The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-16
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SELMA
The Trading Stamp Question Will Be
 Taken to the High Courts.

Selma, December 15.-(Special.)-Is the 1 giving of trading stamps with every cash purchase violation of Section 4S03 of the state code which provides against lotteries and gift enterprises ?" That is the ques- tion that the higher courts of the state will very likely be called on to decide.
 The Home Trading Stamp association was established in Selma few weeks ago, and has been doing a land office business. A license to carry on a mer- cantile business was granted the com pany by the city, but now comes City Attorney Shafer on the request of the mayor, who hands down an opinion that the company is unlawful, being in direct violation of section 4sOs of the code, which makes it a crime to engage in the business of lottery or gift enterprise" The city attorney cites the case of Lansburgh vs. District of Columbia, Il App. Case CD. CD 512, which covers identically the same business, and under which the stamp con- cern was debarred from doing business in the District of Columbia. This after noon the chief of police notified the stamp
 
 more stamps or redeem those sold, and also notified all merchants belonging to the association that if they gave away any more of the stamps with goods that they would be equally v1oiative of the section of the code providing against gift enterprises.
 The matter has created considerable talk, and there are various opinions as to whether or not the stamp concern comes under the provisions of the section quot ed This is the first time in Alabama that such question has been raised, and there are no Alabama Supreme court de- cisions bearing on the matter.
 An old negro woman by the name of Lucinda Robbins appeared in the Mayor 8 court this morning as witness against a negro who was charged with reckless driving, the latter having run over her on the street few days ago. On the wit ness stand the old woman declared that she was 101 years old. She claims to have come from North Carolina, ana says she nursed eX-Congressman Gaston A. Rob- bins when he was a baby. The declaration of the old woman on the witness stand recalled to the minds of those around the tldSlc uedlu Ol MT. 1NODDllS, WnlCn Oc- cured in the Park Avenue hotel fire Tn New York. On being apprised of MT. Rob- bins death the old negro wept as if her heart was breaking.
 H. c. Pollard of Huntsville was in the city today to see Grand Chancellor J. B. Ellis of the Knights of Pythias. MT. Pol lard was accompanied by Dr. W. C. Wheeler and their business was in the interest of the first-named application for the position of grand keeper of record and seals made vacant by the death of J. H. l Donnohoo R. H. Mangum of this city. who is in charge of the headquarters of 1 the grand chancellor and who has been l prominently mentioned as likely to re- l ceive the appointment of grand keeper of i records and seals, stated today to an Age-Herald representative that he was not in any manner an applicant; that he would not accept the position without 1 giving up the law practice which he did | not desire to do The position pays s150o 1 year, and is quite a nice berth. l Mrs. George Peckham was badly fright ened by a negro yesterday afternoon. She ] was alone at her home on Union street l when negro appeared and demanded something to eat. She refused to accede 1 to his insolent request, and called for help, her cries frightening the negro away. The shock was such to Mrs. Peck hams nervous system that during the ] afternoon she collapsed, and for a time her condition was very alarming. She has i entirely recovered today.