davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13
MOB LAW IN ILLINOIS.
Murderer of Woman Confined in Steel
Cage and Crowds Dispersed by the
Police.

Cairo, ILL.,, Nov. 1O.-Bec~ Of
reports that an organized effort
would be made tonight to lynch Will
James. a negro suspected of murder
ing Miss Annie Pelley, a shop girl
the prisoner tonight was placed in
the steel cage in the county Jail, sur
rounded by strong guard of police
men and deputy sheriffs. Many per-
sons arrived today from nearby ILL.,
nois and Kentucky towns and the po-
lice feared that many of these want
ed to lynch the negro. Later James
was secretly taken out of Cairo in
train tonight. 1t is probable he will
be put in the Murphressboro Jail.
Before daylight today Chief of Po-
lice Egan twice dispersed crowds of
men and boys who had started to-
wards the city Jail. In one case he
tore mask from the face af a man
who seemed to be leader Of the gath
ering and then prevailed upon the
others to disperse, pleading that the
evidence against James were only cir
cumstantlal.
Most citizens, after an outburst of
indignation, tonight were ready to
let the law take its course. For this
reason it was thought that the situa-
ha
James, who is known as "Froggy"
because Of his facial resemblance to
that animal, was "sweated" by the
police today. While all circum-
stances point to him as the slayer Of
Miss Pelley, including the action Of
bloodhounds, which went from the
alley where Miss Pelley's body was
found to several places where James
had been on the night of the murder,
the prisoner refused to confess.
Cairo, ILL.,, Nov. 1O.--A long dis
tance telephone message from Dom
COLA, ILL.,. said that after James was
taken off the train there by the sher-
III he was rushed into the woods by
the sheriff, his deputy and one other
man. Dongola is 10 miles from An
ma, where a mob was awaiting the
arrival of the train.
AS time passed and the people
learned that the negro had been spir-
tied away they became more excited.
The crowd around the Jail yelled in
derision and open threats against
James were made.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13
PREACHING is A LOST ART.

The narrow-minded, out-of-date
preacher is the real and direct and
immediate cause of more "freethink-
ing" skepticism and agnosticism
than any other factor in today's life.
writes a correspondent in The De-
lineator for December. Preaching
seems to have become a lost art.
Droning has taken it's place. I sun
pose I've been to church thirty times
in the past year, and the only sermon
I've mad the patience to hear out
from beginning to end was a Talk
given by Miss Jane Adams on settle
ment work. That was realized Chris
uanity, not idealized slush.
Now L am not more critical than
the fellow beings with whom I asso-
ciate, nine-tenths Of whom wou,d
probably bear witness to this truth
that the reason why church-going is
dying out is because the ministers do
not make the right effort to hold and
interest their congregations.
We want the vital, living. everv-
day truth from the pulpit. We want
to know how to meet the temptations
that face US during the week. We
want to know how to live-now. and
now TO die when our time comes. We
want preachers who will help us to
work out our own salvation, and not
wooden images who have had no ex-
perience of life aid who are satisfied
10 shout odt few galvanized com
monplaces at our heads every Sunday
ana sit down satisfied in their studies
all the rest Of the week, imagining
they have done their duty by us.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13
SENATOR CHRISTENSEN TALKS.
]$lIlnes Other Issues Than, Liquor Will
Attsct Attention III Next state
Cainpaigr-The Asylum Inquiry.

State Senator Neils Christensen, Jr.
OF Beaufort. was in Charleston today
for few hours on business. Senator
Christensen has but recently recover
ed from an illness. following an at
tack Of appendicitis.
AS one Of the committee of inves-
tigation into the conduct of the de-
funct State dispensary, whose work
resulted In the prosecutions for graft
which Attorney General Lyon is now
pressing to trial, Senator Christensen
has been very prominent figure in
State politics for several years. He
has been influential in legislative
matters generally and particularly has
he given attention to the enactment
OF the laws relative to the regulation
of liquor traffic, maintaining consist
antly the attitude Of q local optionist.
Speaking today Of the political sit
uation In the State, Senator Christen-
sen said that while the liquor ques-
ton would. undoubtedly. be factor
IN the State campaign. which will be
! held next summer. there were so
many other matters Of Importance to
the interest of the people that he was
not at all sure that the issue would
depend upon that. The prohibltionists
he said, were very active, and would
| undoubtedly make an effort to elect
a governor of their persuasion upon a
platform of Statewide prohibition,
but. in view Of the fact that only six
counties remained wet and as these
could all submit the question to local
vote at the election next year, IL they
desired, the demand for Statewide
prohibition had lost considerable of
Its force. He was not inclined to
think that the legislature would en-
act general prohibition law at its
| session which begins in January.
Senator Christensen is chairman
OF the committee which has been in
vestigating the administration of the
state asylum for the insane, and he
| says that their report will be formu-
lated within the next few weeks and
be ready to submit to the General
Assembly i'm January. While he would
| not discuss the recommendations Of the
report. he intimated that radical re-
forms would be urged and the practi-
cal reorganization and rehabilitation
Of the institution. on large lines, in
volving the expenditure Of large
sum Of money, would be proposed.
Senator Christensen said he knew
very little of the plans Of Attorney
General Lyon for the further prosecu-
ton of the dispensary graft cases, but
he presumed that the transfer of the
proceeding to Chester was expected to
Dring better results than were obtain
ed In Columbia from the first trial
that was held there few weeks ago.
Charleston Post.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13
A WOMAN MOONSHINER.
Mrs. Bette Wooten, Aged 90. Con-
victed I'm Statesville, N. G., Togeth-
er With Her SON.

Statesville. n. c.. Nov. 10.--Mrs.
Bette wooten. SO years old. was con-
victed In the Superior Court here to-
day of blockadlng and sentenced to
80 days In Jail. Louis Wooten. her
son. was also given six months. and
another son Is being sought by the Of
ficers for retailing.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13

Admiral Calls the Explorer an Out
ti right Fakir.

Washington. Nov. 10.-Scientists
here were discussing an Informal
speech made by Rear Admiral Colby
~. Chester. u. s. N. retired, at the
University Club In which he charact-
erised Dr. Frederick A. Cook as a fakir
and declared that DIR. Cook not only
/, did not reach the pole but did not
<Approach nearer than distance of
about se4 miles from the pole.
The Importance Of Admiral Ches-
&er's accusation lies not only In the
act that he, is an eminent astrono-
>yntcAl authority and was formerly su-
4erintsndent OF the United States Ma
@al Observatory. but In that he was
<oner of the special subcommittee OF
chree appointed by the National Geo.
mPaphic Society to examine the rec
Eds Of Commander Peary and report
y hb claim to polar discovery. The
b-committee declared that Peary
"a reached the pole.
1RroE Willis I. Moore. president.
- o. p. Austrin. secretary Of the
1oty. declined to discuss Admiral
1Dters speech. They took the
td that It would be improper for
% talk about II because both
onder Peary and DR.. Cook were
S51 q the socity 4
1peSch last night" Admiral
coi1a NVeA informal ana sa-
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13

Because OF differences with the new
city administration. all the members
OF the spartanburg board of health
have resigned.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13

The sheriff Of Colleton county seiz-
ed an Atlantic Coast Line freight
train for the non-payment of judg-
ments against the railroad.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13


psked II would speak upon the, po-
lar Question before the club. agreed
and arrived In Washington from New
York only few hours before I made
the speech.
1T Is true that I referred to DR..
Cook as a fakir. used as the basis
OF my research the data used by DIR.
Cook In his copyrighted stories of his
polar expedition printed In a New
York newspaper and carefully
studied these observations. I base my
argument that DIR. Cook did not reach
the North Pole on the disagreement
between his observations and the
known declination Of the sun on the
dates referred to In his narrative as
shown by the Nautical Almanac.
''where DIR. Cook states that on
April 2 he first saw the midnight sun
at Sc degrees 2s minutes. q distance
Of 225 miles from the pole. II, reality
on that date. according to tho Nautl-
cal Alamanc, the midnight sun would
have been visible as far south as SO
degrees. q distance Of 564 miles from
the pole.'
Not only did Admiral Chester main
tai that on April 8. DIR. Cock was
far south OF the position ne gives
himself In his narrative but that on
the four subsequent days. DR.. Cook
was headed south. away from the
pole. which. according to his own ac-
counts. was at least 225 miles away.
Admiral Chester based this deduction
he said. on DIR. Cooks statement that
ON April the sun sank Just below
the horizon and that four days later.
on April 7. the sun showed a short
distance above the horizon.
According to Admiral Chester, II
DIR. Cook had been travelling north
ward during those four days his
change In location. combined with
the steadily increasing declination of
the sun would In four days have
caused far greater change In the
suns position relative to the horizon
than that reported by DIR. Cook.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-13
SUMTER. s. c.. SATURDAY NOVEMBER 13 1909
New SerieS-VOl. XXX. 10. 23.

to individual ports, as is shown by
the following table:
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-06
Municipal Affairs
COUNCIL FINISHES
OFFICIAL CANVASS
Passes Resolution to Be Presented to
State Legislature Showing Ten
of the Thirty=one Amend
ments Carried

Without the expected interruption of
an injunction or any other legal OBJ
stacles the council concluded the can
vass of the vote on the charter amend
ments yesterday and passed a resolu-
tion to be presented to the state legis-
Iature showing that amendments Nos.
1, 2, 8, 4, 3, z, %, 27, % and 81, ten Of
the thirty-one put up to be voted on,
carried. The resolution was presented
by Councilman Wren and promptly
seconded by Councilman Yonkin who if
he has had any objections to the
amendments, overcame his personal
prejudice to the extent of doing all he
could to forward the work of present
ing them to the state legislature.
AS soon as the official canvass was
concluded City Attorney Hewitt busted
himself in preparing the necessary GER
tificates. These will be finished to-
day and the resolution Of the council,
together with the amendments that
carried, will be sent to the legislature
by registered mail. City Attorney
Hewitt has some business in Sacramen-
to and will go to the capital city the
first of the week.
He will be right there to see they
are not overlooked. 1t is expected SEN
ator Savage of San Pedro will make a
protest against the amendments, es-
pecially Nos. 1 and I, which relates to
San Pedro, inasmuch as Los Angeles
control over the harbor frontage and
the consolidation of the two cities are
concerned. Senator Savage is vigor-
ously opposed to San Pedro becoming
a part of Los Angeles and has used
every endeavor to thWart this plan.
Even should Savage object there is
not likely to be much opposition on the
part of the legislature and it is most
probable the amendments will be rati-
fed.
e. L. Hutchison was deeply interest
ed in the proceedings yesterday as he
was on the day previous. He took
copious notes again and when the pro-
ceedings were finished showed a note
book full of memoranda.
''There were about fifty tally lists
that had not been signed across the
back. There were about fifty envelopes
that did not have the sealing wax on
them. Do you call that a fair cleo
ton" said Hutch with q sniff.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-06
JUDGE PROPOSES BILL
TO, SIMPLY WATER SUITS
Hutton Would Admit Government
Records as Prima Facie Evil
dence Without Support

The draft of a bill by which it is
proposed to simplify and reduce the
cost of trying water law suits has been
prepared by Judge George H. Hutton
of the superior court and sent to Sen
ator Willis at Sacramento.
If the bill becomes a law, maps and
contours and reports of surveys pub
lished by the government will be prima
facie evidence of the facts contained
in them. This will result in expedi-
ton and economy, as at present, while
these government documents are ad-
nissable as evidence, the law requires
that they must be supported by the
testimony of engineering experts.
Judge Hutton's interest in the sub
ject was aroused by his experience in
San Bernardino county, where he occu-
pied the bench of Judge Oster four
mouths in the trial of the suit of the
Yucaipa Land and Water company
against the South Mountain Water
company. The transcript of evidence
in this case fills about 4750 closely type
written pages, half of which could
have been eliminated, says Judge Hut
ton, if the bill now proposed had been
in effect.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-06
HEALTH AND CIVIL LAWS
SHOW C0NFLICTION EXISTS
Permit to Conduct Feed Stables Is
Said to Violate Ordinance
Regulating Horses

conf1iction between the civil Or
dinance providing for permits to pro-
prietors of feed stables and the health
ordinance regulating care of horses has
been disclosed by Deputy Prosecuting
Attorney Harley higgins in the case Of
S. Schoenag, who conducts a feed stable
at the corner Of East Third street and
Rose avenue. Several complicated
points of inconsistency in the ordinances
governing the case are said to be in
volved.
The health ordinance provides no
horse shall be kept within fifteen feet
of any dwelling or the window of any
bedroom.
Schoenig has permit to carry on the
feed stable, which stands within nine
feet Of dwelling. The neighbors claim
the health ordinance is violated. Schoe-
nag says his building is within nine
feet of the residence, but that horses
which he keeps inside the building are
kept more than fifteen feet away. He
points out the health ordinance refers
to horses and not to the buildings in
which they are kept.
Attorney higgins is spending his spare
time trying to solve the problem. He
believes public health is more important
than the financial interests of any indi-
vidual, and he thinks the feed stable
ordinance should be revised so as not
to conflict with the health ordinance.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-06
AGAIN ACETATE FOR
CITY HALL BUILDING
Architect Gets Views OF CounciImen.
City Pays Large Sum Annually
for Outside Municipal
Offices

The annual agitation for new city
hall is bobbing up again and this time
with something like tangible form. R.
F. Train of the architectural firm of
Train & Williams was in consultation
with a number of members of the
council yesterday, getting their ideas
of what a new city hall should be
like.
Dromgold believes an addition should
be built to the present hall, in the va
cant lot owned by the city between the
hall and the Copp building, in the form
of an H. He would have the new ad-
dition ten stories high and built in
every respect like an Office building.
Mr.. Train did some rapid figuring and
declared a ten-story office building of
steel frame and fire proof construc-
ton could be erected at a cost not to
exceed $225,0 There were several
councilmen who adopted Dromgold's s
view.
Lyon has an entirely different idea.
He believes the people should be given
an opportunity to vote on the ques-
tion of where the city hall should
stand. The Broadway frontage occu-
pied by the city hall is very valuable,
an estimate Of $500 a front foot for the
120 feet owned by the city being placed
OH II. Lyon U6ll0NSS Iu0 IudJOI1Iy
would favor selling the present site
and locating the new hall some place
where property is less valuable for
business purposes, but of equal value
for municipal purposes.
City Auditor Mushet is compiling
some figures to show the council how
costly the old city hall is becoming.
The rent paid by the city for offices
for municipal departments outside the
city hall would pay the interest and
sinking fund on a forty-year bond of
$3.50, 900, which is three times the
amount that would be required to con-
struct the new city hall. The quarters
in the hall are becoming more crowded
every day. A number of the city Of
fees are in the Copp and other build
ings and the aqueduct department oc-
cupies an entire floor in the Central
building. AS the city increases in size
the work increases and the number Of
employees increases. 1t will soon be
necessary to rent some more offices out
side the hall unless the congestion is
speedily relieved.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-06
News OF the Courts
PREFERS PRISON TO
EVIL COMPANIONS
Robber Asks Judge Wilbur TO Send
Him to Penitentiary to Escape
Influences of Bad
Persons

Newton Barnes, alias Thomas Dur
nell prefers the bardships Of prison
life to the influence of evil companions.
His pref. erence was respected by Judge
Wilbur yesterday and sentence of
five years in Folsom penitentiary was
imposed. Barnes pleaded guilty to 0
charge Of robbing David S. McClelland
at Long Beach January "a. When ar
rested he carried black mask and a
loaded revolver.
81 will not apply for probationary
sentence" said Barnes. IF I am free
1 will be associated with bad persons
again. I want to get away from their
influence a. few years. Some of these
men are in Folsom prison, and want
to go to San Quentin"
1--WE have Investigated this case,"
said John orth@deputy district attor-
ney, land find this man has pals at
San Quentin whom he wants to join"
Barnes request to be sent to that
prison was refused.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-06

fused to work, depending upon her for
support. This was followed by cruel
treatment, and a year ago he deserted
her, returning to Japan. A decree was
granted.
Desertion was the charge in four
other cases, DEGREES being granted in
each. They were Hattie Clark from
Joseph A. Clark, Cora B. Holmes from
Charles Holmes, Mary A. Burch from
Orange E. Burch and Lettie c. Miller
from Eugene A. Miller. The suit of
Alfred o. Newling against Harriet
Newling, who were married in British
Columbia seventeen years ago, will not
be decided until the court has had an
opportunity to look up the Canadian
law on the subject of desertion.
One suit was filed, D. w. Burch
against Nora Burch.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-06
MAY PAROLE AFTER
CASE IS APPEALED
Judge Wilbur Holds Superior Court
Can Probate Prisonerp Even
Though Sentence Sustained
by Higher Court

That it is within the discretion Of a
judge of the superior court to place a
person on probation even after the
latter has been convicted by a jury,
sentenced and the legality of the pro-
ceedings upheld by a higher court, is
the opinion Expressed by Judge Wilbur
of the superior court yesterday in con-
sidering the application of j. H. Shef-
field for parole.
Sheffield was convicted of a statu-
tory charge and was sentenced to ten
years in prison. The case was taken
to the court of appeals by hi sattorney,
Job Hartman, and the action of the
lower court was sustained. An appli-
cation for probation was filed several
weeks ago.
After sentence and before commit
ment or execution said Judge Wilbur,
the court certainly has the power to
grant probation"
The matter was continued until Feb
ruary 19. when testimony in Sheffields
behalf will be heard.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-06
VICTIM OF ALL NIGHT
CAFES IN TROUBLE

Only 1S years of age, Charles Dalton
was taken before Justice Frederick
son yesterday a self-confessed victim
of the influences of "Chowder House"
Jim Dunne's resort and other places Of
similar character until he has become
vagrant.
Don't tell my uncle, judge pleaded
the boy, who refused to give the ad-
dress of any of his relatives because he
did not want them to know the kind Of
life he was leading. ''I was out of work
and I got to hanging around 'Chowder
House Jim's' place and other resorts. I
could not get employment, and then l
got to hanging around pool rooms, and
that is how / got into trouble"
Dalton was arrested by Officer Nc
Namara near the resort of "Chowder
House Jim Dunno, Employees in that
place told the officer that he had fire.
quented the place until he had become
a nuisance and they had made him
leave several times. The case will come
up for trial February for further in
vestigation, and meantime the officers
will make every investigation possible
with a view to learning the where
abouts of the uncle or parents of the
boy.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-06
MUST SECURE POSITION
OR SERVE HIS SENTENCE
Engineer Who Pleads Guilty to Bur-
gIary Admitted to Probation on
Condition He Gets Work

Some one must give Paul Kane job
or he will be sent to one of the states
penal institutions. Kane pleaded guilty
to a charge of burglary in Judge Will
bur's court yesterday. He stole a
grip from railroad employees room,
he said, because some one had stolen
his the preceding day.
81 was drunk said Kane. ''Let me
go on probation and I'll proimse not
to drink another drop as long as I
live"
Kane said he got into trouble on ac-
count of idleness. The matter was con-
tinued until February 19. IF your at
torney can secure work for you by
that time your application for proba-
tion will be granted" said the court.
Kane is a competent engineer.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-06
ALLEGE SWINDLE;;
ASK INJUNCTION
SOUTH END MERCHANTS BRING
SUIT
WANT CONTRACT DECLARED
u NULL AND VOID
Say Promoters Failed to Carry Out
Any Part of Their Contract.
Cheap Pianos Left
in Stores

Caught by what they claim was q
fake advertising scheme, five business
concerns in the southern section OF
Los Angeles have filed a complaint IN
the superior court asking that con-
tracts made with the Mercantile Pro-
noting company be declared void and
the company be enjoined from suing
for a settlement.
The firms are J. M. Proudstone &
Son. Penter & Rogers, M. DePlerro q
Sons. Simmer Drug company, ana
Mailman Grocery company. In Aug
ust. 1907, they say, H. o. Barrett ana
J. A., Codori formed the Mercantlle
Promoting company, which had Ior
its purpose the advertising of piano
and the building up of the business OF
houses where the instruments, said to
be worth $400 each, were placed on
exhibition. The promoting company
promised to bear the expense OF ad-
Yertising the exhibits, and in addition
TO send men to families in the nelgh-
borhood of the stores to solicit trade,
each 25-cent cash purchaser or goods
TO receive a ticket emitting him to d
chance on a piano.
Pianos Were Cheap
The plaintiffs say no part of this
agreement was carried out, that in
stead of pianos worth $400 being placed
in their stores, instruments that could
be purchased for $S5 were shown. and
that instead of a large increase in their
cash accounts, they have lost $25 to
$51 each, according to the amounts sub
Scribed.
The promoting company, according to
the complaint, has placed the accounts
with the Manufacturers Mercantile
company for collection and this com
pany, which is named as one of the
defendants, threatens to bring suits to
recover. The contracts call for pay
ments in San Francisco. This clause,
the proprietors Of the Los Angeles firms
say, was placed in the agreement pur-
posely, as it was believed by Barrett
and Codori that the eXpens eof con-
testing an action in San Francisco
would be so great the firms here would
settle rather than fight.