The age-herald., 1901-06-14
STATE OFFICERS WILL SERVE FOUR YEARS AFTER ADOPTION OF THE
 CONSTITUTION BEING FRAMED
SHREVEPORT WROUGHT
 UP OVER FOSTER MURDER

Shreveport, La, June 1S.-This city and vicinity has been in a state of feverish excitement and unrest since yesterday when John Gray Foster, prominent planter, was shot and killed by Prince Edwards, a negro employed on the Eos ter plantation, five miles east of the city. Armed posses of white men have been securing the country for miles around in an attempt to capture Edwards. A dozen or more negroes are under arrest in Ken hebrews store, and their future fate to- night Is uncertain. Foster was widely known and very popular He was brother-in-law of Governor McMillin of Tennessee, and belonged to one of the oldest families in this state
 There has been bad feeling for some time past between the negroes and over seers on the Foster plantation, and Eos ter was appealed to settle the differences. The planter started for the plantation, and upon reaching a negro cabin, he was fired upon and killed. There were dozen or more negroes in the cabin, and they broke and ran in all directions. The overseers were quickly joined by white citizens, and it was not long before all the negroes were arrested, single excep- ton being Prince Edwards, who did the shooting. Posses were quickly formed and started on a hunt for the negro, but as yet have made no further arrests.
 There were many wild rumors afoat throughout the day, the most sensational being that the negroes in the Kennebrew store were in immediate perial of being lynched. This rumor proved to be un- true, although many threats are heard -><<<-<%%->->~<<<~ reducing his amendment to writing, pro- ceeded to argue in favor Of It lie sald he saw no necessity for making any change; that other states were satisfied with two years, and 1t had, moreover, given satisfaction in Alabama.
 General Sanfords amendment was then, on motion unanimously laid on the table.
 MT. Davis of Etowah offered an amend ment to have the elections at the same time as those for members of the General Assembly.
 MT. Jones of Bibb offered an amendment that the attorney general be a man learned in the law
 While these were being reduced to writ ing MT. Watts of Montgomery, by con- sent introduced an ordinance to request the committee on executive to report whether any ordinance relative to the succession in event of the death of the Governor before the next election was un- der consideration by them. . Judge Coleman of Greene offered an amendment to have the first election un- der the section in 1904 instead of 1902, so as to make the elections for all officers to occur at the same time.
 MT Dent of Barbour moved to lay Judge Coleman's motion on the tables say 41-s- fof1 Tn ha by the committee on harmony. This mo- tion was carried.
 The motion of Mr Jones of Bibb was then put and lost. Governor Jones. in | speaking on it, saying that 1t was re- fiection on the people of Alabama to suppose they would elect a man to this office who knew no law.
 Section Four.
 On motion of Judge Howze of Jefferson the third section was adopted and the fourth section taken up. This reads as follows:
 Sec. A. The returns of every election for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, Attorney General, Superintendent of Education and Commissioner of Agriculture and 1n- dustries, shall be sealed up and trans rnitted by the returning officers to the seat of government, and directed to the speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall, during the first week of the session to which said returns shall be made, open and publish them in the pres ence of both Houses of the General As sembly in joint convention; but the speakers duty shall be purely ministerial in this respect and any objection to any return on account of informality, defect or other cause, shall be decided by the speaker subject to the control of the majority of the joint convention The person having the highest number or votes of said offices shall be declared duly elected; but if two or more persons shall have an equal and the highest num- Der of votes for the same office the Gen. eral Assembly, by joint vote, without de- lay, shall choose one of said persons Tor said office Contested elections for Gov ernor, Lieutenant Governor. Secretary or State, Auditor, Treasurer. Attorney Gen eral, Superintendent of Education, and Commissioner of Agriculture and Indus tries shall be determined by both Houses of the General Assembly. in such manner as may be prescribed by law
 MT. Robinson of Chambers moved to amend the article so as to prohibit de- bate in the joint convention and to limit its powers to that of the speaker. rms motion was adopted. MT. Fftts or rus calOOSa then moved 10 rccoHsiuer liio 'oto and proceeded to explain that there ought to be a reserve power to correct errors in returns.
 Governor Jones then proposed to offer an amendment to fix the powers or the joint convention to counting and publish ing correct returns.
 Debating an Amendment.
 Mr. Jenkins of Wilcox was opposed to a reconsideration. Governor Jones then asked MT. Robinson if the ordinance pro- posed by him met the defects intended to be cured by his (Robinsons) amendment. MT. Robinson replied that he thought his own ordinance was clearer and better in every way than Governor Jones'. Govern or Jones then urged his objections to MT. Robinson's amendment. He said the speaker might refuse to count return. saving it was fraudulent, but that under the ordinance proposed by the committee the convention could compel him to do so That it would be unwise to hamper the power of the convention.
 Dr. Cunningham of Jefferson thought the words ''or other cause very elastic.
 MT. Lowe of Jefferson said the amend ment making the power of the joint con vention purely ministerial would be in- consistent with the latter part of section four. which gave both houses power to determine contested elections.
 Mir. Robinson then spoke in favor of his amendment. saying it was unwise to give the joint convention powers to go into contested elections.
 MT. Fitts, on behalf of the executive committee, said they were servants of the convention and were willing to do the xrarL over a1ain hut that he wanted the