The Carlisle independent., 1906-08-30
ARKANSAS BRIEFS


 Democrat Company for S25,000 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 30, 1905. It is alleged that in special dispatch dated "Pocahontas," it was stated that John Spain, who had been de mented for several months, had dAa and on his deathbed had confess3d 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 to charge against the plaintiff of insan-s ity and murder, to his damage in the sum of S25,000. The Arkansas Dem ocrat has been sold since the publi- 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 Foung Peoples Missionary Conference for the Southwest held at Siloam Springs, there were nine denominations repre- sented, with total representation of 127, of which 89 were men and $ women as follows: Southern Presby- terian, 75; Presbyterian, U. s. A, 16; United Presbyterian, 75; Presbyterian, l. Methodists, 26; Baptists, ,; Chris tians, ?; Episcopalian, 1 Congrega- tionalists, l. Ten states were repre- scented, as follows: Arkansas, 58; Texas, 21 Missouri. 20; Louisiana. 15; Indian Territory, 5; Tennessee. I; Virginia, 1. Kentucky, 1; Alabama, l; Georgia, l. There were 20 volunteers for foreign missionaries; 5 mission aries; from Japan l, China 2, Korea l., Cuba 1; 50 pastors, II Sunday school superintendents, 27 Sunday school teachers. There were present 56 persons who promised to teach mission study classes at home.
 J. E. McCook, warden of the state convict farm in Lincoln county. was 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 1900 bales of cotton. More corn has been raised than at any one time before. and cribs are being erected to house during the winter and next spring It will be used to 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 roc 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 iE vitation to William J. Bryan to speak there this fall at the statehood ceIe- bration, which will take place one day during the stock show in October Mir. Bryan will be met in St. Louis by committee of five from the Com mercial Club while on his way from his reception in New York and pre- sented the invitation. In addition to Mr. Bryan, there will be invited prom lnent 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. Two new porches have been built. and another is now in course of cen 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, to better condition. A water tank is being erected at cost of $8,000, that will provide 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. A 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 five-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