The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
WOUNDED NEGRO
 DIES IN HOSPITAL Man Shot By Judge Christian
 Makes No Statement AN APPEAL FOR C. R. SMITH Attorneys for Slayer of Laurent at Columbus Will Probably Carry
 Case To the United States
 Supreme Court.
AN APPEAL FOR C. R. SMITH

Meridian, Miss, July 23.-(Special)-Jim Beasley. the negro highwayman who was shot bysJudge c. D. Christian, when he attempted to hold the latter up at the point of a pistol at an early hour yes terday morning, died in the county jail this afternoon from the effects of the bullet wound in his stomach. The negro refused to make any statement when told that he could not live. However, the police believe that he was guilty of sev- eral recent hold-ups. A remarkable thing in connection with the shooting of the negro was the receipt today of beau- tful bouquet of flowers by Judge Chris tian from a party of aged colored citi- zens, who commended him for having put the highwayman forever beyond the prac- tice of his profession.
 Hon. s. A. Witherspoon. leading coun- sel in the c. R. Smith murder case. left tonight for Columbus, to consult his asso- ciate attorneys with regard to the advis- ability of appealing the case to the United States supreme court. It Is almost cer- tain that this last step will be taken, in view of the action of the state su- preme court yesterday in oyerruling the suggestion of error in the effort for rehearing of the case
 The Lauderdale County Bar association held a meeting tonight in the rooms of the board of trade, following which a Dutch lunch was served Several speeches were made and matters pertaining to the welfare nf fha diSnIJGQa6
 Meridian is to have another handsome new business building. W. B. Caraway, a prominent capitalist, announces that he will shortly begin the construction of a three-story pressed brick building on the triangular lot at the intersection of Ninth and Sixth streets, between Nine teenth and Twentieth avenues The build ing will be one of the most ornamental in that part of the business district There are now half million dollars worth of building improvements in course of prog ress and in early contemplation in Me rldian.
 The Board of Trade will lend it's aid to the movement of Dr. G. D. Brook and others in the inauguration of an annual race meet and live stock show in the early fall. The grounds and the race track have already been arranged, being located just beyond the western corpor- ate limits. This year 1t Is the intention to have only a good county exhibit, but in the years to come 1t is the intention of the promoters to have a regular county fair and on the largest scale ever at tempted in this part of the south. A spe- cial Board of Trade committee was ap- pointed, consisting Of Sam Greenwald, w. G. Hodges and H. Thornton, to aid in the movement that has already been put under good headway.
 R. B. Wilbourn. prominent young at torney of this city, appeared before the directors of the Board of Trade yesterday and submitted a letter that he had re- ceved from Dr. Franklin B. Reilly, secre- tary of the Mississippi Historical society, calling attention to the efforts that were being made by that society to secure &C., curate historical data relative to the ad- ventures and incidents in each county during the reconstruction period Dr. Riley stated that the matter had been too long neglected and that he had asked some of the students of the university to undertake the work, but many of them were unable to do so owing to its magni- tude.
 Merchants millionaire park commission president, I. Marks, who Is now in New York, writes his colleagues on the com mission that he is devoting much of his time to a study of the different kinds of park amusements and attractions with a view of making such selections as will please the people of Meridian He pro- poses to make Highland park, Mertdian's new place Of pleasure, one of the most attractive in the south. excepting not even New Orleans, Atlanta, Mobile, Mem phis or Birmingham.