davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10

ragged between them and their white
neighborS from ga to IA.
The most determined and scholarly
exponent of the lost colony theory is
DR.. b. S. Weeks. In 1890 he published
a paper on THE Lost Colony of
Roanoke: It's Fate and Survival in
American Historical Association pa
pers in which he reached this conclu-
sion:
THE Crotan Indians now liv-
inS in Robson county, North Carolina,
are the lineal descendants of the COL
FOnists left on Roanoke Island by John
White in 1887. The conclusions reach
ed from printed authorities are con-
firmed by the traditions, by the char
acter and disposition, by the spoken
language and family names of this
tribe of Indians.
On the other hand Mrs. Mary c.
Norment in her history of the Croatan
outlaws, entitled THE Lowrie His
tory" differs widely from DR.. Weeks
position. Her work contains not a
word OF the lost colony. She traces
the race back to certain manumitted
mulattoeS and runaway slaves, some
Of whom settled in Robson County
(then Bladen County, as early as 1863.
She accounts for the undoubted ad-
mixture of Indian blood by the inter-
marriage of these mulattoeS with the
TuScarora Indians. According to her
view, then, the Croatans contain in
their veins the blood of three races
the Ango-Saxon, the negro and the
Indian.
Without attempting to pass finally
on the question, we may safely go so
far as to say that DR.. Weeks theory is
the most logical and probable way to
account for the disappearance of the
lost colony. Certainly its proof is to
be desired. The human mind dislikes
a mystery as much as nature is said
to abhor a vacuum, and to see the
total English population of America
make themselves into thin air and
vanish into it, is numerically just forty
times as battling to us as Macbeth's
experience with the three weird sis
ters was to him.
Description of ScufhetOwn and the
Croatans.
The district between Red Springs
and Lumberton which has been men
toned as inhabit by the Croatans
is known by the euphoniouS and high
lv suggestive soubriquet of "Scuffle-
town" This title was given it by Col.
Wick. after whom Vicksburg. MiSsiss-
ippi. is said to have been named. 1t is
part of the great swamp district of
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10

his hearers as Bagley or Dewey and
Hobson, and the other heroes of our
war with Spain. And to illustrate the
truth of his statement he cited an i'll
stant of the bravery of one of his
hearers, which he had witnessed 1T
the battle of the Wilderness, and point
ed to Capt. G.. T. Siler, who was the
captain of his old company. He said
that when charge was ordered the
color-bearer of the regiment prompt
ly started forward, but was at once
shot dead. One of the cOlOr-guard
immediately seized the falling flag
and he too fell dead.
Another of the color-guard grabbed
the flag, but he also was instantly kill
ed. And then, although three men had
been SO quickly killed with that fatal
flag, Captain Siler rushed to the fallen
flag and waved it aloft, dashed to-
ward the enemy calling out: Follow
me, my brave menn And they did
follow him to victory. This was not
the only instance of Captain Silers
bravery. as is attestcd by the scars of
six wounds which he still bears on his
body. No one would think that this
battle-scarred hero is the modest,
quiet gentleman who ever since the
war. has devoted his life to the great
cause of education, and for many years
has been one of Our States foremost
teachers
The following were with Capt. Sler,
and some or all witnessed the above:
Col. w. z. Wood. Asheboro; DR.. Will
S;taley, Liberty; David Wright, Liber-
ty; j. NJ. Hayes New Salem; Col L.
S. Galloway. Sommerville, Tenn; and
Rev w. H. Moore, d. D., Pittsboro.
~ c., the brigade chaplin, and who
bunked with Capt. Siler and vouches
for all the above.
What His Chaplain Says.
TIE chaplain of Scales's brigade.
a distinguished Methodist presiding
elder. thus writes OF Capt. Siler:
'.Pittsboro, n. c., Sept. 6, 1905
LAS Chaplain to Scaies,s Brigade,
Army of Northern Virginia, / was
thrown into intimate relations with
Capt c. F. Siler. and il gives me
pleasure to say that. in my judgment,
General Lee. did not have in all his
command a more conscientious man.
or a braver soldier. No task was too
a rduous for him to undertake. no peril
too great for him to brave, if obe
dience TO superior authority, or the
glory of our arms required it, In the
dusk of life's day it must be a salts
faction to him. as il is TO his friends.
to know his duty to God. and his
country. has been SO we'll done that
both will approve when he shall have
gone from among us.
'sW. H. MOORE"
After the close of the war. yielding
the victory to his conquering foe. Capt.
CONTINUED on Page Three.)
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10

1t is fair to suppose that to most
readers of The State the term Croa-
tan bears but hay meaning, if any
at ALL. Indeed little is known by the
world at large concerning the people
who bear this name. Only one of six
cyclopediaS examined contains men
ton of them, and that in a bare half
dozen lines. And yet for him who
knows, there stands enWrapped in that
one word the most pathetic incident
in American history, ten years of as
fierce and bitter guerilla warfare as
the South ever knew, and a present
day riddle concerning the origin of
some score of hundreds of North
Carolina citizens.
'The Mystery of Croatan.".
In the dawn of American history the
word is first brought to our notice.
1t will be recalled that in 15S7-20
years before the first permanent Eng
liSh settlers landed at JamestoWn-SiT
Walter Raleigh sent out a colony to
the unknown western land which Col
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10

They searched the wigwam through;
But neither lance nor helm nor spear,
Nor shred of child's nor woman's
gear,
Could furnish forth a clue.
How could a hundred souls be caught
Straight out of life, nor find
Device through which to mark their
fate,
Or leave some hint behind?
Had winters ocean inland rolled
An eagre's deadly spray,
That overwhelmed the islands breath,
And swept them all away?
'In vain, in vain, their heart-sck
search!
No tidings reached them more;
No record save that silent word
Upon the silent shore.
THE mystery rests a mystery still,
Unsolved of mortal man;
SphinX-like untold, the ages hold
The tale of CRO-A-TAN!'
This poem follows the historical ac-
count with fidelity. The colony had
indeed disappeared, and White found
mo record save the silent word upon
that silent shore To this day, mys-
terry numbered their fate among her
choicest secrets.
The CrOatans of North Carolina.
In Robson County, North Carolina,
about 20 miles from the South Caro-
lima line, just where the SeabOard Air
Line crosses the Atlantic Coast Line
at Pembroke, is d stretch of country
inhabited by Il people whom this lost
colony incident invests with peculiar
interest. They live scattered over a
territory embracing some 80 square
miles. and are styled Croatans They
number over d thousand. Tradition
runs that they are the descendants of
the lost colony.
1t is supposed that after White sail
ed for England, the settlers found
themselves unable to support life on
Roanoke Island, and that accordingly
they moved inland and il, course of
time intermarried with Indians. This
theory of their amalga gamation with
some Indian tribe in just this way has
strong antecedent probability to sup
port it and in fact is the only adequate
explanation, all things considered, of
their complete and untraceable disap-
pearance. To connect them with what
are now known as the Croatans in
Robson County seems at least possi-
with our present fund of information,
is impossible. The whole question is
interesting, and much remains to be
done. Quite a bit, first and last, has
been written of them, but the empha-
sis and interest have been, not on their
origin, but on the bitter feud which
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10

But not an answer came;
And none of all who read it there
Had ever heard the name.
"The governor drew his jerkin sleeve
Across his misty eyes;
Some land, maybe, of savagery
Beyond the coast that lies;
And skulking there the willy foe
In ambush may have lain;
Gods mercy! Could such sweetest
heads
Lie scalped among the slain?
$50 daughter! daughter! with the
thought
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10

Anon the governor stepped
His good ships deck right merrily
His promise had been kept
(" See see the coast line comes in
vieW.'
He heard the mariners shout,
Well drop our anchors in the sound
Before star is OUT
g Now God be praised he only
breathed.
Who saves from all that harms;
The morrow morn my pretty ones
Will rest within my arms
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10

NV narrowed brain is wild!
Up with the anchors. / must find
The mother and the child,
"They secured the mainland near and
far:
The search no tidings brought;
Till mid a forests dusky tribe
They heard the name they sought
"The kindly natives came with gifts
Of corn and slaughtered deer;
What room for savage treachery
Or foul suspicion here?
"Unhindered of a chief or brave
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10

But found no vestige there.
The pine! the pine,' the governor
groaned;
And there each staring man
Read in amaze, one single word,
Deep carven, 'CIY0~A-TAN!'
But cut above. no cross, no sign
No symbol of distress;
Naught else beside that mystic line
Within the wilderness!
"And where and what was 'Croatan? ?
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10
The Killing of Mary Bridgers.

The killing of Mary Bridgers and
two of her children. the crime for
which Adams is to hang, occurred on
the 22nd Of January. 1904. The woman
lived with her husband on a farm
| some miles East of Raleigh, in st.
Matthews township. The tragedy took
place, as nearly as can be surmised,
about midday.
When the husband of the woman
returned to his farm after visit to the
city he found the body of his wife
lying in cotton field about a hundred
Yards from the house. She lay on
her face and the skull was beaten
into IL pulp. Near her lay two of
the children unconscious, and with
terrible wounds on their heads ana
bodies. They fingered alive for time
and died before morning.
The suspicious of the husband were
directed Immediately to Adams, and a
searching party started at once to
run him down. 1t was ascertained
that he had been seen about one
o'clock in the day at the corner of the
house on the Bridgers place, and that
afterwards he had been noticed
crouching below some bushes along the
highway about half mile from the
house. other evidence pointing to
him as the guilty man consisted in
.Uacks leading from the body to the
were noticeably large and seemed to
have been made by d man who car
ried his feet at a great angle in walk
ng-that is a slew-footed' man.
Adams is an immense negro and his
feet are very large. Witnesses esti-
mated that the tracks were made by
a No. IL shoe. Adams was later ar
rested during the night following the
day of the homicide.
The above was about all the evidence
presented to the jury at either of the
trials at which Adams was convicted
There was one child who was spared
and this child stated that Will Adams
had done the killing. The child was
so young. however. that it was not
permitted to testify by the Judge.
Adams Apple Trials
On the first trial before Judge
Brown there was testimony by
Bridgers that when he left home i'm
the morning there had been six dol
lars in a drawer in his house which
was gone when he returned. A search
of Adams after his arrest found him
possessed of two half dollars and four
Continued on Page Three)
The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-10
WILL ADAMS To
HANG THURSDAY
The Governor Finally De-
cIines to Commute.
LONG FIGHT FOR LIFE
Brutal Murderer Has Been Twice
Tried and Convicted in Superior
Court, and Has Twice Appealed.
Governor Compliments I'm.
paid Counsel.

Will Adams will be hanged in Raj
eigh on the 14th of September, which
is THURSDAY of this week.
After long consideration of the case
including personal examinations of
witnesses and argument from counsel
for the condemned on several occa-
sions, Governor Glenn yesterday def
nitely decided that he was not justi-
fed in committing the sentence of
death.
In making the announcement and
giving the reasons for his action. the
Governor takes occasion to pay de-
served compliment to MeSSrs. w. Is.
Snow and Elmer Shaffer, counsel for
Adams. for their unvarying zeal and
faithfulness to their client, whom
they have served without renumera
ton with all their power and ability.
The statement accompanying the all
nouncement is as follows
State VS.. Will Adams.
Wake Superior Court, February
Term 1905. Indictment Murder
The prisoner was tried and convict
ed before Brown, Judge, and a jury
at March term 1894 and sentenced toy
be hanged. On appeal to Supreme
Court new trial was ordered and pris-
oner was again tried at February
term, 1905 before Moore, Judge, and
jury, and convicted of murder in the
first degree, and sentenced to be hang
ed March 18th, 1905. Prisoner again
appealed to the Supreme Court when
Judgment of lower court was affirmed
Upon application, respites were grant
Cd the last being untif September
14th, 1905. The prisoner, being poor,
and friendiess, the court assigned
MesSrs. Snow and Shaffer to defend
They have we'll and truly done their
duty as much so as if their client
was rich and influential for which
they deserve the approval Of all.
At their suggestion / carefully ex-
amined many witnesses, in order to see
if there was any foundation for the
suggestion that some one else com
mitted the crime. Neither the trial
Solicitor nor the trial Judge recon-
mended communication, SO, after full
and thorough investigation of the evil
dence taken before the court, as well
as taken before me in my office, am
thoroughly convinced that the prisoner
is guilty of the brutal and
wilful murder of Mary Bridg
ers and her little child and that
there are no eXtenuating circumstan-
ces to mitigate his punishment from
the death sentence to life impriSOn-
ment in the penitentiary /, therefore,
feel it my duty to refuse the applica-
ton for commutation, and to direct
the Sheriff of Wake county, Thursday.
September 14th. 1905. to carry out
the sentence of the court as heretofore
named.
This the 9th day of September. 1905
r. b. GLENN,
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-02-16
SENATE
BILLS
PASSED
House Pushes Down to the
Bottom Of the Pile

No. II, by Pierce, to prohibit ship.
ments of game outside of the state.
Edwards of Lane made one of the
most eloquent speeches of the session
in defense of birds. He denounced the
"pump-guns" and the destruction of
birds in general. He said but for the
birds man could raise no crops at all
and famine would be inevitable. Ayes
So, noes 9.
No. 1875, by Pierce, compelling at
tendance Of children at Indian schools.
Ayes 2s, noes %. Failed to pass.
No. 25l, by Coshow, to incorporate
Myrtle Creek.
No. l24, by Pierce, to allow trav
cling expenses of county superintend
ents of schools. Passed
No. 223, by Hobson, to define bound
ary between Marion and Linn counties.
Passed.
Newell of Washington, who has Of
ficiated at the obsequies of many
notorious measure was himself
the recipient of funeral obsequies
when Senator Haines' bill for the relief
of Louis Varegg was buried SO to l in
spite Of his eloquent speech. He finds
it easier to kill bad bill than to
pass it.
No. 221, by MAlarky, charter of
West Seaside. Passed.
No. 206, by Rand, by request, to
amend charter of Baker City. Passed.
No. 17s, by Carter, to amend charter
Of Ashland. Passed.
No. 149, by Haines, for relief of
Louis Varegg, to refund taxes on land
in Douglas county, $392.41. Failed to
pass.
No. III, by Tuttle, relating to fish
cries. Passed.
No. l9, by same, relating to fish.
cries. Passed.
No. IA, by same, was referred back
to committee.
No, 214, by Avery, charter of Philo-
math. Passed.
No. 1872, by Coshow, to amend game
law relative to Salmon trout. Failed
to pass.
No. "a, by Holman, furnish persons
responsible for delinquency of children
Passed.
No. 20l, by Coe, relating to sale of
salmon trout, or trout grown for the
market Failed to pass.
No. 1856, Carter, relating to salary
of district attorney, First district.
Passed.
No. 80, by Kuykendall, to protect
transplanted oysters. Passed.
No. 6S, by Nottingham, relating to
adulterated linseed oil. Failed to
pass.
No. 2s, by Pierce, to amend law re-
lnting to killing prairie chickens.
Passed.
No. 9s, by Malarky, relating to sale
of real property of deceased persons.
Passed.
No. 1873, Whealdon, relating to un-
dertakings for county officers. Failed to
pass.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-02-16
Mrs. Ehlen Passes Away.

Mrs. Elizabeth Ehlen, died at hel
home three miles north of Aurora Tues
day afternoon, tho cause of her death
being heart trouble.
Deceased has lived in the Aurora col
ony for many years, and was a well
known and highly respected woman
Her many friends will greatly miss her
as she was a woman who made herself
felt in many kindly ways. She leaves
six children, her husband, the late
Henry Ehlen, died many years ago. The
children are: Mrs George Yergen,
Mrs. Dolph Crissel, Mrs. Fred Yergen,
William Ehlen, of Aurora; Mrs. Mon
roe, of Portland, and George A. Ehlen,
of Hubbard.
The funeral was held today and the
remains inferred in the Aurora ceme'
terry. The funeral was attended by a
large concourse of relatives and friends.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-02-16
First Auto Boat Show.

New York, Feb l6.-Automobile en-
thusiasts are now turning their atten.
tion to the first national motor boat ex
hibition ever given in America, which
will be held at Madison Square Garden
next week, in conjunction with the reg.
ular sportsmen 3 show. II is the inten.
tion Of the engine and boat manufac.
turers to prove this year that they are
far in the lead of any other nation in
motor OF boat building.
In addition to naval officials,who will
be guests of honor on the opening night,
invitations have been extended to the
commcdcres Of the leading yacht clubs
throughout the country, and a special
effort is being made to make the occa.
sion the greatest assembly of yachts.
men ever known. The exhibit will in
clude all the latest speed creations for
use rn the water. A number of foreign
manufacturers will exhibit. and visi.
tors will have their first opportunity of
comparing the products of Europe and
America in the way of motor boats.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-02-16
DEEDS
AWAY
LAND
Frederick A. KribS Unloading
His Land Holdings

Frederick A, Kribs. who is closely
identified with the land operations ba
ing investigated by the government,
has decided more land to c. A. Smith,
the Minneapolis lumberman who,
through Kribs, has acquired many
thousands of acres of timber land in
this district. The land is conveyed
in three deeds. The first is for l4OO
acres sold to Smith by Kribs for +.
A. Hide & Co., of California. The con
sideration named in the deed was $40.
The next lot decided lies in township
80, range 9 west, Douglas county, and
in township 81, range 10, Coos county.
The deed for this conveys 116O acres,
for which 81 was paid as a considera-
ton. The first two lots lie in townships
80 and 80, range west, respectively.
The deeds were made about three years
ago but were not put on record until
last Thursday.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-02-16
FAIR
BOOKS
BALANCE
Have Been Carefully
Exported and Are
Found Correct
SOlOnS Compliment Lewis and
Clark Commission

The committee appointed by the leg
stature to investigate the affairs, man
agement and accounts Of the Levi
and Clark fair commission reported to
day in part as follows:
We consider the laying out of th
Exposition and grounds az nearly per
feet as could be obtained.
We have carefully examined tn,
minutes Of the proceedings Of the com
mission and find that all matters OF
Importance have been referred to tn,
board and acted upon by them will
an attention to detail that deserve,
Ueat eommendation.
The committee compliment Jefferson
Meyers, president and Edmund c. Gilt
Her secretary, of the commission Oh
heir work, and also George o. Goodall
bookkeoper, and F.A. Erixson, superin
lendent, of construction.
We find that all buildings were erect.
ed under contracts based upon the low
Is. bids received, with the exception
Of the Oregon building at st. Louis
and the material for the Forestry
hilding at Portland. In the case of
the Oregon building at st. Louis the
only bid received was too high and the
building WAS erected by days labor.
It's construction was accomplished at
less expense than the bid. In erecting
he Forestry building at Portland it
vOs necessary to use nearly 300 large
Ogs and about 1900 fir poles, all of
which had TO be cut before the sap
started to preserve the bark intact.
SEPARATE contracts were let for this
inber, which amounted to nearly
10000 feet, b. NJ; 81 to 90 per thou.
'nnd was paid. The delivery from the
river to the site of the building re.
quired the erection Of long logway
and the use of logging engine and
liable, which contract amounted to
5000, over $1,000 less than the lowest
/ Nd.
The sum of $4,000, which was set
side for the erection of a memorial
building, has not been used because the
Lewis and Clark fair corporation and
tie city of Portland have not com
Piled with conditions as required in tho
a.
At the close Of the st. Louis exposi.
lion the Oregon building was sold for
FloOO, which was the highest percent
age of first cost realized from any
inte building.
We have examined in detail the ac-
@unts, vouchers and contracts Of the
''nmission up to date, and find that all
@eounts have been carefully examined
. v the auditing committee, and by the
scfetary of state, and that the ac-
counts have been accurately kept. The
'''al expenditure on the st. Louis ex-
pntion is $4s,749.2s up to date, the
Nnainder of the appropriation of $780,
w for this purpose will probably be
"Vered by bills for freight, etc, not yet
ProVed, The expenditure on the Port
AID exposition up to date is as follows:
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-02-16
To Unveil willard Statue.

Washington, D. c., Feb. l6.-Every'
thing is in readiness for the placing of
the Frances L. Willard statue in Stat
uary Hall of the capitol. The statue is
a gift from the state of Illinois. The
event has aroused great interest among
the members of the Woman's s Christian
Temperance Union, and they are re-
solved to leave nothing undone that
will add to the impressiveness of the
ceremony. The national officers of the
society and a number of the state presi-
dents will be in attendance.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-02-16

There Is more Catarrn in this sec.
tion of the country than all other dis.
eases put together, and until the last
few years was supposed to be incura.
BILE. For great many years doctors
pronounced it local disease and pre-.
scribed local remedies, and by con.
stantly failing to cure with local treat.
ment, pronounced it iucurable. Sci.
ence has proven catarrh to be con.
stitutional disease and therefore re-
quires constitutional treatment. Hall Is
Catorrh Cure, manufactured by +. J.
Cheney 6 Co, Toledo, Ohio, is the only
constitutional cure on the market. II
Is taken internally in doses from 10
drops to teaspOonfuL II acts direct.
ly on the blood and mucous surfaces
of the system. They offer one hun
dred dollars for any case it fails to
cure. Send fer circulars and testimoni.
Rls.
Address: F. J. CHENEY & Co., To.
ledo, Ohio.
Sold by Druggists, zoe.
Take Halls Family Pills for con.
stipation.