The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1908-03-27
RATE DISCRIMINATION Case
Public interested IN Hearing Be-
fore Commission
Identity OF Negro Who Shot Revenue
CH..cr EstLbl:she2-Ncw Rifles for
National Guard Observation-Disclosures
OF L. $. Supreme Court Discounted
Other News Items
Raleigh, March 81

Other News Items
Raleigh, March 81.
United States Marshal Claude
Dockery has discovered the name Of
the negro who shot and seriously
wounded Deputy Marshal Henry
Reese near Spout Springs a few days
ago. The name OF the negro is Jim
Staley and his home used 10 be a.
the town OF that name which is IL
Randolph county, near the Chatham
line. Staley moved from there 10
the vicinity of Spout Springs and
has been in with a gang of negroes
in Harnett county making money out
Of whiskey. 1t was found that Sta
ley was shot twice by the officers.
one OF the bullets having come from
the pistol of Deputy Collector W. G.
Pool. Officers are on his track and
his arrest is probable at any mo-
pIent.
Adjutant General Robertson today
received from the war department the
invoices for the magazine rifles, the
new Springfield, 1850 in number, for
issue to the national guard of this
! state. This will give 58 per COM
pany, there being SO companies, and
SC will arm the whole infantry force
according to the requirements Of the
war department.
The United States and state inspec-
ing officers were here today for 4
few hours on their way yes The
are now inspecting the guard. They
find the force to be in a better con
dition than it was a year ago. The
adjutant general knew this fact, as
he keeps thoroughly posted regard
ing the position of all the OrganiZa-
tons.
No surprise whatever was expressed
here by the general public as to the
decision in the railway rate case by
, the United States supreme court. 1t
was quite generally remarked that
the decision had been anticipated
long ago and that the state discount
ed it by means of a special session of
the legislature.
The corporation commission is Of
course very much interested, as is
the general public, in the freight
rate discrimination case which the
interstate commerce commission is
to hear in the United States court
room this week. One interesting thing
Is what would be the attitude of GER
tain Virginia cities in this matter.
Lynchburg has announced that it
has nothing to do with the fight. but
people here are asking what attitude
Richmond and Danville will take.
1t is currently observed that
L%ynchburg and Danville will prob
ably lose their Importance as ship
ping points but that Richmond has
always seemed to have an extraor-
| I;n0ru irA,,arao ,n~r +ho -o;I-,o,
Of course that city has water rates.
and is a natural point, while Lynch
burg and Danville were purely an
artificial gateway. The state seems
to have no doubt but has it will win
out in it's case.
P%ostoffice inspectors are at work Oh
the strange case of the robbery of a
mail car on the Norfolk & Southern
Railway at Wilson last Friday night
during the snow storm. A good deal
has been said about this odd oc-
curence, but more remains to be told
and a first class sensation may yet
develop.
Persons who came in today on the
train reported torrentiaI rains and
streams very high and rising. One
who came in from Chatham county
said a number of bridges there had
been washed away by last nights
flood. If the rain continues much
longer heavy freshets in the larger
streams may be looked for.
The candidacy of Henry A. Lon
don, of P~ittsboro, for the nomination
Of corporation commissioner adds
more interest to that race. AS a gen
eral thing there are plenty of aspir-
ants for the various positions and in
only two cases is there only one in
the field, these being the auditor and
superintendent of public instruction.
In the superior court here there
will be many witnesses, including
numerous railway officials, in the
collision case which comes up Thurs
day and in which the wreck at Au-
burn will be thoroughly Investigate
ed.
E. B. Barbee, we'll known as a
cotton dealer here says it is very
difficult as yet to say what the cotton
acreage will be as the season is ex-
ceptionally late and people are late
in buying fertilizers and making gen
eral farm arrangements.
/ Walter Murphy, of Salisbury, was
interviewed today and said he had
been in New York most of this year
on business connected with the great
whitney Electric Power Company on
the Yadkin ricer. He represents the
contractor and the bond holders. He
says it seems that there must be a
complete reorganization before the
plant can be finished.
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