The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-10-26
STEEL SPLINTER
MAY CAUSE DEATH
SAM MAYBERRY HAS HIS LUNG
PIERCED IN A PECULIAR MAN
NER WHILE DRIVING SPIKES ON
RAlLRoAD-oTHER NEWS.

Gadsden, October 25.-(special. Sam
Mayberry, employed as a section hand
on the Alabama Great Southern railroad
near this city, was the victim of a most
peculiar accident today. which may cost
him his life. While driving spikes into
crossties with another workman he was
pierced in the right breast by a piece OF
steel not larger than a needle, and i'm
mediately turned to his companions and
remarked that he was killed. The splinter
of steel is supposed to have been clipped
from the steel rail by one of the ham
mers. The force of the flying steel was
so great that the entire piece was driven
into his body. He dropped his hammer
and the blood Immediately began to gush
from his mouth and nose and he fell to
the ground He was given every attention
by the local physicians, and was later
taken to Birmingham. The wound extend
ed to his lung and his recovery is doubt
full.
The trial of Yohlande Degg, who is
charged with the murder of Aubrey Wo-
mack in this city on Christmas night two
years ago has been set for November rs.
On account of the absence of witnesses
the case has been continued three times,
and it is doubtful if it is ever tried. The
murder was one of the most sensational
in the history of the city.
Percy Hoge, aged 10 years, son of Mr..
and Mrs. j. F. Hoge, died this morning
at o'clock at the home of his parents
on Randall street The death is a very
sad one and is deplored among a large
circle of friends of the young man, who
was stricken with typhoid fever several
weeks ago. He was a member Of the First
Methodist church and was an unusually
fine Christian character. The remains
were buried at Forrest cemetery at 1880
o'clock this afternoon, and his former
schoolmates acted as pallbearers.
A special delivery package which was
lost by the postoffice several weeks ago,
containing a piece of gold dental work
valued at $50, was returned to the owner,
a local dentist, today by a negro woman
who reported that she had found it on
Walnut street the day it disappeared. The
loss of the package had baffled all the
efforts of the postoffice here, and the
owner of the package finally inserted an
advertisement in a local paper offering
a liberal reward, which attracted the ne
gro womans attention and she returned 1t
Immediately.
The Rev. r. N. Hail. one of the most
intelligent and conservative negro preach
ers in this city, is out in published ar
tlcle In which he gives the negroes much
wholesome advice. He says in part "'rhe
negro rapist Is of the illiterate, idle
drunken, worthless class His own race
hates him, and a black court presided
over by black judge would hang him
as promptly as would a tribunal com
posed of white men. We as leaders have
been accused of harboring men of our
own race who are guilty of crime. This
we surely deny. We are too much afraid
of falling into the hands of those who
take the law in their own hands and pun
ish without Judge or jury We are more
or as anxious to have the negro dives
broken up as the white man. We ask that
the police ne urged to push the vagrancy
law. They are the only ones who come
in contact with the idle, drunken, WORTH
less negroes, who never come to our
churches, schools lecture rooms or any
thing of a moral or uplifting nature we
have. and the quicker we get rid of them
the better"
r. M. McBee, a well-known farmer liv-
ing southwest of this city, had a startling
experience with a snake known as a
rattle snake pilot" on his farm yester-
day. Mr.. McI3ee was engaged in loading
cut corn OH wagon and had picked up
an armful when he felt something squirm-
ing In his hand, and on loking saw that
he was holding the snake. which was
ly fangs into him He dropped the corn
and killed the snake, which measured
three feet. The bite of the snake is deadly
poisonous and is a very rare species.