davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-07-28

Mrs. A. J. Dixon left this morn
ing for Leary via Preston and Daw.
son. She has been here several days
attending to business and visiting
relatives.
Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-07-28
C. P. Buckley Shoots His,
Wife At Jacksonville
Little Rea Wise a ess--Plenty of
Whiskey and Handy Pistol.


Buckley, and brother Of Mrs. q.
M. Wise, shot and probably fatally
wounded his wife at Jacksonville,
Fla, Sunday night.
4 full account of the tragedy is
related in the following taken from
the Jacksonville papers:
E:Declaring that he had been driv-
en- to desperation by the acts of his
wife and at the same time express
ing regrets that it had become nee
essary for him to act as he did,
Charles P. Buckley, well known
citizen of this city, conducting a
market at 223 Bridge street, last
night shot and fatally wounded his
wife.
The shooting is one of the most
sensational that has occurred in
in this city in some time
and created a great deal of excite
ment in the neighborhood where it
occurred. Buckley has always
borne a good reputation and his
friends were shocked last night
when they learned of his rash act.
Of course, there are two versions
to the shooting. There was but
one eye, witness, Rea Wise, a TO-
year-old niece of Buckley. Her
version and that of Buckley are
quite contradictory.
The shooting, which is expected
to prove fatal for the unfortunate
victim, took place in the rear OF
the market at 223 Bridge street,
which has been used for living pur-
u. ,ses for some time past. Buckley
is now erecting a residence on West
Monroe street and it was his inten-
ton to move into the residence with
his wife as soon as it was completed.
HEARD PISTOL SHOTS.
Shortly after Z O'Clock last night
the residents in the vicinity of the
market and many passers7by were
startled by the quick report of four
pistol shots. They came from the
rear of the market and a crowd Of
men rushed through the front
doors.
Among the first to arrive was
Mr.. w. P. Coulter, who was close
lv followed by Policeman Hewlett.
Mr. Coulter saw Buckley holding
tightly; to a revolver, and the form
of his wife stretched across the
floor in brief told the story. MI.
Coulter took the revolver from
Buckley and took charge of him
until Policeman Hewlett arrived,
which was only few seconds later,
and sent the man to police head
quarters.
SENT TO HOSPITAL.
MIS-. Buckley, bleeding as she
was. was picked up by tender
hands and placed in a hack and
hurriedly driven to St. Luke's hos
pital, where the extent of her in
iuriee were first known. She-was
conscious until just before being
placed on the operating table.
City Detective J. G. Crawford
was dispatched to the hospital by
Chief of Police Vinzant, and short
Il before Mrs. Buckley lost con-
seriousness she made statement to
the detective. Her statement was
very brief, the substance of which
follows:
She said that she and little Rea
Wise, Buckley niece, were dressing
to go to one of the moving picture
!, theaters. Buckley was lying across
the bed with his clothes on and
appeared to object to their going
Suddenly, according to the woman
Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-07-28

Mrs. ID. B. Null left yesterday
for Tennessee where she will spend
the remainder of the summer.
Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-07-28

Judge Drew w. Paulk returned
Sunday from a short trip to At
lanta.
Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-07-28

utterance of a few cross words
Buckley fired four shots at her il
quick succession, two of them tax
ing effect in the right arm and two
in the left side.
Mrs. Buckley, suffering as sht
was, refused to speak harshly o.
her husband. She said that hi
had quarreled with her repeatedly,
but otherwise she said he had al
ways been kind to her and had
given her everything that she could
wish for.
THE PRISONERS STORY.
Buckley was seen in his cell at
police headquarters by Times
Union reporter a few minutes af-
ter his arrest and he at first re-
fused absolutely to discuss the
shooting. He said he had nothing
to say about the matter and would
say nothing until his case was
ready for trial.
He was greatly excited and in a
state of nervousness, and he was
left alone for a while. Shortly af-
ter 10 o'clock the reporter returned
to his cell and again Buckley refus
Ell to talk, but little by little he
answered questions until he had
given his side of the story.
REGRETS SHOOTING.
Buckley says that he is sorry
that he shot his wife, but that he
was driven to it, and furthermore
that he had excellent grounds. He
says his life had been threatened
several times and further stated
that he had seen his wife with a
revolver shortly before the shoot
ing 1t is a known fact that
another revolver beside the one
used by Buckley was in the room
when the police arrived.
Yesterday, according to Buckley
was a continual day of quarreling
between man and wife. He said
that he had been trying to sleep
all day and that his wife had tor
mented him thruout the entire
day.
Shortly before Z O'Clock his wife
and the little grill, Rea Wise, start
ed dressing and said they were go
ing to one of the picture shows.
Another quarrel, according to
Buckley, arose and his wife secured
a blue steel revolver and the little
girl a razor.
A few minutes later the shoot
ing occurred. Buckley was asked
if his wife was in possession of a
revolver when he shot her and he
replied that she was not. He says
the little girl was holding the blue
steel revolver when he fired on his
wife. The man says he had beer
attacked several times by his wife,
and in his cell last night he point
ed to his neck and asked the re
norter to make an examination
and see if the print of finger nails
could not be detected. The eX.
animation was made and while the
nail prints could not be found, his
neck and face showed that he haC
probably been struck. Some were
of the opinion that this could have
deem done by his wife after she
was shot, as the shots were .tire(
at very close range.
DISLIKED TO TALK.
Buckley hated very much t.
talk about the shooting, and all o
his statement were made in a ramb
ling way, showing plainly that hi
had been drinking. He stated
that he had not been drinkin!
Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-07-28

Miss Mozelle WeaGherford and
little sister Lonnie returned home
Sunday after several weeks stay in
Athens.
Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-07-28

Mr.. A. j. Brigham was visiting
his parents here over Sunday.
Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-07-28

thruout the day, but that shortly
before the shooting he had drank a
half pint of whiskey.
On one of the fingers of the pris-
oner was the wedding ring he had
given to his wife six years ago.
Buckley says yesterday morning
he opened his trunk and found the
wedding ring of his wife, she hav-
ing placed it there unknown to
him. He says he begged her yes
terday to take back the ring and
place it where it belonged and
that the answer was that she did
not care for the ring and would
never wear it again.
On the same finger he was wear
ing two pretty diamond rings,
rings that his wife had often times
worn. Later, during his CONVEX
sation, he stated that his wife had
remarked that unless she could
have the diamonds she did not
care for the wedding ring. Look
ing down at the rings he said,
s'They are now on a finger where
they will remain"
WANTED TO SEE WIFE.
When Buckley was informed
that his wife was in a very critical
condition and that her recovery
was not very likely, a look of grief
flashed over his face and he asked
if there was any possible chance OF
his seeing her last night. He was
informed that it was impossible to
comply with his request, and he
brooded over the matter during
the entire night.
Buckley says that when the
case is ready for trial, whether he
be tried for murder or for assault
to murder, he will have several
facts to tell which will put him in
better light in the eyes of the pub
lie. He started to give out some
of the alleged facts last night, but
after considering he deemed it best
to wait until the case is in the
courts.
LITTLE GIRLS STORY.
Immediately after the shooting
Rea Wise, the little niece Of Mr..
Buckley, accompanied by a couple
of ladies, neighbors of the Buckleys
went to the house of Mr.. and Mrs.
Theodore B. Terlinda, 2O5 Julia
street, and there she told what she
knew about the shooting.
According to the story told by
the little girl, Mr.. Buckley had
been drinking and when his wife
insisted upon the three Of them
going to amoving picture show last
night, he objected and declared
that Mrs. Buckley should not go.
At that time, according to the
story of Rea Wise, Mr.. Buckley
was lying across the bed and Mrs.
Buckley was standing in front OF a
bureau fixing her hair.
Mrs. Buckley insisted that she
was going to the picture show and
Mr.. Buckley grew quite angry,
using pretty strong language in
declaring that she should not go.
Finally, he leaped from the bed,
amp going to the bureau pulled
open the top drawer and took
therefrom a revolver. Before Mrs
Buckley could do anything ne
fired, and the little girl said the
ball struck Mrs. Buckley in the
back. The girl had, IN the mean
time, run to the room door, and
opened it and called for her aunt
to leave the room, but before Mrs.
Buckley could do so she was mad
the victim of three more bullets
fired by Buckley.
From friends of the family it is
learned that the business conducted
by Buckley has not been paying
Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1908-07-28

Mrs. J. w. Rodwell and daugh-
ter, little Miss Lucia, returned
Saturday from six weeks visit to
relatives in North Georgia.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-31

pitable and patriotic sentiments manifest ed by the people of Chicago, I feel that l have right to congratulate you upon an occasion which promises to bring you into closer union with them.
 Begun During Prosperous Times.
 Tn these times the celebration of the inauguration of new railroad is some thing rare. and unless conditions ma terially change 1t will become still rarer. The railroad just finished under the aus pices of the Illinois Central Railroad com pany was begun during prosperous times and before the assaults through national and state legislation against railroads had become sufficiently pronounced to in dicate the extremes to which they would go. This occasion Is, therefore, not an exponent of the present conditions, but is the fruit of a period of railroad pros- perlty that antedated them. Unless there is radical change in the sentiment, both national and state. as manifested by leg islation upon railroad matters, the cele- bration of the building of new railroad lines will become as extinct in this coun- try as the dodo. The railroad building now being prosecuted is in pursuance or plans which were fnaugurated beyond re- treat before the present railroad sltua- tion became manifest No one now hears of any initiative in railroad building or any importance. and the reason is not far to seek Regulations state and national. have gone far beyond the correction of abuses, and threaten to take the admin istration of railroad properties out of the hands of their owners State legislatures and state railroad commiss ons have in recent times competed With each other in adopting restrictive, oppressive and burdensome regulation. It is certain that those who have by the investment of cap ital mainly created the railroad systems of this country. would never have made such an irrevocable investment with the foreknowledge that the practical admin istration of their properties would be turned over to political off:ceholIers. and it is just as certain that. now that the revelation has been made. the capital necessary to build new lines and to in- crease the utility of those already built cannot be expected to come from volun- tary private investors unless there shall first come about a very profounI and assuring change in the public attitude to- ward such properties.
 .'I do not mean that laws against un- just discrimination, favoritism and op- pression upon the part of corporations should be modified. Such laws wisely framed and administered. are not only just but are, in view of the vast po- tentialities of such corporations absolute ly imperative. But the demaln now oc- cupied by legislation in respect of pub lie corporations goes far beyond the rec tification of such abuses. It from year to year. and by action of commissions almost from day to day, enters into the field of detailed management and becomes more and more aggravating and oppres- sive large part. if not the larger part, of the time of every administrative of- ficer of every railroad company In the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-31

United States is taken up with matters before the interstate commerce commits sion and the commissions of the several states. Men of large experience and ahil- ity, chosen for their capacity to manage the properties entrusted to them, are every day called aside from their admin istrative duties in one way or another to give attention to matters before com missions.
 Induce Unjust Litigation.
 ''The United States government holds out the greatest inducement ever offered since civilization began or courts were established to promote unjust litigation. Claims against railroad companies are encouraged and the machinery of the government is used to foster them. and yet the claimants do not even incur the penalty of costs, no matter how harass- ing or groundless the claims may be. Railroad companies are compelled at their own expense. and without regard to the weight of the burden, to furnish evil Gcrce and with no reimbursement. Laws are being astutely devised to impose un- equal burdens of taxation upon railroad properties. When a crusade of this sort has begun, with the sanction of public sentiment there is for the time being no limit to oppressive measures except the ingenuity of law makers.
 Tt has always been characteristic or an effort upon the part of the people 10 correct wrongs, that the propulsion neces- sary to reach the high tide which gives sufficient force for corrective action, earries for the time being the meas ures far beyond the remedial domain and into the realm of oppression. It seems almost impossible when wrong has at last goaded the public to acton 70 have the proper measure of reform meted cut. That the history of all times dem onstrates this is the best ground for be- lief that the existing railroad legislation is not an expression of the settled sentt- n,ent of the American people Slavery, though at first sanctioned by all people and defended on biblical grounds, had to yield pt last to the assaults made upon 1t. The forces to which it finally suc- cumbed were so overcharged that they did not stop with the abolition of slavery. and did not cypend themselves until thers wcrc an aftermath of wrong and oppression inflicted upon the Southern people.
 unwse Legislation.
 '"rhe cn,ightened mind of the country now generally recognizes that the meas ures of reconstruction and the con- ferring of the right to vote upon mill Hons of people just emerged from slavery was Q frightful wrong. and indirectly if not directly, the measures taken to over come these evils are sanctioned. The wild, insensate and oppressive measures enacted against railroads and other cor porations incidental to the just and neces- sary legislation, which after long and bitter conflict, was brought about to cor rect abuses which were indefensible. must yield to a sober second thought or the American people must reconcile them selves to paralysis in the davelonmant
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-31

ham upon practically the same rails over which the great Illinois Central Railroad company will bring its trains to your doors. This company owns one of the greatest railroad properties in the world. It Is managed and operated by an army of the most competent officers and men engaged in the railroad service any where. The Mobile and Ohio Railroad company. will be brought into the most active competition with this powerful company Yet our hearts do not fail us. We remember the giant Goliath. fell by a stone from the sling of shepherd boy.
 ''In these days of equal rates. the only differentiation which can exist between the weakest and the strongest line is the character of the service rendered the public. The management of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad company, is the ser want of it's patrons. There can be no just complaint in regard to its business so small as not to receive the personal at tention of it's highest officer. if the com- plaint cannot otherwise secure proper redress. We propose to give to the peo- pie of Birmingham, the very best serv- ice both as to safety and dispatch which it is within our power to render, and we feel certain that they will reciprocate and respond to our efforts
 pr. Dickinson Speaks.
 General Counsel Dickinson of the Illi- nois Central was next introduced As a southerner. born near the Alabama line, he felt no stranger in entering the old state With eloquent words he eulogized Senators Morgan and Pettus, and de- clared that Alabama could have no great CT honor than to have furnished these two men to national history. MT. Dick son said
 This is an occasion upon which Bir- mingham may justly felcitate itself It now for the first time has direct railroad connections under continuous manage ment with the great metropolis of the west. Already it should feel a quickened impulse from this contact with the most intelligent and aggressive business men in this any other country. Now is real ized the vast scheme of connecting up the two great sections of the country which Congress had in view when in 1851 1t made the land grant for building the H. linois Central Railroad company Prob ably no other instrumentalfty contributed during the civil war SO promptly and eff ficietly. through the mobilization of troops and supplies, toward conserving the unity of this country as did the H. linois Central Railroad company, and now 1t is performing a work equally great and enduring in bringing into such close association such highly enlightened opponents of northern and southern life as are Chicago and Birmingham, em- phasizing, as they do, the differences of these remote sections of our common country, but even in a still greater degree those broader characteristics of true Americanism.
 Being a southern man myself, and having had through years of experience constant evidences of the broad, hos
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-31

of branch of industry which has done more than any other to build up the varied interests of the country, and which, if paralyzed in it's development. will carry with it the greatest injury to those sections of the country which, in comparison with others, are not highly developed. The railroad companies were guilty of individual unjust discrimina- tion and favoritism. and doubtless this extended to localities, but they could never be convicted upon an indictment that they had been obstructive of the general progress, welfare and develop ment of the country. Business interests generally had been aided and built up with their cooperation. and no people in any country at any age were gen. orally as prosperous in their business in all lines as were the people of the United States when the most vigorous assaults were made upon the railroad companies.
 There can be no better proof of this than the fact that as soon as they, through these assaults were crippled in credit and were compelled to stop im- rrovements, curtail expenses, the pur- chase of supplies. and cut down their pay rolls, the general business of the country immediately reflected this in- fluence by showing a general depres- sion. The South is in special need of very large development in it's railroad
 
 tirely new roads through undeveloped territory, but in increasing its motive power and rolling stock the efficiency of its present roads by bringing them up to higher standard ballasting their tracks, building second main tracks, ad- ditional side tracks and higher class de- pot accommodations There is com paratively little double track railroad in the South, and but little track that is rock ballasted. Nearly all of the leading systems of the North have been prac- tically rebuilt in recent years curves being taken out, grades lowered, wooden bridges ard trestles replaced with steel and concrete structures and filings. But little in comparison has been done in the south. It would require as much money to put the present railroad systems of the South, without any extension of mile- age. into a standard condition as it orig lnally cost to build them The demand for additional roads is imperative if the south is going to keep pace in develop Tent and wealth with the North.
 Where Alabama Stands.
 Tn 1906 Alabama had to the 100 square miles of territory 964 miles of railway, while at the same time Illinois had 21 1.64 Indiana 20.05, Iowa 17SS and Michigan lo.50 l have taken for comparison, ss you will see, one tier of states in tAa northwest. two of them admitted int8 the union about the same time that Ala bama was and the other two much later Tn 1904 Alabama had an estimated true value of all property of $494 per capita, while Illinois had $16S9. Indiana $1174, Iowa s1S2S and Michigan $l297. Of course. VIC ell know that Alabama had tremon- -~~~~-~~~-~~~~~~~~
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