Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-04-27

St Mary's, w. Va, April ga ter
rihc natural gas explosion occurred I'm
the Commercial hotel early yesterday
| morning. The building was entirely
destroyed and four bodies were found
In the ruins, as follows: Sam Cunning
ham, oil driller. Rixford, Pa; John
George, oil man. Butler, Pa; Harry
Robinson, tool dresser, Corning. o.;
John Slater Is years old, son of the
proprietor Of the hotel. Several others
are badly injured.
Greensboro, N. c., April 24.-Ons
hundred negroes left this city Monday
night for the coal mines of West Vir-
ginia. Within the past year several
hundred miners have been induced to
leave. On account Of the emigration
OF large number OF negroes and the
removal of others from the country dis
tricts to the towns farm labor in this
section is very scarce. This has caused
some farmers to prepare for only q
half crop this year.
Montgomery, April 24.-The people
OF Alabama voted yesterday on the
proposition to call a convention to as
semble in this city May q to adapt the
state constitution to the needs OF the
present day. The returns indicate that
the convention has carried by 0.OO0
plurality. The principal reforms which
the convention has in view are sur
frage, the courts, the terms of public
officers and the adjustment of so
much local legislation.
Eldridge, of Memphis, in open session
Of the senate yesterday accused former
Comptroller James A. Harris of an at
tempt to bribe and blackmail. and pre-
cipitated a sensational scene. He
charged that Mr.. Harris offered him
$500 and promised him to have with
drawn suit pending against him on
the condition that he would vote for
the terminal bill when it came up ON
motion to reconsider. A COMMITTEES
was appointed to investigate the
charges. Harris denies the charge.
Richmond, April 24.-Joseph II.
Shepherd, who for a number of years
had been a clerk In the office of the
auditor OF public accounts of the state.
was arrested yesterday, charged with
embezzlement Of public funds. The
amount covered in the warrant of ar
rest is $50. The specific charge IL that
Shepherd fraudulently made out a
warrant In favor Of an officer for $50.
which was not due him, and certified
under his signature that he had mall
ed the warrant to him, but instead an
propriated the money to his own use
by adding the words cor bearer" II
Is understood there are several other
cases against the accused.
Louisville, April 19.-The principsl
damage done by the wind and rain
storm that swept over many Of the
southern states late Wednesday night
and early yesterday morning seems to
have been the unroofing and damaging
OF factories, churches and residences,
the temporary flooding of streets In
cities and the interruption Of teie-
graphic communication. A small Ten
nessee river steamer was sunk at
Bridgeport, Ala, but no lives were lost
A severe gale at Carrollton, Ala. M
rooted the JAIL court house, several
residences and a church. The drug
store OF II. b. Upchurch and a large
mill were demolished. The only death
reported is that of r. G. Elwood, who
was engineer of freight train wreck
ed by the storm near Jackson, Ala, on
the Mobile and Birmingham railroad.
A gale swept Gadsden and Guntersville,
Ala, doing considerable damage. Three
churches and Y cottages were almost
destroyed.