded and, notwithstanding the bitterly cold and gloomy afternoon the streets were filled with pedestrians. There was no ex- planation to be offered for the unusual crowd. It just happened. Everything is happening for Birminghams good just now
 ''The wealthiest city between Baltimore and New Orleans is Richmond said we'll known Virginian.
 Death removed two Richmond million aires of great public spirit. First John