davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
Random Shots.

l shot an arrow into the air, it
fell in the distance, l knew not
where, till neighbor said that it
killed his calf, and l had to pay him
six and a half ($6.50). 1 bought
some poison to Stay some rats, and a
ne1ghbor swore it killed his cats :;
and, rather than argue across the
fence, l paid him for dollars and
fifty cents ($4.50). One night l set
sailing a toy balloon, and hoped it
would soar till it reached the moon;
but the candle fell out on a farmers
straw, and he said l must settle or
go to law. And that is the way with
the random shot; it never hits in the
proper spot; and the joke you spring,
that you think so smart, may leave a
wound in some fellows heart.-Em-
poria (Kan.) Gazette.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
HOBBLE SKIRTS IN PRISON..
Female Convict Turning Out Fashion.
able Garments.

Jackson.-The penitentiary board
OF trustees is making preparations to
equip the 1900 convicts on the four
prison farms with new summer uni
forms. At the regular February meet
ing the board will purchase the cloth
ito be used in the manufacture of
clothing for the felons. 1t will take
about $4,000 yards of seven-ounce
cloth for this purpose, to be delivered
at the Oakley farm, where the forty
or more female convicts are kept al
most constantly employed making uni
forms for prisoners. The board has
found this plan more economical than
awarding the work of manufacture to
contractors. Many of the negresses at
the Oakley place have become experts
at the work and occasionally they are
permitted to use fanciful designs in
the manufacture of their own cloth
ing. For instance, some of them are
wearing hobble skirts as chic and
modish as any that can be found in
shop windows or on fashionable thor
oughfares, albeit, the cloth used is
somewhat louder than the patterns
that appeal to good dressers.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
Uncle Sam Nips Many Postal Frauds

died by postoffice inspectors covered
the operations of the so-called Ma
bray gang The swindle is believed
to have been the most gigantic
scheme of this kind that the postal in
spectors ever had to contend with. 1t
was worked by an organization OF
confidence men by means Of fake
horse races, athletic contests, etc.
The swindle was perpetrated sue
cessfully in various parts of the
United States and victims in all parts
of the country were robbed of sums
varying from $1,000 to 100000. 1t is
estimated that the promoters secured
approximately $5,O00,000
John C. Mabray, the principal OF
the organization and eighty-nine Of
his assistants were indicted in connec-
ton with this scheme and many OF
them have already been tried and
convicted
A scheme to defraud, international
in its scope, known as the gold
brick" swindle, by which victims
have been feeced out of various
Sull5, ringing from pow " Y-o'ONN
and it is believed the swindlers Sc
cured over million dollars-has
been in operation number Of years.
Letters were mailed in the United
States addressed to deceased persons
in Great Britain, the general idea CON
veyed being that the deceased was in
terested in mining speculation; that
the undertaking had been successful
and that gold in vast quantities had
been discovered.
The investigation Of this case re-
CURED the utmost skill on the part of
the inspectors handling it; trip to
England was necessary to obtain i'm
portant information and evidence
and investigation had to be made in
various parts of the United States
and Canada.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
MORE HOG AND HOMINY.
Wide-AWako Delta Planter Preparing
for Invasion of the Boil Weevil


John B. Hoard of Roseneath is one
of the successful planters of the delta
who is making preparations in ad
vance for the invasion of the boil
weevil, and who is confident that the
planters will win the battle against
him. Mr. Hoards preparations consist
of % per cent. increase in his corn
acreage, a good supply of blooded hogs
and providing his negro tenants with
hogs, chickens, COWS and vegetable
seed.
Roseneath is in the delta portion of
Yazoo county. Mr.. Hoard says that
last season the army of boil weevils
got just up to his section. He looks
for the pest in it's full strength this
season.
But we are getting ready for it.
l have put in stock of blooded hogs.
My neighbors are doing the same.
We are all increasing our corn re
age from 25 per cent. up from what
we have been giving to grain. Our
negroes understand the situation and
are also making preparations for 1t.
I have this winter sold a large num-
Der of mich cows to tenants and they
arc also we'll supplied with hogs.
Every cabin has lot of chickens
about it.
Il have a 350-acre pasture, partly In
timber and partly in Bermuda grass,
ard fenced so as to be hogproof The
negroes use this for their COWS and
hogs, all the cost to them being the
keeping up of the fence.
81 sold some cotton in Greenwood
for 2S cents per pound, but this is
the last fancy cotton that | will have.
From now on it is to lie the short
cotton, which natures too early for
the boil weevil.
Our people are also putting in a
line of good brood mares and will
raise our own mules and possibly
also some for SALE
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
WASHINGTON Interesting tales

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS tales
w of frauds are told in the report
of Robert S. Sharp, chief inspector of
the postoffice department.
During the year 1850 postoffices
were robbed as compared with 1860
during the previous year. There were
1858 arrests, of which All were post
Office burglars, as compared with 1888
arrests during the previous year, of
which 416 were postoffice burglars.
OF the number arrested 100 were
postmasters, 80 assistant postmasters,
50 clerks in postoffices, % railway pos
tai clerks, sc city letter carriers, 81
rural letter carriers and 10 were
mail carriers. OF the total number
the postal service.
Train robberies in the west occurred
with alarming frequency. Since
March, 1903, nine mail trains have
been held up and robbed and a large
amount of registered mail has been
stolen and rifled.
Postoffice inspectors have worked
on the cases with unf1agging zeal and
energy with the assistance and CO.
operation of the local authorities. In
all nine men have been arrested and
convicted for these train robberies,
one being sentenced to Is years in
the penitentiary and fine of $4,000
one to 43 years and a fine Of $4,000,
two to serve As years each and five
were sentenced to life imprisonment.
A very important case recently han
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
One Thing He Could Not Have.

Although there was no sort of toy
which could be bought and for which
Harold had expressed a desire that
was not in his possessions, he still
had his unsatisfied longings. q
know what | wish | was, mother.
he said one day, when his own big
brother had gone away and the lit
tie boy across the street was i'll.
Yes, dear" said his mother.
Perhaps you can be it, Harold ;
mother will help you. Is it to play
soldier?"
mo, indeed" asid Harold, scorn-
fully. Il just wish l was two little
dogs, so l could play together"
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
Accident Is Said to Have Sunk Maine

ammunition. This theory is borne
out, it is claimed, by the evidences al
ready developed. 1t has been found
that in the mud and silt surrounding
the hull of the Maine there is a great
quantity of coal. Human bones have
also been picked up outside the hull.
An internal explosion naturally
would force outward large part Of
the contents of the vessels hull. This
condition has been found. The report
was prevalent in Havana and in the
United States shortly after the work
Of raising the Maine was begun that
wires had been found close to the hull
Of the ship which communicated with
the shore, but this report was found
to be false. The wires were those in
use between Havana and Casa Blanca.
The battleship sunk in % fathoms
of water. Its bow is plunged deep
into the clay, and in the years that
have elapsed since the disaster the
constant washing Of the waves has
increased the depth of the deposits
that surround this part of the vessel
below the water line until now it Is
surrounded by from IL to IA feet Of
mud and silt.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
I. C. HoNoRs MIssIssIPPIANs.
Judge r. V. Fletcher Selected as As
sociate Head Counsel,

SSSiotO TICdu SOuHScIs
Jacksonville Illinois Central rail.
road seems to have the utmost con-
fidence in the legal ability of the
Mississippi bar, it having just ele-
waited another one of our citizens to
the position of general counsel of that
company. The man so honored is
Judge r. V. Fletcher, of this city.
For many years Judge j. M. Dick
inson, a native of Mississippi, was
at the head of the legal department
OF that big system, until President
Taft, recognizing his ability and fit
ness for the place, offered him the
position of secretary of war in his
cabinet. His acceptance of the honor
left the position of general counsel
in the Illinois Central offices vacant,
and another Mississippian, Blewett
Lee, son of the lamented Gen. S. D..
Lee, and who had been Mr.. Dickin-
sons assistant, continued at the head
Of the legal department of the big
railroad system, and Ion. Clarence
Sivley of Oxford was selected by the
company to share the honors with
him. The position of general coun-
sci still remains open, but these two
gentlemen have been performing the
duties of the position ever since the
retirement of Mr.. Dickinson, holding
the rank of assistant general counsel.
Judge Fletcher will now assume the
same rank and share the duties in
cumbent on these two Mississippians
who have already proven their worth
to the company.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
VETERAN WANTS PENSION.
Was In Stephens Guards, Fourth
Mississjppi. Durinu Civil War,

WiSSisSippI, During SiNi wal.
Jackson.-Capt. John A. Webb,
president of the Mississippi Railroad
Commission and adjutant on the staff
OF Gent. Montgomery, commander-in-
chief of the Mississippi division,
United Confederate Veterans, has re-
ceived two pathetic letters recently
both asking for information relative
to pensions.
One of the writer's is H. e. Nc
Carroll, who resides at Lavacca, La,
where he has lived for many years.
Mr.. McCarroll, though a Mississip-
plan, and a gallant soldier in the con-
federate army, is now helpless in
valid, well advanced in years. He
formerly lived near Grenada, and was
a member of company raised there
known as Stephens Guards, attached
to the Fourth Mississippi infantry.
Col. Layton, Capt. Palmer and
Lieuts. Adair and Townsend were the
officers of the regiment and company
in which Mr.. McCarroll served, and
if any one is living in Mississippi who
nos q ioii vi INC NoihPoAy hC NouAA
like to hear from them.
Mr.. McCarroll wants to get pen
sion from Mississippi, but as he is a
resident of another state there is no
way he could be placed on the pension
roll, though he is a Mississipppian and
served as soldier from this state.
The other letter was from a lady,
whose father-in-law gave up his all to
serve the South in the war. She said
her husband lived near Grenada as a
boy, but they removed to Louisiana
several years ago, where her husband
died, leaving her with five children to
care for. She is teaching school in
Point parish, but receives only $40 a
month while three of her children,
the smaller ones, are in an orphans
home at New Orleans. This lady
wants to know if, through her hus-
bands father, she is entitled to a
pension. She is trying to get enough
money to make a home for herself
and her children, ard has asked Capt.
Webb for information on the sub
ject.
The letter is a pathetic plea of a
mother for her children, but there is
nothing, Capt. Webb says, that can
be done for either this lady or Mr.
McCarroll.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
See Little Hope for Low Food Prices

ten years the value of his products
has been increasing at such a rate
that the tiller Of the soil is now able
to afford hitherto undreamed of luxu-
ries and the old homestead has been
htted with every modern convenience.
In the Crop Reporter just issued by
the department considerable space Is
devoted to the cost of living problem
from the farmers point of view. The
Reporter says: within the last ten
years the purchasing power of the
farmer has increased more than fifty
per cent. Such conditions are having
and will continue to have more force
in keeping the rising generation of
farmers children upon the farm than
volumes upon volumes of printed ad-
vice to stay there"
With the mass of figures before
them from which to draw compari-
sons, the statisticians set to work and
now announce that while the cost Of
articles purchased has increased. the
increase in purchasing power Of each
farm acre has outstripped it and the
farmer is left with comfortable mar.
gin Of profit for his work.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10

One of the notices which, though
good. are rarely applied, is "A place
for everything and everything in its
place" A writer in the Dundee Adj
vertiser tells of London cab-driv-
er WIN" seemed to think that affairs
were ordered after this pattern. AS
he sung down the Strand, an Ameri-
can sitting beside him asked him to
point out the spots of interest.
Right you are, sir" agreed the
driver, touching his hat. There's
Luggit ill, where they 'ang EN-
A little later, There's Parliament
'ouses, where they make the laws
wot does it, across the way. An
there's Westminster Habbey, where
they buried the good 'uns wot didn' t
get anged!"
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
Pension Claims of Ready-Made Widows

source of interest in the pension of
flee. In fact, the widow business has
developed into a highly organized in
dustry in some of the border states.
where many negroes who were in the
Union army, are buried. Recently
from one such community log claims
for widows pensions poured into
Washington within few days, all of
them being from WIDOWS of colored
soldiers in that neiglborhood. Sus-
picion was aroused in the minds of
the examiners and it was found that a
sharp lawyer had worked up the
claims for commission. Today only
four of those claims remain on the
books and it is probable these are
false but evidence for wiping them off
be- r'"t h00~ U0cc- led.
dependent mothers furnish some
trouble to the pension department
with their claims, though many have
remarked since the war; In some
cases lawyers have coached them into
destroying all records of their mar
riage and then to claim the common
law marriage which makes more trcu-
Bile for the pension office.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
G. 1XTEEN thousand claims for pen

G. KITTEN thousand claims for pen
~ sions growing out of the Spanish
war are on file in the pension office in
Washington. All the pensions Incl
dental to this war are being disposed
of more promptly than those growing
out Of the Civil war, because the ma
chinery was in full operation at the
time the claims accrued. The events
are recent enough that they do away
with the difficulty of fn6ir~ r~''--~~
es; the records of the hospl,cI 49,
geons and of the field hospitals have
been carefully kept from the start
Indeed, all conditions are favorable to
a prompt examination and adjudica-
ton of these claims. But when it
comes to the Civil war things are diff
ferent.
Widows claims have always been a
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
BOND CASE TO SUPREME COURT
May Mean Extra Session Legislature
Were Bonds Sold Below Par?

Jackson.-There are two very i'm.
portant cases in which the people oil
the state are very much interested
which it is up to the supreme court tc
decide; that is to say, they are be-
fore the court, and it is for the
tribunal to speak its mind and de.
clare it's findings. Naturally, the most
important of these is the case OF
hampton VS.. Edwards, being the ap-
peal from the decision of the chan
Gerry court of Kinds county in the pre-.
llmlnary round fought out by coun-
sci on the respective sides, whether
or not the 1910 series of state bonds
were sold below par, and therefore
contrary to the wording of the statute.
Upon the decision of the appellate
court considerable depends, and
among other things the question
whether or not it Will be necessary
to convene an extra session of the
legislature in order to straighten out
the bonds and general financial mud
die.
The other pending case, which is
also of considerable moment and
which it is hoped and expected the
supreme court will soon dispose of, is
the State ex rel S. S. Hudson, at.
torney-general, VS.. Piggott ct al, COM
m1ssioners. This is the case upon the
decision of which depends the ques-
ton whether the organization of the
new county of Walthall, from Pike
and Marion, under the special cleo
ton held last year in both counties,
shall proceed. 1t has been before the
court for some weeks and was re-
Gently reargued, pursuant to orders of
the court.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
r. - 'sss TOLD EN- 50
gnSSsYOI AL THE TlME
G S ss7 ~
L~~ N8p0 BELIEVE NE I
r HE United States battleship Maine,

r HE United States battleship Maine,
i destroyed in Havana harbor in
February. 1898, with a loss of many
lives, was blown up by an Internal
explosion, and when the ship is raised
it will be shown that the Spaniards in
Cuba had absolutely nothing to do
with the destruction of the vessel.
This is the opinion of officials of the
war department, based upon informa-
ton conveyed to them by army Off
GERS engaged in the work of raising
the shattered hull
Persons who have arrived in Wash
fngton recently and have an intimate
knowledge of the work OF raising the
battleship, it is learned, agree that the
destruction Of the Maine was due to
the explosion of one of the air-tight
compartments used for the storage of
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
FISH THAT Is NOT AFRAID.
Pike Darted at Q Mans Ha16--An.
other Bit F1sherman's Arm.

The boldness of pike is very ex-
traordinary, writes an angler.
have seen one follow a bait within
a foot of the spot where l have been
standing; and the head keeper OF
Richmond Park, England, assured
me that he was once washing his
hand at the side of boat in the
great pond In that park when a
pike made dart at 1t and he had
but just time to withdraw it.
A gentleman now residing at Wey-
bridge in Surrey informed me that
walking one day by the side of the
River Wey near that town he saw
a large pike in shallow creek. He
Immediately pulled off his coat, tuck
ed his shirt sleeves and went into
the water to intercept the return of
the fish to the river and to endeavor
to throw it upon the bank by get
ting his hands under it.
During this attempt the pike, find
Ing he could not make his escape,
seized one of the arms of the gentle
man and lacerated it so much that
the wound is still very visible.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10

THERE is little chance of food prices
1 ever returning to the old low stand
ard, according to Willet M. Hayes, act
ing secretary of agriculture. To sub
stantiate this he cites the fact that
only one-third of the total population
of the country is now engaged in pro-
ducing food for the remaining two
thirds. He says this will be shown by
statistics soon to be issued by the
census bureau.
Only two generations ago, he de-
clared, two-thirds of the population
was engaged in production. To this
remarkable reversal, he says, is the
high cost of living mainly due
The increased cost of living has no
terrors for the American farmer.
Judging by the conclusions of the de-
partment of agriculture. In the last
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10

A Kings coachman is a parsonage
of no small importance. Certainly
the coachman to her late Majesty
Queen Victoria had a BETTING sense
of the dignity and responsibility of
his position. On the occasion of
if he was driving any of the royal
and imperial guests at that time
quartered in buckingham Palace.
mo, SIR" was his reply. Il am the
Queens coachman; l don't drive the
riffraff."- London Chronicle.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
Black Hand Methods.

Hazlehur-t-wne iatcst devotion.
ment in the labor condition in this
county is an attempt to brighten ne
gro tenants by resorting to black
hand methods. Several negroes have
been badly frightened by finding nc
tees on their doors ordering them to
leave. Should the perpetrators be
found they would be prosecuted. The
supposition is that some unscrupulou-
labor agent failing to get hands to
leave adopted this means to secure
them.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
Chinese Pirates.

Piracy is no new thing in the wa
tiers around Hong Kong. AS long
ago as the thirteenth century the
island of Hong Kong was a piratical
stronghold, and for centuries the
Chinese government was unable to
drive the sea robbers out. All craft
passing what IS now Hong Kong har-
Dor were compelled to pay tribute
The higher elevations of the island
served as lookout stations, and nc
boat that approached was permitted
to leave until it had paid toll.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
TRUSTEES HEAR WHITFIELD.
First Session of State Normal Board
Was Busy One.

Hattiesburg.-The State Normal
College trustees, in executive session
at the Hotel Hattiesburg, heard at
length President-elect DR.. H. L. Whit
field unfold his views for the con-
struction and the conduct of the pro-
posed institution.
DR.. Whitfield received a cordial
hearing. He gave with considerable
details his views as to every step in
the developments of the great I'M
dertaking and as well ITS conduct once
it is opened. The trustees heartily
approved every suggestion and the
president-elect found that there was
no further block in the way of de-
cision as to accepting the presidency.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
SHERIFF SUSPENDED.
Lincoln County Tax Collector Short
$5,42O.37.

Jackson.-Gov. Noel Thursday is:
sued a proclamation suspending from
office j. F. Greer, sheriff of Lincoln
county, based on report from Charles
j. Moore, an official examiner of pub
lie accounts, who, it appears from
his report, has been engaged in prob
ing into the books and records OF
the deposed officer, and appointing
E. C. Smith of Lincoln county, to act
as tax collector, pending further ex-
animation.
The report of Accountant Moore,
upon which the proclamation was
based, was dated Feb. 1, 1911, and
goes to show the conditions as he
found them up to the close OF bust
ness Jan. q, and is accompanied by
exhibits numbered 1, 2 and 3, the
first of which is declared to show a
shortage of $6,420.37.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
YAZOO TAKES THE LEAD.
Has Organized and Gone Actively
to Work.

r1dS organized and Zone Actively
to Work.
Jackson.-It begins to look as if the
women of the state are going to see
to it that the women of the Confed-
eracy" have suitable monument
erected to their memory. The meet
ing held in this city a few days ago
ito select a site for that tribute to
the noble women Of this state, the
most of whom have now gone to their
awakening of interest all over Missis-
sippi.
Perhaps the most enthusiastic in
this work are the women of Yazoo
county. The Daughters of the Con-
federacy of Yazoo City has appointed
a committee to take up the work OF
raising their county's share of this
fund, and have gone at it in a sys-
tematic and business-like manner, that
others might follow to advantage.
To Yazoo county was apportioned
the raising of $500, and the ladies'
anticipate no trouble in doing so by
private subscription.
Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-02-10
Cattle From the Sahara

The cattle raised on the fringe Of
the Sahara are known to be of good
quality and are estimated at 100000
head. With little scientific feeding
during the dry season their numbers
might rapidly be increased and the
Soudan region might become sort
of second Argentina.