davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17
The Bank Clerk
The Soda Jerker
Tho Soda Jerker Signs For An
Open Season For Fool
Law Makers

"Do you known anybody wants to
buy a good shotgun said the Soda
Jerker and the Bank Clerk.
who's got a shotgun to sell?"
asked the Bank Clerk.
"Me", said the Soda Jerker.
"You,' said the Bank Clerk; "Why
I never thought you shot anything
except crap. What do you want to
sell IL shotgun for!"
I'm going to sell my gun because
it's worth about as much to me as a
college education to IL flapper since
Old Man Cohoon's gone and put that
new law on the books to make fellow
get string of fifty acre landlords
to sign a petition for him before he
can even think about hunting.
Talk about class legislation, but
that's about the limit; it makes me
cussn mad every time | think about
it. It'll be so presently that you won't
be allowed to come into this drug
store an spend your money for a
dope without first getting a license
backed up by petition from ten doc
tors saying you've got the bladder
capacity and kidney efficiency to take
care of an extra glass of liquid re-
freshment once every so often.
"I'm going to sell my shotgun,
that's all. 1t wouldn't do for me
to keep it, or presently Id be tempted
to mistake a resepresentative in the
General Assembly for billy goat and
shoot his darned old whiskers off, or
something like that.
And what makes me so darned hot
about it is, these folks who make fool
laws have way of sneaking them over
on you without you knowing a thing
about it until six months later. We
elect a man to the Legislature who IS
supposed TO represent tue people, ahu
he goes up to Raleigh, and without
saying a word to the people or lettin'
anybody know what's up his sleeve,
makes a. lot OF damphool laws to suit
his own crazy notions. And then we
got to suffer for it. This new game
law making n fellow get license to
hunt and first making him get ten
landowners to vOuch for him before
he can get n license, has taken all
the joy out of life for me. If you
know anybody wants to buy a shot
run do me the kindness to send him
TO me quick before 1 kill somethin
contrary to law. l wish to gawd
they'd pass law setting up an open
season for fool lawmakers
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17
MINORITY PRESIDENTS.

Have there ever been any
Presidents who received a
minority OF the popular votes
cast? Can you answer that
question? An interested read
or of this newspaper wanted 10
know and asked our Washing
ton Bureau. You will find tho
answer printed today in the
Question and Answer Column,
page q.
If you have puzzling ques-
ton of fact or information
that you want settled, give our
Washington Bureau 4 chance
at it. They will do their best
to give you a clear and correct
answer. Write your question
plainly, sign your name and ad.
dress, and enclose a two cent
postage stamp for reply.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17
TO INDICT NEWBERN ON
MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE
The Penalty For Which May Be Four Months
or 20 Years in Prison

Julian Newbern, owner and
driver of the car i'll which three
men were killed Tuesday night
will be indicted for manslaugh-
ter as soon as he is out Of the
hospital, says County Prose
cutor p. G.. Sawyer who will
not wait for a grand jury ac-
ton.
The penalty provided for a con-
viction in case of manslaughter is
Imprisonment for not less than four
months nor more than 20 years, in
either the county Jail or state prison,
within the discretion of the court.
Julian Newbern who is resting
quietly at the Pasquotank Municipal
Hospital to-day refuses TO make any
statement for publication. He says
he has been advised not to talk. But
he has talked. He has told his ply
sician DIR. Howard j. Combs that he
was driving at a speed of not more
than 30 miles an hour and that his
steering gear refused to work when
the accident occurred. II is believed
that this is the story he will stick
to. Wallace Miller, who occupies the
same hospital room with Ncwbern IN
sists that he doesn't know how tine
accident happened at all.
DR.. Combs who was called to the
wreck Tuesday night and administer
ed first aid to the victims will testify
that Julian Newbern showed no signs
of intoxication at the time. Other
witnesses will testify that they saw
no evidence Of young Ncwbcrn being
under the influence Of liquor Tuesday
night. But there will be other witness
es. Night Officer Frank Il. WinSlow
says that Ncwbern and his party were
to all appearances under the influence
of liquor about 10 o'clock Tue day
night and that he told Newbcrn he
had better put his ear up for the
night. Officer Winslow says New
bern was not what could be called
drunk.
DR.. Combs, who is attending both
Newbern and Miller, thinks they will
be ready to leave the hospital in a
few days. if no complications set in.
Young Newbern shows no signs Of in
tcrnal injuries or broken bones, cX-
cept a possible fracture of one rib.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17
HELD UNDER
$500 BOND FOR ASSAULT
Perquimans County Man To Be Tried
In Superior Court For Grave
OffenSe

Willis Bateman. Pcrquimans Coun-
ty man is being held under bond of
$500 for his appearance in the sep
tember Term of Superior Court, for
assault with intent TO kill on the per-
son of Frank AlbcrtSOn. Sr.. - year
old farmer of this county. The case
was heard in Recorders Court here
yesterday.
The assault occurred on the farm
of Mr.. Albe.tson on Simpsons Ditch
Road near this city on the morning
of July 10. The victim suffered
broken ankle and sustained severe
cuts and bruises about the face and
body. following which he was con-
fined to his home in this city, and was
not able to appear in court until
Thursday morning.
Willis Batcman, defendant. is 81
years old and has wife and nine
children living fn WbodviIl"' Per
uuimans County. lie testified in court
that he had been accused Of operating
still and of selling liquor. His repu-
tation weighed heavily against him in
the trial.
The row began, according to Bate
man, over a remark attributed to Mr.
Albertson that Batcman had stolen
two Of his hogs. Batemon claims that
he was told of Mr.. Albertson'S ac-
cusations by a grass widow with four
children who then lived in house Oh
Mr.. Albertson's farm. The woman
is 81 years old and her name is Mrs.
Maggie Walston. Evidence showed
that Bateman had been ncgIcctins
his own family, and had been spend
ing much time with the Walst0n
woman. The state tried to show that
Bateman was in hiding in the house
and heard Mr.. Albertson accuse him
of stealing the hogs.
Anyway on the morning Of July I'D
Bateman and Albertaon met on the
farm, and the row came up. Mr. Al
bertson claims that Bateman was
reaching for 4 club. with which to
strike him, and that he struc% Bate
man first with the pitchf,lk he Lad
in his hand. He says he h:a the
pitchfolk to stack up some b.. Bate
man claims that Mr.. AlLe,ison struck
first, that he used nc 81 ID a. all AID
beat him up wiz: Ills bare hands ia
self-defeaac.
Bat Jmi. also paid fine of so
a'.L -0agg in police court yesterday
i.i;iulus 20: the subsequent offenSH Ct
driving q car Will: und'r u" i.
fIuanca g hGnH".
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17

Tuesday nights automobile tragedy
which caused the death of Captain
Joe Abbott and another member of
the Elizabeth City Base Ball team
has put an end to baseball in Eliz-
abcth City for this season. but there
vii! b. ono more game. Elizabeth City
will play benefit game this after
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17
To Play Benefit Game
For Joe Abbott S Widow

noon with the Police Team of Nor
folk to raise a purse for the widow
and three small children of their dead
Captain. Joe Abbott. Everybody is
urged to buy tickets for this final
game for a worthy cause. The tickets
are 80 cents each. The game will be
called at 4:30.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17
PRICE OF GAS
ALL TOO HIGH
Elizabeth City Pays Five Cents
More Than Some Other
N. c. Towns

Elizabeth City motorists
look forward with interest to
the outcome of the action OF
Acknowledgement James s.
Manning, in summoning repre-
scntativcs Of the Standard Oil
Co., The Texas Company, the
Indian Refining Company and
other companies doing bust
ness in this state to confer
with him on Sept. ) in an et-
fort to reduce and stabilize the
price of gasoline without re-
course to the courts under the
antitrust laws.
The move by the Attorney-Gcneral
aims at two objrctivrS. first to fruS-
tratr what is regarded as an effort
on the Part of the Standard Oil Com
pauy to drive smaller operators out
of business by allowing certain ad-
vantag"s to dealers who handle their
products. and second to p,'ovidc
uniform price to the consumers thru
out the state.
For instance gasoline has been re-
failing in some stations ut Raleigh as
low as - cents gallon while Ellz-
ahoth City consumers have been pay
ing IS cents gallon. The prices IN
Raleigh last week varied from - to
9G cents. hut Elizabeth City motorists
have enjoyed no decreases in price.
Out in SouthDakota where gaso-
line has been retailing at the same
price az in Elizabeth City. the COVER
nor has characterized the price as
Highway rUbbcryEl ordered the
state warehouse to sell gasoline to
the public ut IL cents Il gallon, ana
urged the people of the state t" form
associations t" purchase gas in carload
Lot until such time as dealers cease
their "policy of greed and avarlce.
The Governor declared that gasoline
costs only II cents a gallon III car
load lots in South Dakota.
Following the action taken by the
South Dakota governor. The Stan
dard oil Company in that state has
reduced the price of gasoline to III
cents a gallon. claiming to be able
to sell as cheap as anyone else.
Elizabeth City and immediate vicl-
nity is burning about 100000 gallons
of gasoline month. it is estimated.
the retail sales meaning turnover OF
approximately $4,000. A reduction
of no more than five cents on the gal
Ion would save gas consumers here
10000 a month. Elizabeth City and
rasquotank cnunty alone are said TO
own more than 1000 automobiles The
estimated value being one and IL half
to two million dollars.
North Carolina is burning l2J,OO0,-
600 gallons of gasoline per year, AT
an average cost of 2J cents per gal
lon. or an aggregate of %l,2Jo.0OO.
The monthly consumption passed
the ten million mark early i'll June,
and it is not expected that it will
drop below that figure at any time
in the near future. but traffic cX-
pcrts expect the consumption to in
crease gradually.
North Carolina has S162 .OOO.OOO in
vested in passenger automobiles and
ST. 100000 invested in motor trucks.
Traffic engineers estimate that the
fuel operating cost of an automobile
over improved roads is about II per
cent of the value of the automobile
annually, taking 5000 miles as the
average mileage of the car. The
gross mileage travelled by automo-
biles and trucks in the State is eSti
mated at GO0OOO,00O miles.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17
BALE AND 4 HALF TO ACRE

Z. ]. Moore. whose farm Is on Pear
tree Road. one mile from Elizabeth
City. is one of many Pasqoutank
farmers who are glad they went III
for cotton this year. Mr.. Moore has
/ acr, > ou wuich uc cApcc1s l. MAXI
r,I. and 4 malt TO the acre. baSeo
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17

Hirman EaSOn. who last week was
nut under suspended sentence on con
,Iition tha the support his wife. was
summoned before Judge Spence III
police court Thursday and given an
other chance to support her.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17

A defective mufflcr on the car he
was driving costs Cato Mallory. Per-
onmans county negro 50 and costs III
pnlr. court Thursday.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17

HERE picture showing how Julian swScrn opnens
pulled the ditch ghed in the road
Wednesday When the car hit the tree
travelling with two wheels the side of
ditch fitting such angle that tho
hitting
of the car swnqnq right impact
Photos by Victor Mcekn of THE INDEPENDENT staff.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17

special SAL, Fan, Winter ant
spring Layers. See want al. So
.rtcrr. cvEc- Prultrr Tar. y
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17
A 10Y RIDE THAT COST
THELIVES THREE MEN
And 1t Was Just The Kind of Tragedy Every
body Seemed To Be Looking For

OOuy ocCiiiCo 7
; S.,
l. ,
.... utter ul>rtSdtu Io'
.s... u> and customs. 4
D ,r-,mohiIr and =
II -;
s.. '.'.' - '''
NJ o.. .;> III an automobile
n the WCrkSviIle
'-, IL,
h....
..r.. ... t"'NudN uIS"l.
o.. . .r" Joe Ahh"tt. "t Nor
sr. y 'nH'au "t the EiIZaoeth
e.. .... ... ."Im.
= J. i..~".i. "t suffolk Va un'u
-..r... --"y "t IN" hdent"n base
E,. ..a. ."t wb' had come L" EGz-
.a... g.. 20 finish out the season
v... -. .r.fl team.
J.r >..m"ur. age ". ut Elizabeth
g..
O.. .r~..l are Julian Newhern.
~. - ..aHG'r ct the Newbern Pr"-
,-.. r. fmI Wallace Miller. age ~.
-.. -. ". u. Miller. Of this city
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17

Coco eyesight is inexpensive Sec
Dr. J. ID. H&t.a ray. --,---1s-ls"
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17

For youc eyes sake see DR.. ]. d.
Hathaway, Cptometrist. sr21iora
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1923-08-17

r =, | 49, - o.. -
Evening star., 1923-06-04
+ The Capitol

The corner stone of the original build
ing was laid on December s. 1893. by
President Washington. with Masonic
ished in 1900 and the government
all of it-came from Philadelphia,
bag and baggage. In a single sioop,
and took possession In October of
that year. The interior of both wings
was destroyed by fire. set by the
British August "a, 1914. The two
wings now occupied by the Senate
and the House were added to the
Capitol building to accommodate the
Senate and the House Of Representa-
tiveS. When the House is in session
the Stars and Stripes is flung to the
breeze over the south wing. and when
the Senate is sitting the flag flies
over the north wing. At night if
Congress is sitting there is a light
in the dome. The value of the Capt.
tol building and the grounds is about
S26. 900. .0O0.
Guides. officially designated for the
Capitol, show visitors through this
SlpeTh building for nominal fee.
Visitors should by all means employ
one Of these. The building is open
to visitors from . o'clock in the
morning to 4:30 o'clock in the after
noon. When Congress is in session
at night the building is open also to
visitors. but guides cannot he pro-
cured. During Shrine week Capitol will
he open from am. to pm.
Evening star., 1923-06-04
Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon. home cf Gen. George
Washington. is now the shrine Of the
nation. Bells OF passing vessels toll
sclemnly as they glide by on ihF
river and voyagers stand. bare
headed. in silence until the estate Is
passed.
II was here that George Washing
ton lived the usual life Of a Nirginia
planter and cultivated his great farm
There were originally in the estaf
some 5000 acres. What is now seer
by the visitor as Mount Vernon com
prises only about 200 acres. whIcl
was the center of the original farm.
The mansion stands on a plateau sur
rounded hy many hundred feet ~
beautiful lawn and shrubbery. fully
125 feet above the river. The your 9
trees which met the view of Wash
ington and his friends from the sAst
side Of the house toward the river
have grown TO ancient ones and the
foliage is thick and heavy.
Mount Vernon originally was a par
Of the extensive grant of land from
the crown" to John Washington, the
first Of tho family 10 come to America
in 1866. 1t came into the possession
of George Washington In 1852, nearlF
century later. from his half
brother, Lawrence Washington, wfO
was many years his senior.
Mount Vernon is most convenientlv
reached over the Washington-Nir-
ginia railway or by boat a foot of
1th street The cars leave 18th street
and Pennsylvania avenue every thirty
minutes from o'clock in the morning
10 3:3O o'clock in the afternoon
Round trip, so cents.
Evening star., 1923-06-04
Every American Has Two Home Towns
and Washington Is One Of Them
THE City Post Office

When the present post office was
completed in 1914 it was confidently
believed that it would absorb the
normal increase of post-office work
for many years to come, but this be-
lief did not take into account the
growth of the parcel post. That ac-
tivity. then in it's infancy, has in
creased so rapidly and to such an
enormous extent, that in about two
years the necessity arose of seeking
more room, which resulted in the es-
tablishing of thirty-two postal sta
tions about the city.
During the great war a prodigious
river of war correspondence passed
through this building. in all, amount
ing to an average of $50 tons a day
of official mail matter. 1t is difficult
to estimate the great damage which
would have been done the cause of
our country and its allies had the
Washington office broken down under
the strain. but the mails were kept
moving. Even now when conditions
in the departments have returned to
about normal this post Office dis
patches from Washington over sew
enty tons of official mail every day.
1t was from the Washington post
Office that the first dispatch of mail
by airplane in the United States was
made. The building is of white gran
ite and cost 100000.
Open from 10 am. to 4:30 pm.
Evening star., 1923-06-04
Where Lincoln Died

The Oldroyd Lincoln memorial col
lection, in the little house 516 10th
street. shows perhaps the most inti-
mate touch with the last hours and
death of the martyred President, Abra-
ham Lincoln. 1t was into this house,
across the street from Ford's Theater,
the President was carried after the
fatal shot OF Booth on Good Friday
night, April IL. 1865. and in this
house he died next day without hav-
ing recovered consciousness. The
house was owned by William Peter
son. tailor. The room I'm which
Lincoln was placed and In which he
died was occupied at the time by
William T. Clark of Massachusetts,
soldier in Company d, Massachu-
setts Infantry, detailed for duty with
the quartermaster's department in
Washington.
The memorial collection within the
house was made by o. II. Oldroyd.
who has lived many years in the
house with his family. and who has
built up the collection and had charge
OF ii. 1t is open during the day and
evening and small fee is charged to
visitors. bill has been introduced
in Congress each year for the pur-
chase of the house and collection by
the government and each year IT. has
been defeated. 1t is the life work Of
Mr. Oldroyd. who. only this past few
weeks. refused the offer Of $4,000
made by Henry Ford OF Detroit for
wished to move IL to Detroit. Mr.
Oldroyd is patriotic enough to wish
1T to remain in the nations capital
and will give Congress another
chance to purchase 1t for the govern
ment. Open day and evening.
Evening star., 1923-06-04
Carnegie Institution of
WASHINGTON

The Carnegie Institution of Wash
ington, at 10th and = streets, is an
organization of national scope, which
was founded by Andrew Carnegie in
1902 for the advancement of research
and knowledge. Its laboratories and
departments of research cover many
fields of study and are located in
various parts of the country. 1t now
has an endowment of $2O.000.00O.
Three of the institutions establish
ed departments of research are also
located in Washington. The depart
ment of historical research, with ac-
commodations in the Woodward build
ing. at 18th and II streets; the
geophysical laboratory, 2S0l Upton
street, especially adapted for a study
of the constituents of the earth s
crust under conditions 'of high tenn
perature and high pressure; and the
department of terrestrial magnetism,
with laboratory and Office building
located at 36th street and Branch
road, under the auspices of which a
magnetic survey of the sea and land
areas of the world has been under
taken. Other departments of research
Washington are as follows: Depart
ment of botanical research, Desert
Laboratory, Tucson, Ariz.; department
cal School. Baltimore, Md; depart
ment of genetics, Cold Spring Harbor.
Long Island. n. y; department of
meridian astrometry, Dudley Observa-
tory, Albany, n. Y; Mount Wilson
Observatory, Pasadena, Calf, and
Nutrition Laboratory, 90 Villa street.
RoStOO Mass
Evening star., 1923-06-04
tThe Navy and Munitions
Building

The Navy and Munitions building
is the largest office building in the
world. 1t was erected at cost OF
s725O.0OO. The building is of rein
forced concrete and has total or
LIS, 600 square feet OF floor space.
The site in Potomac park, where the
building is located. had to be cleared
of twenty-three municipal tennis
courts and about 5000 trees were
taken up and repiaHted elsewhere. The
buildings are on made ground the
site having at one time been part
Of the Potomac river. This made it
dations as muchS as fifty-two feet in
depth More than 5000 piles were
used. Nine thousand workmen were
employed. The sand and gravel used
in the construction was dredged from
the Potomac river, $4,000 tons of sand,
$4,000 tons of gravel and $4,000 bar
rels of cement being used. To inspect
the radiators of the building, of
which there are 5000. requires a trip
of "a miles. There are $4,000 square
yards of heavy linoleum on the floors,
costing 100000. Five million square
feet of paint was applied by brush to
the interior walls. 1t cost $4,000 to
wash the windows for the first time
The parking space in the rear will
accommodate more than 500 autos.
The Transatlantic Radio Control is
located in the Navy Building. Mes
sages may be sent and received there
from all parts of Europe. and through
it's service the Navy Department is
enabled to keep in constant touch
with ships at sea. The building has
153 fire-alarm boxes and is distinctly
unique. Open from a. IN. to pm.
Evening star., 1923-06-04
*The Scottish Rite Temple

The Scottish Rite temple, at 18th
and streets, cost $1.500,000 1t is
the national home of the supreme
council of the southern jurisdiction
OF the Scottish Rite in America, rep
resenting fourteen Masonic bodies
with a membership of $4,000. 1t is
modelled after the mausoleum OF Hall
carnasus in Asia Minor, regarded by
the ancients as one of the seven won
ders of the world. 1t is one of the
most impressive structures in Wash
ington and well worth a visit The
pipe organ is the third largest in the
world.
The temple is also the home of
the William r. Smith collection of
editions of Burns. including many
rare prints. as well as books and
paintings and other articles associ-
ated with the poet Burns The late
William r. Smith. well known as
superintendent of the Botanic Gar
densr was an enthusiastic devotee of
Bobby" Burns and spent years of his
life in making this valuable collec-
ton. Mr.. Smith was aslo a Mason of
high degree a member of the Scottish
Rite. and his treasures find an appro-
pirate resting place in the wonderful
10Th street temple.
The collection is open to inspection
by the public from 9 am, until pm