The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], November 20, 1914, Page 5, Image 5

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

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

                
Pay By
Check
It’s the safe way, the mod
ern way, the way which leads
to an ever increasing bank
account.
Checking accounts are not
for business houses alone,
but for farmers, professional
people, salaried men and
women—for all who have
money dealings.
All are invited to start an
account with this bank.
The First Nations! Bank
Capital and Surplus
$3,000,000
4 par cent Interact on eavinge,
Compounded Quarterly
VALUE OF PUTS
ESTATE ESTIMATED
AT OVERjl 60,000
Mrs. Parker Files Petition
in PrtHbate Court for
Letter’s Testamentary.
Courthouse Items
Valuing the estate of the late Johr
I' Parker at between $180,000 an<
$170,000. Mrs. Lillie Ward Parker, sel<
heir a^d executrix of the estate, yea
terday filod petition for letters testa
mentary in the office of Judge J. P
Ktiles of the probate court. This stei
Is preliminary to taking out letton
of administration. The will of the de
c ‘SRed was probated several days ago
and In its provision named Mis. Parkei
as the sole heir and executrix and thai
siie not be required to make any bone
gs such executrix. In the petition filet
yesterday the value of the estate is
estimated at the above amount.
Charged with robbing B. R. Bakei
fit Ensley sometime ago. Walter Fogg
find Ellis Phillips, negroes, were giver
a preliminary hearing yesterday be
fore Judge H. B. Abernethy of the
court of common pleas. Fogg was hel'
■without bond and Phillips was placer
under a $500 bond to await the ac
tion of the grand jury.
B H. Cooper> receiver of tho Inter*
state Mortgage and Bond company
filet? report and inventory of the coni
pany in the city court yesterday, giv
ing a detailed account of his action)
since being receiver. He asks that h*
be allowed to continue the operatiot
of the receivership and be authorize
to make certain payments for clerica
work and supplies in the operation o
the company’s affairs.
Sam Blake, who was recently oper
ated on for appendicitis at St. Vir.
cent's hospital, Is rapidly improving
He was removed to his home early thi:
week and unless complications aris«
will resume his duties at the court ii
the next few days.
Ed Martin has sued the Loulsvilli
and Nashville Railroad company in th<
circuit court, claiming $2500 as dam
ages for alleged personal injuries.
Jackson Braiiey has entered suit ii
• the circuit court against the Tennes
’ see Coal, Iron and Railroad company
claiming $2000 damages for alleget
personal injuries.
John Williams has filed suit in th<
, city court against the Louisville am
Nashville Railroad company claiming
$2990 damages for alleged pefsonal in
juries.
Real Estate Transfers
The following real estate transfers wer<
yesterday recorded in the office of th'
probate judge:
^250—Mol lie B. Blair to Robert E. Carl
ton, lots 1$ and 14, in block 582, survey o
Bessemer Coal, Iron and Land company
$2250—Robert E. Carlton to J. T. Honey
cutt, lots IS and 14, In block 582, city o
Bessemer.
$1800—Sallie A. Head to W. Thorntoi
Estes, part of lot 1, in block 43, Nortl
Birmingham Land company’s addition t<
North Birmingham.
$1250—McKinley-Cavenaugh Realty com
rny to E. H. West, part of lots 14 an<
In block 2, Walnut Kill company’s sub
division.
- Radcliffe Is Remembered
Secretary Radcliffe cf the Chumbe;
©f Commerce received a memento o
• “Orange Day” in New Orleans in th
shape of a “creole sweet.” a juic:
Louisiana orange, sent by M. B. Trez
•vant, general secretary of the Nev
Orleans civic chamber. Mr. Radeliff
enjoyed the orange and notified Nev
Orleans by letter of said enjoyment
and also -a hint that several mon
* “creole sweets” would not interfere
with his official duties.
URGENT NEEDOFNEW
POSTOFFICE SHOWN
BY OR. CUNNINGHAM
“Present Building Disgrace
to United States Govern
ment,” He Says
COMMITTEES WILL
GO TO WASHINGTON
Jlfill Present Data to Authorities and
Ask for Immediate Action—Senator
White and Aldrich Speak on In
adequacy of Present Building
"The present’ postoffice building in
1'irmingham is a disgrace to the Uni
ted States government " - •
This statement was made yesterd iv
afternoon at the general meeting of
the 1,'hamter of Commerce in the audi
torium. of the civic chamber by Dr. ti
M. Cunningham, city health officer, in
discussing the federal building from a
sanitary and health standpoint. Other
speakers v/ere United States Senator
Frank £'. White and Postmaster Tru
man H. Atdrlch. President Paschal G.
Shook of the Chamber of Commerce
presided.
Despite the cold, raw winds there
was a good audience ir. the auditorium
of the civic chamber to hear the ar
guments in favor of advancing by sev
eral years the erection el the new post
office. for which Congress has already
appropriate^ funds. Representatives qf
all the civic bodies in the city were
present.
Present Building Totally Inadequate
Senator White, on b.^ng introduced
by President Shook, stated that the
present Tederal building bad been con
structed for a city of a population of
30,000 find that it was at the present
time totally inadequate and unsafe to
the health of the employes.
“It will not be until June, in 1916,
that the government architects will be
able to start on the plans of the new
Birmingham port office said Senator
White, “and even when the plans are
finished it ■will take from five to six
years to construct this mllliort-dollar
postoffice. •
“The thing: to be done at the present
time is to get sentiment chrystallzod
and bring- a committee to Washington
armed with data showing the vital ne
cessity of the immediate construction
of the new building. Then with the
co-operation of W. P. G. Harding, Con
gressman Oscar W. Underwood and
others the matter can be adequately
presented to Secretary McAdQo. It is,
however, important that public senti
ment should be strongly behind this
movement in order to impress the high
, federal officials.”
Would Condemn Building
i Dr. R. M. Cunningham stated to the
1 business men present that he had made
a thorough inspection of the present
' post off ice and found it most un health*
ful. Dr. Cunningham stated in effect
that if the city of Birmingham had
adequate building laws he would close
the building by reason of the fact that
It was unhealthful and dangerous to
the men employed there.
“In the postoffice the work is all
1 under artificial light,” said Dr. Cun
ningham, /‘and the only ventilation is
the air coming in from the street
whenever the doors of the building are
opened. It is most unhealthy for the
employes and there are several rooms
in the building that I would Close if I
had the authority as city health of
ficer.”
Postmaster Truman H. Aldrich in his
talk gave statistics to show that the
matter of a new postoffice was of
j slate-wide interest in that Birmingham
. was the distributing point of all the
federal moneys In Alabama.
“We handle nearly $20,000,000 of fed
eral funds through the Birmingham
office yearly,” said Colonel Aldrich,
i “and the net revenue for the Birming
; ham office alone is $300,000.
“Owing to the rapidity with which
business has increased in Birmingham
, the present building is totally inade
quate. Now for the Christmas holidays
we must rent another building to han
■ die the heavy business expected. We
' are already renting several offices
throughout the city to handle the sur
plus and parcels post business at the
1 present time. The parcel post amounts
1 to 200,000 parcels a month locally.
’ Will Be Two Years Yet
"Last year I went to Washington
' to Inquire on what date the architects
I would start their plans on Ihe new
building. I was informed that there
were 288 buildings ahead of the Bir
mingham a propriation and that the
federal architects could only draw
plans of 100 buildings a year. Bluet
that time the government has made
appropriations of {46,000,000 lor a to
■ tal of' 900 buildings. Therefore, there
Is little chance of the architects hav
ing the plans of the new psstofflce
r, ady before another two years at the
earliest.
i "However, something should be done
■ at once to impress upon the Washing
, top authorities the necessity of imme
; dihte construction as the present bulld
i ir.g is Insanitary as the recoids show
that two cases of Incipient tuberculosis
s
\
;PENN MUTUAL TO RESUME
LENDING OF MONEY HERE
9
As an evidence of the rapid adjust- <
ment of the financial situation over the
country, it was announced yesterday by
Otto Marx & Co., that the Penn Mutual I
Life Insurance company, represented kere
by that firm, had given the necessary I
authority to again resume plat ing large I
loans in this district.
Mr. Marx, who has placed several mil
lions of dollars in Birmingham for the
Penn Mutual, was instructed at the be
ginning of the European war to go slow
on loans and eventually was told to cease
entirely. Since that time several weeks
ago until yesterday the firm has been
unwilling to fill the applications made for
money. It is understood, however, that
there will be no delays In connection with
loans from now on.
This information will be reassuring to
a great many investors and would-be in- |
vestors here, who expected financial aid j
from that well-known company.
The authority to proceed with loans
given Mr. M^rx yesterday caused him no|
iiispis.
TO REAL ESTATE IN
-r
Landscape Artist Explains
His Plans for City
I Beautiful
At the weekly meeting of the Bir
mingham Real Estate *. xchangv at the
Newspaper club private dluing room
yesterday noon, Warren S. Manning,
landscape engineer and city beautiful
expert of Boston, who has been en
gaged by the city to work out a city
beautiful plan, appeared before the
read estate men and explained some
of his plans so far as they had been
worked out.
Mr. Manning has been in the city
about a week working, on different
Phases of his plans for the beautifica
tion of Birmingham, which includes a
system of boulevards, parks, sewers,
grade crossings and so forth. He was
enthusiastically received by the real
estate men, who see in his plans big
things for real estate conditions.
Hill Ferguson, president of the ex
change, presided and the private din
ing room of the Newspaper club was
crowded by the good attendance of
members. No other business except!
Mr. Manning's talk was taken up b> |
the organization. Mr. Manning talked
largely in generalities as the details
of his various plans for working out
the civic problems of Birmingham in
the making have not yet been gone
into. He discussed the grade cross
ing condition of the city, stating that
in this matter he would only work out
a general recommendation, as the de
tail was a matter of civil engineer*
i»*£i
Mr. Manning was employed by the
. city commission several months at.o
He makes visits to the city from time
to time to gather local data which he
uses in plans he works out at Ins home
office in Boston. He slated yesterday
that he earnestly deslicd the valuable
co-operation of the real estate men of
Birmingham.
GEORGE DAVISIS
GIVEN FREEDOM
Second Indictment Against Negro Is
Nolle Prossed After Acquittal of
Assault With Intent to Murder
After his acqultal on a charge of assault
with intent to murder, George Davis, in
dicted on a Becond charge growing out of
the same alleged crime, was given his
freedom yesterday by Judge S. E. Greene
of the criminal court and the second case
against him was nolle prossed. The ne
gro was tried last Tuesday on an indict
ment charging assault with intent to mur
der, the alleged offense growing out of
the shooting of Constable Wade at Bessie
Junction about a year ago. At the trial
the negro denied all knowledge of the
crime and sought to prove an alibi. The
jury failed to agree on Tueeday, and
after staying out all night returned a
verdict of not guilty Wednesday morning.
Yesterday he was brought before the
judge on the second indictment, which
Was nolle prossed, at the request of the
solicitor. Davis wag defended by Vasser
Allen.
There were seven convictions In the
orlininal court yesterday and two cases
nolle prossed. Both judges were engaged
in the trial of the cases on yesterday s
docket. Charles Sanders was convicted
In two cases of assault with Intent to
murder; Richard Morrell of grand lar
ceny; C. C. Coats of forgery, T. M. Mar
tin of forgery, Albert Deal, burglary and
grand larceny, and Ed Lee burglary and
grand larceny. The case against Ram
Donaldson, Indicted for disposing of mort
gaged property, was nolle prossed.
---
ore discovered a year among the locnl
postofrice employes. I will co-operstc
with any committee of the Ch imber of
Commerce in preparing Impressive data
advocating Immediate ronsti uttion."
Following the talks a motion was
made and carried that President Shook
appoint two committees, one which will
gather data showing the necessity of
th» new postoffice, and the other to
visit Washington and present In per
son the needs of Birmingham to Sec
retary- McAdoo; The identity of the
committees will be announced later
It is the Intention of the Chamber
of Commerce to have the data ready
and a committee in Washington in the
(list week of December to be present
st the opening of the new congres
sional session.
John H. Awtry. deputy collector of the
sup-port of Birmingham, appear** and
presented the matter of getting Birming
ham business men to support the sub
port more cordially. He -pointed out the
fact that If the UBe of the sub-port were
not more general the city might lose It.
It was decided that the Chamber of Com
merce should take steps to have Import
ers order goods sent direct to Birming
ham instead of through coast porta.
DR. SOLOkorTkoNORED
Fellowship Conferred Upon Him by
American College of Surgeon*
The American College of Surgeons ha*
conferred upon Dr. P. Solomon of this
city a fellowship, according to informa
tion recelvsd hsre yesterday. Dr. Solo
mon, who Is widely known In this city. Is
said to be one of the youngest aurgeens in
America to be so honored by the Amer
ican College of Surgeons. Dr. Solomon,
after receiving the fellowship, went to
Philadelphia to attend clinics. Dr. Boio
raoq was educated at th* local schools
and the high school, taking a medical and
surgical course In th* east.
end of elation ami bouyed tb«* members
of that firm up more noticeably than any
recent development. Tt is understood that
the optimism of Mr. Marx himself had a
great deal to do with the decision# of
the Penn Mutual officials to re-enter the
local field.
In this connection it was stated yes
terday by Clem (lasaam that his com
pany, the Guarantee Mortgage and Bond
company, had been actively engaged in
passing favorably upon local loans for
the past few Wfeks. As a matter of fff't,
Mr, Ggzzam said bis company only re
mained out of the market for a very few
weeks after the cessation of transactions
on the New' York exchange.
The resumption of these financial oper
ations in Birmingham will cause a great
deal of optimism in local circles. The
announcement to this effect as well as
other recent announcements indicates
strongly that the optimism of local busi
ness men is based on substantial foun
dation.
■ *
Financial Report for Octo
ber Is Issued by the
City Commission
In the financial*report for October made
to the city commission yesterday morn
ing it was shown that the city had saved
$31,512.66 in expenditures the past month
In comparison with the same month a
year ago.
The detailed financial statement of the
mdhth of October with comparisons with
October of 1913, follows:
RECEIPTS. .
1913. 1914,
Taxes .$ 135.27 $ 26.83
Licenses . 7,707.11 8,692.80
Recorder's court fines
and forfeitures . 5,612.60 4.199.0Q
Interest . ' 188.47 401.29
Rents . 865.50 752.46
Departmental permits.. 3,761.39 2,744.48
Accounts recelveable... 3.133.01 2,447.17
Municipal industries... 4,140.27 4,224.67
Sale of asset* . 1,182.62 1,001.71
Return of Improvement
advances . 17,157.27 .
Miscellaneous refunds 144.96 311.64
float'd of Education.... 10.172.82 303.50
City planning . 9.87
Total receipts.$ 54,201.18 $25,115.41
EXPENDITURES.
General government...$ 10,061.91 $ 9.387.91
Protection of life and
property . 2,593.21 2.366.92
Police department .... 16,939 50 15,453.23
Fire department . 18,660.65 1S.823.91
Health and sanitation 16,863.64 11,788.01
Highways, including
bridge construction... 14,540.44 10,691.41
Prisons . 2,356.17 2,795.61
Recreation . 2,466.30 2.046.23
Municipal industries.... 2,970.24 2.700.47
Interest . 5,852.05 3,066.01
Charity . 1,833.04 1,987.78
Libraries . 574.76 1,095.31
Damage cases . 508.68 62.54
Outlays for land, build
ings and equipment .. 7.478.27 7,477.74
Bills payable . 2,328.65 12,981.90
Refunds .• 2,1853.83 907.39
Improvement advances 41.662'.71 2,964.09
Board of Education_ 63,048.25 74,702.15
Total expenditures.. .$212,801.30 $181,288.64
RECAPITULATION.
1913. 1914.
Receipts 10 months. $1,253,101.52 $1,366,145.68
Disbursements 10
months . 1,465,642.78 1,436,102.76
CONTRACT A WARDED
TO CARROLL BLAKE
Will Begin Work on New Birming
ham Publishing Company Build
ing at Once
A contract has been awarded Carroll
Blake to build the new plant for the
Birmingham Publishing company, to be
located on the corner of Nineteenth
street and Avenue B. Work will com
mence at once.
The Birmingham Publishing company is
headed by John C. Henley, a former
newspaper man of this city, who started
in the printing business a few years
ago and has achieved a splendid success
from ills work. He proposes to build
one of the most modern printing es
tablishments In the south. The lot was
purchased some months ago. It is
rather large, and on account of the
space aecured the building will be only
one story high. However, lie states the
area under cover will be larger than
uny other strictly printing business In
the state. The plans drawn by William
Leslie Welton, the architect, are for a
building with spacious lighting effects,
unusual arrangements for plenty of
fresh air and other modern conven
iences.
Mr. Blake stated yesterday that work
would be started at once on the build
ing and It would be completed without
delay. Mr. Henley will very probably
remove his offices to the new building
by New Years.
APPROVE PICTURES
FOR NEW BOOKLET
The advertising committee of the
Chamber of Commerce met yesterday
afternoon and passed on the photo
graps for the new "Birmingham, the
City Beautiful’’ booklet, which the
civic chamber is getting up for the
holidays and which will be distributed
throughout the country by the rail
roads.
This booklet," said Secretary Rad
cliffe, "will be strictly a Birmingham
product. The photographs are made
here and engraved by the Alabama
Engraving company. Roberts & Son
will do the binding. It will be an at
tractive* booklet and will appeal to
winter tourists of the south.’’
Dr. Greene Lectures Tonight
Dr. Charles E. Greene , will deliver
his new lecture, “The Burden of the
Nations," at the Central High school
auditorium tonight at 8:15 o'clock. Dr.
Greene comes as the third number on
the programme of the Birmingham
Lyceum course, following Newell
Dwight Hlllls and ^peaker Champ
Clark. ’
Children Cry
FOR FLETCHER’S
CASTORI A
Negro, Five Times Given
Death Penalty hy Jury,
Escapes Gallows
STATEMENT ISSUED
BY THE GOVERNOR
Says He Does Not Think Evidence
Justified Death Penalty—Case
Most Unusual in Legal His
tory of the State
After a personal investigation of his cam
by the governor and a careful considera
tion of the petition for executive clem
ency, mercy was extended to Ervin
Pope, the negro who has been sentenced
to death five times and for whose execu
tion gallows have been erected on sev
eral occasions, and hia death sentence
commuted by the governor to life im
prisonment in the penitentiary.
This action was taken yesterday morn
ing following a visit to the county jail
by John A. Mofett, secretary to the gov
ernor; W. C. Agee and M. R. Collins.
The party talked at length with the negro
and had him try on a pair of shoes, which
were Introduced as evidence against him
at the five trials, and it is said figured
largely in his conviction The negro
stHted the shoes were much too large for
him. ,
Governor Explains Action
.In his statement explaining his ac
tion in commuting the sentence of
I ope the governor had the following
to say:
“Four times this case has been re
versed for errors prejudicial to the de
| fondant and the sole question for me *o
consider Is not whether the weight of
public opinion demands the execution
of the defendant but whether, under
all the facts and circumstances of thu
case. I should exercise my constitu
tional power to commute the sentence
from d«ath to life imprisonment.”
In his statement the governor sets
I forth all the facts in the case, about
| whioh revolves probably the most sen
sational criminal trial 1 tt the history of
the state. Pope’s conviction was on
circumstantial evidence.
• According to the governor the most
incriminating chain of evidence upon
which Pope was convicted was the fact
that it had been shown that a pair of
shoes, stained with blood, had been dis
covered concealed in the defendant’s
premises. The shoes were found on
Monday following the murder of Me
Clurkin and the state introduced them
at the trial as evideno** to show #hat
they were the same thoes Pope had
worn on the night before the alleged
commission of the crime.
The shoes, still bearing stains, were
sent to several doctors for examina
tion, including Dr. C. A. Cary, state
veterinarian, and Dr. H. B. Ross, state
chemist, both of whom reported, after
bncteriologiral examinations, that they
Here unable to tell whether the stains
were made by human blood.
Shoes Tried on Pope’s Feet
Not content with tills evidence the
governor sent the shoes to Birming
ham and had them tried on Pope. The
report submitted to the governor was
that the shoes were two sizes larger
than Pope's feet.
The governor gives a careful an
alysis of tile evidence In Pope's ease
and declares that he has carefully and
conscientiously considered the case
sli.ee the first petition was made for
commutation. In concluding his state
ment he said:
"The defendant Is a negro and the
record shows that he was In good cir
cumstances financially at the time of
the alleged commission of this crime,
for a member of his race. It was
showed that he owned a farm and his
merchant was ready to advance him
all the supplies that he might require
In the cultivation of his land Thera
Is absolutely nothing In the record
plowing that for the 50 years or more
of Ills life that he had been convict
ed of crime or bore a bnd reputation.
The fact that there was no motive by
reason of poverty or need for him to
commit the crime Is a strong circum
stance in bis favor.
"After the first few trials his prop
’ertv was exhausted In the payment of
his debts and attorneys' fees and dur
ing the last trials of his ease he was
defended by counsel appointed by the
court. The defendant has but few
frlebda and no Influence and arrayed
against him Is a very strong and pow
srful public sentiment ns established
by the numerous petitions and letters
on file In this office opposing exec
utive clemency. He Is. however, a cit
izen of Alabama, and however humble,
or odious, or obscure. Is entitled to the
full protection of the law.
"I have conscientiously sought to
reach a just conclusion and after the
most painstaking study and delibera
tion I am of the opinion that the
weight of the evidence was not suffi
dent to justify the death penalty and
that it is my duty under all the facts
end circumstances to commute the aen
tene-a_from death to life Imprisonment,
which is accordingly ordered."
The governor announced his decision to
Sheriff MeAdory at 9 o’clock yesterday
morning and Immediately wired the eherlft
of Calhoun county of his action. Sheriff
MeAdory notified Pope of the action of
the governor and he received the new,
with grpat satisfaction. He has alway,
maintained his Innocence and notwith
standing hls five nerve racking trials and
the fact that he has heard the sentence ol
death pronounced upon him that number
of times, he has never lost hope or cour
age.
Made a Good Prisoner
He has been a prisoner In the Jefferson
county jail for six years end, according
to the sheriff and jail officials, one, of
the most trustworthy ever confined in the
county ba stile.
In the spring of 1909 a white farmer
named J. B. McOlurkln, living near An
niston, Calhoun county, was found mur
dered. There were no eye-witnesses to
the killing and for a time there seemed
to be no clue to the crime. A little later n
web of circumstantial evidence was
woven around Pope, who lived near the
scene of the prime and he was arrested.
Peeling ran high In Calhoun county
against the perpetratore of the brulal deed
and for fear of summary vengeance Pope
waa brought to Jefferson county for safe
keeping.
Pone was indicted for the murder of Mr.
McClurkln and later taken back to Cal
houn county, where he was tried and
I convicted, receiving the extreme penalty
of the law. The supreme court reversed
the lower court and granted him a new
trial, The same circumstances occurred
at three other tr'als. A few months ago
he was tried for the fifth time at\d again
sentenced to be hanged. This time the
supreme court affirmed the findings of
the lower court and preparations were
made to hang*the negro. The governor
granted four reaoltes In order to investi
gate the ease and on yesterday commuted
the sentence of death to life Imprison
ment.
Relative to the case The Age-Herald
t" 11 .■
If you have a savings ac
count, mike u pay.
What would become of a I
business where the owner put I
up a payment of capital stock B|
and let it go at that? W
.The way to make a savings
account pay is to pay it. K
What you pay you are paying ft
to yourself just as clearly as pi!
if somebody else were doing B
the paying for you. M
It isn't enough to start a Jm
V business. Make it pay. We’II M
AmericanIE^SawBanr
BIRMINGHAM
.
r A BEAT AND A BOARD BILL
__L-__
nr Charles n. randy
AJ\rm mere any more oases on ine aocnet
for the day?” asked Judge Abgrnethy yes
terday afternoon of * sheriff” Jack Green
er, who was looking over the warrants
and papers on tho daily file.
“More what?” queried Jack, not quite
understanding the question.
"Any morn cases?”
“There are no oases against Annie
Moore that I know of, but there is one
against Owen Moore set for today.”
"One case M:>ore or less don’t matter.
What is Owen excused of ? ’
"Running off without paying his board
bill.”
“I pee. a case of Owen Moore has run
away,
Owin’ more than he could pay.’
“But I don’t sec wlmt I can do unless
to sue feim civilly for the amount of—”
“Tain’t er bit er use treatin’ dat nigger
civilly,” interrupted a fat mammy with a
decided midnight complexion. De mo’
civiller ye’ treats sum folkes de wusser
dey gits. Ah wants dat nigger put in
jail.”
“Bo the Moore in question is of tho
same color scheme as the Moor made fa
mous by the immortal bard. How much
does Othello owe you?”
"Dey ain't no other feller as Ah knows
on; lilt war dat nigger Owen what «t up
rrah rations an’ den skip out.”
BE INTERRED TODAY
Former Birmingham News
paper Man Dies in Ashe
ville After Long Illness
John T. Evans, formerly one of Bir
mingham's best known ami most popular
newspaper men, died yesterday morning
at 9 o’clock at Asheville, N. f\, after a
long period of failing health. He was 35
years old and was a son of Frank V.
Kvans. formerly mayor of Birmingham,
and one of the best known men in tho
state.
The funeral will be Held in Birming
ham this afternoon at 3 o’clock at tho
home of his father, 2910 Juniper avenue.
Interment will be at Oakldll cemetery.
The following have been requested to
act as pallbearers:
Honorary: C. 8. Simmons. A. O. I^ane,
Dr. J. H. Phillips, George M. Cruikshank,
W. C. Agee and .lames H. Davidson.
Active: Hugh W. Roberts, Leon W
Friedman. E. R. Norman, Charles T.
Lehman, J. B. Robbins, A. W. Miller.
Mr. Kvans first entered the newspaper
business in Birmingham about 1900, after
he ik^cl completed his course at the Bir
mingham High school, lie made friends
rapidly and from the beginning showed
special aptitude for gathering news and
writing it in attractive form. He was
employed on both The Age-Herald ami
Ledger at different times, but decided
to leave Birmingham a few' years ago
when his health began to fail. Securing
work oil the Asheville Cltlsen, he kept
in harness up to the time of his death,
attending to his duties there and doing
considerable correspondence for outside
newspapers.
He formerly was attached to one of
the military companies of Birmingham
and always todfc great Interest In mili
tary affairs.
Mr. Kvans Is survived by a wife
yesterday received the following dispatch
from its Anniston correspondent:
McCIurkin’s Friends Indignant
“Close personal friends, relatives and
members of the family of the late J. B.
McClurkln are Indignant at the act of the
governor of Alabama commuting tlie sen
tence 6t Ervin Pope, the Anniston negro
who was five times convicted in Calhoun
county courts of the murder of Mr. Mc
Clurkin, which occurred in April of 19G9,
since which time Popo has been In the
JefTerson county Jail at Birmingham.
They claim that the governor has done
an injustice to the 60 Calhoun county Jur
ors, who fixed the prime on the accused
negro.
‘On the other hand, there arc quite a
number of persons here who think the
governor has acted wisely, nnd that John
Body, the witness whoso wierd testimony
figured so materially In the case, will yet
turn up to throw some light on tho cir
cumstances which consummated Pope’s
convictions.
‘‘Nearly every lawyer In Anniston has
been Interested in tho famous case. It
contributed largely to making a name
for Niel P. Sterne, who several times
saved the negro In his first Important case
sfter winning honors at Tale. T. J. Har
ris. another young Anniston lawyer, who
lias handled the case without hope of di
rect reward, has recently made several
trips to Montgomery to see the governor
in behalf of h1s client. He was assisted
at the last hearing by E. D. Willett, who
expresses himself as being pleased with
the governor’s action. Local attorneys
without exception concede the Pope case
to he one of the most remarkable In the
hf|tory of American criminal law and de
clare that It will make history, probably
having an Important effect on proposed
reformations of legal practice in Alabama,
especially as regards reversals on techni
calities.
“Pope outlived two scaffolds that were
erected here for his execution, and Sheriff
Brooks states that the ense has cost him
personally over #5OS, while the eost to the
county of the several trials will run Into
the thousands. Thirteen different days
were set for the execution of the negro,
who beard the death penalty read In court
eight times. His case was reversed bv the i
supreme court four times and the gover-1
nor granted four stays In the execution
before he finally commuted the sentence.”
now much HER did you charge him
and how long did he board with you?"
"What yo’ mean by how much PICK?"
"That ha* reference to the amount you
charge for board," interposed Sheriff Jack^
"and means PER-haps you get ft and"
PER-haps you don’t."
"Dat 'Kactly why Ah Is yere, hit don’t
matt ah what Ah charges. Ah doesn't git
hit.”
"How much do you claim from this per
ambulating nigger?"
"Five dollaiis an’ six bits."
"The only remedy you have is to sue
I for the amount you allege tc be duo, un
| less he obtained the board by false pre
tenses or misrepresentation."
"In course dut nigger mi&rep'aented his
self; ho said he war gwtne ter pay me
Saturday an’ he nevah done It. Ain't dat
false pretextea?"
"Merely a broach of trust. Auntie
However, if you can locate him you can
garnishee his wages,”
•‘Jedge, Ah ain’t got no disrespee’ for
dls yere cote, but if Ah locates dat nigger,
bein’ as Ah can’t put him in Jail, Ah Is
gwlne tehr garnish him mahself. All’ll
bust his ha id wid er stick er stove wood;
dat’s what Ah’il do."
With that she waddled out of the court
room and it is a safe bet that If she gets
a decent chance at her recreant boarder
there will be a job for the Internes at the i
Hillman hospital soon after.
New Birmingham Industry
Will Have Daily Output
of 4000 Gallons
At 1 704 Avenue D. this city, is located
a new Birmingham industry, manufac
turing the only liquid tea In the world,
it is said. The headquarters for th# f
United States of the American Liquid
Tea and Syrup company, Inc., a com
pany organized and made up by local
men, is in tlie company's offices at 401
2-3 Brown-Marx building.
The nevvf company, which began oper
ations but a short time ago, is Incor
porated with an authorized capital
stock of $160,000 and with $100,000 puid
In. The main product of its plant at
first, It Is said, will be its "T-eady,” a
liquid tea extract, a teaspoonfuj of k
which, .added to a cup of hot or cold M
water, Vlll make a cup of hot or cold |
I tea, as desired. The men back of the/ ’
now concern claim that in addition to
being convenient and wholesome, the
new form of tea will be very tconomi- ^
cal, a cup of tea costing about naif a '
cent by using the extract.
Officers of the company arc us toi
lows: President, W. T. Simmons of tlie
Birmingham Macaroni company; vice
president, John H. Barlow, now vice
president, ami general manager Coosa
cotton mills. Piedmont; secretary, C. L
Morgan, Birmingham; treasurer, It. J
Harrison of the firm of Stiles, Franklin
& Stiles, Birmingham; counsel, itoy Mc
Cullough, Birmingham. These* officers
together with Col. T. 0. Cowan, Vfe<i
mont capitalist, make the six director^
of the company.
The company was organized and pro
moted by T. L. Finney, well known
here. It is now doing business.
The output of the plant will be 40Uu
gallons dully, P is slated, tha product
being patented under serial number
1,01)1,675, LTnlted tales patent office
The product Is the discovery of and the
patent in taken out in the name of J
T. Monurief, a Birmingham chemist.
A vigorous campaign to introduce the
product is to be started in Birmingham
within a lew days through the medium
of lady vanvassera. Mr. Finney stated
yesterday. The ladies will go from
house to, house demonstrating tHe tea
extract and orders will be delivered
through the local grocery men. The ex
tract will iimku 256 cups of tea to the
gallon, it is stated.
The product, it is stated, is made from
pure, wholesome tea at the factory on
Avenue D by the patented process. The
company expects to gradually extend
its territory until its product Is sold
In every part of the United States. In
addition to "T-Heady,” tile company
will manufacture tea cola, tea cherry,
tea ginger ale, tea ade, fount and bot
tlers’ syrup.