The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-10
ROBERTS VISITS
 SCENES OF YOUTH Naval Constructor in Annis-
 ton for Several Days
TRAINS ARE DELAYED
Record Sale of Tags-Suit Causes Stir-CalhOun Grand Jury Re- turns - Preparing for the
 Reunion at Macon, Ga.

Anniston, March 9.-(Special)-T' Gaines Roberts, United States naval constructor in charge of the ship yards at Newport News, arrived at the Ala bama hotel in this city Friday even ing, and will be here few days on a visit to old friends, this city being his home.
 When asked about the probability of Uncle Sam taking a hand in the Mex
 can embroglio, Commander Roberts stated that his business is to prepare for war In time of peace and that he could not talk with authority in re- gard to Uncle Sam's belligerent inten- tions. He stated however, that when he was at Fort Monroe. Old Point Com fort, recently the men there were ready for action and had made all plans for going to the frontier. At this time, however. he said, they are less ex- pectant than they have been hereto fore.
 Commander Roberts Is one of the several graduates of Oxford college al this place who have reached fame, he now being in charge of one of the greatest navy yards In the world. He was appointed to Annapolis by Con gressman Forney and since his grad uation his rise in the service has been almost phenomenal.
 Ar investigation will probably be made into the death of Matthew Donaldson, m aged citizen of oak Level, swhose death at that place recently from blood poison IS said to have been caused by a blow administered by his son Jast Christmas Day.
 According to the facts brought to this city, Donaldson was whipping younger son when PinlSerton, the elder son, in- terfered and struck his father with the
 leg of cpair. 1t is said that blood poison set in and resulted in his death last Tues day.
 Reuben r. Kolb, state commissioner of agriculture, has been in Anniston .hs week inspecting local fertilizer plants. He says that the sale of fertilizer tags throughout the state has been of for s.he first two months of this year, but that the sales are now being made with greater regularity and that on last Wednesday all records were broken,
 
 pany which is being attacked by it's dted- itors, will come up in the circuit court of Clay county in April, according to Attnf- ney Ross Backmon, who has just re- turned from Pyrlton.
 Both the "Casey Flyer" or Kansas City Florida special and fast passenger No. 36 on the Southern railway Atlanta to Bir- mingham division, were delayed sever;tl hours Friday night on account of a freight pileup al Cook Springs, west of Pell City, but it is said that the debris has been cleared away, the track repaired and regular traffic resumed.
 The Calhoun county grand jury of the city court. which has been in session at the county courthouse for the past twol weeks. made a final report to Judge Thomas W. Coleman, Jr., Saturday after noon and were discharged. They exam ined 121 witnesses in 96 cases investigated and found 50 true bills. They report the books and bonds of all county officials correct, and make no special recommen- dations with the exception of certain im- provements at the county almshouse.
 John English. Jr, of Jacksonville. was the first man to be arrested under an in- dictment by the city court grand jury. which adjourned Saturday afternoon. He is charged with selling liquor and was locked up in the county jail.
 A preliminary hearing with q view of deciding whether or not to appoint a receiver for the respondent concern was held before Referee C. H. Young in this city Saturday afternoon in the bankruptcy case of the Ide mills ct al against the Verlna mills of Jackson vile.
 Camp Gordon Memorial. United Con federate Veterans, will meet at oxford Wednesday afternoon for the purpose of completing arrangements to attend the reunion at Macon in May. A large delegation of veterans and sons of vet erans will go from the Anniston dis trict
 Anniston doctors are said to have been completely baffled in accounting for a series of severe chilis with which Joe strickland of this city has been suffering for some time. He has now gone to a local hospital, where his case will be subjected to clinical study.