Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-31
NEWS OF THE VALLEY.
MATTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST
ALONG THE SHENANDOAH.
Victory Of the. Anti-salon League
Large Family Of Mr.. and Mrs.
James A. Boycs.
Special Correspondeuce Of The Star.

W1NCdESEEH. va. DecemDer ~, TWO.
What has for many months been looked
upon with fear and apprehension by the
liquor element of Virginia as growing
and most powerful foe-the Virginia Anti
Saloon League - clearly exhibited its
strength on Thursday in Shenandoah coun-
ty when. In the two recognized wet dis,
tricts the licensed saloon was defeated by
the greatest majority ever known In the
valley Of Virginia While but two county
districts figured in this election the result
has been commented upon by the news
papers and leading citizens as being ex-s
ceedingly significant, and the prediction Is
openly made that the Anti-Saloon League
Is a great factor in Virginia politics. The
fight In Shenandoah was hard one. and
not until the result was announced did 1t
become known that 1t was practically the
work Of the league. The required number
OF signatures were obtained for a petition
that was presented to Circuit Judge Thomas
w. Harrison of Winchester asking for an
election in Ashby and Madison districts.
and although the communities had been
having saloons for many years and the
liquor people seemed to be firmly intrench-
ed. the league Is said to have gone to work
in quiet. but determined. manner. and
out of 437 votes polled in Madison, the
strongest district, the local option ticket
won by So majority In Ashby district
they rolled up $50 majority, and Mount
Jackson, the principal town, gave them 63
This is not local fight, but is a part Of the
work that the Anti-Saloon League Is doing
, in every section of the state. and the saloon
interests no longer look upon the league as
a mere organization with theory, but
great factor. The league has met some re-
verses, but in nearly every case 1t has
triumphed. The result in Shenandoah this
week Is attracting widespread attention
among thinking people.
Anti-Race Suicide Family.
There would never be race suicide IN
America IL all men were like James A
Boyce, a prominent farmer Of this county,
who today mailed to President Roosevelt
letter, In which he gives a history of his
immediate family, which consists OF him
self and wife and eighteen sons and
daughters The family held reunion
on Christmas and had their photo
graphs taken. AS soon as they are
received from the photographer M.
Boyce will send one to Mr.. Roosexeit.
Mr., Boyce is Atty years old and his wife Is
just forty-five. They have been marr'eo
Twenty-Five years and nave never aao q,
death in their family. Only one son Is
married and there are no twins or trlpiei S.
The oldest child Ia twenty-eignt ana lle
youngest Is cooling In his motheIs arms as
Mr. Boyce said he was the happlesi man oa
earth with all his children around MIN, and
that he and his wife expected to rear all
to be good men and women.
The Church of the Sacred Heart OF Win
chester Is to receive a large Dequest IN TN, .ne
Thomas Goheen and wife, whose Wills were
probated in the county clerks ONCE mere
Yesterday. They lived for many years IN
this county, and willed all their real ana
personal property to the church. the RI:
Rev. Augustus Van De Vyver, bishop OF
Richmond. to act as trustee. Several heirs
at-law. however, have indicated their IN
tention of contesting the WILL and the out
come il causing much speculation among
those directly Interested, as well as the
legal fraternity.
After Post Office Thieves.
Secret service men from Washington have
been sent to the mountain sections OF
Shenandoah county to capture gang OF
post office robbers. who dynamfted the or
fee at Moore's store. in the southern part
of that county, on Tuesday night OF this
week. The details of the robbery leaked
out today, despite the efforts of the au-
thordties to keep the matter quiet In a nope
of arresting the members of the gang before
the news got to the public. The office was
situated in the store Of Postmaster B. b.
Wierman. and the iron safe was down open
Ind all the contents of value carried on,
including many valuable papers ana the
post office supplies. The robbers are sup
posed to have fed to the mountains with
their booty.
The statement is made here that new
company is being organized for the purpose
of acquiring the charter from the Baltimore
& Ohio railroad to finish the long since pro-
posed and commenced railroad line from
Lexington, Va, to Salem, via Roanoke,
which will be a distance Of sixty miles The
roadbed was begun many years ago at
Lexington. and the line was to be known
as the valley road" Recently 1t was re-
ported that the Pennsylvania railroad was
Cassatt and two Norfolk and Western rail-
way officials made a tour OF inspection with
engineers. but declined to make state
ment. 1t is now stated that the road will
lap the new tideN alter, which is being lutlt
to the Atlantic ocean, and that 1t will be =
most valuable spur and heavy feeder from
yet touched by railroads. Parties at Staun-
ton, whose names have not been divulged,
have communicated with Charles Denit
clerk of the courts of Roanoke county. say
ing they desire to purchase any interest Ro-
anoke county has in the old valley route
The common council OF Winchester, after
demanding $15 per share. has decided to
accept the offer of Vice President MI. G.
Kennedy Of the Cumberland Valley Rail
road Company of $50 per share Of 500 fol
the 200 shares of stock owned by the city
in the Martinsburg and Potomac railroad,
which Is practically the Cumberland Valley
railroad extension from Martinsburg w
Va, to this city. Although the road is en-
1oying an excellent business, a dividend has
never been declared, and the motive of the
Cumberland Valley In Offering to buy the
stock is causing much speculation In finan-
cial circles Great Improvements are being
made along the entire line Of the road from
Winchester to Harrisburg
Miss Leila Hieronimus daughter of Jas
Hieronimus of Whitacre, this county, mar
rowly escaped death by accident Yesterday
when she swallowed mouthful Of diluted
carbolio acid that had been given by a phy-
stefan for a gargle. The young woman
ehoked and then swallowed the poison. ant
she was saved by the prompt arrival of a
doctor. who pumped the acid out. She will
probably recover.
Toy Cannon Exploded.
Harry Shank, lad sixteen years old
formerly Of this city. was probably perma-
nently blinded the other day at his home at
Burlington, w. Va, by the premature ex-
plosion of rudely constructed cannon he
and several playmates had made with
which to celebrate Christmas His eyes
and face were horribly burned by powder
and sand that had been mixed with the ex-
plosive. ana a large piece Of the cannon
shattered one OF his hands. 1t is feared
that he will never see again.
The leading social event Of the holiday
season In Winchester was the marriage on
Wednesday evening In Christ Church Of
Miss Elizabeth Shields Baker, second
daughter OF Mr.. and Mrs. Franck Baker, to
DR.. Thomas Monroe Jones, a prominent
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