The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-01-23
End Of an Important Trial in Wake
Superior Court
Clark Acquitted of the Charges Against
Him - A Statement Concerning
Newspapers i'm North Carolina.
Four Pardons Refused by Governor
GIenn-Other Raleigh Notes.
Messenger Bureau,


Smith, Of Petersburg. Va, in Ra-
leigh at the close of fair week the jury
reached a verdict this morning. Clark
being acquitted, Lilliston being found
guilty of murder in the second de-
gree. An appeal will be taken by Lii
listen. Another case brought against
Clark for an assault with deadly
weapon will be disposed of at once.
The circumstances attending the
killing Of the man Smith were of an
uncertain nature and the closest at
tention to all details has been given
in the progress of the trial by the
court, lawyers and spectators. Judge
George W. Ward, in his charge to the
jury, entered with great care into
every shade of each detail, stating
with deftness and clear-cut lines the
law in the matter, at the same time
emphasizing that sometimes disre-
garded features Of the law, the killing
of an innocent by-stander, when such
assaults have been committed, the as
sailants showing malice Or apparently
free Of malice
Contestants and all interested par
ties pronounce the judges charge to
be one of absolute fairness and great
force The verdict was not announc-
ed until the opening of the court this
morning as no verdict could be arfiv-
ed at until nearly midnight.
Beyond the hearing of the Harnett
Supply Company case this closes the
docket for the present term, and Judge
Ward will leave the city today. He
will sit next week at Goldsboro.
Commissioner NJ. B Warner, of the
Bureau of Labor and Printing, gave
out a statement concerning neWspa-
pers in North Carolina that will be OF
interest to publishers all over the
state and also to the reading public.
The comparison of the reports for
1901 and 1905 shows that there are
now published in North Carolina a.
smaller number Of newspapers than
in 1901, yet the circulation has in
creased 10 per cent over that year
Mr. Warner thinks from this that both
the publishers Of papers and their
readers are realizing that fewer papers
and better papers are better for all
concerned, and that the tendency to-
publications, and the subsequent i'm
provement in them, shown by the in
creased circulation of a smaller num-
ber Of papers is healthy sign and a
cause for congratulation all around.
The report for 1901 shows that nine
morning dailies were published in this
an average of 2,919. The total report
.j1tI tn
tai circulation of 4O,S7S. making the
average 4,OS7, or an increase of 36 per
cent in four years. This of course
shows that the morning daily is grow
ing in favor with the public, 70 be ac-
counted for, perhaps, in large part by
the establishment of numerous free
delivery routes, making it possible for
country people to get a paper the
same day it is printed
The afternoon papers have also
made gains in the four years and
there is one less such paper than in
1901. Then there were 21, now only
20 The combined circulation Of
these papers in 1901 was 22,7S5 an
average of 1,OS5. The report for the
year just closed shows the twenty
afternoon papers in the state to have
a total circulation of 2S,754, an aver
age Of 1,437, an increase in four years
of 35 per cent
The weeklies have decreased "a in
number during the four years, but
their circulation has scared from
263, 1886, average of 1882 in 1901, to
297,O57, average 1,7O7 in 1905, this in
crease being II per cent. In 1901
there were 1913 weekly papers, in 1905
only ia
Commissioner VV1ner has no pa
tience with the opinion often express
ed that the day of the weekly paper is
passing. He thinks the above figures
strongly prove the contrast He be-
lieveS veIy i:1uch in the mission and
future of first class weeklies and does
not think that any other class of
newspaper can fill the peculiar work
of a country weekly. The establish
ment of rural routes favors the week
iy equally as much as it fayors the
daily and other papers.
The semi-weekly papers four years
ago numbered 10, and the number in
the last report is the same. This re-
port shows, however, that there has
been an increase in the circulation OF
the semi-weekly of about % per cent.
The total number of all papers pub
lished four years ago was $40, last
year the number was $50. The COM
bined circulation in 1901 was 612.320
now it is 754.S16
Governor Glenn left the city today,
accompanied by Miss Rebe1ah Glenn,
his daughter The first stop will be
at Petersburg, Va. where the govern
or will address the Women's Chris
tian Temperance Union, Miss Glenn
going on TO Washington city. Gov
ernor Montague will entertain North
Carolina's chief executive for short
while in Richmond. Va. after which
he will proceed to Washington to at
tend the meeting of the National
Guard Association. The governor ex-
poets to be away from his office until
Wednesday of next week. Colonel A
FL. Arlington, private secretary to the
governor, and Mrs. Arlington, return