The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-01
Messenger Bureau.

Messenger Bureau.
Raleigh, n. c., September 26.
The penitentiary report was careful
~ studied by the governor last night
and today. 1t shows that the status
of the penitentiary at the end of the
fusion regime was very different from
what the fusioniSts reported it to be.
There was a local sensation here yes
terday. growing u of the trial of five
little white boys, daring thieves, who
have committed many crimes. They
are TO be sent to a reformatory.
Another sensation was the s%entenc-
ing to thirty days labor on the public
roads Of a wealthy iiveryman here for
horsewhipping a drunken idiot who was
cursing him in the presence Of ladies.
The judge would listen to no explana-
tons, but said he regretted he could
not sentence him to twelve months.
The liveryman was in a desperate stu
alton. but finally the judge changed the
penalty to s25 fine.
A third sensation occurred last even
ing when three young white men who
had telephoned to the mayor that be
was wanted at his office, met him on
the street as he was on his way there
and one called him a liar The mayor
struck him, and was in turn struck and
knocked down. Then n Of the three
went before a magistrate and swore out
Il WARRANT IOT dhIdy dSdlISl III Hid -
and the young man who called him a
liar. This case was set for hearing to-
day. The matter is causing much stir
and may lead to very serious cOnse-
uuences for the three young men, as the
grand jury may take UP the case and
make it one of conspiracy against the
mayor.
The action of the cCtton-growerS'
convention here in urging that no cot
ton seed to be sold for less than 25 cents
a bushel or exchanged at a less amount
of cotton seed meal than 1888 pounds
for a ton of seed meets with popular
approval. The convention by it's COM
mittee, General w. r. Cox, Secretary
of State Bryan Grimes and ex-Con-
gresham ]. w. Atwater, his morning
prepared an address to cOtton-growers,
setting this matter before them and
urging unity Of effort, as in nc other
way can the cotton seed oil trust be met
Corporation Commissioner S. L. Rog-
ers has returned from the northwestern
counties. He says the people are pros
porous there and the country is full OF
grass, cotton and apples.
The state forester, William S. Ashe
has returned from a tour in the western
part of the state, where at the reQueS,
of the United States secretary of agci-
culture. he Investigated damage tc
farm lands, and particularly to river
bottoms. Dy the great nOOd OF May anC
that Of August 9Th. He says the dam
age in that section is from $3,0 00, 900 tt
81, 000, 900 and on the Catawha river
alone 81. 600, 900; that vast areas of LAND
at the river bends are swept away
gone forever. cut down to hard-pan
while other great areas are covered
with sand from a foot to four feet, and
of course absolutely ruined. He doe!
not believe deforestation caused tn:
greater damage, but that the May flooi
came when the land was soft from re
CEN cultivation and hence easily car
ried away. He finds there have bee,
other freshets as great. Old marks
show his. He also finds that the wa
ter did spout out Of the mountain sides
but that it burst out of the o~yercharge,
channels which feed springs. He cav
plenty of signs hat this too had &C
Cured previously.