davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
MANY DRY OFFICERS INJURED M THEIR FIGHT TO UPHOLD
 NATIONAL PROHIBITION LAW
Agents Participating In Raids Run Many Risks From Guns And Other Weapons Of Illegal Liquor Manufacturers Officials Are Often Victims Of Their Labor For Aboli- ton Of Traffic

combat. An apt illustration is af- forded by the case of Irby U. Scruggs, federal prohibition agent, who went out to raid a still in Knox county. Tennessee. Scruggs was accompanied by a deputy sheriff. They accom- plished their mission and on their way back to Knoxville engaged in an altercation~ over an order given by Scruggs that none of the seized liquor should be drunk and that the deputy should put away a gun which he carried in his lap.
 During the quarrel the agent was shot. He drew his pistol and re- turned the fire, instantly killing the deputy. A few hours later the agent himself died on the operating table.
 Los of life in encounters with boot leggers and moonshiners is by no means confined to the ranks of the enforcement agents. veteran moon shine raider of the south, fighting the outlaw with his own weapons, set out years ago. for his own pro- lection, to build a name for himself as bad man" on a raid,
 O O O
 Guns Against Guns.
 The bad man" of the southern mountains. in days prior to prohibit tion, paid his score in blood It was his fiat that no man could attempt to take his life and escape with his own. He generally carried two guns, shot straight and hard, and aske questions afterward. He was g ter TOT to the community. stunned by the w-abiding and feared with indelible fear by his fellows Half his battles were won on his reputation alone.
 The government agent referred to spread word among the moonshiners that he would kill the first man who shot at him. They tested him soon, While preparing to leave the scene of a raid he was shot at from cover by one of the moOnshiners. The bull let passed so close to his head that he felt the wind of it's passage.
 He wheeled darted back to cover, and, seeing the puff of smoke thrown out by the outlaws shot, fired. The outlaw ran through the underbrush, the agent glimpsing him, and follow ing hard on his heels. The pursued paid the penalty and from that day to this the agent has been known as a bad man" among the moonshiners. and many outlaws who without doubt would have fought another agent, have quietly surrendered to him.
 asked this agent if he were ever fearful that the moonshiners would shoot him. His reply is interesting,
 No" he said q know I've got the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25

taken things into its own hands and lynched the slayer. Witness the case O. Agent Weiss, killed in August, 1920, near Oklahoma City, Okla.
 Weiss, accompanied by another agent and two local officers, raided moonshine still operated by two negroes, father and son, about 30 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. A bloody encounter marked the raid. Weiss and a deputy sheriff were killed. So was the negro boy. A third officer was badly injured. The fourth officer arrested the elder ne gro and lodged him in the county jail.
 That night the countryside saw red. The story of the murder spread like wildfire in a country where wildfire spreads fast. Feeling ran still higher the next day. On the night of the second day a mob formed. made its way to the jail, forcibly seized the prisoner, took him away and hanged him.
 One of the chief battles of the bootleggers' rebellion occurred in March, 1922. on the Shearman ranch, five miles east of Fl Paso, Texas.
 Nine prohibition agents partici- pated in the battle. Knowing the desperate character of the men with whom they had to deaI, the agents made the raid in such numbers as 10 insure it's success, They obtained search warrant and were on their way to the ranch when they met the rancher, Shearman. who insisted upon returning with them.
 When they arrived at their desti- nation Shearman disengaged him self from the group, stepped behind small building and fired a shotgun. Two of the agents fell mortally wounded. The shot was the signal for fusilade. From a dozen places of concealment outlaws in ambush opened fire.
 The agents immediately ran to cover and for two hours engaged in battle with the mOonshiners. Finally two of the agents escaped and ob- tSined endorsements. I have no record of the number of wounded, but two of the agents, Beckett and Wood. were killed. Five of the out laws, including all of the Shearmans, were indicted by the grand jury for murder.
 So reads the red tale of murder that is sequel 10 the violation of our countrys basic law. It is the same throughout, varying only in its gory details. On the one side we find the fofces of law and order, on the other side the forces of the illegal liquor traffic. Through all the years of the netion's life and through the century and more that passed before these communities of the western world became the United States, the sharp alignment was the same.
 On the one side law and order; on the other side, beverage whisky,
 (To Be Continued Tomorrow)
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
FRENCH ISSUES UP FROM MFRACTIONT TO MORE THAN POINT

NEW YORK August 24.-After opening slightly lower, French gov ernment and municipal issues were bid up quite actively and closing prices found them up from large frac- hons to more than 8 point. Mexican 5s also advanced @ pont, whle the is declined frGetionallS
 Railroad mortgages were in fair demand, vita chief interest again centering in the Erie issues. The Erie prior lien As averaged and the general As 1 3s. St. Paul oonverti- ble 41as also moved Up, gaining l &, and Denver and Rio Grande refund ing 5s closed $ higher.
 Industrial liens were more active and moved at slightly better prices. Punta Aiegre Sugar 7s, up l, how ever, was the only outstanding strong spot. Active United States govern ment bonds moved within narrow lmts fluctuations beng confined to 232d of a point.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
mrRRARn nRos. & Col LErrER

Nl4N lOttAt AuB uSl G4.-- lJlNerpOOl was again better than due this morning on in- creased trade demand from Manchester. Our market opened higher result of the various private crop estimates. wbich are now making their appearance. indicat- ing that the government report will be very close to 11.000,000 bales. The ad- vance, however, was checked by advices that the basis in Texas was again easier a result of the falling off in the de- mand following the fufilment of the Au- gust commitments and the rapidly in creasing early movement. This is to be ex- pected and it may have the effect of pre- voting the market from advancing and possibly causing some recession from these prices. Nevertheless, if the coming crop is not going to be more than 11,OOO.OO0 bales, there must be failing off in con sumption, because We cannot consume as much American cotton as we did last year, as there will not be a sufficient sup ply. Whether this will come from bad business or from an advance in the mar ket a price which will drive buyers out, remains to be saen,f We feel. however, that the supply situation is serious that those who are To consume cotton this year should give the matter of obtaining their supplies serious consideration. even recog- nizing that there may be time when a possibly lower level of prices may exist. but it, however, would be for very short time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
Thirteen-Year-OId Boy Claims He
 Shot Accidentally

PROVIDENCE, R. l., August 24.-- Eight-year- old Antonio Testa of this city, saw the shadow" of Michael LurSio, aged 9, in a dream last night and told his mother that Henri Rossi," 13, had shot Lurgio and had buried him in a hole just over the Providence line in the town of Johnston, on Tuesday afternoon. Po- licemen hurrying to the spot with the two former playmates of Lurgio. found the body of the boy. He had been reported by his parents as miss ing since Tuesday.
 Rossi, in a statement to the po- lice, admitted the shooting and said he did not know the double barreled shotgun, left by his father in a shack on Medley street, Johnston,
 loaded. In his statement, he said. ac- cording to the police: i've were play ing and Mikie stood in the doorway. l pulled the trigger and it went off. It hit him in the left breast and he fell over. was afraid father ther would beat me for having kids around the shack, so we buried him. ?
 The Testa boy said young Rossi made him promise not tell, He Fept the secret until he was awakened by a drea-- last night and then told his mother.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
STRIKE AND RUHR ARE SHADOWS 0VER ER
 NEW YORK MARKET
Mixed Optimism And Fear Characterize Attitude Of
 Financial Leaders
By WALTER E. BROWN
 Editor New York Commercial T,PuUaA V1n (

(Leased Wire To The Age-Hera1d)
 NEW YORK, August 24.-Two shadows are hanging over the stock market and for that matter over gen eral business. One is the Ruhr situa- tion and the other is the threatened coal strike. They are both character ized by strange mixture of optimism and fear a belief that the worst will not be permitted to happen and fear that it will.
 On the question of the Ruhr, Wall street is not making much attempt to analyze it or at least to make pre- dictions beyond the idea that neither France or England are willing to part company and that after they have both declared their positions in unmistakable terms from which there Is no possibility of either one re- ceding, they will begin all over again to find an outlet that was over looked the first time. As it now ap- pears, an adroit diplomatic game is in progress and it is for this very reason that Wall street clings to the belief that the solution is nearer than generally believed. On one point there seems to be little difference of opinion, it is that Germany can pay much more than she pretends she can. The point is to find out what her limit really is and for that reason, the American proposal of an inter-
 
 vestigation, is considered a sound one.
 O o O
 Mellon Pessimistic.
 Secretary of the Treasury Mellon has recently returned from Europe and gives a rather gloomy account of conditions. In this, he is upheld by Secretary of Labor Davis and by Senator Shoot, who have made simi- lar trips abroad. Mir. Mellon is chair man of the debt commission and he has expressed the opinion that it is not worth while moving toward any further settlement of foreign debts at present other than the set clement made by Great Britain. While nothing has been allowed to leak out from official sources, it is not to be supposed that the American Secretary of the Treasury could have gone abroad without coming in con tact with important financial authori- ties to the extent of arriving at pretty clear understanding on mat ters of international finance. It was a source of considerable satisfac- ton that Secretary Mellon announced his willingness to remain as the chief financial officer of the United States and as adviser to President Coolidge. The financial community has the full- est confidence in MT. Melons judg- ment and his handling of the national finances in the last two years has won him the highest commendatiOn.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25

right on my side. I feel that if there is going to be a fight, I'm going to get the other fellow. If I ever feel that he is going to get me, then l am going to give up the work. But ] don't reckon I'll ever feel that way"
 The desperate in the illegal liquor business holds life cheap. Time after time he has killed in cold blood. Some times his method of doing so is fiend- ish in it's heartlessness.
 In the Carolina Mountains.
 In April, 1923. Agent Youmans. whose name Is in the list already printed in this series, set out at night to apprehend alleged moonshiners near Hartsville, s. c. He and the officers with him made their way noiselessly through a patch of woods to the still, and crouched down un der cover of bushes to await the coming of the moonshiners. Pres ently they appeared and started preparations to operate the still.
 One of the watching officers. shift ing his position, stepped On a twig which snapped. The moonshiners inn mediately became alert, and began a of them approached Youmans. The agent arose to a standing position and was preparing to arrest the out law when the latter turned a flash light full In the agents face, blind ing him.
 Holding the light with his left hand, the outlaw used his right to press home the trigger of his pistol. Youmans fell. mortally wounded, and died within a few minutes.
 Never a chance for life had some of these heroes as they trailed their quarry to It's stamping ground. They walked, not with sham bravado and In, NUfth precaution they could adopt and with Infinite courage, into the hidden jaws of death. Again and again. as we scan the list we read the pitiful story of ambush and cold -blooded murder.
 In the Kentucky mountains, one August night two years ago, party of officers seeking moonshlne stills rassed within a few feet of a hid den cabin wherein. unknown to them there were secreted the men they sought. The outlaws held their fire until its deadliness was certain, Ther they fired. focusing their shot guns on one man whose form stood out in sharp relief against the dark background. He fell. When they cerried him away after the house had beer stormed and the outlaws taken prisoner. they found 76 shots in his body. That man was Agent Key ntlds.
 O o O.
 Finding Death in Florida.
 Agent Waters was another brave officer who had no change for his life. He left Dade city Fla. on an October afternoon year ago to search a nearby stock farm for Illicit stills. In his pocket was a search warrant. He failed tC reach his des- tination. In a small car parked a few feet from the roadway, they later found his body It was riddled with buckshot. The "Overstreet gang" were indicted for his murder.
 Sometimes local feeling flares to white heat when the murder of an officer is attended by particularly distressing circumstances, and. in at least one case the community has
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
By ROY 4. HAYNES II. s. Prohibition Commissioner Copyright, 1923. by Doubleday, Page

& CO.)
 The list of the prohibition unit he rces published in yesterdays install- ment included only the names of the dead and not the names of the wounded. It embraced too, only names of prohibition unit employees. Many local police officers also have been slain in suppressing the boot leseers' rebellion, but of these we have no complete or accurate record. Agents who were killed other than in battle are not included. Of these there are several.
 For instance, a federal prohibition agent participating in q raid on a still in South Carolina recently lost his footing on the slippery soil and fell Into the hole where had jus, been poured the boiling contents of diately by his fellows, who took him quickly to nearby creek and there relieved the agony of his burns. He died few hours later.
 Many other employees have received painful or serious injury from out laws engaged in the illicit traffic, There comes to mind the case of the agent who recently engaged in bat tie with four mountaineers trans porting moonshine from their still to the town of Jellico, Tenn. With local officers he halted the outlaws. They resisted and he was shot four times. They left him for dead, hut he is now recovering from his wounds.
 Also among the injured is an agent who raided bootlegger's home at Fargo, N. D. He found the boot logger in the cellar, presumably bot ting his illicit wares. Into the dark cellar the agent ran, demanding that the criminal surrender. The answer was a growl. The next moment a savage bulldog was at the agents throat They fought in the dark, criminal and bulldog against the agent, but he whipped them both and arrested his man.
 Bruised, battered and bleeding, he started away with his prisoner He had not left the premises before the that he halted. It was plain that the poor woman was in great dis tress. To calm her, the agent al lowed the prisoner to remain that night at home, while he (the agenD sat up doing guard duty. The man whose nerve didn't finch before the attack of the outlaw and his savage ally melted before woman's tears,
 0 0 o
 A Mysterious Death.
 Other agents have met death under circumstances of mysterious analysis. There ls for instance, the ease of James F. MoGuinness, a federal pro- hibition agent. whose body was found on Christmas eve. 1920, on the shore of Newark bay near Bayonne N. J. A bullet had coursed through his brain. At the coroners inquest a verdict was rendered that the agent had been. murdered. The county physician however, after careful eN- animation, reached the conclusion that the agent had taken his own life.
 Incidental to raiding of moonshin' stills and suppression of motor riding | bootleGgers. there are sometimes l other dangers than those of .actua
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
OUer PriUQte Wires
STENYARTS IErTER

BIRMINGHAM, August 24.-Liverpool came over II points better than due with sales or 5000 bales at a decline of 4 points in spot prices. Manchester business was quiet but traee feeling optimistic our markets opened 20 points higher than yes terdeys close on the better Liverpool and buying by that market and Wall street. which was the main trading feature of a rather dull and uninteresting sessfen Conl- mission houses supplied the contracts. and much Of Inc selling was against the actual The important bullish news factor of the morning was the big business in cotton goods at Fall River, sales for the week running over 300,000 pieces. The finals were around the opening quotations and showed net gain of 20 points or S1 a bale for the day. Spots were generally quiet and quotations unchanged to 20 points higher. Texas spot points contin- ued 10 make good sales of 190O0 bales at prices ranging from 25 soc to 24 65c. Spinners taktnCs were bearish but about as expected by the trade; 110. 900 this week against 161.000 last year. and the into sight was l3S,OOO against 2S.000. There were three more private condition reports out, National Ginners 56.4 against 70 G. Watkins SIG against 70.3 and Norman mayer b6 1, giving the yield at II 000, GOO bales. The weather map and forecast was For continued dry west of the Mississippi and wet east. A wire from Dallas said the Texas crop had improved since beneficial rains fell and a yield of 4,00O, 900 bales was likely. Sentiment seems to be pretty evenly divided, but most traders are pre- ferring purchases of distant months on all setbacks-S. R. Stewart & Co.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
EXPLAIN DEATH RATE
Negro Children Die Because or
 Greater Poverty

Negro Children Die Because Of
 Greater Poverty
 WASHINGTON, August 34.-Tha excessive infant mortality rate among negroes as compared with that among native white Americans was explained in an analysis made public today by the children's bureau of the department of labor As due chiefly to greater poverty with at tendant poor housing conditions, the more general employment of the mothers, wider prevalence of cSR- tain diseases, and the tendency to- ward largr families and shorter ins tervals between births.
 The report was based on an andy sig of conditions at Baltimore, ds- scribed as the most important of a series of infant mortality, studies be- ing made by the bureau. It found the death rate among negro babies to be 15S.6 per 1000, as compared with ab.a for native white mothers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
Cotton Declines As
 Drought Is Broken

NEW YORK, August 24.-The break in the southwestern drought was followed by declines in the cot ton market during the week. Evi- dently relief from the fear of still geater deterioration in Texas and Oklahoma crop prospects promoted some selling on the talk of increas- ing new crop receipts also an eX- pectation that end-August condition figures would not show as great a falling off as previously anticipated. Reactions of above a cent a pound from the recent high levels, brought in an improved demand, however, and after selling off from 24.7Sc, the recent high price for October, to 23.75c prices rallied above the FAC level once more on covering. The latter was accompanied by reports of goods and continued complaints of crop deterioration in the eastern belt where Insects have been more ac- tive Much of the trading late in the week was attributed to the even inG-up of commitments pending a better line on the probable showing and effects of the governments crop report which is to be published next Friday or for over the week. end. Up to the close of business to- night, four of the private end month crop reports had been issued. They showed condition figures rang ing from 56 up to 5S, and carried crop indications ranging all the way from 10,S00,000 up to IL 122S,OO bales. In some cases these author ities base their crop figures on pri- vate reports as to acreage and par values, while others used the es- innate acreage of the government. According to local statsticians condition of 56 on the governments formula would point to crop of about 11,100,000 bales and a condition of 58 to crop of 11.560,000 bales at the end of this month.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
DON'T BE so ROUGH!
Cave Man Tactics May Cost Tennessss
 Man His Life

NASHVILLE, Tenn, August 2t- Cave man" tactics may cost Clarke shadrick, 35, his life. He is lying at the point of death in the General hospital here with five bullet wounds in his body and his wife, Mrs. Roxie Shadrick. A. is held in Jail for at tempted murder. Mrs. ShadriclS claims that her husband knocked her down, beat her and dragged her through their home The shooting occurred late yesterday.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
ASKS BLAINE TO RESIGN
Scandal In WiscOnsin'S High Places
 Again Comes To Front

MADISON. Wis. August 24.-The scandal in Wlsconsin's high places as- sumed new aspect Friday when State Senator IT. l. Stevenson, who recently charged Governor Blaine with blocking investigation of alleged "wilu parties" in the state house, de- clared that the governor in answer ing these charges. had "dodged the main issue-padding accounts and bribery in the state departments. "
 Stop quibbling," Stevenson told Blaine, "and if you have not the cour- age to face an investigation, then l submit to you that in all honor you should resign from your of flee"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
DUN's REVIEW

row will say:
 There is still a conspicuous lack of uni- lormity to reports from commercial cen ters. but more definite indica tions of en- arging business are noted in some quar- ters, With the advance toward autumn Increasing interest in prospective future requirements is being shown in different channels, and there is expectation of a more general revival of activities after the present seasonal restraints have been removed. Where actual gain in buying has developed, as in some divisions of the textile trade prices are firmer. and the excess of declines in Dun's list of whole sale quotations has narrowed apprecia bly during recent weeks Changes in working hours are becoming a factor in the price movement in the steel industry. tending to steady some markets, and the rise in prices of grain has been further extended
 Weekly bank clearngs. S5.696 61S. 900.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
DEFECTIVE IS FINED
Memphis Officer Pays S25 For Cuxl
 ing NeyVspaper Report0R

MEMPHIS, Tenn, August al.- Lawrence P. Fox, city detective serR- cant, was fined S25 in police eoure today for cursing a newspaper rec porter.
 Fox objected to an editoPia2 and chose the reporter as the target for his opinions.
 City Judge F1tzhugh declared he made the fine larger than usual in such cases because the officer was violating laws he was supposed tS uphold.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-25
nIL CITY REpnRr

OIL CITY, Pa, August 24-Credit bal. Ruces S2.75: runs 90.052 average 55.243 Shipments 67,2sO, average 5S57i.