Newspaper Page Text
LOUISIANA GOVERNOR TO FIGHT KUIN TO I FINISH IK MER R0U9E MURDERS - ARREST MAYOR WKOIIU AFTER FLIGHT TO MARVLMID heldhe?§ is Baltimore. Dec. 26.—Dr. B. M. Mc*j Koin. former Mayor of Mer Rpuge. La. was arrested this afternoon at Brady Institute. Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he has been tuking a post grud-j uate course. The arrest was made in; compliance with a request from Dover | nor Parker of Louisiana, which asked I that the former Mayor be held for tliai Louisiana authorities in connection I with the recent alleged Ku Klux Klan murders at Mer Rouge. Dr. McKoin asserted that he was not a fugitive from Justice and that he came to Baltimore on October 1 to 'take a course in urology under Dr. Hugh Young at the Brady clinic. He insisted that he knew nothing of the murders of Richards and Daniels and that he left the town after he had been shot at one night as he was re turning from attending a false call. “I am practically ruined finaneial ly, he continued. "Physician friends of mine are providing the money to en able me to study here. My friends ad vised me to leave becuuse my work re quired me to go into rural communi ties much at nights. Shot at once from ambush and just missed. I was told '.that I could not protect myself from .such attacks. .MCKOIN TELLS OF THREATS '"The trouble, so far us I was con cerned. began six years ago when I was elected Mayor of tlie town for ni period of two years. I did not want the position but the best people of Mer Rouge wanted me to run. They elect cd me and I did my best to stop the as-; socintion of white men with Negro j women, gambling and other evils. Mer Rouge is u town of between 7o0 and | 1.000 people. It is surrounded by a pros porous farming community. You know i bow things are in a small town when any change is attempted. One-half is; with those who are in. The other half is against them. “When I had finished my first two years 1 received a letter tolling me not to run again. After such a threat, ori course. 1 had to run I was elected. I finished my second torni in 1920. Since, then there has been some disorders at various times. Last summer some of the men who were opposed to me used to come out in front of my house and fire off their guns and shout. It fright • ened my wife and children and I asked that it be stopped, but it wasnt stopped.” T-v.. M _4~t.l 1-- 1, ~ been called by -a false message to at-, .■tend an aged Negro woman who ha l not asked for him. and how be had been shot at in his car on returning, home. Federal agents who examined | his car after he left Mer Rouge -he'd j •that the shots which punctured the) • ear would have killed the driver, and) that because Dr. McKoin escaped un-i hurt the shots must have been fired from within the car. After relating1 that, following this occurrence, he had received a letter telling him that -“they would get me the next time.” he Kiontinued. “It was then, after my friends bad told me that I could not practice medi •cine, make my calls and protect myself from such night attacks ns that that I got out. I received this letter on Friday and I left Mer Rouge on Tuesday. That was last August. While I know noth ing about the death of Richards and Daniels, the attack of the mob on those men and on J. L. Daniel. W. C. An drews and C. C. Davenport occurred after I left. I do know tlie men.” “Were they identified with you when you were Mayor?" he was asked. “No. not especially1.” he answered. DENIES HE IS KLANSMAN “All I know is that both men who were killed were on the bad side the side of the bootleggers, gunmen and men who kept Negro concubines.” he continued. "I had fought that element while I was in the Mayor's chair and bad a hard time doing it. “Just before I left Mer Rouge a boy of good family was shot in the back there. What did the Sheriff and the Governor do? The ease was dismissed after a jury filled with bootleggers and the vicious element declared the alleg ed murderer innocent. “Now, however, when a bootlegger and some one else is killed the Gover nor Joins in the investigation. This af fair in my opinion will decide whether the decent or good element of the town will control. The town has a reputa tion for being rough.” He asserted that lawlessness was a 'common occurrence at Mer Rouge and that he was among those who started to clean up the place. The result, he said was a hard battle with bootleggers moonshiners and men of bad reputa tion. “Were you Identified with any 'Church?" he was asked. 'Yes; I was a deacon In the Baptist •church. “Were the church people with you vr.ien you were Mayor?” “Yes. generally.” “Was »he Ku Klux Klan active in thr ncdgbbr t ber dV “We>l. they used to parade around a •great deal with their robes and their masks on but 1 never knew of any thing like this that they did.” “Are you a member of the Ku Klux Klnn?” Dr. McKoin refused to answer this question. Dr. McKoin was locked up pending further word from the Louisiana Gov ernor'. whose message read: "Important. Arrest Dr. McKoin for murder. Hold him for Louisiana au thorities." The fact that Dr. McKoin was a student nt Brady Institute was learn ed In an unusual way. Letters address p<1 to him at that address had been re turned to the Post Office marked “un known.” Today when a policeman fell uncon scious on the waterfront and an am bulance was called the report was sign txl “Dr. McKoin.” This revealed his identity, although at this time the tele gram from Governor Parker had not been received. His whereabouts had been a mystery. While Dr. McKoin at first said lx? would fight being returned to Louis iana. he later stated that he would make no opposition to Governor Park er’s demand, would start back tomor row' and would answer to the best of his ability uny and all questions ask ed of him. SILENT ON MCKOIN CHARGE Baton Rouge. La., Dec. 26.—Gove nor Parker declined today to make any comment on'the arrest in Balti more of Dr. McKoin beyond the state ment that the State authorities had ample grounds for ordering the physi cian’s apprehension. The Governor in dicated that any statement concern ing charges against Dr. McKoin would have to come through the office of At torney General Coco. A requisition on the Governor or Maryland for the extradition of Dr. McKoin, it was announced at the Gov ernor s office, would be issued inime(7 lately. Armed with the proper papers, •in officer will l>p sent to Blatimorc at once to bring the doctor back to Louis iana. It is understood that Dr. McKoin is wanted on a charge of complicity in the murder of Watt Daniels and Thomas F. Richards Secret Service men have been trail ing Dr. McKoin for several days accord ing to Information received here to-• day. The moment Governor ParK-'r was advised that l>r. McKoin had been located he sent a telegram to the Chief I of Police of Baltimore ordering the ur I he arrest of Dr. McKoin created considerable excitement in Mer Rouge. Citizens there asserted that he was one of the leaders of t lie hooded moil j which butchered Daniels and Richards Witnesses will bo produced, it is said. I who will identify McKoin pcoltlvely) as a member of the mob. Dr. McKoin became identified with the Ku Klux Klan in 1921, according to Mer Rouge residents who joined the1 klan at the same time and quit. M<*-| Koin’s career in office'. It is said here.! was one of turmoil and strife from the! time he joined the klan to the date of his departure from here. Former Klaus men here say McKoin was appointed Captain of the klan at Mer Rouge by tiie Exalted Cyclops of Morehouse Par ish. and it is charged that he partici pated in several raids in this section. Among them the allegation is, was the kidnapping of Addle May Hamilton u IS year old girl, who was dragged from her mother’s home and put aboard a train bound for Little Rock without a cent of money. MCKOIN ARREST STIRS BASTROP. Mer Rouge. Dec. 26.—Reports that Dr. B. M. McKoin had been arrested in Baltimore at the request of Governor Parker created a stir in Bastrop and Mer Rouge. Sheriff Curpenter had sent a telegram to McKoin in Balti more advising him that lie was want ed here as a witness in the open hear ing. One version of the killing of Daniels and Richards is that friends of Dr. Me. Koin kidnapped them because Daniels and Richards were said to have tried to slay McKoin in his car, as he told the story of shots fired at him. Rich ards said before the kidnapping that he had been seized by a band of mask cd men one night and asked about the alleged attempt on McKoin’.s life, but that lie had been able to clear bimecU'. Those who assert that McKoin was a member of the klan say that the klans men regarded tlie attack as aimed di rectly at one of their members and that therefore the klan sought revenge Efforts to catch the men wbo dyna mited Lake La Fourche and thus re vealed the bodies or Daniels and Rich ards occupied the attention of Depart ment of Justice agents today. State Adjutant Coombs, Sheriff Carpenter of Morehouse Parish, ColoneJ Louis Guerre, in charge of the State troops stationed at Mer Rouge and Bnstrop; Major J. Fulton, a Medical Corps officer; other militia officers and De partment of Justice men visited today the lake where last Friday l,50i> 1 pounds of dynamite were exploded. The men who dynamited Lake Lh Fourcbe are known to the authorities, according to an admission made to night by Assistant Attorney General Wulmsley. He refused to say .f arrests were to be made, stating that rested solely with Attorney General Coco. It Is reported, however, that the authorl ties know where they can get the dyna miters whenever they want them. NO HEARING ASKED FOR BURNETT. “Our office knows nothing of orders for additional troops, and does not cori slder them particularly necessary at this time.” Mr. Walmsley said In dis cussing a rumor that more troops were to be ordered out. No reunest for a preliminary bear ing for “Jeff” Burnett on a murdei charge has yet been made. District Judge Odom wild In Bnstrop today, add ing that he would allow plenty of time to the State and defense to prepare their cases before setting a date. That this date will eome after Jan f>. wher the open hearing Is started, Is the gen dally accepted view. The open hearing, which has been invoked only three times before In Louisiana. Judge Odom described as » procedure when there 1ms been a crime committed and no complaint made or indictment returned. Witness es are summoned and put under outn. After the testimony is taken at the open hearing there can l»e either a Grand Jury indictment or an arrest on an affidavit as was the case when A'torney Genet al Coco mode an nffl* davit against Hut nett, against whom l:t apparently f it that he had a suf leiently strong case without further testimony. ^he State autlit ritles tonight stated that they had given up hope of finding the missing heads of Daniels and Rich ards and explained why the dynamit ers were able to set the blast and raise the bodies before the diver got on the Job. The diver arrived in Mer Rouge from St. Louis on Dec. 20. but his out fit, shipped from Boston where he was lust employed on u Government job. had to be thoroughly tested before any chances could lie taken. This test was made Dec. 21, and arrangements were made for the diver to go to the lake on Dec. 22 and go to work, but be fore lie could do so word came by cour ier that the bodies had been found floating in the water. The explosion of dynamite tore a hole in the bank of the lake sixty feet in length and twenty-fire feet In width. This caused a large quantity of earth to slide to the bottom of the lake If the heads are In the lake they were covered by tons of sliding earth. Illustrating the methods of the lead era of the Ku Klux Klan in Morehouse parish in attempting to drive people from their homes, a citizen of Mer Rouge today described a peace confer ence and the demand of klan leaders that four residents of this place leave town. After the kidnapping of Daniels and Richards, the citizen said; the situat ion in the parish was tenee. Civil war seemed inevitable. With a view to patching up a truce both sides appoint ed conference committees. The confer ence was held in the Directors’ room of a bunk at MoDroe. Among those par ticipating were Jolm I\ Parker and “Al” Smith of Monroe, Dr. Barham or Oakridge, J. A. Davenport. Mayor Dade of Mer Rouge and H. Flood Madison of Bastrop. J. K. Skipwith,. leader of the Ku Klux Klan iu Morehouse parish, and Dr. McKoin, reputed captain of the Klan at Mer Rouge the citizen said, ap! pea red at this conference and announo ed in substnneo that the only peace terms that they would consider was tlmt Town Marshall W. F. Campbell.'. Hugo Davenport, A. C. Whipple and Thomas Milner leave Mer Rouge. Argu meats followed, the citizen said, and Skipwith and Mckoin agreed that the four men named might remain, provid cd they quit talking about the Kmn and conditions in this section. KLAN ISSUES A STATEMENT Monroe, La., Dec. 20.—Morehouse Klan No. 34, Realm of Louisiana Knights of the Fu Klux Klan. today issued a statement stating that the or ganization had offered to assist in every way possible in clearing up the Morehouse Parish kidnapping affair and stood ready to continue its efforts to be of assistance. ■‘Everything possible is being done by the Klan.” said tin) statement, “that would be of assistance to the State and other authorities. “Captain J. K. Skipwittt, Exalted Cy clops of Morehouse Klan No. 34. Realm of Louisiana, tendered to the Attorney General the assistance and co-operat ion of 500 klanBmen to be used in any., capacity deemed necessary to brings to justice the guilty parties connected^] with the alleged kidnapping of Daniel^, and Richards.” f The Han’s statement expresses., doubt ae to the identity of the bodiesfi found in Lake La Fourehe. ‘‘Althongh it is rumored that thep bodies of Daniels and Richards have1? been found, there is. however, no posi ] tive evidence that this is true. Two oh! j jects were reported to have been found' I floating near the banks of Lake La ' | Fourche, and it was presumed that j : tlrcse bodies were ‘hose of the missing: men. “Dr. O. M. Patterson. Coroner of Morehouse Parish, was summoned to the scone but upon his arrival he was not permitted to hold a Coroner’s in quest being toid and informed by a man who stated that ho was a Govern meat representative that an inqueM could not be held until after the arriv al of Attorney General Coco, at whloli time it would be concluded at Mer Rouge. Immediately on his arrival At torney General Coco was Interviewed I by Coroner Patterson as to the necess Ity of holding a Coroner’s inquest over’ tire bodies that were supposed to have i been found in Lake La Fourche, but was informed by the Attorney General that such would not be necessary.’’ The Ku Klux Klan is preparing to I show that it was not responsible for ! the kidnapping and murder of Daniels j and Richards. A Monroe Klansman is I authority for the statement that after the alleged attempt to kill Dr. McKoln a telegram was received by an officer to notify officially the leader of the klan In Morehouse Parish that ther* must not be any reprisals under penal t •' f revok‘n; *.i < cnarter of the Mere house klan. The klansman said this notice was delivered personally to the Morehouse Klan leader. Secret Service men. when Informed of this statement, replied that all they cared to say was that It would be shown by positive evidence that the mob which kldnnpped and killed Ricn >irds and Daniels was composed exclu Mvely of klansmen. EXTEND INQUIRY INTO ARKANSAS Investigations being made In Ashlcv County*. Ark. north of Morehouse Par ish, by representatives of the Depart ment of Justice, following the murder of Daniels and Richards*, may result in a number of nrrests on the Arkan sas side of the Louisiana line accord ing to reports received here. Department of Justice men have ac cumulated information to the efTeC that men from Ashley County, and per haps other parts of Arkansas*, were in the masked hand that kidnapped the five Mer Rouge men. Detectives sup posed to he representatives of the De partment of Justice have been report ed In Ashley County for some time. It is believed that the cases in Ar kansas are being worked up indepen dently and that any defendants taken in that State would be tried in the Fed eral courts in Arkansas. Whether they would be used as witnesses in the open court investigation to begin at Bastrop on January 5 bus not been de termined. MANY OF MYSTERY SEES BURNETT Bastrop. Dec. 26.—Visitors at the Jail where “Jeff”* Burnett is confined were fewer today. New restrictions have been imposed by the military authorities and permission to see the prisoner must come through Colonel Guerre, commanding the militia. Burnett today persistently avoided photographers. When an attempt to photograph him through the barred window of his cell was made he would retreat Into the shadow’s out of reach of the camera. The mysterious man. who arrived In Bastrop two days ago. and is said to be a national official of the Ku Klux Klan. again called on Burnett today. The prisoner refused to divulge the name of the visitor or bis mission. Three Insane Negro women are qua£ tered in one section of the Jail where Burnett is lodged. One of them con stantly berates the klan. cursing it and asserting that "all of them white klansmen will be killed.” Passing pede strlans and motorists stop and listen a moment, then pass on. Reports are current that virtually every pedestrian lis armed. If sol. their gtrits are well hidden. Throughout tho day the people gather in the square or walk slowly through the main streets, marketing or gossiping. Few storeis are open at night and few people are on the streets. Negroes are seldom in evl dence after 9 P. M. The sole motion p*.c ture theatre is open three nights a week. Tlie troops are well cared for and are living in tents heated with natur al gas. piped from nearby wells. They and the townspeople have had no dif ferences and are on the best of terms. Macbrfie guns are still mounted at the jail and at the camps and are ready .'or Instant use. (New York Times.) KLANSMEN INITIATE 75' MORE IN NEWARK. Negroes Making- Rush to Militant j lieicv Organizations as Klan's Shajlow Darkens Nation. (Crusader Service.) Newark. N. J., Dec. 29.—A Klan of; the Knights of the Invisible Empire received its charter from the Imperial | Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan at a meet j ing last night at 17 West Park street, without hindrance from two Newark detectives who were in the building hut did not interrupt the meeting. The meeting initiated seventy-five new members and heard a “message of world wide importance” from the Im perial Cyclops of the klan. The new klan was christened George Washington Klan, No. 3 of the Realm of New Jersey. •* At the same time, not very far away from the meeting of the klan there was held an organizational meeting of the African Blood Brotherhood, one of the most militant Negro organizations in the country and reputed to have or ganized Negroes in their own defense •it Tulsa, Okla. The meeting was held is a result of many communications from residents of Newark to the Su preme Council of the organization at 2299 Seventh Avenue, asking that a Post of the Brotherhood be organized I in Newark to meet the growing klan ! manned. In response to these requests; and communications two organizers of: tiie A. B. B.. had been sent to Newark. It is said that fully fifty persons at tended tbe meeting which was marked with far more effective secrecy than was the meeting held by the Klan. , ' Woman Shot; Savs Fuq itive Husband Was Man. (Preston New* Service) Newark. N. J., Dec. 27. Mrs. Pauline Williams is in the city hospital suffer ing front a bullet wound in the lower part of her right side, inflicted, site d" flared, by her husband Edward Wil liams because she refused to live with him where he has been hiding from the police. Williams got away after flte shooting. Williams has lived at 27 Bay street. Montclair, since he was charged with having embezzled a car load of coal from, his employers about three weeks ago. According to Mrs. Williams her husband went last Friday night to the house where he has beer living and then the shooting occurred. Mrs. Williams was living fn the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry B. Wil liams. not a relative, and he. his wife and daughter were taken to police headquarters as witnesses. Oil Makes Blind Father of 15 Wealthy Over Night (Pr**torv New* Service) Shreveport. La.. Deo. 27. The disco’ - cry of oil on the land of Wright Roclr. who lias been totally blind for a nuri her of years, took him afid h'.s fanv.ly of J5 children out of poverty into wealth almost over night. v hen informed of his wealth the old man Is said to have told his Inform nrt that he did not know what to di with it except buy himself some clothes and something to eat. He Is an ?x slave and being blind is unable in fully enjoy the things wealth bring. But hl« children declare that they will see to It that they get all that is com Ing to them. Only two of his children are with him now. The others are sail to be on their way to fathe mow. al though they haj not communicated with him for ytarj past. MURDERS HAVE DAY IN COURT Marion. 111.. Dec. 21.-After eight days spent in the introduction of evi dence. the prosecution rested today ut the trial of five men charged with mur der in connection with the slaying of twenty non-union miners during the Herrin riots last June. The defense will open tomorrow morning. In the testimony of its last few wit nesses. the Stato completed its evi dence of the events from the time three mine guards were shot while driving in a truck from Carbondale to I.ester Mine on tho morning of June 21 to the attack on the mine that aft ernoon. when three union miners were killed, the surrender under a white Dag the next morning of forty-eight non-union men in thfe pit. and the slay Ing of twenty of the prisoners. All five defendants have been podd ed out In court as having been seen with guns during the riots and some of them have been named as having shot down some of the victims. Pour survlv nr<* of the massacre have testified. The cross-ex&mlnations have been brief and apparently designed to neat out the defense contentions that the non-union men in the mine and their employers had Incited the riots so State troops would be called out to protect the pits, that the guards In the mine were armed, and that they dlsre garded warnings that the operation of the mine would result in outbreaks. In their cross-examination attorneys for the defense repeatedly referred to non-union worker/ In the mine and the guards as ‘‘scabs.* ‘gunmen,* ‘pri vate detectives" and "spies.” A. W. Kerr, chief counsel for the d» fense said he expected to prove the guards or gunmen” wore the aggres sors in the riots and brought on any attack by their acts of provocation and chr.l ion go. He said he would impeach the testi-! mony of some of the witnesses for tho ■ State and would present hundreds or witnesses to testify the defendants now on trial had no possible connection with the killings. Impersonate Officers: Hold Un Neqroes. (PrMten NVwd Service' Atfonta. On.. Dec. 2S. J. A. Peoples. ”ge 29 and Ouv Richards, ago 25 (white) were arrested by the police i :ast Thursday night in connection with robberies said to have occurred in local railroad yards when a party ot three men posing as officers held up a number of Negroes. Richards was arrested an«l charged with impersonating an officer. Accord ing to the police,, railroad men claim to have caught him in the act of hold ing up Negroes. He was taken to head quarters and turned over to city detec tives. While being grilled by the detec lives. Peeples came down to the police station to see him He was taken in be fore Richards, who is said to have Im mediately identified him as one of the two others alleged to have been with him at the time of the alleged crimes. Richards is a meter reader for the Georgia Railway and Power Co., and at the time he was arrested he was wearing a badge of the company. His bond was fixed at $1,000 in default of which, lie was held at headquarters. Peoples was charged with suspicion and also held. Convicted of Inviting Friend to Kill His Wife. Washington. D. C.. Dec. 27.—Andrew P. Bailey, a former employee of the I post office was convicted last Friday by n Jury in Criminal court of solid* i ing to commit a felony. This is said to l'c the first indictment over returned in this District for this offense, Capt. Bert Emerson, assistant United States Attorney having to go hack to the eon non law in the absence of a statute, •'he penalty is a term of imprisonment not to exceed five years. Bailey Is said to have offered a friend. John H. Anderson. $50 and one half the proceeds of a life insurance policy to kill Mrs. Mamie E Bailey, wife of the accused. According to the testimony of Anderson, Bailey was to arrange a "gas trap" in Iris wife’s l>ed. and when he had taken the children to the movie3, Anderson was to start, a flow of gas in the wife’s bedroom. Bailey was to furnish Anderson with rubber gloves so that no tell tale fing er prints might be found on the gas jet. Judge Stafford remanded the pris oner to Jail for sentence later. reducing church mortgage fPretton New* Service) Pittsburgh, Pa., Dec. 28.—Rev. J. C. Anderson, D. D.. pastor of Bethel A. M. E. Church, has Just completed a mon iter rally In which the $23,000 morr gage on the mother churclv here has been reduced several thousand dollars The mortgage was nearly $50,000 when Hev. Anderson became pastor In 1921 He hopes to clear the church of debt by 1924. Declare War on Ku Klux Klan in New Jersey State (Preston New* Service) Harrison, N. J.t Dec. 29 —Instruct ions to arrest anyone appearing In the city wearing the regalia of the Ku Klux Klan. ant! onlers to have the sanity of all such persons determined by physir«n,is. were posted last We.lnts day by Chief of Police Walsh. The or tiers, adopted 1> the Common Council also Inclutlo the urmasking of hoo led Individuals and ter. days* imprison m'ot. UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT UPHOUS . JIM CROW liVUS IN MISSISSIPPI DECISION UPH0LaKE$d#MsKI ?oToPMs F<m) {crusader Service.) Washington'. Dec. 29.—Jim Crow' laws passed by Southern States were not abrogated by Government control of the railroads during the war pid tlie United States Railroad Admlnis-I tration was responsible for their en forcement, according to a decision by the Supremo Court today. The Mississippi courts were upheld in awarding damages against the Ra:i road Administration in favor of A. E. Stephens. F. G. Gaddy and M. Swinney three Mississippi whites who charge that they were compelled to ride with Negroes despite their protest. The pluintiffs contended that the con«fhctor refused to eject Negro pas sengers from u section marked for “whites only” and that as a result they suffered “mortification and embarrass ment.” While the validity of Jim Cfow Haws was not specifically passed upon, there’ can be no doubt In the minds of Intel ligent people that the discussion of the Supreme Court goes far toward uphold ing these lfcwe. I)R. MOTON ENDS “MARCH TO THE SEA.” (Pre*ton News Service) Albany. Gn., Dec. 2S.—For the flvst time in history Albany whites and Ne groes assembled in large numbers In the City Auditorium to listen to talks on inter-racial problems by Negro and white speakers. The occasion was the! welcome on Dr. R. It. Moton. principal of Tuskegee Institute, during his good , will trip through Georgia. The meeting was presided over o.» Mayor Peacock and the introductory speech was mad a by H. T. McIntosh, vice president of the Albany Herald publishing company. Other speakerc [ wore; Carlton B. Gibson, superintend ent of Savannah Public Schools) Prof. C. G. Wiley, of Georgia State Colic*-** , and Bishop R. F. Reese and l)r. Moton.! Dr. Moton’s party Included C.. C. Spaulding, secretary-treasurer. North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company of Durham; Homan E. Perry, pres* dent of the Standard Life Insurance Company. Atlanta. Ga.; Dr. A. M. Wil kin*. vice president. Citizens Trust Co.. Atlanta. Ga; L. E. Williams, president Wage Earners Bank. Savan nab, Ga.; Dr. John Hope, president Morehouse College Atlanta. Ga.; Hen Benjamin J. Davis, editor Atlanta In dependent; Warren Logan, treasure” Tuskegee Institute; A. L. Ilolsey, se rotary to Dr. Moton; Dr. W. H. Harris Athens. Ga.; E. A. Williams. Savannah Ga.; Prof. 7T. A. Hunt. Fort Valley, Ga. W. A. Aery, Hampton Institute, Hamp ton. Va.; Monroe N. Work; E. C. Rob erts; T. M. Campbell; Charles II. Gin son; C. J. Calloway; C. M. Battey. C. H. Stewart and C. L. Webb. Tuskegee Institute; R. S. Grossley. Jackson. Miss.; Jesse O. Thomas, Urban League Atlanta. Ga.; A. B. McCoy. Atlanta. Ga.; and J. W. Holley, Albany. Ga. Find Runaway SIood Off the Coast of Florida. (Prwrtor. Nows Service) West Palm Beach, Fla., Dec. 28.— Two Negro fishermen brought a run' away vessel into port here last Mon* <loy afternoon. The vessel registered 35 tons. They reported to local officials that they found the vessel under full nail in the Gulf Stream1 about 14 miles oft’ Jupiter. The sloop was unmanned, although a good supply of provisions was on board, and there was evidence thet it had only recently been abandon •: d. No identifying papers were found aboard. The word “British” is painted on the sloop's bow. followed by the let ters "N. H.” Local authorities belteve tire vessel may have been used as » rum runner, and think it is probably I a Bahama craft. No reason is known for the crew leaving the sloop. It an pears to be in good condition and when encountered by the Negro fisher men it came near to running them down. Sentenced to Death for Hacking Wife. With Axe. (Finwton New* Service) Washington, D. C.. Dec. 29.—Earn est A. Shands. 28 years old was sen tenced last Friday in Criminal court to die on tiro scaffold at the District or Columbia Jail on Friday, February 2.5 1923. Shands was convicted recently after a trinl occupying less than two hours of hacking his wife. Mrs. Cath erine Shands. with an ax on August 9. last at their home in D street. Mrs. Shands died about a month later. When arrested Shands admitted tho attack on his wife and when informed by the police that his wife was still alivo. requested permission to go to the hospital and finish the job. He said that he warned his wife several times that if she did not change her conduct he would kill her. but she only laugh ed at him. Helera Rotary Club to Aid Returning Negroes. (Pmton News Service) Helena, Ark.. Dec. 29.—Following an nouncement at the local Rotary Club Dst Thursday night that Negroes from ' this section now In the North were anxious to return to their old jobs here a committee was appointed to provide* ways und means of furnishing trans portation for such Individuals .in 1 families as local planters; industries and business concerns might require. According to a- statement issued by ths secretary of the club. "Numbers ot Negroes who went north- from ttllh county during the summer- and early * fall have-already returned’, mostly- at their own expense. One man declared that he "bent his way to Helena from Chicago.*" Continuing the report dbolhred’ "A recital of the difficulties encountered by Negroes In northern Industrial oem ters are appalling. Negroes claim they are lured north on the promise of high wages. They get the high wages allright, but the living expenses ar* correspondingly high. Can*t find hou ses for their families and when thev are compelled to buy suitable clothing to withstand the rigors of winter weath er; pay doctor bills; etc., their wages are insufficient. One Negro said that ho was satisfied to stay down here with ow wages and inadequate school facil dies for his children rather than suff <i the inconveniences up north. Texas Man Dies at the . Ripe Age of 121 Years. (Prwton Ne\va Service) PuriH. Texas. Dec. 28.—John Dunham ; who is said to be the oldest man in Texas, died here last Thursdny night He worked regularly until the time of bis death. He is said to be 121 veara • old Never known a sick day In Ills lir0 until pneumonia attacked him with fatal result. IITTLJ rsi Alt! 18 (Preuton News Service) Little Rock ^ rh . Dec. 26.—J. J. ,?ier * ^en> an undertaker here was arrested la. t Tuesday wight on a charge of reilf less driving after colliding with an automobile at Third and Victory streets. Gleeden was released on a *200 bond. , TUP Pf AWPT Umbrella Coupon «OOT> FOR FI\T VOTES. Webster's | I New International i r DICT!CX.M»IES are in use by busi- • K ncrs men, engineer::, bankers, : p judgec, rrchitects, phyoirians, : t firmer::, tsnchers, librarians, cier- ■ • cyrren, fry auccsscful men and \ !- csomen ihs world over. P Are Ycu Equipped to Win? ; The New International provides : : the mcan3 to success. It is an all- : : Knowing teacher, a universal ques- : i ticn answerer. ; If you ceek efficiency and ad- 1 : vancement v/hy not make daily \ \ use cf this vact fund of inform- \ 5 ation? : 400,000 Vocabulary Term*. 2700 PagM. '■ 0000 Illustrations. Colored Plato*. ■ * *' Subject*. 12,000 ; Regular and India-Paper Editions. SWrlteforspao imnn pagw, d illustrations, • 1 otc. FrM. a I A sot of Pocket : J Maps if you ■ ■ namo tbio • « 9 paper. 1 C.4C. •ij MERRIAM ; | CO., 8prlsgfield, Mau. I A. D. PRICE, 212 EAST LEIGH STREET FUNERAL DIRECTOR, EMBALMER AND LIVERYMAN AJ1 Orders Promptly Filled at Short Notice by Telegraph os Telephone. Halls Rented for Meetings and Nice Entertain ments. Plenty of Room with all Necessary Conveniences. Large Picnic or Band Wagons for Hire at Reasonable ' Rates and nothing but First-claw Automobiles and ! Carriages, Etc. Keep Constantly on Hand Fine Fun eral Supplies. Open All Day and Night. Phon* Madison $77—Man On Duty All Night—Richmond Va ( RESIDENCE NEXT DOOR)