The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-12
BLUE. FOR BRO. FIFE
If There is Any Truth. in
These Rumors.
HoIton May Send Bill of Indictment
Against Promoters of Great Yves.
tern Mining Company. Uncle
Johns Ups and Downs
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News and Observer
Greensboro, n. c., August 1.-THE
very latest rumor in connection with
the calling of a grand jury at a special
term of the Federal court to begin
in Greensboro, September 4th, is that
United States District Attorney Hol-
ton will send a bill of indictment
against officers and promoters of the
Great- Western Mining Company a
concern out West for which Elk Evan
gelist Fife has been working for the
past two years, and which has thou
sands of good Christian stockholders
in North Carolina.
Reports of the past few days, that
the company was in the hands of a
receiver, that the property which had
been capitalized at twelve million dol
lars and represented to be worth that,
and that it cost only $4,000 and was
not worth that, have convinced many
of the more than one hundred stock
holders in Greensboro, that while
Brother Fife was praying for returns
of a thousand fold in profits for the
get-richq quick spectators in North
Carolina, the wicked SharperS out
West were keeping persistent. unin-
terrupted and unsupported compan-
ionship with his Satanic Majesty, the
Devil. A we'll informed stakeholder
here said this morning that while there
were about one hundred in Green's
boro, he had understood that Win
ston-Salcm had upwards of $50, Char
lotte as many. and Raleigh not over
rs. 1t is not known whether all these
Stockh olderS made money, though
some of them here sold out at a profit
Should the reported indictment at the
coming term of Federal court here
materialiZe, it will be on the counts
of conspiracy to defraud," and for
fraudulent use of the mails
These cases would rival in impor-
lance the reported sensational devel-
opment expected as a result of the in
vestigation by the Department of Jus
tice detectives into the alleged revenue
frauds of this district. District Attor-
ney Holton was not accessible by
phone at Winston, when an effort
was made to communicate with him
about this report, but it came pretty
straight to this correspondent, and
there is no doubt whatever that there
is something in it.
\ Suicide Habituee .
Poor old John Wharton isn't white
neither can he walk, both of his legs
being perfectly timber owing to dis
ease OF the bones. John stays around
home very harmless and inoffensive
to his wife and children, except when
he gets drunk. The moment old John
Barleycorn gets in his work. on the in
side of ole, John Wharton, the latter
forgets that his legs are helpless, and
that not even the privilege of an ar
tificial Stagger is permitted. NO
amount of persuasion can convince
him when drunk that his legs arc
honestly no good. Such is his fixed
delusion, that his wife cannot keep
him from bObbing about. in his up
risings and downfallings to the peril
OF his own neck, but more particularly
to the scant furniture and crockery
in the humble home.
The only relief was to send for the
police The police after several trips
with John on their arms to the Gala
boose, grew tired of this and finally
ignored the calls for help. A month
ago the police were made to jump
by a little niger running to the sta
ton out of breath to tell that 'Unc'
John Wharton wuZ er hangin' he'sef.
Sure enough when the fastest sprinter
on the force reached the scene of the
ira gedy, there sat John collapsed i'll
his chair seemingly half dead and
with an old blind bride to which was
attached plow-line rope, ornament
inc his neck. IT was explained that
John had been cut down i'm the nick
and toted to the station where some
city confiscated stimulant was admin
istered by the improvised MUSICIAN,
and he came to himself in a few
minutes thereafter. Ever since, John
or his wife or somebody has been send
ing in suicide calls only one of which
after the first, was responded to, the
police smelling the rat. This morning
Johns little imp of a BE- came run
ming to the station with the oft-repeet-
ed suicide report Dads hangin
heself sho" he blubbered out to the
alarm Of this uninitiated reporter and
the two days old new policeman. The
new man, or "greener" as the old ones
expressed it, went hurrying to Johns
house, and the reporter would have
got there first, had not kind police
man held him back 1t was while
bearing the police experience with
John and his legs that the above facts
were CLEANED, the officers laughing at
the idea of seeing the greener' APP
pearing in short while toting the sui
eide, sind bride, pillow line and all.
A phone message from the station to
this chronicler's office an hour later
said, The policeman brought John
shore huff, had the same old blind
bride on, and we made him tote him
back and never give him dern drap
to drink.
ReuuesG Sounds Modest.
The mayor of Greensboro received
letter from a citizen of a South Caro-
lima town about the size of Green's