The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], September 21, 1914, Page 5, Image 5

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

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

                
IF STEADY
GROWTH
For 20 years indicates a
prosperous^ bank—
Jtf a surplus of $1,500,000
suggests a bank's ability to
asflist its depositors—
If a combined capital, sur
plus and stockholders’ lia
bility of $4,500,000 suggests
i SECURITY, then you will
feel that this bank is one
which can render you good
banking service.
Your account we invite.
The First National Bank
Capital and Surplus
$3,000,000
4 per cent Interest on savings,
Compounded Quarterly
96 CHANGE MADE IN
IN FIF1YJNE YEARS
Fifty-One Years Ago Yes
terday He Was Battling at
Chickamauga — Today
He Protects Children
Fifty-one years in the life of an ordinary
man brings about vast changes. This
was testified to yesterday by R. H. McCal
lum, “Uncle Bob,” the oldest man on the
Birmingham police force. It was 61 years
ago yesterday morning that he was de
tailed to bury the dead of his battery
after the battle of Chickamauga, the fifty
first anniversary of which was yesterday
and Saturday. “Uncle Bob” was yester
day employed at his task of escorting
brightly-clad little boys and little girls
safely across the car tracks and in front
of automobiles at Five Points at the ex
act hour he said that he started out at
Chickamauga to carry out the commands
to inter his dead friends.
The battle of Chickamauga was fought,
beginning with the first skirmishing on
Friday night, Sei^mber 18, 1863. The pre
liminary fighting^ed up to one of the
bloodiest battles of the civil war and last
ed through Saturday and Sunday 61 years
ago. “Uncle Bob” said yesterday that
Friday and Saturday and Sunday were
the same days of the week upon which
j f the battle was fought.
j ‘That was a battle," said “Uncle Bob”
! / yesterday after he carefully convoyed a
■*>evy of gaily clad kids across the perilous
crossing and returned to the Highland
drug store. “I remember perfectly that
after the fighting this day 51 years ago I
was sent in charge of a detail to bury
some comrades who fell in the battle. It
raged from Saturday night about 6 o’clock
until about 9 o’clock. Of my battery, of
which I was the gunner, 20 were killed and
, 16 horses fell dead within the space of 10
minutes. The firing was close and the
carnage was terrible.
“We fought almost constantly during
Saturday and Sunday. There was 40,000
men killed, wounded and missing in that
immortal. combat before General Bragg,
leading the Confederate forces, was able
to see a victory. The Federal troops were
commanded by General Rosecrans, one of
the ablest of the Federal commanders.
This battle was followed by the battle of
Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge, and
after that we marched to Atlanta still
victorious. After those battles we rested
, v until well into October, which was greatly
! * needed by the fatigued armies. I was in
the artillery and our company was com
manded by Capt. William Henry Fowler
of Tuscaloosa, where our battery was or
ganized. He was afterward promoted for
bravery and was succeeded by our first
lieutenant.
“The battle of Chickamauga was one
that compares favorably with the reported
battles in Europe just at this time. We
hear reports of dead and wounded that
almost stagger us, but no one can imagine
what it is to participate in a battle which
kills |0,000 men, which Is about one-third
the total population of this great city. The
battlefield at Chickamauga was a very
wide one. However, those who have vis
ited that historic place will recall a
road that leads from the southern side oi
the present Central of Georgia railroad
tracks past Bloody Pond and through a
gully toward Missionary Ridge. We fought
up and down that gully first one being
driven out and then the other until the
roadway literally ran blood. The pond
which is even now located in a fruit
orchard was very clear when the battle
started, but when the struggle was over it
was filled with human blood. Since that
time until now the pond has been called
Bloody Pond.
“There was a farmer and his family liv
ing near the scene of that battle near the
present winding tower, as it is called,
to which visitors climb to obtain a view
of Lookout mountain and Missionary
Ridge. That house was untouched so far
as I know during the hall of bullets and
shells of that battle.
j H “The difference in my activities of this
morning and those of 61 years ago this
morning brought back to me the scenes of
that great battle. It Is astonishing how
quickly a country gets over such a ter
rible devastating catastrophe as a war.
j Then we had no improved guns, airships,
j automobile trucks, wireless or telephones,
/ but I am here to say that when the two
/ opposing armies met the result was even
worse than I have yet read of in the
European struggle.”
Mr. McCallum said yesterday that there
were several veterans of the battle of
Chickamauga and the defense of Atlanta
living in Birmingham at this time.
PERSONAL
I Miss Jennie McLln, who was operated
On Thursday evening at the South High
land Infirmary for appendicitis, was
resting nicely yesterday and her many
friends will be glad to hear her com
plete recovery Is but a matter of a few
days.
^_
i
[NO alum]
’* IN
ROYAL BAKING POWDER J
- \
WAR DECLARED BY
AUTHORITIES ON
RAM CITY JAIL
Determine to Wipe Out the
Rodents Which Infest
Northside Prison
PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS
NOT SUCCESSFUL
Caught One in a Trap But Others
Proved Too Wity—Took the Cheese
Without Springing Trap.
Rifle No Good
That there is great danger of conta
gious diseases in the thousands of rats
that haunt police alley and the north
side city jail was stated yesterday by
the police authorities and a war to the
death on rodents will be initiated in the
Immediate future.
"The rats should be killed,” said
Chief Martin Eagan last night, "as
they are a nuisance and a constant
source of danger in that they carry
disase. With thousands of rats running
about the alley and the Jail, there is
always grave danger of contagious
diseases such as bubonic plague as New
Orelans recently suffered from the rats
and this we will attempt to prevent
by waging an active war on these ro
dents. I will instruct the wardens of
the city jail to devise means to clean
the city bastile of the rats immedi
ately.” *
Acoording to the oldtimers at police
headquarters, the rats have-always
been on the job at the city Jail and in
police alley. In fact, one of the sights
often offered to visitors at the north
side city prison at night is huge rats
nibbling and scurrying about over tne
prostrate forms of white and negro
prisoners.
Previous Attempts Unsuccessful
In the past many attempts have been
made to obviate the evil scourge of the
rodents. The jail has been ordered thor
oughly cleaned and whitewashed and
when this had been done it was dis
covered that the rats were still about,
if not in greater numbers.
Poison was tried without any effect
with the exception that the rats died'
in their holes and caused a mighty
odor that brought the board of health
on the scene.
Then, one of the night wardens had
a brilliant idea. He purchased a small
calibre repeating rifle and amused
himself during the long hours of the
night peppering the rats as they scur
ried by In various parts of the jail. As
the rodents are nearly as large as cats
and one of the variety known as sewer
rnts, which are reputed to have as
many lives as the feline tribe, the
small .22 calibre bullets merely tickled
them Into thrills arid provoked the war
den into profanity.
Traps Laughed At
Traps were tried and this proved an
excellent joke for the rata. The traps
were of the wire variety in which a
piece of cheese is placed and the rat
walks in unsuspectingly and when he
is about to nibble at the cheese dis
covers that he has stepped on a trap
that has closed behind him leaving
him in the cage to enjoy the cheese at
leisure. One rat was caught in this
manner but he sent numerous wireless
messages to his brethren during his
captivity and prior to ills death inform
ing them of the manner in which he
was caught. From then on the wardens
noticed every morning that the cheese
was gone from within the cage but it
never contained a prisoner. One or the
wardens to ascertain how this was ac
complished lay in wait for several
hours and saw several giant rats ap
proach the cage and turn it over so
the cheese would be moved to the edge.
Then the ruts calmly Inserted a paw
within and by' skillful maneuvering,
managed to extract all the cheese with
in a few minutes. This enlightened
the warden as to *the uselessness of
wire cages as traps for police rats.
So for a month the fight against
the rodents has been practically given
lip and they have multiplied grean».
At the present -time their squeals min
grled with the yells and screams of un
fortunate men and women are nightly
diversions at the city jail.
As to Their Size
But, the police in excuse for the
presence of rats at the Jail state that
the rats are ai! over the city. They
claim that at the central fire station
which is adjacent to the city jail the
rats that inhabit the stable stalls are
the largest and most ferocious in the
world. The firemen dispute this by
s'attng that the rats that frequent
the cellars of stores on Fourth avenue
near the fire station break all records
for size and that the police and fire
rats are merely mice in comparison.
In speaking of mice the private offloe
of Chief Eagan has several which have
been made pets by the police. They are
allowed to run about at will and women
visitors at headquarters are often given
nervous shocks by seeing a gray mouse
playing about the chair of a policeman
who will be poking at It with a pencil
the same as a person would play with
a pet cat. The sight Is novel.
However, the seriousness of the rat
situation is dawning on the authorities
and drastic actions will soon he taken
to kill them off. According to Chief
Eagan, ways and means are already
being devised to rid the city jail of the
rats. The unfortunates at the bastile
will read this with hope in their heart.
Barton Will Recover
Anniston September 20.—(Special.)
J. F. Barton, foreman at the plant of
the Anniston Manufacturing company,
who was severely cut Saturdav night
in an affray ,at Glen Addle with Doc
Murray, a discharged employe, will re
cover. He was taken to St. Luke's hos-v
ptt«J and was reported to be resting
well .Sunday.
•" ~ i
WEATHERLY AND JONES
BEFORE PEOPLE TODAY
VOTERS WILL ELECT COMMIS
SIONER AND WILL ALSO DE
CIDE UPON ISSUE OF $4,500,000
IN WATER BONDS
In 16 polling places today, the people of
Birmingham will cast ballots for candi
dates for associate member of the city
commission. The candidates are James
Weatherly, incumbent since his appoint
ment at the hands of the governor, and
Harry Jones.
Voters will also be called upon to ex
pressed themselves in regard to a pro
posed bond issue of $4,500,000 with which
to purchase and equip a municipal water
works plant. This bond issue wilt very
probably carry by a handsome majority.
No one, during the period of campaign,
opposed Its progress, and its weaknesses
have not been dwelt upon.
The race between Mr. Weatherly and
Mr. Jones is considered of doubtful issue.
Both candidates believe that they wil!
win. At the polls today, the friends ol
both will be actively engaged, and on thi
final day of the fight, they hope to in
ject enough ginger to furnish a climal
for an uninteresting campaign.
It is generally believed that the vote
will be comparatively small. While Bir
! mingham numbers about 12,000 qualified
voters in its environs, it is believed bj
those who have studied the situation
taking into consideration the apparent in
difference of the people, that the votes
polled today will scarcely be in excess
of 8000.
No Official Announcement,!
But It Is Generally So
Understood Among
Railroad Men
1 1
The agents of the Interstate Com
merce commission investigating the
Alabama Great Southern wreok of last
Friday, wherein 10 persons met death
and two score were injured, have con
cluded, it is understood, that the train
was wrecked l)y some person and was
not the result of any dereliction of
duty or inferior equipment or lack of
safety devices of the operating line.
This is generaly believed without be
ing officially given out. as the judg
ment of the government inspectors both
of whom w'ill reserve their official
statements for the chief of their bureau
in Washington. Having substantiated
the railway company In the first judg
ment as to the cause of the wreck, It is
given out that every resource at the
hands of the government of the United
States will be used to apprehend the
murderer.
It was given out yesterday that
agents for the government and for the
Alabama Great Southern railroad
brought to this city yesterday, the
broken lock and the demolished light
and the heavy instrument with which
the lock was batered for preservation,
and for future exhibition to the court
which the guilty man will surely face.
The officials were not averse to allowT
ing interested persons see the lock or
the other exhibits which influence the
investlators to believe that the sw’itch
was throw'n and the heavy limited
train ditched with deliberate intent.
In addition to the evidence there
was brought to the city yesterday con
voyed by a big locomotive, the wrecked
equipment of the fast train. Then en
inc, the Pullmans and the other equip
ment, smashed badly, was hauled into
the Alabama Great Southern yards.
There was a reat deal of attention at
tracted as the demolished equipment
wras hauled past Eighteenth street,
Twentieth street and to tt>e Alabama
Great Southern shops . It Ib stated that
come of the equipment will be repaint
ed and made almost as good as new.
The Pullmans, as heretofore announced,
were not seriously damaged by the de
railment. *
The officials of the Alabama Great
Southern line yesterday informed The
Ae-Herald that no developments had
taken place. The investigators are work
ing almost ceaselessly trying to ob
tain some information about the wreck
and it is stated that there has been
located a resident of Livinston who was
hunting the night of the wreck and was
near the scene. The belief is that a
development will be announced in a day
or two which will go a long way towards
solving the mystery of who turned
the switch and what was the motive.
BIG FIRM HAS ITS
I I
Twenty-Nine Years Ago
Sept. 21 J. Blach & Sons
Opened Store Here
Today marks the twenty-ninth annlver- l
sary of J. Blach A Sons in Birmingham,
a Arm which has kept pace with the re
marable growth of the city during that
period. Twenty-nine years ago today, or
on September 21, 1886. J. Blach. now de- ,
ceased, and father of the four present (
members of the Arm, began business at (
1906 First avenue In a store 25x60 feet.
After six months the business wus moved ,
to 1910 FlrBt avenue In a place 26x90 feet,
and at the end of another six months oc- (
cupled also the second floor.
The growth of the concern soon de- (
manded more room, and two floors at ,
1932-14 First avenue were occupied. Here ‘
the firm developed until the business was ,
removed to the present massive structure j
at Third avenue and Nineteenth street.
Early In hlB Birmingham career the
elder Blach began to take his sons Into
the firm, and at present the members
consist of Sam Blach, Simon Blach, Col- I
man Blach'and Max Blach. Mr. Blach
also adopted the "fair and square” motto ]
for the Arm symbolized by the Illy and ,
square, and the sons have always striven
to maintain the policy of the father In 1
the conduct of the business.
Little Interest in Election
Anniston, September 20.—(Special.) ,
There was little Interest this evening |
In the general city election here Mon
day In the contest for mayorallty hon
ors between Dr. J. D. Wlkle, lncum- J
bent, and J. A. Burgess, councilman
from the Third ward, who Is running :
on an Independent ticket. This is the
first time In several years that an
independent or republican has under
taken to override the democratic ma
jority In Anniston, and to reaffirm the
faith of Annlstonlans In the democratic
party and keep down bull moose tenden
cies In the city will be the chief ac
tuating motive to take many voters to
the polls, as there Is considered little
possibility of an independent victory.
BIG CROWD LURED
TOZOO YESTERDAY
BY FINE WEATHER
9r _
Parks All Crowded and Chil
dren Take Advantage of
Last Vacation Before
Schools Open
The weather yesterday brought out the
people by the thousands to the Avondale
100 and to the other parks of the city.
Summer weather Is almost gone and the
people are evidently determined to take
idvantage of all that is left.
There was another reason why the kid
ties should have been so thick around
Miss Fancy at the zoo yesterday after
noon. School opens this morning and
•hen the boys and girls will be unable to
rlsit their friend at any time during
the week but must spend the day ac
julrlng knowledge.
The elephant was In high feather yes
terday afternoon and did all kinds ol
itunts for the amusement of the admiring
pnes around her. There was an air of
jravity on the ordinarily stolid face of
Miss Fancy that made her antics all
the more ridiculous.
She begged for dainties eCen more sup
plleatlngly than usual, getting down on
ter knees to extort the last "goober" from
i little chap who was peering under the
■ailing. Although he plainly wished to
keep the last peanut for himself he
was unable to resist the appeals*of his
friend, the elephant, and surrendered ft
with a sigh, dropping It Into her trunk
.o watch, fascinated, as she swept it
Far back Into her ridiculously small
noutli.
All the “birds and beustles" had crowds
irouiid them ail day yesterday and were
inxious to please with all the little tricks
which they have learned. Only the eagles
sat superciliously , on their perches re
urnlng the stares of the crowd with a
fierce, wild gaze that somehow told ol
wider spaces and the unfettered freedom
pf the air. Eagles are very hard birds
with which to become acquainted and
is yet there has not been a visitor tc
the zoo able to conciliate one of th«
kings of the air.
By Close of Week All Educa
tional Institutions in the
City Will Be Open
All educational Institutions of Birming
ham will b« at work hy tho close of this
week. The city schools open this morn
ng with many of the former ’teachers
md with 60 or more teachers who are
here for the first time. Buildings have
been improved or repaired, and free text
books and supplies have been disinfected
ind are ready for distribution. These
tre furnished through the fourth grade.
Two new supervisors have been added
•o the city system. They aro George
Weathersboe, who will have charge of
;he school gardens, arid D. M. Anthony,
rvho will teach writing. Mr. Woathors
oee has had gardens at eight schools
>lowed, and these are ready for planting
is soon as the schools are organized,
•there will be prepared In time for fall
gardens. Mr. Anthony comes to Blr
nlngham familiar with school work In
teneral as well as with the subject he
vlll teach. His work with the teachers
•egan last week in the Institute, and he
vlll begin at once his class room super
vision. Additions have been made In
•ther departments. Mr. Hller comas to
resist In the department of manual traln
ng.
The Margaret Allen school opens today
vlth several additions to the faculty and
vith domestic science added to the courso
if study. An attractive kitchen Is In the
rnnex and !b supplied with gas stoves
ind individual cooking outfits. Mr. and
drs. GusBen have the studio In the an
rex, and downstairs the primary and In
ermediate grades have two delightful
ootns.
The DuBose school at Roebuck Springs
ind the university high school opened
ast Monday. Each is preparing boys for
he state university and other colleges.
The Loulle Compton seminary began
ast Wednesday when Dr. Dawson of
ruscaloosa addressed the student body
rnd teachers. There, too, the domestic
dance department is popular and the
[Iris are enthusiastic over their class in
ooklng.
Organization at Howard and at Blr
nlngham college Is complete and work
n earnest has begun at both schools.
The Maud Bordeaux Callaway school Is
Birmingham's youngest educational In
itiation. tt opened last week as a. school
or beginners.
CASTORIA
For Infuti and Childroa
In Um For Ovf 30 Yit»
'PARTY OF INTERS
SAW A. G. S. FLYER
HIT OPffl SWITCH
A Beam of Light Sweeping
Along, Darkness, a Mo
ment of Tense Wajting
and Then the Crash
;- *
"I saw the train flash meteor-like
in what appeared to be an all consum
ing sea of darkness. The spot whereon
I stood was at such distance that a
certain time was required for the
sound, the terrible crash, to reach me,
tolling its story of suffering and death.
And following that crash, which re
sounded through the woods like the
thunderous report of a hundred can
non, there was a moment of silence—
a moment of terrible suspence In which
the imagination painted a scene more
terrlhle, perhaps, than that which had
in fact been enacted,
"I stood there for a moment spell
bound, a cold perspiration bursting
from every pore of my body, and my
hair actually attempting to stand upon
Its ends. And then 1 distinctly heard
the sound of Cries of despair and
groans of torture like the maddening
moan of wounded on a battlefield, and
I knew that death and destruction had
been wrought, that the threads of lives
had been snapped, that bones had been
crushed, and tjiat horrid wounds had
been inflicted.
•■And next I heard, rising plaintive
ly, almost appealingly, on the wing of
the early morning air, 'the bray of a
Jackass. That brav^came as cheerful
news, for then I knew that somewhere
In the wreck which had occurred there
was life, that the angel of death had
not. exacted his penalty of all who had
been endangered."
The above Is the story of a man who
saw from a distance the wreck of the
Alabama Great Southern express at
Klondike spur Friday morning, lie
tells tlpe story but withholds his name
because, as he states, he could offer
no testimony of value to an investi
gating board and would esoape the
trouble which attendance at court and
Importuning prosecutors would pro
duce. He is a well known citizen of
Sumter county and on the morning In
question, along with others, was re
turning home from a coon hunt.
"We were rldtng along," lie continued,
"tired as we could be, for all during tlie
night we had followed the hounds. And
from the rear, miles perhaps, we heard
the rumble of the lightning express. We
checked our horses and awaited the ap
proach of the mogul. How smoothly
seemed that mass of steel and iron to be
running, speeding along as a tiling of
life, breathing, expanding, and ever and
anon with a shout from Its throat, ex
ulting in what appeared to be Its confi
dence, Its glory in its strength. And next
we saw the gleam of tlie headlight. I.oudef
became tlie approach of the mogul, and
then, turning a curve out of tlie wood
land, Its front appeared to view. It was
a beautiful sight, that magnificent train
moving along like a liali of white light
111 the darkness of the early morn. We
watched it without a word—watched it tty
along, smoothly, rapidly, without an ap
parent tremor on the rails. And meteor
like it flashed by, and on into tlie sea of
darkness. It seems to disappear, and as
a matter of fact several of us were guilty
of ejaculations of surprise before that
sound came—that sound ever to be remem
mersd; that crush which plainer than
words told the story of the catastro
phe."
Tlie party of hunters, having been ap
prised of what had occurred, forced their
horses forward and arriving eventually
on the scene, aided to the extent of their
little ability in relieving the Injured and
repairing the damage.
The man who came to Birmingham with
tlie story yesterday continued:
"And when morning came with a full
sun we found the jackass whose bray had
followed the crash. There, less than 100
feet from the scene of the wreck, he
grazed, occasionally turning Ills large,
Inquisitive eyes upon the splintered cars,
the twisted steel, the Impotent machinery,
the hurrying men and women, evangels
of mercy attempting to care for the in
jured The escape, of this animal proved
that a railroad wreck Is as freakish as a
oyclone, for the cor in which he had rid
den. ttie box In which he had been con
fined, wore crushed as If they had been
pulp wood. And there he-stood grazing
without hurt while all about us lay the
dead arid dying and desperately suffering
humans."
Tlie opinion of tills gentleman is that the
accident wns the result of the scheme of a
man or men who were actuated by a desire
to wreck and despoil. It Js considered
probable that when the criminals were ap
pilscd of tlie extent of their damage they
lost courage and skulked away in the pro
tection of the wood and the darkness.
DR. W. R. PETTIFORD
DIES AT HIS HOME
Founded Negro Bank Here and Waa
Regarded as (Treat Leader
Among Hia Race
Dr. W. R. Pettiford, founder and for
24 years president of the Alabama Penny
Savings bank of this city, the oldest and
strongest negro bank in tho country, and
a negro of national reputation, died at 4
o'clock yesterday afternoon at his resi
dence, 614 sixteenth street, north, after
an illness of eight months. Dr. Pettiford
had been ill Bince January 1, 1914, and re
tired from active participation in the af
fairs of the Alabama Penny Saving* bank
ill April, Ills office being filled by J. O.
JJiffay, the vice president, who ha* been
acting president. Hi* death waa mo
mentarily expected for several dfta, and
news of Ills demise will be received with
expressions of profound regret.
Dr. Pettiford was regarded as an ex
ceptionally capable man, and a leader
among his people. He was born In South
Carolina in 1640 and attended school at
Marlon and Selma university in this state
and Shaw university in North Carolina,
and began Ills career as a missionary un
der the home mission board of the Bap
tist church.
He was for a long time active In the
ministry, und at one time' was pastor of
the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in this
city. He was a religious teacher among
the miners of Jefferson county at various!
times as head of the department of set
tlement work under the Tennessee Coal,
Iron and Railroad company. With nine
other well-knewn negroes 24 years ago he
organised the Alabama Fenny Savings
bank, and was made- Its president. He
had built that Institution up to Its present
standing as the largest and strongest
negro bank In the country, having today
a capitalisation of (100,000 and an annual
business exceeding $500,000.
Until his Illness he was president of
the National Negro Bankers' association
and was a director at the time of ms
death In the National Economic league.
Dr. Pettiford leavee a wife, two sons,
Walter R., Jr,, and Luther, and a daugh
ter, the wlfq of Dr. Robertson, surgeon
at the Agricultural and Mechanical col
lege.
“Prophetess’’ Predicts That
City Will Turn Upside Down
By CHARLKS H. MAMIY
Despite the fact that "prophetess, Ann
Mary, and "Divine Healer" Liza White
declared if the sentence of the law was
passed uopn them Birmingham would be
turned upside down and that 13 city
blocks would sink to the bottomless pit,
Judge Fort yesterday calmly and delib
erately sentenced the two negro women to
servo a term at hard labor. Judge Fort
also stated that much could be over
looked In the person who was mad or
insane, but that the two women had
shown such "method in their madness"
that he had arrived at the conclusion
that they were inontebanks pure and
simple who had deserted the washtub for
possibly the more lucrative practice of
"hoodooism," and that they hod worked
upon the superstitltlons of their own race
for the purpose of fleecing them out of
their hard earned kopecks.
The two women were convicted by a
jury during the week of a charge of
vagrancy, which was to the effect that
they "toiled not, neither did they spin,”
and that their visible means of support
were not In evidence. The Jury was ten
der-hearted, however, and found them
guilty, but gave them the minimum fine
of $26.
Yesterday morning they were brought
before Judge Fort to be sentenced, ac
cording to the findings of the Jury. They
were still attired in the "royal" robes
of their time-honored profession. Liza
wore the sombre robes of mourning, but
Ann Marby was resplendant in a gown
of brick red with "yaller" trimming and
looked for all the world like an over
ripe tomato that had been thrown Into
the discard.
Liza was the first to he sentenced and
in response to the inquiry of Judge Fort
as to why sentence should not be pro
nounced, replied:
"Does ah want ter say why yo’ should
not sentence me. In cose ah does. In
tie fust place ah gives yo’ dls warnin’
dat ah 1ms bin 'missioned by God toe
heal de sick an’ cure do blin’ an’ raise de
dead, an ah wants toe tell yo’ right heah
dat if yo’ persist in sendin' me ter Jail
yo’ will Interfere wld the work uf de
Lawd an’ Birmingham will be turned up
side down. An’ fu'thermo' it yo’ don't
turn me loose do white folks an' de ful
lered folks will all die cose ah has been
'missioned toe make them all well."
"The Jury having found von gilulty of
vagrancy It Is my duty to sentence you,
and—"
Jodge ah is’nt vagrancy, ah Is nevah
bln no vagrancy an' de I,awd will hoi'
yo' 'countable If yo' sends me up.”
“I am rather of the opinion that He
will hold me responsible It' 1 don't. How
ever, I am Inclined to he lenient with
you, and as I understand you eunnot
pay the fine Imposed by the Jury 1 will
sentence you to perform hard labor for
the county 21) days in default of payment
Of the fine and will add ;k) days extra.
Bring out Ann Mary.”
Ann Mary stepped up to the judge's
stand with much dignity and In response
to the question as to whether she could
show cause why sentence should not be
pnsecd upon her she replied:
"Is dls Judge Fort?”
"Yes."
"Den Judge Fort ah is got a message
frum Hod for yo’. He tole me too tell
yo’ dat Ah must be 'leased frum dat Jail
an' dat yo' mtis'nt pass no sentence on
me for If yo’ does He Is gwlne ter frown
on yo'. An He says dal If all Is sent ter
convlc' farm Ho will cause 12 squares
of Birmingham to sink tqa de bottomless
pit”
"Even at the expense of 12 squares of
Birmingham X am going to sentence you
to a term of hard labor. I am of the
opinion you and your associated are a
menace to this or any community. You
have endeavored to play on the supersti
tions of the Ignorant members of your
race and as I understand It you have
suoeeded In duping them, and no doubt
have been able to secure financial aid to
carry on your operation. You are sen
tenced to 20 days and 30 days extra, mak
ing 60 days In which you can reflect as
to whether It Is not better to stick to
the washtub than to make a livelihood
by Imposing on the credulity of your own
race."
The prophetess seem stunned that her
"message” had failed in securing her
release and fell back on her alleged mis
sion and called on the saint on high to
come to her assistance. Khoutlng "glory”
at the top of her voice she was led from
the courtroom to the county Jail.
NEW TELESCOPE AT
UNIQUEJVERSION
Instrument Has Double Set
of Lenses for Terretrial
Observations and Study
of the Heavens
The Newspaper club has Just Installed
a new telescope for tho use of Its mem
bers and already It la proving a popular
diversion to gaze upon objects up und
down Jones valley. The Instrument is
eoulpped with a double set of lenses, mak
ing It universal for observing terrestrial
objects or for studying the heavens at
night.
The telescope was purchased through
J. H. Tinder from Rausch & laimb. and
Is said to be an exceptionally fine In
strument. It Is of the prismatic type.
Its lenses are two and a half Inches In
diameter and for terrestrial observations
Is claimed to be highly efficient up to
12 miles.
It was felt by the cluh that the top
of thy Jefferson bank building, the high
est point In the city, was an Ideal place
for a telescope and as there are a num
ber of amateur astronomers In the club,
It was thought It would bo a great pleas
ure and convenience to them.
While the full possibilities of the In
strument have not yet been worked out,
members who have used the terrestrial
lenses are amased at the way It brings
out distant objects. The plants at Kins
ley and North Birmingham and the va
rious homes on North and South High
lands and upon Red Mountain are brought
"right down town."
The telescope barrel Is not long—some
thing under SO Inches—because it Is the
prlsmatle type built for compactness and
LITTLE DISTRESSED
Buy-a-Bale Movement En
courages Farmers to Hold
Staple
New Orleans, fieptemher lo.—The situa
tion in the cotton trado was improved
l«Mt week by the almost general resump
tion of business in the spot centers of
the south. Agitation looking toward
opening the local future market, however,
was met by opposition on the ground
that the ring would find difficulty Iil tak
ing car© of the trades which probably
would result from an early opening.
The course of spot prices was upward,
little distressed cotton was reported any
where, farmers generally were firm hold
ers and the "buy-a-bale" movement served
to encourage bolding even If it did not
materially better the situation by retiring
actual cotton from the open market.
Weather conditions over the belt wer©
considered favorable, except toward the
end of the week, when too much fain was
reported, especially In the Atlantlcs.
With another government condition re
port approaching, th© last one of th©
season, the trade Is taking Increased in
terest in crop accounts.
This week, more than ever sine© th©
European war started, the attention of
both departments of the local market
will be directed toward attempts to re
sume trading on a normal basis. Fur
ther rises in the value of spot cotton
will be of assistance to those who ar©
putting forward plans for reopening th©
future business because it will furnish
a higher basis for the liquidation of the
outstanding long Interest.
convenience. It Is mounted on a tripod
bo that members can movq it to any po
sition either in the club rooms or upon
the promenade decks and adjust It to any
angle to suit their convenience.
u - I The reports on business condi
The Law tions issued by this bank each
x a raonth are deduction8 made
_O from thousands of reports com
ing from all parts of the coun
try. These reports are handled mathematically
and the figures finally arrived at are the actual
average condition on each subject treated.
It has been well demonstrated that the law of
I average is the safest thing upon which to base
any business move.
In case your are not getting our reports, a
simple request will bring- them to you each
'month.
Birmingham Trust & Savings Co.
Birmingham, Alabamr