The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-03
ANNISTON
PROMINENT ANNISTONIANS IN WASHINGTON-oRG BAND OF THIEVES WORKING CITY. NEW FARM DEMONsTRATOR AR- RIVES

Anniston, December 2-(SpeciaI) )
 The preliminary hearing in the case of Mrs. Lee What1ey, who is charged with the murder of Sty Hammitt, a young white man, at Jacksonville sev- era1 days ago, will be held before Pro- bate Judge John M. Crook in this city Saturday morning, the case having been postponed when first called on account of the absence of material witnesses. When she was first arrested and con- fined in the county jail, Mrs. Whatley made no denial of the shooting stating she intended to kill Hammitt, whom she charged with an attempt to break into her room. It is said, however, that an attempt will be made by the
 prosecution to disprove this allegation and to show that the killing was done in cold blood.
 Sheriff A. H. Borders has made sew eral trips to Jacksonville and inter- viewed a large number of witnesses in connection with the case, which prom ises to be largely attended by persons
 from Jacksonville and many of the former friends of young Hammitt in this city.
 When Congressman Fred L. Blackmon left Thursday morning for Washington
 he was accompanied by J. B. Caring
 ton, presnident of the Anniston Cham
 Der of Commerce.; his brother, Ross
 Blackmon, and Miss Cora Stokes, who
 he has appointed to the position as
 private secretary. formerly held by
 J. M. Slattery, now secretary to M B.
 Wellborn of the federal reserve board.
 MT. Darlington and Ross Blackmon
 went to Washington on business and
 will return within a few days. Con
 gressman Blackmon is an administra-
 tion man. and is expected to uphold the
 President in most of his policies.
 Chief of Police Phillips and his as
 sociates on the Anniston police force
 are working on the hypothesis that an
 organized band of thieves is operating
 in this city, as result of several rob-
 berries that have been committed along
 Noble street in the past month or so
 Early Thursday morning thieves stole
 some tools from the E. R. Moore cabi-
 net shop and footed the Sawyer shoe
 store of considerable goods, this being the sixth robbery along this street re-
 gently. All of the robberies have been
 effected by entrance from the rear of
 the stores robbed, and better lights along the alleyway in question are
 being urged.
 S. G. Prentice, who has been ap, pointed farm demonstrator for Cal houn county by the board of county commissioners, arrived in the city Thursday, and will enter at once on the discharge of his duties, making his h 1f,I, orfa i,, teaching agriculture in the agricultural and mechanical schools of Mississippi and Arkansas since his graduation, in addition to which he has had practical experience on his own farm. The work of MT. Prentice will not conflict with the duties of Mrs. Ilah Williams Polhill, who works among the girls and women of Calhoun county farms. nor with Russell s. King, who is featuring in the country on rural economies Annis- tonians believe in diversification of crops and are devoting about as much attention to this as to the industrial development of the city.
 J. F. Spearman, senior partner in the Wikle Drug company of this city, is being congratulated by his friends on his election to the position of junior grand warden at the Masonic conven- tion in Montgomery Thursday morning The Elizabeth Spearman chapter of the Eastern Star here was named in honor of Mrs. Spearman's mother.
 The next state examination for teach CTS in Calhoun county will be held at the courthouse in this city on December 2O-22, according to H. T. Persons, county
 superintendent of education.
 S. J. Powers has leased the store
 formerly occupied by the Boozer Trad ing company to be occupied by the Me-
 Cluney Dry Goods company. of which
 he is president.