Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-11-25
SHERIFF HOUPT
 IS PARDONfD GARLAND COUNTY OFFICIAL WILL
 NOT HAVE TO SERVE JAIL SENTENCE. l OTHER CAPITAL NEWS | fax Commission Hears Faulkner
 County Appeal for Reduction of Taxes.
OTHER CAPITAL NEWS


 ghey Friday afternoon granted a pa:- don to former Sheriff Sid Houpt, of Hot Springs, who had been convicted of permitting one Ben Murray, a prts- oner in his custody, to escape, and was fined $1 and one hour in jail, and removed from office. The pardon re- eral friends of Houpt's had called on the governor, and written him recently regarding the case. 1t is the last chapter in the sensational killing of Oscar Chitwood, prisoner in the Garland county jail, for which Ben Murray and John Rutherford, deputy sheriffs, were accused. The evidence in the case plainly showed that Mur- ray was confined in jail very small part of the time, and that on the oth ] CT hand he was under guard. Houpt 1 claimed tht he had consulted the prosecuting attorney as to the prop riety of allowing Murray and Ruth erford to remain out of jail if prop erly guarded, and had been advised that it would be all right.
 Completes Official Staff.
 I w. N. Brandon, of Little Rock, elect ed comm nder of the Trans -Miss.s- sippi Department of the United Sons of Confederate Veterans, has complet- ed his official staff by the appointment of Dr. Morgan Smith, of Little Rock as surgeon general, Miss Kathleen Barkman of Little Rock, as Sponsor, and Mrs J. T. Beal, as cal: perone.
 To Install Vault.
 At meeting of the State Capitol Commission Friday afternoon, five b ds were received and considered fo, the installation of vault in the state treasury office 'st the new state capi- tol. The expense will be consider ably more than the amount that had been expected generally. The con- tract was awarded to the Mosler Safe lco., of Hamilton, O., for $5,6S0, the second bidder being the Diebold Lock and Safe Co.,, for $5,970. Under the terms of the contract, the insrsl- lation is to be completed by March l, 1912.
 Pleading For Reductions. } An important hearing was had be- fore the Arkansas Tax Commission Friday sitting as the State Board oi Equalization. Sens tor A. c. Martin of Conway, appeared on behalf of the tax payers of Faulkner county, and pleaded for a reduction in the increase that had been announced for that county. The Commission hed announe- ed that it would make an increase o1 50 per cent in Conway merchandise but this was reduced to 15 per cen; the announced increase of B per cen1 in Conway real estate was reduced tC 20 per cent; the announced increase of 40 per cent in Arkasas river lzna was reduced to 20 per cent; the an nounced increase of 20 per cent in tn. rest of the county was cut out alto gether The Conway county assess ments were partially considered ani went over until Dec. 1.
 Hearing Damage Suit. ], The damage suit of E. R. B Hey, 0 Muskogee, Okla. against certain Lit tie Rock persons for alleged malic ious prosecution, went to trial Fr'da' , in federal court. After the evidence . for the plaint if had been taken. tech nicality arose as to the form of ths complsint and the issue raised, and non-suit was taken. Bailey, formeri. of Little Rock, was threatened witt , arrest in Conway, on the morning O