The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-03
SOUTH RESENTS
|NTERMEDDL|NG
We Can Take Cars OF Hook
worm Troubles
SAYS BISHOP GAMBLER
Pretty Young Wife Makes Hopeless
Appeal for Life of Her Hus-
band, DR." J. M. Elliott
of Troup County.

| quarters to resent the action of John d.
Rockefeller in giving s1,O000O0 for the
eradication of the hookworm disease in
the southern states
I'VE are able to take care of our
Selves and I'VE object to being put
in the light of a section accursed," are
among the retorts which have come in
the wake of Mr.. Rockefeller's announced
ments from Bishop Warren A. Candlef
and others.
Possibly there is something In This
view of It," said a wel-known Georgia
official today. but there are two facts
in this connection which we must not
overlook One of them is that the curse
is with us, and the other Is that we are
not using energetic and effective meas
ures for getting rid of it,
He pointed out that the hookworm
| disease Is no longer a matter of mere
| theory or conjecture, but that the dis
ease and its effect are now well-known
scientific facts, as Itch so as are tu-
berculosis and other prevalent chronic
| diseases.
1t Is estimated that there are at least
10000 cases of hookworm disease In the
country counties of Georgia alone. 1t
has been found in the northern as well
as in the southern section of the state
where 1t thriyes best and is most per-
sistent.
The Georgia state board of health, as
are the boards in other states, is doing
all 1t can toward the eradication of the
disease, but with the meager appropria-
ton given it by the legislature, it can
accomplish little. Still the Georgia board
of health has diagnosed 513 cases since
1904, and it is stated that for the most
part they came from counties south
of Macon. In some counties the physi-
clans alive to the situation and are
actively at work stamping out the dis
ease. The board of health reports that
DR.. A. G. Fort of Stewart county has
successfully treated more than 600 cases
within the last five years. and within the
same period DR.. Schnauss of Cecil, on
the line of Brooks and Lowndes coun-
ties, has cured approximately 500 cases.
The most urgent necessity appears to
be a campaign of education which shall
reach Into the most remote log cabin of
the backwoods districts. Once the dis
|
simplest matter in the world, and it is
scarcely to be conceived that there Is
any person who would neglect the rem
edy If he or she knew what the matter
was.
The states are not and probably will
not carry on a campaign of this sort
because they cannot without the funds
necessary to pay the expenses of it. This
! work can and will be done through the
Rockefeller fund and it is with the states,
of course, as to whether they accept 1t.
1t resolves itself, therefore, into a mat
ter of the states doing the work them
selves, letting Mr.. Rockefeller's money do
1t for them. or permitting conditions,
known to be serious. to remain as they
are.
Practically every hope has gone for
DR." ]. M. Elliott, the Troup county
veterinary surgeon who is to die on the
gallows Friday for the murder of G. L.
Rivers.
The last appeal for Elliotts life was
made by his wife, a pretty and attrac-
tive young woman, just before Governor
Brown left the city for Macon and Sa-
vannah to join President Taft's party.
Accompanied by her little daughter and
some friends, she went into the Cover
nor's private office, fell upon her knees
and in the most piteous, heartrending
tones, beseeched the executive to spare.
her husbands life. From the Bible she
drew numerous instances of mercy shown
| even to the worst of criminals, and
pleaded for like mercy to Rivers slayer.
1t was with difficulty that Governor
Brown could preserve his calm, and with
tears in his eyes and tremOr in his voice,
he stopped her but once to remind her
that it was the Bible that also said,
whatsoever sheddeth the blood of man
by man shall his blood be she'd"
Eyes. but that is the doctrine of the
Old Testament, not OF the New It is
not the doctrine of Christ" she cried,
hoping STILL yet realizing that her cause
was lost.
| Governor Brown said he had carefully
and thoroughly studied the case in its
every detail, and had hoped and prayed
that he might find some circumstance
which would consistently permit of the
| exercise of executive clemency, but not
even the slightest had presented itself.
And SO Elliott will have to hang. His
last opportunity rested with the insanity
commission. which, in finding him of
| sound mind, reported adversely to him,
as that report affixed the seal to the
death warrant.
Elliott and his family boarded at the
same house in LAGRANGE with G. l..
Rivers 1t is reported that Rivers had
had some quarrel with his wife, following
which Elliott came upon him unawares
with a shotgun and killed him. Elliott
sought to justify his action by the claim
that Rivers had been attentive to his
wife, but this was not demonstrated to
the satisfaction of the jury, whose ver-
diet of guilty has been sustained by the
higher court.
Two important hearings are scheduled
for next week In the midst of all At
lanta's automobile excitement.
One of these, however, will take place
at the state sanitarium in Milledgeville
and involves the investigation of that
institution as the result of legislative ac-
ton following certain published charges
| made as to conditions there.
This investigation is scheduled to begin
November TO- week from tomorrow
when the committee Of five senators head
ed by Senator Mclean and nine MEM
| bers of the house with Representative
Henderson of Irwin as chairman, will
| meet there and inaugurate their inquiry
1t Is expected the committee will sum-
mon numerous witnesses and go fully
into the details of affairs at the insti-
tuition.
With the lapse of time interest has
abated somewhat in the sanitarium affair,
but to some extent 1t is sure to be re-
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