The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], September 14, 1913, Page 11, Image 11

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

Image provided by: University of Alabama Libraries, Tuscaloosa, AL

                
READS GUILTY 10
ROBBERY OF TRAIN
Rainer to Be Sentenced by
Judge Grubb Monday
HE HAD CONFESSED
Rainer ami Pal Robbed North Bound
Louisville and Nashville Train
Between Birmingham
and Calera
•
After being indicted by the federal
grand jury yesterday, Harry Rainer
pleaded guilty to a charge of robbing the
mail cars of the Douisville and Nashville
fast train.
Rainer, who is a young white man about
25 years old, had previously made a con
fession of the crime to Deputy Sheriff
33. F. Sugg and Chris Hartsfleld, which
he afterward confirmed before the post
office inspectors who were Investigating
the case. He was taken before the grand
jury yesterday and was later indicted
Jury yesterday' and was later indicted by
that body. JTe was immediately arrested
on the Indictmbn’t and taken before Judge
W. T. Grubb of the United* States dis
trict court, who received his plea of
guilty to the charge. Judge Grubb will
sentence him Monday, which will Pc from
5 to 25 years. *
The indictment of Rainer way the only
one reported by the grand Jury and after
the informal verbal report to. Judge Grubb
the foreman, John IT. Frye, stated the
grand jury desired to take an adjourn
ment until Wednesday, -which was
grafted.
At the time Rainer made big sworn
confession hefore Commissioner R. B.
Watts he asked how' long a sentence he
would probably get and seemed to be un
iler the impression that if lie made a
Tean breast of it lie might get a lighter
sentence. He has been confined in the
•ounty Jail since his arrest, but after re
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With Dramatic Stars, Seed
Vies In Pleasing Crowd
Russellville, September 3 3.—(Special.)
Walter D. Seed, lieutenant governor
and candidate for governer of Ala
bama, spoke to a large crowd of show
goers this afternoon when the mana
ger of a dramatic company consented
to allow the crowd the privilege of
hearing the candidate for governor.
Large crowds had gathered from every
part of the county to hear Seed point
out his views in the gubernatorial
race and had expected to gather at-the
courthouse. Instead Seed consented to
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasaaaaaaaa
deliver his remarks in the crowded
tent under the auspices of the Dra
matic* company.
Seed spoke for 30 minutes expressing:
himself about how, if elected, he would
run the office* of governor. When he
alluded to the name of Governor
Comer, roars of "down with Comer"
were heard. He said he had asked
Comer while in Tuscaloosa the pointed
question of how he stood on prohibi
tion. He added that lie had never re
ceived an answer to the question.
r»ir. Seed was introduced to the audi
ence by Dr. E. W. Harris, a life long
friend and. school companion.
ceiving his sentence Monday lie will be
taken to the federal prison at Atlanta.
The robbery of the Louisville and Nash
ville northbound train between Birming
ham and Calera created much excitement
In official circles on account of its bold
ness and apparent success. Rainer and
an accomplice %oarded the train at C'a
lera and when a few miles out entered
the mail car and covered the clerks with
•pistols.
Rainer’s pal having dropped a kit of
hprglar tools in getting on the mail car,
the two bandits had to he content with
what they secured from the mail-hags,
which was about $250.
Rainer was arrested in Birmingham on
a charge of vagrancy and it was while
in the county jail that the confession
was obtained by the deputy sheriffs.
Levy Claims Dersch Said
He Got $50,000 for Sulzer
(Continued from Pane One)
Charles A. Htadler and some ot Ids
friends, all of them friends of Governor
Sulzer, had made up a little fund to con
tribute hi Sulzer's campaign fund. It was
about $1000, certainly not more Ilian $1200.
1 took the cheeks down, a few checks,
and I really aeted as the messenger In
taking the checks to Mr. Sulzer. That
was all there was to my testimony.”
Mr. Dersch said the naming of a sum
anything like $50,00 was preposterous.
_r<| *
PERSONAL
Miss Dixie Wood has been visiting Ruble
Loone.v yvith Mrs. Phillips, 1620 Jefferson
avenue and returned yesterday to her
home in Waco, Tex.
Judge A. O. Trane was not down to bis
office at the city hall yesterday on ac
count of a slight indisposition. Commis
sioner Lane will probably/' leave for an
extended rest and vacation the middle of
this week.
! . — \
Chester G. Band man. one of the best
known young men in Birmingham's edu
cational field, lias alter an experience of
several years as a teacher in the high
school, been admitted to the bar. lie
took the law course at the University of
Alabama and he and Harris Burns, a
graduate of the same law school, have
formed a partnership as attorneys.
SPANIER AFTER
Will Induce Grand Circuit
Owners to Come to Bir
mingham for Events
The number of fast horses that will
take part in the races during tlie State
Fair will be increased by the visit 'of
Joe Spanier, superintendent of the rac
ing department, to the Kentucky State
fair at Louisville.
Mr. Spanier left Saturday night and
will be away lor a week, inducing own
ers of horses that have been on the
grand circuit to visit the Birmingham ex
pisition with their best trotters and
pacers.
A week laLl^ Sam I f. Fowlkes, acting
secretary of the State Fair, will leave for
the Memphis fair to Interest horse owners
and concessionaires in tne big Alabama
show, nnd on the following week he will
go to the Nashville fair for the same
purpose.
All of the railroads entering Birming
ham are sending out circulars and dodg
ers advertising the special excursion
rates for the fair. They will go into ef
fect two days before the fair begins,
October 'j, and will continue In effect un
til midnight of the day that the fair
closes, October 18. The rate advertised
on all roads in Alabama, Mississippi,
Florida, Georgia and as far as Chatta
nooga in Tennessee is one fare plus 25
cents for the round trip. .
Engine and Coal Cars
Crash Through Trestle
to Gully 75 Feet Below
(Continued From Pace One)
were working on the trestle were carried
down when the cars broke through.
The engine plunged deep in the mud
of the gully and the tender buckled over
the engine into a mass of unshapely iron,
while the coal cars spread their bitumi
nous cargo over everything and the cars
themselves remained a mass of wreckage.
. It was a terrible scene and above the
hissing stpam of the wrecked engine rose
the groans ^ the injured. Men begrimed
by the falling coal struggled painfully to
release themselves from the wreckage
while others aided as they could. And
then trbe wreck caught fire. This neces
sitated herculean efforts on the part of
the rescuers to get everybody out before
th'ey were burned alive.
FOUND THEM BURIED
UNDER TONS OF COAL
The direful toil of the rescuers was find
ing that Tom Wooddie, the bridge fore
man, had been killed by being burled
under many tons of coal; Sam Bowers, a
fireman, had been Instantly killed by be
ing caught between the engine and ten- j
der and being cut in twain. The uniden
tified negro was found crushed beneath
thp engine.
Of the injured, M. C. fiedford, the en
gineer, had all his ribs crushed and there
is very little hope for him. Hamp Fletch
er, the brakeman, also suffered it is
thought fatal internal Injuries. The ne
gro Sanford Burs, who was brought to
this city is also not expected to live. It
is stated, however, that the injured ne
groes sent to Jasper while seriously in
jured alL have excellent chances 'to re
cover.
A few moments following the collapsing
of the trestle men from the wreck reached
long distance telephones and calls for aid
were sent In all directions; a rescue train
was at once made up and sent oyt of
Jasper, while doctors were rushed from
Parrish to the scene.
HOPELESS TASK TO
EXTINGUISH FLAMES
At the wreck It was found that all the
workmen that had gone down with the
trestle had been rescued and the wreck
age was left to byrn us It was a hopeless
lack to attempt to extinguish the flames.
The dead wore sent to undertakers at
Parrish and the Injured rushed to Jasper
and Birmingham. Bedford and Fletcher,
also the negro Burs arrived in Birming
ham about 7:30 o'clock last night and
were at once rushed to the St. Vincent's
hospital in Warner Sc Smllea's_ambulance.
At the Infirmary it was round that the
men were all so badly injured that they
were unable to talk. However, A. B.
Aldridge, manager and treasurer of the
Stlth mines, said:
"I was seven miles away when the
wreck happened and the moment I heard
about It I jumped Into my automobile and
sped across the country to the scene.
When I got there all the men had been
pulled out from the wreckage and people
were giving first aid to the Injured while
the dead were stretched op one side ot
the gully. The wreck was on fire and
the gully was full of dense black smoke
—the scene was horrible and everyone was
terribly excited.
TWO OF THE VICTIMS
ONLY RECENTLY MARRIED
"J searched about the wreck for friends
because I knew all the boys as they all
worked near my mine. Ham Bowers and,
Tom Wooddl^, cousins, and both recently
married, and living together in the same
house In Parrish, were dead; Redford and
Fletcher were nearly dead and that wreck
certainly had hit me hard.
"1 have no desire to be quoted on whom
the responsibility rests for this fatal
wreck, p was not there and therefore
cannot state. I know, however, that, there
was a gang of laborers repairing the
trestle and that quite a few of those men
were Injured and one was killed."
At St. Vincent's hospital last night many
of Redford's and Fletcher's friends and
relatives canB in from Parrish to see
them. They all were voluble In their ex
pressions of the horror of the wreck. In
particular ttas their sorrow and sympathy
excited for the two young widows of Sam
Bowers, the fireman and Tom Wooddle,
the bridge foreman, who are cousins. These
young men have only recently married, It
seems, and live together In Parrish.
From Jasper came the Information last,
night that the wreckage will be cleared
some time today, but the trestle will have
to be rebuilt as the fire destroyed what
remained of it after tha engine and coil
cara had plunged through.
General Coates Dead
Washington, September 13.—Brig,
den. Edwin A. Coates, u. s. a., re
tired, died at his home here early to
day after an lllneas of almost a year.
He waa 77 years old and a native ot
New Tort. During Ihe Civil war he was
In the Chicago Zouaves and Nuw Tort
Dragoona. >
i;r.
_
Mystery of His Death Re
mains Unsolved
• -_
WIFE IS ARRESTED
Funeral of Deceased Woodlawn Mer
chant Will Be Held This After
noon—Coroner Spain Is
Investigating
Robert It. Butler, the clathfcr of
Woodlawn who was mysteriously shot
Thursday moaning at the residence of
his wife. 409 Floral Park, Woodlawn.
died yesterday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock
in McAdory’s infirmary. At no time
since the shooting; had there been any
Hope of ultimate recovery and the
death of Mr. Butler caused no surprise.
The death of Butler brings to the
attention of the Birmingham police a
murder mystery. The shooting has not
as yet been explained with any degree
of satisfaction Ur any one concerned.
On the one hand. Birtler, in the in
firmary, stated repeatedly that his wife
shot him. On the other hand the brief
statement of the* wife immediately fol
lowing the shooting was that the shoot
ing was accidental. As there were no
witnesses the police are in a quan
dary and look to Coroner Charles L
Spain’s inquest to clear up in part the
mystery.
Was 42 Years oi Age
Robert R. Butler was about 42 years
of age and a well known citizen of
Woodlawn. He was married about u
year ago to Cilia Lute, a young wom
an about 22 years of age. The mar
riage proved unhappy and about two
months ago the couple separated and
Butler went to live with his son by
a former marriage. R. W. Butler, at
the boarding house of Mrs. W. T. Nall
on First avenue near Fiftv-flfth street.
On last July 17 Mrs. Butler brought
suit for divorce on th<? grounds thai
her husband had caused to be circu
lated slanderous reports about her
character. The decree of divorce Wks
handed down a few days ago, but was
immediately set aside by Chancellor
Benners until more evidence could be
examined.
On Thursday morning Butler called
at the residence of his wife, and after
a few minutes in the house a shot was
heard and a moment later Butler with |
a pistol in his hand came out of the1
house followed by Mrs. Bhfler. The
couple had only gone a few feet when
Butler collapsed, but not before he
stated to Officer Sims, who had ar
rived, that Mrs. Butler had shot him.
This statement Mrs. Butler indignantly j
denied and said that the shooting was i
an accident—that the pistol had gone
off during a scuffle for Its possession.
Mrs. Butler Arrested
Butler was immediately removed to
MeAdory s infirmary in Woodin's am
bulance and Mrs. Butler was arrested
by Sergeant Armstrong and Officer
Sims of the Woodlawn precinct on a
charge of assault with Intent to mur
der. Later in the afternoon a warrant
was sworn out before Judge If, B. Ab
ernethy by It. W. Butler. the son,
I charging bis step-mother witli assault
with intent to murder. Mrs. Butler was
then removed to the county jail and
Is still there, although the charge
against her has been changed to mur
der.
It was announced last night that
Cormier Spain had already started a
preliminary investigation and had
viewed the remains at the morgue of
the Woodin Undertaking company, but
the inquest, it was said, would not be
held until Monday afternoon. In the
meanwhile the best detect’ves of Chief
Bodeker are working on the case gath
ering evidence that will be of use to
the coroner in finding out the truth of
the killing of the Woodlawn merchant.
Funeral services over Robert R. But
ler will be held this afternoon at 3
o'clock from tl^e private chapel of the
Woodin Undertaking company. Inter
ment will follow In Forest Hill ceme
tery. As far as Is known only the son.
R. W. Butler, and his widow survived
the dead man.
CITIZENS INDORSE THE
AUDITORIUM MOVEMENT
i.....................................................
MEETING HELD LAST NIGHT AT
WEST END AND IN DOWNTOWN
THEATRES — RESOLUTIONS
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED
At a well attended public meeting in
West End lost night the auditorium
was unanimously indorsed and the
West End civic league passed a reso
lution urging all voters to vote fa
vorably to tlie proposition Monday.
Chairman Paschal Shook of the Cham
ber of Commerce auditorium commit
tee: Isadora Shaprio, Hugh Locke and
Henry P. Beaumont were the principal
speakers.
At the conclusion of the speaking
President W. C. Oewin of the West
End Civic league ealed the league to
order and the following resolution was
unanimously adopted:
"Be it resolved by the W* st End
Civic league, an organization composed !
of West End citizens having for its
function the promotion of civic affairs
In West End, that the league go on
record as strongly favoring the project
for the erection of an auditorium in
Birmingham and that we urge all cit
izens of West End to vote 'or said
project on next Monday and also to
urge their friends to do likewise.”
The resolution was adopted on the
motion of D. A. Hunt, which was sec
onded by J. T. Chamblee. Chairman
Shook made a few remarks along the
line of the Importance of organizing
and getting out a good vote. Air. Sha
piro discussed the financial features of
the auditorium and Mr. Locke talked
on the advantage of the auditorium
on account of the conventions, music
festivals and such events which it
would bring to the city. Mr. Beau*
njont made a sort of summary of the
advantages of the auditorium for the
benefit of those who were, appointed
to work at the polls Mondaj* and were
not entirely familiar about the propo
sition.
The committee to work at he polls
Monday was named by Pres'dent Gewin
of the civic league and is composed *
as follows: \V. C. Gewin. J\ A. Hunt,
B. F. Allen, W. H. Procter, W. II. Ma
kln, W. J. Bell, J. T. Chamblee, A. B.
Mackey, .1. Frank Adams and It. F.
Beaumont.
President .1. K. Shelby. Robert low
ing and ! « i ■■. ] > \\\ «\ Radelifft
spoke at the Orpheum and Trianon
theatres last night. Mr. ltadciiffe in
troduced the speakers in the person of
Mr. Shelby and Mr. Ewing. A vote was
taken at. the Orpheum and it was unan
imous for the auditorium. At tho Tria
non theatre Mr. Shelby was received
with enthusiasm and was loudly ap
plauded^ at the conclusion of hi - speech.
Tho colored slides in behalf of the au
ditorium have been on display in the
picture theatres for several days.
THAWS PERSECUTOR
LOSES POINT IN CASE
WITH VERY ILL GRACE
fOmflnrcil from Page One*
what will be the gist of his arguments
before the government. "No man in the
world.” lie said, "occupies a more ano-,
malous position today than Harry Thaw
occupies.
“They are endeavoring to extradite
under cover of a charge of crime a man
who they themselves must admit can
not commit a crime, for the purpose of
recommitting him in a lunatic asylum,
where if he be sane, he certainly should
not be kept, and which, even though
he be sane, has no legal right to keep
him.
“Papers have arrived from New York
state charging Thaw with the crime
of conspiring to escape from an in
sane asylum and at the same time al
leging him as properly confined in that
asylum. If he were properly in the
asylum he must have been insane, and
every layman knows that an insane
cannot be guilty of consiraey op any
other crime.
•pn the hearing before the governor
they cannot claim Hint when lie com
mitted this conspiracj Thaw was In
sane, because then he could not le
gality of the crime with which In* is
charged. On the other hand, if he wan
sane, then Matteawan had no right to
keep him and lie could commit no
crime In getting away.
“On its face it is apparent to every
thinking man that this whole con
spiracy charges, all these extradition
proceedings, are merely a subterfuge
in the attempt, to mew Thaw up for
life in ft lunatic asylum.”
Ilornbeck at Colebrook
Sheriff Ilornbeck of Duchess coun
ty, New York, in which Matteawan is
situated, arrived in Colebrook tonight
with the requisition warrant signed
by Acting Governor Glynn. Mr. Jerome
inspected tbe papers to see that they
were perfect and will lay them before
the governor early next. week.
A petition to Governor I*'* liter pray
ing that he refuse extradition in the
Thaw case on the ground that Thaw
had suffered enough for his crime was
circulated in Colebrook today. Up to
tonight it was said 100 signatures had
been obtained. *
LATEST DECISION
BE AGAINST L.&N.
Montgomery Report Is to
Effect That State Has
Won a Decisive
Victory
Montgomery. September 13.—(Spe
cial.)—Federal Judge IV. I. Grubb of
Birmingham, one of the three judges
before whom argument was heard on
the application of the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad company for super
sedeas against the enforcement of the
railroad commisson's decree for a
lower passenger rate, is said to have
rendered a decision in the case, deny
ing the petition. It is understood that
his order will be filed Monday.
The argument in the case was heard
by Judges Grubb, Pardee and Shelby
at Huntsville about three weeks ago.
The decision in the case is the moat
decisive victory the state has yet
achieved.
Cordova Man Reports Holdup
John Courson of Cordova reported to
tin* police that lie had been held up
bv two young white men at Twenty
fourth street and Morris avenue last
night about 11 o'clock. The men got
from Mr. Courson a total of $65 ami
left that gentleman in a highly ner
vous condition. To detectives. Mr. Cour
son announced that ho would pay
$50 reward for the capture of the high
waymen.
I Concerts
Two Today
Nnpiil'n lluud I
3:30 Io 3:30—7:30 lo 0:30
Special Programme
Dances
Tuesday, Thursday and Saf
iffrf urday RvenlngM—Music {
by >appl's Hand j
’ East Lake Park
SALE of HOUSEKEEPERS’ RUBBER GLOVES
Special Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
29c
For the Usual 50c Kind. Good Quality.
FOR THE SLUGGISH LIVER TAKE
“LIV-O-LAX”
Liv-O-Lax is a liver stimulate!'. It
causes the liver to act in a natural man
ner, regulating the secretion of bile
which results in perfect digestion and
, general good health. Phone Adams Drug
Co. for a 2oc bottle of LIV-O-LAX.
39c
For the Pebbled 75c Quality
FACE CREAMS
Pompeian Massage QQ/»
Nadinola Face QQ„
Peroxide Face 1 „
Crdam . XOC
Egyptian Face QQr»
Cream . OOC
Penslar Dioxide nr „
Cream ..
Stillman Freckle qq
Cream . OOC
ADAMS DRUG COMPANY
Phone 1001 Phone 1001
“The Sleepless Store in the
Heart of the Town's Heart”
- i ... - ■ , - . a, .
I ---——— ■——
he Best Furniture
IS JACOBS’
The Best Way to Buy It Is
V Jacobs’Housekeepers’Club Plan
Is thriving and helping others to tfcy
thrive—this plan of ours is a great - * ou
thing when you stop to think about Atfarry.
it. Think what it means to be priv- The Girl
ileged to select furniture, a com- Well
plete home outfit, if you wish, from Helv '
the best of stocks and to be allowed y w
months of time in which to pay for 1 ou
it—AND to get the same price as if you had
been paying spot cash.
That is a Big Thing, Isn’t It?
When next you are in need of furniture
come here and let us figure with you and
show you just how our CLUB PLAN will
affect your purchase.
1911-1913 Third Ave.