The Ocala evening star. [volume], February 25, 1914, Image 1

About The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943

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OCALA
EVEN I N 0
VOL. 21.
OCALA FLORIDA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1914
NO. 45
i
BENTON'S REP.
ON THE BORDER
IJenton was Hot-Tempered, Ills
Friends Say, but Generous, Hon
est and Brave
El Paso, Feb. 25. Interest in the
execution of William S. Benton by
Gen. Villa last Tuesday continues
with little abatement.
Consul Edwards at Juarez said the
state department's request that Ben
ton's body be turned over to the wid
ow, had met with no response from
Gen. Villa, who is at ChiahuabAia.
The request was telegraphed last
Saturady and it 13 reported that Con
sul Letcher at Chiahuahua will re
new his plea.
Believe Benton was Murdered
Benton's friends assert that while
. ncViln trtnn mav frf Hinlnmatic ron-
sons accept the official version of a
1 court-martial which the rebels allege
tried Benton and found him guilty of
attempting Villa's life, there still is
no disposition among them to change
their own verdict of "murder."
They are working tirelessly an I
with some hopes of finding a witness
to the shooting upon whose word
they can rely. There is said to be
evidence that an American witness
ed the shooting, but that his associa
tions with the rebels make it unlike
ly that he will speak unless unusual
pressure is brought to bear on him.
The federal junta, which has en
ergetic secret agents at work as well
as many smypathizers, is engaged
also In an attempt to ascertain the
details for the purpose of discredit
ing the constitutionalists.
Rebel agents are frequently to be
met with within public places volub
ly explaining what a hot-tempered
man Benton was. Their favorite
story was that Benton in the Foreign
Club at Chiahuahua once asserted
hotly that he wished his skin was
darker so that he would not be mis
taken for. a "damned gringo."
r The incident is said to have oc
A,curred a year ago and to have result
yi? in a fist-fight between Benton and
rhil iMcLaughlin, a newspaper man
then resident of Chiahuahua. The
pair returned from the field of bat
tle on a friendly 'footing. These oc
casional outbursts of the fiery
Scotchman never affected the real
friendship which the Americans felt
for Trim because of his known integ
rity and blunt honesty.
Was a British Subject
"I have lent Benton as much as
$5,000 without the scratch of a pen,"
Telated an American, well known in
Mexico, but now among the refugees
here. At Chiahuahua it is said that
' Villa is trying to find in the court
records somthing to show that Ben
ton Tiad become a 'Mexican citizen,
but, his cousin, William Benton, in
this city, says Benton was very care
ful to' maintain his status as a Brit
ish subject, and that in a number of
legal .papers he was scrupulous to
have this fact set forth.
Anxiety over "the fate of Gustav
Bauch, the German-American, offic
ially reported '"by 'Villa to have been
removed to Chiahuahua for review
of his case, wherein he is charged
with being a spy, today cropped out
.anew when it was reported that Con
sul Letcher, who had been instructed
by the state department to safeguard
the prisoner's interests, bad been un-
able to see him.
n i Tp-al Hncumenta sett ins: forth
Bauch's birth by German parents in
New Iberia, La., received here by
Mrs. J. M. Paterson, his sister, will
be forwarded to Chihuahua.
There still is no trace of Harry
Compton, Roger Laurence or the
ranchman, Curtis, who have disap
peared in Mexico, nor is there any
Improved Farms
from 20 to 500
Acres.
i
Unixriproved Farm
Lands from 5 to
1,000 "Acres.
confirmation as to the date of the ar
rival of the special train on which
Villa promised to return fifteen- re
jected American recruits, among
whom the rebel leader suggested the
missing Americans might be found.
An American employed on the
railroad bridge said that when Villa
departed with fifteen or eighteen
prisoners last Friday he noticed a
tall man in a golf cap, and a shorter
one, who appeared to be an English
man. A rumor that Villa took his pris
oners only a few miles south of Jua
rez and then shot all of them, has
received some circulation, but its or
igin cold not be traced. Rebel offic
ials laughed at it.
VILLA'S 01 VERSION
Of the Killing of Benton Sounds
Fishy to Both English and
Americans
Chihuahua, Feb. 25. Gen. Villa's
story of the killing of William S.
Benton, told to reporters here yes
terday, differs but little from official
statements given out Saturday at
Juarez.
The Juarez statement declared
that when Benton reached toward
his hip pocket, Villa knocked him
down with a blow of his fist. Villa
said that when Benton made this
move he poked his own pistol into
Benton's stomach and then turned
him over to the guards.
Benton's Mission a Pretext'
Villa insisted that Benton came to
take his life and referred to Ben
ton's mission concerning the welfare
of his ranch as a "pretext" to gain
admittance.
According to Villa Benton, after
the verdict of the court-martial con
fessed his guilt and declined to ask
for mercy. He merely requested
that his property be turned over to
his widow.
Vi'lla contradicted his official re
port to the American consul at Jua
rez that Gustav Bauch, the German-
American accused of being a spy,
had been brought to Chihuahua. Vil
la said he knew nothing of him.
Homage Paid to Villa
The rebel general yesterday re
ceieved the homage of his officers
and prominent citizens at the guber
natorial palace.
He sat in a high backed gilded
chair in the big chamber of delegates
beneath a canopy of deep red velvet
embroidered in gold, looking on the
scene from wide set, glowing 'black
eyes, saying but little. A medal was
presented to him by those of his men
who have followed him since the Ma
dero revolution three years ago,
when he forsook his outlawry and
blossomed into a militant patriot.
OtfALA NOT HERN SCHEDULE
'No. 72 Leave Ocala daily 1:15
p. m. Arrive Palatka daily except
Sunday, 4:45 p. m. Arrive Palatka
Sunday, 4:15 p. m. v
No. 71 Leave Palatka daily ex
cept Sunday, 7:40 a. m. Arrive
Ocala 11 a. m.
No. 73 Leave' Palatka Sunday, 8
a. m. Arrive Ocala, 11 a. m.
OPEN ALL NIGHT
The Merchant's Cafe Is a first class
place to take your meals. Open night
and day. J. R. Dewey, p'oprte
tor. 2-28-tf
ROYAL ARCH MASONS
Regular convocations of the Ocala
Chapter No. 13, R. A. M., on the
fourth Friday in every month at
7:30 p. m. C. E. Simmons, H. P.
Jake Brown, Secretary. Ad.
1
ALFRED OLIVER
But Served Prison Terms in Two
States for Crimes Committed by
His Twin Brother
Americus, Ga.. Feb. 25. Twin
brothers separated in early boyhood.
have furnished for the criminal his
tory of the South its most remarka
ble case of dual identity.
Alfred D. Oliver, ex-bariker and ex-
social leader, has just stepped out of
prison, after serving a sentence for a
crime, he alleges, was committed by
his twin brother, Louis C. Oliver.
Also Alfred served a fouryear sen
tence for bigamy, because Louis' wife
insisted that he (Alfred) was her
husband.
The twin brothers look so nearly
alike that their best friends, their
relatives even, could not tell the one
from the other.
One twin grew up prosperous, re
spected, honest he has just come
out of a prison cell.
The other is alleged to have grown
into the "black sheep" and to have
committed the crime -or which the
former was punishei.
These Oliver twins were born 4 9
years ago at Climax, Ga. They were
dressed alike, acted alike, and were
the image of each other. Even their
playmates did,. not know the differ
ence.
When nine years old, they were
wading in a puddle near their home.
Louis stepped on a tin can, and the
big toe on his left foot was cut off.
Then Parents Die -
' Not long after, their parents died
and Louis was taken by a family
named Harding. Alfred liv'ed with
an aunt. A year later the Hardings
moved away with Louis, the twin
brother with nine toes.. He had been
legally adopted, and instead of being
Louis C. Oliver, he became Louis C.
Harding.
That was the last the brothers
heard of each other until ten years
ago, when Louis wrote to Alfred
he said, and owned three big lumber
from (Mississippi. He was doing well,
mills near Greenwood. Also he had
a pretty wife.
Alfred, in Georgia, also was pros
perous. He had amassed a fortune,
owned a chain of banks, and was a
social figure.
Two years later, Louis was arrest
ed on charges of swindling several
lumber dealers, was convicted and
sentenced to prison for ten years.
He escaped.
His photographs were sent broad
cast. No trace of him was found.
He is now said to be in Honduras,
Central ' America.
Other Twin Weds
Alfred, the other' twin, a few
weeks later married Miss Rosebud
English, a Georgia belle.
Mrs. Louis Harding, wife of the
twin brother in Mississippi, saw a
photograph of Alfred Oliver, and his
bride in a newspaper.
"That's Louis, and he's married
again!" she exclaimed.
Alfred, believed to be Louis Hard
ing the escaped convict." was arrested
as a -bigamist. His pretty 'bride
stood -firmly by him until Mrs. Hard
ing took the witness stand.
"That's my husband, and he es
caped from the prison at Green
wood," said Mrs. Harding, pointing
to the accused Georgia banker.
Oliver's witnesses who had know him
for several years, testified that he
was not Harding, but the wife's tes
timony outweighed theirs.
Alfred Oliver was sent to the
state penitentiary for four years for
bigamy. His wife, believing herself
IS HONEST
WE ARE NOW IN
With an Attractive
FLORIDA CENTRAL LAND
married to Harding, who already had J
a wife, was granted absolute divorce
Police sent Alfred Oliver's picture
broadcast, and one fell into the
hands of the sheriff at Greenwood,
Miss. He wired to the Governor of
Georgia that Oliver was wanted in
Mississippi to, serve out a ten-year
term under the name of Harding.
Ends Bigamy Term
So, when Alfred Oliver's bigamy
term was ended, a sheriff of Mississ
ippi met him at the door of the
Georgia penitentiary.
Oliver continued his fight for lib
erty, insisting that it was his twin
brother they wanted, but he was
placed in the penitentiary and ident
ified by residents of Greenwood as
Harding.
"I'm not him, and I'll prove it to
you some day," he told his jailors.
The other day Alfred Oliver
went before the court to make a final
determined fight to prove that he
was serving sentence for his twin
brother; that he served four years in
Georgia as a bigamist, because of the
mistaken identity, and lest a wife
and fortune, also.
'IMy twin brother, who now is
known as Harding," said the prison
er, "is the man you want. He has
nine toes; I have ten."
Chancellor Jones looked over the
Bertlllon measurements of Harding
andj those of Oliver. It was true, as
the j prisoner said, that Harding has
only nine toes, while Oliver has ten.
TTie chancellor then granted an or
der (freeing Alfred D. Oliver.
Sure to Bring Great Trouble to the
Country, Particularly, to
the South
Washington, Feb. 25. Diplomatic
muzzling of the Japanese question
was swept aside and Japanese labor
was pointed out as a "menace to the
whole United States" by Anthony
Caminetti, commissioner of immigra
tion", - before the committee recently..
"Japanese settlements throughout
California, Oregon and Washington
are steadily increasing," Caminetti
asserted, "despite official statistics
the past few years stating the num
ber of Japanese in this country was
diminishing. I sincerely believe in
California they are double the num
ber they were six years ago. This
means they are coming in illegally.
"Japanese become acclimated in
this country to every sort of climate
we have, so that today they consti
tute a direct menace not merely to
the Pacific coast states, but to the
whole country," he said.
Caminetti was giving his sanction
to Hindu exclusion legislation when
he was drawn aside to talk of the
Japanese.
"In my judgment," he said, "there
are at least 30,000 Hindus in Call
fornia, although there are but 6,-
656 legally residing in the Pacific
coast states. They started coming
in 1890, when only fifteen arrived,
but it is the same with the Japanese
and Chinese.
"We had better deal with the Hin
dus before they arrive -by the hun
dreds of thousands. When you open
our doors you throw down the bars
to 350,000,000 people?,and you are
going to have them occupy a great
part of your south central section, as
well as the Pacific coast. This kind
of immigration is a menace to our
coast and to the South as well."
Asked .by Raker whether diplo
matic adjustment might prove satis
factory, Caminetti replied:
"The people of California have
waited patiently for diplomatic ad
justment of the Japanese problem. I
do not think they want to wait for
diplomatic settlement of the Hindu
question."
ASIATIC
MM
AT
OUR NEW OFFICE
List ot Real Estate,
IWfLSQN HONORED
GEO. WASHINGTON
In Spite of a Blizzard, he Attended
Birthday Celebration at ;
Alexandria
. Washington, Feb. 24.- President
Wilson yesterday crossed the ice
jammed Potomac in the naval yacht
Sylph and from a glass enclosed
stand reviewed a civic and military
parade in Alexandria, Va., which
marched through a snow storm in
honor of the first president of the
United Stages. ,
With the exception of brief exer
cises in the Senate, .the national cap
ital turned to Alexandria, in the en
vironment where George Washington
had lived, for its official eelebratien
of the first day. Vice President'Mar-
shall laid a wreath on the tomb of
Waihintou at Mount Verncn, and,
returning to Alexandria, joined the
president, members of the cabinet
and Gov. Sruar: of Virginia, in
watching the parade.
Besides ihe fraternal organiza
tions of the c.ty, the fire companies
of ancient and modern equipment,
and floats showing scenes ofVolonial
days, with army and navy, took a
prominent part in the pageant.
Boy Scouts trudged through the
snow with the same fortitude as the
soldiers while .the blizzard raged.
Little girls in a covered float show
ed a school room in Washington's
time. On a blackboard was a draw
ing of the White House which amus-
(
ed the presidential party very, much.
In the parade were a .black faced
minstrel, a wagon load of "equal
suffrage advocates" and some child
ren in grotesque Indian garb.
Weather conditions interfered con
siderably with the plans for the pag
eant and it was delayed in starting
by the faHure of the president to ar
rive on time, the ice in the river
making a landing difficult.
GUARDSMEN WILL
GO TO GIIEEXVILLE
To be Decided Later Which of Our
Florida Companies Will Make
the Trip
Jacksonville, Feb. 25 It has been
announced that one of the regiments
of National Guard troops from this
state will go to Greenville, S. C, for
maneuvers this year. It is the turn
of the Second Regiment to make the
trip, but owing to the fact that thai
organization has but nine companies
at the present time it Is doubtful
whether or not it will be selected.
The First Regiment has but eleven
companies. Neither is complete and
for this reason officers of the guard
are speculating upon what the result
is to be. One whole regiment may
be made of parts of thetwo and the
result sent to Greenville, but at the
present time no one is able to say
just what is to happen.
In April there will be a federal in
spection. At that time it is likely
that recommendations will be made
to disband or ' consolidate all com
panies short of men. This may ma
terially reduce the number of com
panies. However, the decision in the
matter will -be made in due time
from the offlc of the adjutant gen
eral. EUREKA
Eureka, Feb. 24. There is quite
a difference in our burg since the cash, either city or country property;
20th. You can find most any one at j might pay some cash difference If
home now days. Before that date the proposition would justify. Ad
they were all off on a hunt. There dress P. J. Theus, Ocala. 1-31-dw tf
Orange Groves
from 5 to 50 Acres
that will pay
from
20 to 40 peiScent.
on Investment.
CO.
were some fine buttheaded buck kill
ed and brought across the Ocklawa
ha river at Eureka.
It is a grand sight to go around
and see the large hides tacked up on?
the barns and those large heads of
horns. The largest set of horns was
18 points, killed by Mr. John Mc
Quaig, Jr., and he was awarded a fine
pair of buckskin pants -by his friends
for being the champion hunter.
Mr. Gilbert' Proctor was the best
trapper this season. I passed his
house yesterday and he was out sun
ing and counting his skins. It was
a grand sight to see all of those large
coon, skunk and possum hides and
amcng the lot was a large bob cat
that he-had captured with his trap.
I had to laugh when told what a
time he had to capture that cat. '
He had only, set the trap for possum
and only had p. small strap to the
trap not thinking of a bob cat com
ing along there. I will just leave
it for the reader to say how fast the
trapper had to run to get h?s gun for
you can bet he didn't stand there
when the cat began to come for him.
I have never had much experience
hunting and trapping, but I should
think it would take a brave man to
trap with out a gun along with him.
Following are the names of some
of the season's lucky hunters:
Mr. J. N. Brinson, 3 deer; Mr. F.
M. Harp, 3 deer; Mr. John McQuaig, .
Jr., 2 deer; Mr. L. B. Marsh, 1 deer;
Mr. Henry Lemar, 2 deer; Mr. A
Hinson, 3 deer; Mr. A. W. Wilson,
2 deer; Mr. Floyd Dudley, 1 deer;
Mr. D. A. Jones, 2 deer; Mr. Ed Tut-r
ton, 3 deer.MMr. W. W. Waldron, 3.
deer. There are several others that
I cannot think of that killed turkeys
but as we did not keep account of
how many they killed, we feel sum
our . number is correct.
Now that the hunting season is
over every thing is l&sy again and
the farmers aTe preparing their land
for a good crop so that e wyi all
be able to go hunting next season asi
there is nothing "better thaneing a
farmer and .being where you canget.
all the good things that a man could;
wign for.
Wishing all a prosperous yearv.
and that we will all live to meet at .
the Eureka ferry on November 20th, ,
1914 for another big hunt.
ELECTKA
Electra, Feb. 24. Mr and Mrs..
Jacob Oquin, of WThite Hall, S. C..,
spent last week with their sister and
brother, Mrs.. R. A. .Halford and Mr
G. WT. Brant.
Mr. Samuel Halford, of Sumner,
Fla., is visiting his brother, iMr. J.
P. Halford.
Mr. Earl Smith from Swansea, S.
C, is visiting his many friends at
this place.
(Miss Angle Collins is spending a
few days with Miss Maryella (Mock.
Mr. G. W. Brant Jr. and his cous
in, Mr. Clarence Boltin, were out
from Gainesville, on a visit to Mr. G.
W. Brant.
Mr. Peter Holly was out from
Ocala last Sunday.
Rev. J. R. Gorbitt filled his reg
ular appointment February 22nd.
Miss (Myrtle Mock spent a few
hours with Miss Mae Halford last
Sunday.
Mr. Jim Collins is up from Oke
humkee, where he has been for some
time past.
Some of Miss Fannie MarVhaffs
school friends were with her last
Sunday.
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