The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-25
MYSTERY ARISES l IN TAFT PARTY 'Possum, 'Possun, Who's Got the 'Possum.
 PRESIDENTS TRAIN ROBBED VIII Begin Trip Down Mississippi River Today.
 Execntive's Voice in Bad Cenaitfoa as Result of strain During stay In l Texas Cities, and St. Louis speech May Be Absn-
PRESIDENTS TRAIN ROBBED

| Little Rock. Ark. Oct. 24.--President Taft left Texas this afternoon after spending nine days in that State, and is speeding tonight towards st. Louis | where he will arrive at 7:30 a. m. to- 1 morrow. With formal breakfast, a | speech in the vast St. Louis auditorium, | q luncheon and the dedication or a gov | ernment building in East St. Louis be- fore him. the President will have ev- cry moment of his time occupied up to 5 o'clock tomorrow afternoon, when on 1 the steamer Oleander. he will lead a 1 procession of boats containing Cover I nors, Senators, Representatives anu delegates. down the Mississippi river 1 to New Orleans to attend the conven- tion of the Lakes to the Gulf Deep Wa | terways Association. The river trip will mark one of the l final stages of Mir. Tafts record break | tng travels. When he reaches St. Louis | tomorrow morning he will have GOV l cred e,70e of the 13.00o miles in his | itinerary. The river journey VIII con suine 1,i65 miles more and when the President leaves New orleans early on the morning of November l. he VIII pc | within easy striking distance Of home. being scheduled to arrive in Washing | ion the night of November 10. In real fty. however, the Presidents travels | tor 1909, will not end until Novemper 21, for he has engagements at Middle town. Conn. November t2, at New Ha- ven November 15; at Norfolk, Va, No- 1 vernber 1s, and at Hampton Va. Noveh- Der 20. | shown no improvement over yesteFday and after he had made few snort aa- | dresses in Texas and Arkansas was al l most completely gone. l v Presidents Voice Had. | The Presidents physician Is at work | on the executives vocal chords in the | hope of having them in some sert ot l shape for the auditDrium speech m st. Louis tomorrow Therests little nope l for permanent annproFenasntsP ~" sxk '. short of three or foux days
 1 The Presidents train developed l fuiI fiedged mystery today. Hailroaa detectives. special police and secret sarvica men to the contrary notwitn- standIng somebody stole the Presi- I dents ,possum. It happened at Daiias l where 1t seemed that there we, est ca,.s nIain clothes men, deputy sherins ana militia men on guard. and the au- | thorities there this morning were In cI,ped to charge 1t up as anoehe1 "black hand" outrage. ros
 A fat sleek looking possun "a put aboard the train yesteruey | tIamnstead. Texas He occupied one  other side was a mess" of sweet po- tatoea intended to be served as con | cornitant of the feast. The possuh and potatoes were safely stoWeu away in the Presidential baggage car. WI" memories of the possum dinner III [A lanta last winter still fresh Tn Ihtnu' the President suggested this morhins tha+ tba uempstead gift should have the place of honor among the 'ianus for dinner on the .Mayfiower this evening. .A4
 Then came the astounding news that the ,nossum had disappeared. The man in charge of the baggage car had set the crate on the platform iast night at Dallas and despite the Iace that the train was surrouhueu W Il bIuecoats throughout the period or 1 darkness, the morning lights revealed the fact that the bird" had flown taking the sweet potatoes with him.
 stolen Goods Replaced. Through some psychological phe- nomenon the Presidents desires and the woefui loss at Dallas trave'"A ahead of the train and when It ar rived at Longview at noon today 'possum. all dressed for cooking, was nut aboard. Consequently the opos- sum dinner on the "Mayhower" was not postponed.
 The President left Dallas at o'clock this morning and during me day stopped at Forney Terrell. WilIs Point. Iongview and Marshall before crossing the Texas line at TeXarkana, where the train was halted partly in Texas and partly in Arkansas. A del- | egation of sixty citizens of Arkansas headed by Governor Donaghey, Gen eral Powell Clayton, United States Senator Clarke and others. met the President at TeXarkana and had their two cars attached to his train. There I was an immense crowd at Texarkana hut the Presidents voice had so far gone from his earlier attempts to speak that he could only say word or two in appreciation of his welcome The President s train arrived in Lit tie Rock shortly after o'clock and left for St. Louis ten minutes later. His voice had somewhat improved and he spoke briefly here. Colonel Cecil Lyon left the party at Texarkana.
 The President also spoke few words to the throngs at Philadelphia and Benton. Ark.
 At Terrell, Texas, this morning the President spoke to a throng of eager faced little Sunday School children and delivered near approach to his usual Sunday sermon. 'I think it must have been month ago when I was passing through Chicago that | I received q telegram asking me to stop at Terrell" he said.
 Catechlzes Children.
 q continued to receive telegrams from that time until I reached the Pacific Coast. replied that l was going to stop at Terrill If 1t cost leg. I am very glad to see the chill dren here this Sunday morning. I am glad to see them with their flags.
 You know what the flags are, my children?"
 "Yes sir" replied d score of voices. "The flag of the United States"
 DO you know the flag of TeNas?" asked the President.
 ''Yes sir.'
 What is it?"
 ''The lone star
 Are you loyal to both flags?"
 "Yes sir"
 "I bet you are. Now. my children. do you know who 1 am?"
 Nas ofr