The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-12-03

4o%0A ~ a. Ae~ A00000Ox AuO NOx>
lector &. B. McRaven and Assistant
Cecil CASTOR. show real estate valued
It $9.07O. 755, against 1885,, ESQ last
rear; personal 1887 TAO, against $4,-
Gas, 365; foreign corporations $685.
491, against $1.19o, 063, and 1904 poll
and street axe $23,412, against sS,11e
last year or $24,357.
Observation-Disclosures has been re-
ceived here of the death at Garland
Vile, several miles south of here, of
an old negro woman. who was said to
be ia years old. She was the mother
of eight children, and there are now
five generations of the family living.
She had a daughter to die five years
ago at the age of 81. She was able to
hoe in the field this ear
Natchez.-Information has just been
received here of h accidental killing
of Mrs. Bernard Netterville by her
husband at their home about eight
miles from Woodvflle. From what can
be learned they were handling a re-
volver which they believed to be emp
ty when by some unaccountable means
1t exploded and the bullet struck Mrs.
Netterville In the back of the head
killing her instantly.
Newton.-Dan King and Tom Ross,
the two young white men arrested by
the Jackson police a. suspicious char
acters. have been returned here to
stand trial for robbery. One Of the
suspects confessed the crime, telling
how they had entered J. Engle's store
during a downpour of rain and helped
themselves to several suit cases which
they packed full Of goods, and made
their way by train to Jackson.
Greenwood.-Means Johnston of
Schlater, Is miles north of Greenwood,
in this county, shot n instantly killed
DR.. r. e. Birdsong. Two shots took
effect. one in the heart and the other
in the head. The exact cause of the
killing is yet unknown. Immediately
after the killing Johnston surrendered
to Sheriff Taylor and was brought t
Greenwood and placed in the county
Jail. It is understood that the men
had heretofore been on friendly terms.
B.rdsong's brother is the stepvfather
Of Mrs. Means Johnston. When John
ston was interviewed at the Jail he
stated that he had to protect himself.
Johnston is a popular young attorney
about 20 years old, a graduate of the
University of Mississippi, and has been
practicing law In this county since
1909. Last August he was elected coun-
ed county prosecuting attorney over
which attests the high esteem in which
he is held. DR.. B%irdsong was n Of
the leading physicians at Schlater and
had practfced his profession at Schla-
ter more thar ten years and had many
friends.
New A1bany.-A number Of persons
were injured, some seriously. and $751;
900 worth Of property was destroyed
when fire originating from an un-
known cause in the basement of the
Rainey Hotel, almost wiped out the
business district of New Albany. The
occupants I'll L1Io THU SlO1 VI IAC
hotel became SO panic-stricken that
e. B. Noble, the proprietor, and Alloy
Elder had to forcibly take W ladies
and carry them down the fire escapes.
DR.. Y. d. Butler jumped from the third
story and landed IN the ~storehouse OF
Craig Brothers, breaking his leg. He
was carried to Memphis for treatment.
Mr.. Boothe, a travelling man from Tu-
pelo, became s%uffocated and fell down
stairs. being injured internally. John
Thompson, chief of the fire squad,
was painfully hurt by falling debris.
The following fire losses were sus-
tained:tThos. Goodman, druggist. COM
plete loss. $4,000. no insurance; E.
B. Noble, the Rainey Hotel, complete
loss. no insurance; New Albany CO.
sette. loss $4,000, with $500 iusur-
ance: Will Cook. barber shop. loss
$500, with no insurance; New Albany
Meat Market, loss $500; Merchants
and Farmers Bank. fixtures worth ST.
900, no Insurance; ]. L. S. Rogers,
druggist, loss $4,000 with $4,000 In
surance; Craig Bros. loss $4,000 with
$1,000 insurance; Norris Hardware
Company. loss $1,000.
Meridian.-Congressman Samuel A.
Witherspoon Of the Fifth Mississippi
district, died at his home in this city,
following an illness Of about ten days.
| While his death was directly caused
from heart affection, his original i'll
| ness was an attack of acute indiges-
| ton. MI. Witherspoon was serving his
| third term in congress and was a mem
| Der of the house committee on naval
affairs. He is survived by his wife,
n son, S. A. Witherspoon. Jr., and
two daughters, Miss Fannie Mae and
| Miss Letitia, and by one brother, the
Rev. Mr.. Witherspoon of Ellisville.
| Mr.. Wftherspoon was born in Lowndes
| county, Mississippi, in 1855, and was
| educated 1t the University Of Missis
sippi.
Bay st. Louis.-Alfred Oliver, white.
serving q six months sentence for
housebreaking and shooting with muir
derous intent, escaped from a guard