The Forrest City times., 1906-08-31
ARKANSAS BRIEFS

has brought suit in the United States Circuit Court against the Arkansas Democrat Company for s25,00O dam ages for the publication of alleged libelous statements. The statements upon which the suit is based are al legged to have been published in the Arkansas Democrat August 3O, 1sV5. It is alleged that in a special dispatch dated "Pocahontas," it was stated that John Spain, who had been de- mented for several months, had died and on his deathbed had confessed to having murdered his brother-in-law, Pay McKiou. two years before. by put ting poison in some whiskey which McKiou drank. The complaint alleges that these statements amounted 10 charge against the plaintih of insan- ity and murder. to his damage in the sum of s25,000. The Arkansas Dem ocrat has been sold since the puoii- cation of these statements and is now published by the Little Rock Publish ing Company, an entirely different company.
 At the recent meeting of the Young Peoples Missionary Conference for the Southwest, held at Sloan Springs. there were nine denominations repre- scented, with a total representation of 127. of which S9 were men and 3s women. as follows: Southern Presby- terian, 75; Presbyterian, L. s. A, It, United Presbyterian. 75; Presbyterian, l; Methodists, 26 Baptists, ,: Chris | tians, 2; Episcopalian. l; Congrega- l tionalists, l. Ten states were repre- sented, as follows: Arkansas, 58; Texas, 21; Missouri. 20; Louisiana, 15; Indian Territory, ,; Tennessee, 4; Virginia, 1. Kentucky, l; Alabama, l; | Georgia, l. There were 20 volunteers for foreign missionaries; mission aries; from Japan l, China ?. Korea l, Cuba 1; 90 pastors, If Sunday school superintendents. 2 Sunday school l teachers. There were present 36 persons who promised to teach mission study classes at home.
 J. E. McCook, warden of the state in Little Rock recently in conference with Superintendent J. A. Pitcock. He said the outlook for large yield on the farm is good and that from
 present indications the state farm
 will produce 1.200 bales of cotton. More corn has been raised than at any one time before. and cribs are being erected 10 house during the winter and next spring. It will be used 10 feed the stock on the farm. Throughout, he says, the present crop will be the banner crop for the farm. At present, little labor is needed on the farm and about TOO of the con. victs are now working under contract in the railroad camps over the state.
 The Commercial Club of Fort
 Smith has decided to extend an in vitation to William J. Bryan to speak 1 there this fall at the statehood cele-
 bration, which will take place one day during the stock show in October l MT. Bryan will be met in St Louis mercial Club while on his way from his reception in New York and pre- sented the invitation. In addition to
 MT. Bryan, there will be invited prom inent citizens of Indian Territory and | Oklahoma. The mayor of every city
 in the new state will be invited.
 A great many improvements are | being made at the Blind School pre- paratory for the opening in October l Two new porches have been built, | and another is now in course of con l struction on the front of the main building. which will add much to the comfort of the pupils, and the appear ance of the school In addition to these, new floors are being put in and | the interior is being generally put in- l to a better condition. A water tank IS being erected at cost of sS.000, that will provide a force sufficient to throw a stream of water to the top of the building, which cannot be done with the present service
 There has been a considerable let up in the building being done in Little Rock. For some time there were large numbers of houses being erect ed. but for some reason there were few new contracts closed during Aug ust. prominent contractor has made the statement that the cause for the let up is the high price of lumber. All grades of lumber have been advanced materially this year. and now the average fye-room house costs, roughly speaking, s250 more to erect than this time last year.
 J. A. Beckham, who was sheriff of Miller county from 1898 to 1902. was shot and killed by a man named Brock. near Gillian, La, 50 miles south of here, on the Texarkana, Shreveport and Natchez Railroad. on August IS. Beekham was for many years one of the most influential citizens of Miller