The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-03-19

Roanoke, va, March 1S.Henrv Will
The execution was witnessed by several
hundred persons assembled in the Jail
yard while thousands thronged the streets
about the prison. There was no demon
stration. but as a precautionary measure,
acting Mayor Johnston had a local Mill
tary company in their armory during the
night and until after the execution
The crime for which Williams was
hanged was committed January 3O last.
He entered the house of George J. Shields
a well known young business man and
o%>~>->-e%~%~-~~>- ~~>->~~-~>~s
citement. 1t seemed merely a renewal
of bear operations, and the catching of
further stop orders. Shortly after the
afternoon session, however, there was
lull in the pit and about five minutes
after 2 O'Clock the announcement of the
suspension was made by Superintendent
King, who read from the rostrum this
notice: I'VE regret we are unable to meet
our engagements, and will therefore have
to suspend. d. J. SULLY & CO."
For few second there was an ominous
quiet over the floor, as though the news
had stunned all within hearing of the an
nouncement. Then, with one impulse,
mighty shout went up from the bears,
those who had been fighting Sully and
the bull clique for months. Hats were
thrown into the air to fall where they
would, moment later to be trampled up
on by the stampede for the pit. Coats
were torn by frantic brokers in their mad
efforts to unload their holdings and chairs
and camp stools were dashed into the pit
to emphasize some wild brokers offer to
SELL
Messengers Rush In and Out.
Messengers soon were rushing in and out
of the building with orders to sell or
buy; telephone booths were besieged, and
telegraph offices were flooded with dis
patches. Outside, the cotton exchanges
appearance gave little evidence Of the
pandemonium going on inside, until mes
sengers began to rush between the ex-
change and brokers' Offices Soon the news
reached the stock, produce and coffee ex-
changes, and traders on these markets
FASTENED to the scene of the panic. Crowds
asasiled the entrance to the visitors gal
1ery. but double guard was placed at
the doors and admittance was refused
to all but those accompanied by members.
1t was estimated that something like
three-duarters of million bales of cotton
were traded In during the twenty minutes
of the panic that followed the announce
ment and that this, upwards of half
million bales represented forced liquida-
tion," or the selling out of men whose
margins have been nearly or quite wiped
out As the market slumped 2oo points
during this period. the loss falling on this
element amounted to something over a
million dollars.
The market steadied after about twen-
ty minutes. and then there was sudden
upward shoot of about an even hundred
points. This sharp upward rise was
brought about by the buying OF brokers
and SPECTATORS VINO saw that he market
had slumped too far and would react just
as II did part of the excitement on
the floor of the exchange was caused
by the scramble of brokers who wanted
lust such bargains, and had to fight to
get into the ring to get them. The buy
ing rush was almost as exciting and just
as noisy if not more so than the panic
FURRY on Stock Exchange.
The announcement of Sullys suspension
was put on the tickers everywhere with
in few moments after it was made
known, and there was somehat OF a fur
nv on the floor Of the New York stock
exchange after the news reached there.
Mr.. Sully is a member of that exchange
having purchased a seat two or three
months ago. Stocks went off from half
point to a point and one-half on the
fear that the failure might bring a rush
Of stock selling there. The weakness was
only momentary. however. for the word
was passed around that Sully had not been
trading In stocks. and. In fact, that the
clearing house sheets had never shown
single transaction by him. The mar
ket was reassured and stocks went up
again.
Upon the announcement Of the failure
the representatives Of the newspapers
hurried to see Mr.. Sully for the purpose
of getting some stztament Nr. Aa'nv-