davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-24
IRISH DEBATE, HEATED

London, March 2s.--An Irish debate was raised in the House of Commons to : day by Francis Dyke Acland in appeal ing to the government to act with magnanimity before Easter. He ad- vocated the summoning of a constitu- ent assembly to choose the form of an Irish constitution. The members who supported MT. Acland made much play of the analogous situation in South Africa
 Former Premier Asquth criticized the governments failure to employ the same vigor in vindicating the law Tn Ireland against the crown forces as against the Sim Teiners and, in sug- gesting that the government again get in touch with representatives of the Irish people, said it was useless to lay down. impossible conditions in sucn negotiations.
 Replying to MT. Asquith's indics- ment of the government in connection with the executions at Mount Joy prison and elsewhere, as bringing dis grace and shame upon England in t/ United States, Mir. Lloyd George said that two of the men executed at Moun. Joy were murderefs and that the other four were engaged in an ambush to kill policemen; they, were taken with arms, bombs and soft nosed bullets in their possession. The premier gave similar details of the other cases ad- himself could have taken no other government had taken.
 q venture to say,' he went on, "tha.
 fContinued on Page Efghteen.)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-24
COOPER IS ELECTED PRESIDENT MISSISSIPPI
 SYNODICAL COLLEGE
Rx Associated Press

Holly eprinEs. Miss, March Ss-- IT.. resirnation of pr. w. IT. Ray mond. for 30 years president of the Missixsippi synodicaI college here' ha. been announced. pr. R. F. Cooner. dean of Birminsham- Southern college, Birlningham' Ala. has been elected as his sue ceaHOr.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-24
MANY CITY HALLS, BANKS AND PUBLIC
 BUILDINGS SEIZED
Bombs and Dynamite Used By Communists in Uprising in Numerous Towns and
 Red Flag Raised
By Associated Press

London, March 23.-A Berlin dis patch received by Reuters says that serious disorder has broken out in Hamburg. The workmen and police fought outside the famous Vulkan shipyards. Four persons were killed. Twelve were badly and l4 slightly injured.
 The dispatch says the Senate has declared minor state of siege.
 Berlin. March 23.-The mid-Germau areas are again in the thrOes of an- archy in consequence of the commu- ntsts' determination to force a wide- spread general strike in protest against the governments action in massing security police there for the purpose of checking the rioting and plundering which have been going on for the past few days.
 The Iignite district near Mans
 field is the chief center of the
 present disturbances, which not
 only extend to dcrailing trains by
 removing the tracks, but are
 sprrading to serious bomb out
 ragcs upon the judiciary building
 in nearby towns and cities, inc cfuding Lcipseis, Dresden, Frci- berg and Rodewisch.
 Armed bandits, operating under
 the direction of the notorious
 "Robin Hood" Hoclx. who, year
 ago. tcrrorizcd Nog tlanJ, are car rying out hoId-ups, robbing snv- ings banks and otherwise spread ing terror through the community
 by the destruction of industrial
 plants and the seizure of arns.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-24
Freight Train Wrecked

Laurel. Miss. March 2s. Seventeen Car. were derailed And tracks town up for nearly quarter of a mile this morning when Southern Railway freight train vAs dsrailed five nilAs ssalth af hasA-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-24
GERMANY REFUSES TOMEET PAYMENT
 AND NOTE IS SENT
Contend That 20 Billion Marks Due By May Already More Than Paid and Ask
 Investigation
Rx Associated Press

Paris, March % The separations com mission has considered the German state. ment regarding the non-payment of tine 1,ooo ,0oe0 900 gold marks today the date fixed by the allies for payment, and ' forwarding communication to. the Ger man government, according to official announcement. This communication will be delivered in Berlin tomorrow.
 Germany in her reply today to the re- cent ultimatum of the allied separations commission. refuses to pay the 1,coo.oooop9 marks gold, due on this date, and dis putes the commissions figures showing balance of 12,oO0, ooooOO marks due May 1.
 It is contended in the German note that the 2o,0ooooO,Ooo marks which the peace treaty provided should be handed over by May, has been more than paid The note asks that a joint commission of experts fix the value of the German deliveries on reparation account, but jt declares that if in any event It would be impossible for Germany to pay 1000, GOO 900 marks by the first of May.
 The note concludes as follows
 .gf after the experts have conferred, if is established that there. is a deficit in the payments by Germany she is ready to begin negotiations with the re- parations commission regarding the floating of loan abroad
 The reparations commission met this morning to consider the German reply which was transmitted from Berlin last night.
 VIOLATION OF TREATY
 The Gernars' failure to pay is deemed violation of the Treaty of Versailles which the commission will report to the allied .governments The allies will then determine what measures shall be taken.
 It is commented here that the German experts already have been heard by the commission which listened to their argu- raents before fixing the valuation or the German deliveries credited as payments against the 9O,010OJ0,000 marks. This val uatfon therefore, was considered final since the treaty gives the commission sole Jurisdiction in the matter.
 The German reply does not answer di- rectly the commissions demand for a first payment of 600, O0O0O0 marks today CThisl point however, IS covered on the face of things by Germany's contention of oyer-pSyment of the entire amount due by May 1). There is nothing said in the note nevertheless, to show that 'it would be impossible for GerD.rny tc pay this H. o00 eco. 600 marks, which the re- parations commission knows that Ger many has available in gold, as well as in foreign securities. 1t is' stated
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-24
RED ORGAN BLAMED

Berlin, March 23.-The outbreaks in middle Germany which synchronized with the action of the communist ship yard workers at Hamburg had been openly espoused for the past 4S hours by the German bolshevik organ, the Red Flag. This newspaper in a se- ries of inflammatory proclamations advised its followers that time for ac- ton had arrived and urged them to take weapons from the organization of law and order and the bourgeoisie and distribute them among the work ingmen.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-24
SEIZE CITY BUILDINGS

Berlin, March 23.-Communist workers seized the city administra- tion buildings in Hamburg today, oc- cupied the Blohm and Voss shipyards and hoisted the red flag, says dis patch from Hamburg.
 Workers in other shipyards quit
 work and began organizing mass
 demonstrations, according to the dispatch.
 In LcipsIc, Dresden, Bodcswsch and
 other cities in central Germany.
 the communists directed their cf-
 forts against courthouses, city
 halls, public banks and police headquarters. A bomb exploded
 in the Leipsic courthouse this
 morning and blew off the roof. broke all the windows, wrecked
 the lobby and shattered the win-s
 dows of buildings in radius of
 two blocks.
 Tn Bodeswich the city hall was virtually destroyed by d bomb which had been concealed in the basement. The use of dynamite against the city administration buildings in Auerbach. Frieberg and Dresden resulted in heavy property loss and the woundipg severely of at least three persons. Others were slightly injured.
 A 21-year-old man was arrested in Auerbach with sack of dynamite in his possession, A companion who fired at a policeman escaped. The man ar rested said he was from Danzig, but declined to talk further. The outrages are believed to be con- nected with the attempt of the com | munists to force general strike.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-24
A KILLED AND D
 WOUNDED IN IRISH F|GHTSYESTERDAy
Big Increase in Ambuscades Believed Due to. .Reprisals for Executions By the
 British
By Associated Press

Dublin, March 23.-Twenty-four persons were killed and nearly 30 wounded in ambuscades reported to- day.
 The men to whom the government attribute the organization of the am buscade have not been captured.
 The multiplication of the ambus- cades is believed to be largely due to Sim Fein is said to regard their men as belligerents, and the execution of those captured as breach of the laws
 of war and punishable by reprisal The execution of Whelen was followed by the killing of two policemen in his native town of Clifden. The deaths of the policemen were avenged in Cliff den by house burning.
 The execution of Patrick Moran has been followed by the Milling of twe policemen in his native district of Ros- common.
 | VENGEANCE ANTICIPATED For every man executed vengeance is anticipated, and as the government has in custody many men liable to the death penalty and is said to mean tc carry out executions, the piling up ot deaths on each side is considered here as inevitable.
 No big outbreak is thought probable but the daily guerilla warfare against the troops and police and the indivi- dual shootings of policemen and men suspected of having dealings with them are considered not likely to be seriously checked by any government measures yet taken.
 A party of lancers was ambushed this morning by a force of about. 200 between Stokestown and Isongford The strength of the military contin gent is not known, but it is reported
 that Captain Peak was killed and Lieutenant Tenant seriously wounded while all the others also received wounds.
 Tonight it was confirmed that the captain and four soldiers were killed while others were wounded. The mili- tary forces were in two lorries con veying prisoners when they were fired on from a wood on one side of the road apd a house on the other side of the road.
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28

The notice calling the town
election was duly published in
the PoST, DISPATCH for four
weeks. In this notice was a par
agraph stating when the registra-
ton books would be open from
April 10th through April 23rd.
However, only 7 women register
ed, and so only these seven
women are eligible to vote next
Tuesday.
There is a difference between
the books for the general election
(for which the women registered
last falD and the town books.
Also, many women who register
ed several weeks ago for the
special school bond election
doubtless thought their names
were recorded for all time; but
inasmuch as the school bond
election was called off, the regis
tration amounted to nothing.
And so in order to vote in the
town election, it was necessary
for the women to register be-
tween the dates of April 10th
and 23rd, and as stated above
only 7 did so.
The mass meeting of Demo
cratic voters to select candidates
for Mayor and Commissioners,
is called to meet at the court
house Friday night, April 29th,
at 5 o'clock. There apparently
is little interest being manifest
ed. There is no avowed candi-
date for Mayor, but the names
of W. Steele Lowdermilk, A. G.
Corpening and ]. T. West are
mentioned. The action Of the
Democratic mass meeting is
equivalent to an election, as the
election next Tuesday will de-
velop no contest from the con.
iYention's action.
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28
That "Deestrick Skule. ="

The participants are practicipg
now for the ''Deestrick Skule,'
which will be presented in the
Opera House on Friday night Of
next week, May 9th. This date
was changed from May 3rd.
The affair promises to be even
more hilariously funny than the
memorable, "Womanless Wed
ding"-and that was a scream.
-Sedate men and elderly ladies
will act the parts of school kids,
and the speeches, compositions
and antics will be interesting.
The funds will 60 to the Episco-
pal church organ fund.
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28
Killed by Lightning.

A 12-year-old colored lad, An.
guish Everett, son of Victor Ev.
erett, was struck by lightning
and intantly killed Wednesday
morning. The boy had been sent
to the Moss store, in West Rock.
ingham, by his mother to get
some lard. On his return home
near the Alec Dawkins house,
rain storm overlook him. He
sought shelter under a tree, and
it was there that the lightning
struck him. He was found deac
about two hours later. A Cor
oner's inquest was not necessary
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28
See the EClipSe

Darkening of celestial bodies still
has enough of the supernal in it to
keep some folks up to a'Wee hour
Did any one around Rockingham
sit up to see the eclipse of the
moon on Friday night of last week?
1t was a total esclipse, occurring at
2::33 o'clock. A hard rain fell Fri
day night, but the clouds rifted
shortly before the eclipse and the
moon came forth so that the shad-
ow of the earth could be seen creep
ing acros. the rim of the great disk
1t will be six years before another
total eclipse of the moon takes place
and a dozen years before the sun is
totally eclipsed.
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28
Fine Commandery.

The annual sermon to Rock
ingham Commandery No. %,
Knights Templar, was preached
by Sir Knight A. L. Ormond at
the Hamlet Methodist church on
last Sunday morning. The Sir
Knights formed at the Hamlet
Chapter room, and marched to
the church, 102 Sir Knights be.
ing in line. The Hamlet church
had prepared special music, and
this with the excellent sermon
by Mr.. Ormond made the service
especially enjoyed.
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28

gain admission. A special choir
sang MY Country 'Tis of Thee"
as the body entered the church.
Chaplain Hall after prayer and
scripture reading, read a letter
he had received Sunday morning
from Capt. Walter Clark, Jr., who
was in command of Sears COM
pany in France. In it Capt.
Clark spoke of the battle in which
Sears was killed, and how though
restlve under restraint as most
any young fellow would be yet
he made a good soldier and died
Continued on Pages
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28
Primary at Hamlet.

The Democratic primary held at Ham,
let Tuesday resulted in H. P Austin being
nominated for Mayor over R. L. Sherwood
by vote pf 564 to 225.
In the hot fight for place on the board
of school trustees, three of the old board
were reelected, together with two of the
possible Opposition" The five successful
were: Bauersfeldt 624, J. P. Gibbons 684,
W. R. Land 537, Bachman 5e8, Mrs. Hud-
nell 487.
The contest for place on the Board
of Commissioners resulted in three of the
old board being renominated; they were
N. D. Mcdonald 563, R. M. Adams 392,
E. N. Rhodes 399. Another primary will
be held Saturday to decide the two re-
naming commissioners: the second pri.
mary will be between the following, who
received the following vote Tuesday: W. H
Fetner 342, Felix Cannon 329, B. B. JEFF.
freys 313, B. Stark 302. The two highest
in Saturdays primary will be 70, the
nominees.
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28

of corn and cotton were covered
by the washer sand. All in all,
it was the most destructive rain.
storm that has hit this section in
many a year. The brunt of it
appeared to be from the river
eastward towards Hoffman.
Lightning struck the gin house
of T. H. Howell, on Route 4, and
it was burned. The loss is about
$1,000. There was no gin inside.
Also four tons of guano were
lost.
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28
Stock Your Streams With Fish.

Those who desire to stock streams,
lakes or ponds with fish should Sc
cure blanks Immediately upon
which to apply for the stock through
their congressman, as the principal
distribution of fish stock is made
during May of each year. Write to
your congressman at Washington,
VIM. C. Hammer, for information.
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28

The international Harvester
Co., has announcement on page
II of a reduction in price of its
entire line of implements. Turn
to page II and read the announce
ment.
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28
REMARKABLE FUNERAL
Funeral of Corporal Claude
Sears at Rockingham At
tended by Over 1000 Peo-
pie. Killed in Action in
France Sept. 29, 1918.


A crowd estimated conserva-
lively at 1000 and by many at
5000 and upwards, attended the
funeral at Rockingham Sunday
afternoon of Claude Sears, Cor
poral of Co. B, l20th infantry,
30th division, who met his death
with his face to the enemy on
Sept. %, 1918, in the decisive at
tack on the Hindenburg Line.
Never before has such a con-
course of people gathered in this
county for a funeral as came to
do honor to this lads memory
Sunday. Fully 500 automobiles
were on the streets at one time.
The body was shipped from
Hoboken on Thursday, and reach
ed Rockingham Friday morning,
accompanied by private. The
heavy casket was draped with a
huge American flag, and this flag
was presented to the parents of
young Sears, Mr.. and Mrs. ]. B.
Sears, of Pee Dee Mill village.
The casket was carried from the
depot to the Watson-King estab.
lishment, undertakers, and at the
request of the parents there
opened for their private inspec-
ton. 1t was then carried to the
home of Mr.. J. B. Sears where it
remained until Sunday after
noon.
And just here it might be we'll
to refer to the many groundless
reports and rumors that one so
often hears concerning the bodies
of those shipped back from
France. 1t was reported here a
few days ago that the casket Of
a Cheraw soldier was opened at
Cheraw last week and the body
of an old French soldier was
found. AS a matter of fact, the
caskets of the two soldiers re-
ceived at Cheraw last week were
NOT EVEN OPENED. Another
report was that a casket received
at Lexington was found to con
tain Jumps of iron and several
dosen hands and feet, and nc
body. This, too, was of course
false, as the casket in question
was not even opened. The cask
ct containing the body of Claude
Sears was opened Friday morn
ing; of course the Law of Nature
had prevailed, but the metal tag
that every soldier wore around
the neck was found and this bore
the Identification number. AlsC
a brother of the dead soldier
recognized him by certain miss
ing teeth.
Promptly at 3 o'clock Sunday
ex-service men of the county tt
the number of IS assembled al
the courthouse, and at $40 the
funeral cortege met them. The
,hne of march then began to the
I Methodist church, headed by the
color-bearers; next came the Rock
ingham brass band, l6 strong
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28

PLAYING a suitable funeral march,
and then came the hearse with
three pall-bearers walking on
each side. Four of these pail
bearers we're fellow-members of
Co. B, 120th infantry, they being
Alex Mcqueen, Hollie Mcdonald,
Willie McNair and Sam Huett.
The other too pall-bearers were
M. ]. Pate and W. ]. Spence.
Next came a special escort OF eX-
service men, in command OF 1t.
Donald Phillips, ard with mill
tary precision the remainder of
the men marched after. An in
teresting incident was the fact
that bringing up the rear of the.
march, and directly behind the
last soldier, was Mr.. Sip Hart, of
Pee Dee village. who though now
in his S9th year marched with
head erect and step in time as
we'll and perhaps even better
than the younger men of the
World War. This gallant old
Confederate veteran proudly fol-
lowed the beloved Stars and
Stripes in this funeral march,
even as proudly as he siXty-odd
years ago followed the immortal
Stars and Bars of the Lost Cause.
He, by the way, is the last sur
vivor OF the gallant old Pee Dee
Guards, III Of whom marched
from Rockingham in 1861 in de-
Tense of their Southland, and
who would have been in time for
the first battle at Manassas had
not the engine pulling their train
broken down. And he was
wounded 26 times during the
course of the four years. But
back to this funeral service.
Arriving at the Methodist
church, the casket was borne
within and placed at the chancel
rail, covered with the Flag and
masses of flowers. Major A.
McCullen and Chaplain Leon M.
Hall conducted the service, both
in uniform. Chaplain Hall was
an army chaplain in one of the
training camps. Major McCul-
len for 10 years was Chaplain of
the old Ord regiment, which later
was changed into the l20th. He
saw active duty on the Mexican
border, and later in training at
Camp Sewer; but when the regi-
ment was ordered to France, he
was not allowed to go, his age
precluding this; and as the Major
so touchingly said, this was one
of the saddest moments of his
life, being forced from the boys
he loved. 1t was especially ap
propriate that he should have
been in charge of the funeral
service over the remains of Cor
poral Claude Sears, inasmuch as
he had been Chaplain to the lads
company and regiment A sor
of the Major, 1t. Lawrence Nc
Cullen, was a member of Co. H
10th, and was killed the same
day probably within few a feet Of
;, where Sears lost his life. 1t
McCullen is buried in France anc
he will remain there, this being
the expressed wish of his parents
The church was packed, the
aisleS being lined. while without
were hundreds who could moi
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28

The hardest rainfall in the
memory of the oldest inhabitant'
swept across this section of Rich
mond county Wednesday after
noon about dusk. For an hour
the rain fell in sheets, the local
rain gauge showing two inches
precipitation. A strong wind
accompanied it, and in some
places quite a bit of hail.
So violent was the rainfall that
the cutters, bitches and culverts
could not pretend to take it off,
and the overflow caused probably
S15,0OO or more damage in the
county. Many of the roads were
badly washed, and the road sup.
erintendent estimates that ten
thousand dollars will not cover
the road damage.
A large oak tree in the front
yard of DR.. W. H. Steele's, or
Washington street, was blown
down, falling across the street
and breaking down the phone
and light lines that supplied that
part of town. so phones were
put out of business in town. The
rush of water from Franklin
street to Depot street washed un
derneath the concrete street anc
did quite a bit of damage. .
A lady at Pee Dee village lost
rs frying-size chicks, the water:
carrying them away.
Moss Bros. store in West Rock
ingham suffered probably $40(
damage. The 24-inch pipe across
the road could not carry tht
rush of water, and the railroad
embankment acted as a dam; th'
water naturally overf1oWed int
their store, averaging 6 inches
throughout.
Great Falls mill suffered dam
age to extent of possibly $500 tt
$1,000. A car of coal had jus
been unloaded at their coal shute
was washed down upon the rop,
room; the waters undermined
and broke a six-foot hole in tn,
wall and washed coal and di1
into the rope room. Also th'
basement to the mill was f1oodet
with water.
The fertilizer plant of tn
Dockery Nero. q Mtg. Co., sui
fered the loss of about 10 tons 0
kainit.
The roof of a barn where Her
ry DockeIy, colored, lives, be
tween Rockingham and Hamlet
was blown off.
A barn belonging to Mrs. Free
Lackey, near Battl7y's Dairy, wa
blown down, injuring a horse s.
badly that the animal had to b
killed. A mule was also hurt
but not so badly.
In many fields the tiny sprout
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28
Nominating Convention.

A Democratic Primary is hereby called
for Friday night, April 29th, 1921, at 8
O'Clock, in the court house, for the pur-
pose of nominating Mayor and five
Commissioners to be voted on at the
next town election, to be held for the
town of Rockingham, on Tuesday, May
3rd, 1921.
H. L. GUTHRIE,
Secretary
Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-04-28
J. D. McLaurin.

VI. McLaurin received a wire
this Thursday morning from
Sanford stating that his uncle,
J. D. McLaurin, died there this
morning, and would be buried at
Bethel, in Anson county, Friday
afternoon at 4 o'clock.