davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
REEVES RELEASED
OF MURDER CHARGE
BY CORONER'S Jury
"Justifiable Homicide" Is
Verdict on Man Who
Killed Another in the
Presence of Wife

Justifable homicide was the verdict
rendered by the coroners jury yester-
day afternoon in the inquest on the
killing of Fred j. Ransom. a poultry
food salesman. who was shot to death
Monday morning by w Leroy Reeves.
clothing salesman. Reeves was given
his freedom Immediately after the YER
dict was announced.
Il would do it again If it had to be
done over" was the concluding state
ment of W. Leroy Reeves under oath
before the coroner's jury Mr. Reeves
was the last of several witnesses OK
amned by the inquisitorlal body.
Reeves was brought to testify before
the coroners jury from the county
Jail where he has been a prisoner since
last Monday morning. lie came into tho
eoroners office dressed in a neat sack
suit walking brislly. lie appeared
calm and possessed Reeves is OF
small statue and his hair is tinged
with gray and deep lines are furrowed
on his face.
As Reeves was brought in to testify
Coroner Spain also allowed attorneys
and several other Interested persons to
come into the room. Reeves himself
after being sworn, pulled out a big
black cigar and lit it. He testified in
much the same way that he would have
dictated business letter and in that
matter of fact way revealed all the
| innermost secrets of his household. He
depicted vividly the domestic tragedy
| that had been brewing in his home
ever since the closing of the State Fair
and graphically explained how the
shooting had occurred. At no time did
Mr.. Reeves raise his voice, and
throughout the recital he puffed easily
on his cigar.
At the conclusion of Reeves testi-
mony, the jury without dissenting
vote, announced its verdict.
At the morning session of the inquest
there were several witnesses examined
and it was brought out that Mrs.
Reeves was said to have been an old
friend of Il. J. Ransom before her mar
riage to Reeves. A few of the letters
that passed between the deceased ynd
Mrs. Reeves were offered as evidence
as showing her feeling toward Ran
som. Much of the testimony was of an
unpleasant character The verdict of
the jury yesterday ends the case un-
less as it was stated yesterday at the
courthouse that the father of the de-
ceased swears out a warrant for tho
arrest of Reeves.
The remains of +. j. Ransom are still
being held at the morgue of Warner
Smiley awaiting funeral arrange
ments.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
MAY Be REQUIRED TO
LAY WATER PIPES

That a recovery of something like $780,
600 from the Birmingham Waterworks
company by the citizens OF Birmingham
may be possible was the theory advanced
yesterday by. City Attorney Romaine
Boyd as an aftermath of the supreme
court decision in the quo warranto water
works case.
Mr.. Boyd states that in this decision
the court makes one or two statements
upon which might be based action in the
future looking to tho recovery of this
money by citizens on account of the
waterworls company refusing to lay serv-
ice pipes from their mains into buildings
The part of the decision he refers to
is as follows:
I'VE iudicially know that the alleged
duty of respondent to lay service pipes
from it's mains to the proper lines Of
applicants for water service an impli-
ca ton of law, is a mooted question as
to which the courts of the country have
not uniformly agreed In this state it is
not yet settled and, however. we might
be disposed to view it. we do not regard
it as Willful and culpable breach of duty
by respondent to decline to furnish such
pipes at its own expense. though 1t is
proper to say the great weight of au-
thority in other states seems to recognize
and impose the duty in question"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
SPECIAL SERVICES
AT ST. MARY'S TODAY
Morning Offering Will Be for the
Benefit of Holy InnOcents
Hospital

The day of Thanksgiving observed
throughout the United States will be
appropriately celebrated at ST. Mary's
church this morning. At IL o'clock
there Will be celebrated the holy conf
munion and a sermon viii be preached
by the Rev Willoughby n. Claybrook,
rector. The choir viii be augmented
for the occasion and a special musical
programme viii be rendered
Perhaps the most appealing feature
of the sermon other than regular and
beautiful services of the Episcopal
church viii be a special collection for
the Holy Innocents hospital. All money
at the morning service will be donated
to that charity. Preceding the sery-
ices there will be received in the Sur
day school room donations Of food and
clothing for the poor This donation
is expected by Mr. Claybrook to he
unusually gracious and it is his hope
that there will be liberal response to
the request for such donations.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
$25,OOO,0OO TO
DOUBLE TRACK LINE
Meeting of Alabama Great
Southern Stockholders
Held Here Yesterday

At meeting of the stockholders of
the Alabama Great Southern railroad
held in the general offices of that
company in the American Trust build
ing yesterday morning, it was voted
to issue $25,OO0.OoO in bonds for the
purpose of double tracking the present
line of the company to Chattanooga
and Meridian, which will give it the
longest double tracked line in the
south.
The work on this line will begin as
soon as the details are completed, but
that will not be for some time yet.
The stockholders of the Alabama
Great Southern are scattered well over
the world, but it is said that the ma
jority of the stock is voted in this Sec
ton.
80 After the approval of the proposed
bond issue the stockholders proceeded
upon the merely routine matters be-
fore them.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
PROMINENT PREACHERS
TO BE HERE SUNDAY

A former newsboy and reporter, but
now regarded as one of the greatest
preachers of the nation. the Rev. DR..
Robert A. Elwood, pastor of the famous
Boardwalk church at Atlantic City will
speak at the jefferson theatre Sunday aft
ernoon at 3 o'clock.
DR.. Elwood began life as a poor boy
and with indomitable energy worked his
way through college, and is today said
to be one of the most gifted preachers
OF the nation. The Boardwalk church has
an audience of from 1000 to 5000 people
each Sunday. His subject Sunday after
noon will be, My Mothers Bible" this
being one of his great lecture sermons
The Daily Review of Monmouth, ILL.,, says
of this address: ut is thrilling in in
tensity and dramatic power and touched
the hearts of the great audience from the
opening word to the close. The audience
was under the sway of the magnetic
spea ker, people hung on his words as he
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
SORROW AT DEATH
OF GEORGE l.. SMITH
Funeral of Well Known Attorney Will
Be Held at His Residence
This Afternoon

The remains of George L. Smith. who
died Tuesday night in Nashville, Tenn,
arrived in Birmingham yesterday aft
ernoon.
Funeral services will be held at his
late residence, S1S Tuscaloosa avenue,
West End, this afternoon at 3 o'clock.
Interment will be at Elmwood ceme-
terry
Mr.. Smith was regarded as one of
the ablest lawyers at the Birmin CHAM
bar, and his death is source of deep
regret to a large circle of friends. He
Is survived by his father and two
brothers of Deckerd, Tenn, and his
wife. Mrs. Pearl Weiss Smith.
The active pallbearers at the funeral
today will be NJ. w. Canister e. T.
Beatty, DIR. L. w. Rucker. Jr. James A.
Mitchell. Henry Morscheimer and John
f. Williams.
Honorary pallbearers are Gen. E. W.
Rucker, Judge ]. p. Stiles, Judge C. b.
Smith. John p. Tillman, DIR. George H.
Stubbs and Chancellor A. II. Benners.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
JUDGE GRUBB ASSIGNED
TO PRESIDE IN NEW YORK

Judge w. l. Grubb of the federal court
was notified yesterday that he had been
designated by Chief Justice White of
the United States supreme court to pre-
side over the United States district court
of New York,
The information came through the of
flee of Attorney General McReynolds, the
message stating that a copy of his as
signment would be forwarded at once to
Judge Grubb. Judge Grubb will leave Sat
urday for New York and will be absent
three or-four weeks.
Members of the bar state the assign
ment is an important one and is decided
compliment to Judge Grubb.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
Widely Loved Man Had
Reached the Advanced
Age of "a Years
FUNERAL WILL BE
THIS AFTERNOON
Served Two Terms as Governor of
Alabama and Was in Many Ways
Prominent in States
Affairs

Rufus w. Cobb, who was for Two
terms governor of Alabama, died yes
terday morning at 1880 o'clock at the
home of his daughter, Mrs. c. NJ. Camp
bell, $3.50 First avenue, Woodlawn. The
former governor was S4 years of age
His death was not entirely unexpected
for he had been i'll for some days.
since he sustained a fall, which frac-
tured his hip.
The funeral services will be held this
afternoon at 2:S0 o'clock at the home
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
NEW SUITS FILED

The following are among the suits filed
yesterday in the city and circuit courts:
Cosley jefferson VS.. Crotrell Bros. Lum-
Der company; 100000 damag ges claimed for
alleged personal injuries and neglect in
securing medical attention.
Hannah Coleman VS.. Jesse Bell and p.
A. Eubanks; $1,000 damages claimed for
alleged personal injuries.
George D. Finley VS.. Alabama Fuel and
Iron company; $4,000 damages for an al
legged assault and battery.
Henry West VS.. Alabama State Fair
association; $1,000 damages claimed for al
legged personal injuries.
F. C. Vcks VS.. Spiro Roofing and Heat
ing company; $1,000 damages claimed for
alleged personal injuries.
Emmett Merritt VS.. United States Cast
Iron Pipe and Foundry company: $1,000
for alleged personal injuries.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
Two Negroes Plead Guilty

Charles Lapsley and Frank Walker, ne
groes who were recently indicted by the
federal grand jury on a charge of car
breaking and interfering with interstate
commerce. entered a plea of guilty yes
terday before Judge w. I. Grubb and
were Immediately sentenced. >Lapsley was
given a sentence of two years in the
federal penitentiary and Walker to 13
months. They will be taken to the federal
prison at Atlanta today.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
BUILDING ADDITION
FOR ELEPHANT KEEPER

The carpenters began work yesterday
on the bedroom for 'Curly." This room is
being constructed because Miss Fancy
is too playful and at times she tries to de-
troy all the personal effects of her trainer.
Commissioner Weatherly was afraid that
the bill for "Curly's'' clothes would be-
come too large an item and he accordingly
ordered the extra room built. A door
will be cut in the side of Miss Fancys
domicile to connect the two rooms, and
il is expected that the room win be ready
for occupancy this afternoon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
GELDERS IN CHARGE
OF RED CROSS SEALS

Louis Gelders, who had general su-
pervision of the sale of Red Cross
seals last year, has again undertaken
the duty. 1t is expected that fun ar
rangements will be made in time for
commencing work the first of Decem-
ber.
Headquarters will be established and
plans announced for the campaign in a
few days
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
MEN ATTRACTED
BY EXPERT WHITTIER

Most men loved to white when they
were boys and a greao many of them
would like to whittle now If they had a
chance. At any rate, they are always
interested in whiting.
This was shown yesterday by the con-
stant crowd of men in front of the win
dow of Warren Bros, on Second avenue,
where an expert whittier was doing some
things with a pocket knife that would
make and grown-up boy envious. He whit
tied plain pine sticks and got some Won
derfu results but the main point was
the interest shown by practically every
man that passed. They could not resist
the temptation to stop.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
OFFICIALS OF COUNTY
VISIT CONVICT CAMP

, A committee of five members of the
grand jury and the members of the board
of revenue yesterday paid a visit to the
county convicts near the Warrior road
and inspected the condition of the camp
and the work being performed by the
convicts. They also inspected some of the
county roads in that section of the county
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
Bids on Carrying Mail

Col 7 II. Aldrich, postmaster, has re-
ceived instructions from the department
at Washington directing him to accept
bids for carrying the mail from the local
depots to the proposed railway mail termi-
nal postoffice to be located on Fifth ave-
nue., and to carry the mails to and from
terminal substation to the general post
office.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
HOLIDAY HOURS
AT POSTOFFICE

The usual holiday hours will be OBJ
served at the postoffiee today. The gen.
eral delivery window will be open until
10 o'clock this morning. There will be
two deliveries in the business section of
the city and one in the residence sec
ton.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
Real Estate Transfers

slo30-Howard w. Blakey to w NJ
West lots and 6, in block 6. Groveland
Heights subdivision.
S2400-Birmingham Realty company to
James B. Burgin, parts of lots 3 and t.
in block 20 Birmingham Realty COM
pany's fourth addition TO Birmingham.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
MORNING MEDLEY OF
DAYS DOINGS IN CITY

preached Christ, for that is what My
Mothers Bible is-a wonderful presenta-
tion of the sin cure of Jesus Christ"
The musical programme of this meeting
will be one of the best of the season.
and will include a selection by the male
quartet and several other numbers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
G.. M. HOWLE FILES
CONSTABLE'S BOND

George NJ. Howle, recently appointed
constable of Beat 81 by the governor, has
filed his bond with the probate judge and
on receipt of his commission will assume
the lties of the office.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27

ZAMORA TEMPLE WILL HOLD A
CEREMONIAL SESSION IN THE MA
JESTIC THEATRE, FRIDAY, NOVEM-
BIER IS, At 1870 p. Nj. VISITING NO.
BLES INVITED TO BE PRESENT.
ALI, OF THE MOBILES OF ZAMORA
ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND.
w. y. M'ADORY,
ILLUSTRIOUS POTENTATE.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27

Colds Cause Headache and Grip
LAXATIVE BROMO QUININE tablets
remove cause. There Is only one BRO
MO QUININE." 1t has signature of e.
w, GROVE on box. 25c.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
Smith Speaks for Kelleys

Attorney Ed Emith for the Kelleys
argued that there were two ideas con-
nected with public service, competitive
and monopoistic. If the city commission
favored the monopolistic. he said, then
the franchise should be given to the
Brming ham Railway. Light and Power
company without further parley. From
past experiences, he stated, it seemed the
commissioners favored the competitive
idea and assuming this he believed the
Kelleys had an equity in the Avenue f
situation which none of the others had.
on account of the fact that In their for
mer efforts to build a line on Avenue T.
they had paid the city about $4,000 and
that in view of that fact they should be
given the preference If other things were
equal
He stated the Kelleys had neSotia-
tions under way with local people by
which they hoped to be able to finance
the Avenue F line and the Norwood line
of their former franchise and that with
| these constructed 1t would not be diff
cult to issue bonds to cover The expense
of building the remainder of the line.
| THE Kelleys have not given up he
! said. "They are men OF means and ability
and they are going to build car line.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
Four Separate Concerns
Want to Build Line on
This Avenue
ANOTHER SESSION
FOR THIS MORNING
Many Speakers Urge Claims of the
b. R., l.. & p. Co., While Others
Represent Tidewater and
Kelley Interests

At what was probably the most Ora
torieal' meeting ever held by the city
commission of Birmingham, railroad
builders appeared before the commission
at a special meeting yesterday afternoon
and discussed the fine points involved in
a street railway franchise out Avenue
f to Elmwood cemetery.
The commissioners closed the meeting
after over a two-hour session, during
which Commissioner Lane stated that
the matter should "be settled at once, in
order to keep the commissioners from
going to a lunatic asylum" and will meet
a conference at 10 o'clock this morning
to discuss the proposition between them
selves. If Judge Lanes recommends
tions are carried out, it Will be settled
TODAY
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
Marriage Licenses

Fred A. Jaeger, Chattanooga, to Miss
Julia NJ. Tanner
]. C. Murphy, Birmingham to Miss
Rebecca McElhenney.
C. C. Evans, Rosedale, to Miss Ellen
Anderson.
W. c. Ivie, Birmingham. to Miss Nellie
Nall
V. j. Morrow, Bosco, to Miss Lila Kelly
Grover James, Brookside, to Miss Ollie
Carroll.
Tom r. Derrick, Birmingham, to Miss
Annie Laurie Neal.
II. Simmons. Birmingham, to Miss Belle
Gilbert.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
Resumed Practice of Law

Returning home from the strife of
the war Governor Cobb again took up
the practice of law and followed his
profession at Marion until 1868. Leav-
ing this place he went to Columbiana
where he remained five years, and then
went to Helena.
lie was elected to the state senate in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
Realized End Was Near

AT the time of his death Governor
Cobb was surrounded by his two daugh-
ters. Mrs Campbell and Mrs Richard
Fell, his grandson, Charles Fell, and
several others. They were informed
Tuesday night that the end was close
at hand and through the night watched
at his bedside. 1t was at 1880 in the
touched the grim old statesman and
called him home to his reward
The news of the death of Governor
Cobb spread over the city yesterday
morning and many expressions of re-
gret We're heard. The people of Ala
bama can well feel that they have lost
a valued son and the entire state will
mourn. a
Governor Cobb was born at Achillo,
Ala, on February 25, 1920. He gradu-
ated from the University of Tennessee
in 1850 and was admitted to the bar
in 1855. 1t was soon after he became
an attorney that he married for the
first time. taking as his wife Miss
Margaret McCluney of Knoxville. Tenn.
His second wife was Miss Fannie Fell
of Maryland. whom he married in 1865
He practiced law in Shelby county from
|1S57 to 1861, at which time he or
ganized Company c and was elected its
captain He offered his services to Col
onel Forney and was assigned, with
his company to place in the One Hun
dred and First Alabama infantry. He
served with distinction throughout the
war between the north and the south
and was under the command of Gen
of the war. He was during those last
two years a scout and did excellent
work as commander of the troop un-
der Fighting joe"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27


of Mrs. Campbell, and DIR. w. C. Clark
of the Woodlawn Presbyterian church,
and Dr. Preston Blake of the South
side Baptist church, viii officiate. The
Masonic lodge will be in charge of the
burial services. interment to take place
in the ,Woodlawn cemetery.
Grand Master Judge d. A. Greene
will conduct these services. The active
pallbearers will be George w. Morrow,
X. Nj. Cunningham, Ben M. Jacobs, Eu-
gene Fies. Col. Tom O. Smith, George
w. Armstrong, w. w. Whitaker and
Joe c. Hail. Honorary: Jacob Fies, w.
II. Manly. C. J. Smith, Elijah Chandler,
Frank II. Gafford, W. T. Hill, DIR. d.
ID. Jones, Fred M. Jackson, Gov. w. d.
Jelks, Gov. b. B. Conner, Hugh Nor
row. Judge w. H. Porter, Judge e. C.
Crow. Ed Warren. John G.. Bradley,
Max Blach, Gen. Fred S. Ferguson, w.
B. Dowell, Capt. Frank S. White, Sam
VIII John, Addison c. Smith and w. X.
McAdory.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
Johnston Represents Tidewater

Forney Johnston, representing the Tide
water stated that the Tidewater wanted
a franchise for Avenue G, as they could
go under the railroad tracks much easier
there. He stated that If the franchise
was to be granted on the universal trans
fer plea, however, it should be given
to the Tidewater. as the Birmingham
Railway, Light and Power company could
easily construct a branch from its West
End line to the cemetery, only a short
distance, and then with the Tidewater
going out Avenue f the cemetery could
be reached on every street car line in
the city "This company is not coy"
stated Mr.. Johnston I'VE are not being
forced into it; we want the franchise be-
cause we believe it Is valuable He
intimated the property owners on Ave
nue. + were being misled and that If
the franchise was granted the Birming-
ham Railway Light and Power company
the Elmwood cemetery section would be
bottled up forever from any other line.
In the Tidewater petition. Mr.. Johnston
stated, a franchise is also being asked
for Avenue ID and across the Twenty
first street bridge so as to form more
direct route to East Lake and out Hunts
vile avenue to North Birmingham. THE
Tidewater now has a trunk line but we
want to establish a system here in this
city. There must be feeders tC that trunk
line and these are what we are asking
for
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27

1872, and reelected in 1876, at which
time he became president of the sem
ate. The value of his work in the SEN
ate Is regarded as inestimable, for 1T
was during the dark days of recon-
structfon that he occupied the sena-
torial chair and the people of his state
honored him for his work when they
elected him governor in 1878. He was
again elected to this high office in
1880 and retired in 1882. Returning to
Shelby county he could not stay out
of politics and became probate judge
of that county. He later removed to
Birmingham and had made his home
here for many years. He was president
of the Central Iron works at Helena
from 1873 to 1891.
Governor Cobb retired from the pres
idency of this concern however. and
became an attorney of the Louisville
and Nashville railroad and later be-
came engaged in cotton planting and
developed iron mines in northern
Alabama.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
Section Now Undeveloped

Mrs. McCrary stated that there were
400 acres of land in that section which
was undeveloped, that it was the most
neglected section of the city and one of
the most valuable if it just had a car
service. He plead for the Birmingham
Railway, Light and Power company be-
cause he said he believed it was the
only company which would build the
line if given a franchise and on account
of the transfers.
w. P. G. Harding Stated that the only
value to the Avenue F franchise was the
fact that it connected the city with
something else, as there was little value
in the franchise for the Avenue f Sec
tion alone. He stated that he believed
either the Birmingham Railway, Light
and Power company or the Tidewater
would build the line If given the chance.
Mr.. Esdale of the Decatur Car Wheel
works, stated he favored the Birmingham
Railway, Light and Power company on
account of the transfers for his 500 en-
ployes and because he thought they could
and would build the line. e. L. Pauley
of the Standard Oil company said about
the same thing. Warden Pucket of the
Elmwood cemetery, plead for a car line
for the people who visited the cemetery
daily. Mr.. jackson and Mr. Oliver made
short talks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-27
President Ford Speaks

'I don't know as it's necessary for
me to say anything" said President A
II. Ford of the Birmingham Railway,
Light and Power company. 1T is very
gratifying to me TO hear all these men
state their desire for us to build a street
car line without any effort on my part,
but absolutely on their own initiative
The Avenue F line is not attractive as
a business proposition, but it has been
pressed upon us, and if the franchise is
granted we will build the line We will
endeavor to construct an underpass at
Avenue f and Seventh street under the
railroad tracks at our own expense, and
one that will be satisfactory to the city
and the property holders
We would build the line in the shortest
possible time-as soon as money and men
can do it."