The Hattiesburg news., December 31, 1908, Image 1

About The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917

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THE HATTIESBURG NEWS
VOL 11, -NO. 260
HATTIESBURG. MISSISSIPPI. THURSDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 31. 1908.
SINGLE COPY 5 CENTS
SECOND SH OCK STAGGERS SICILY
Tottering Ruins ol Devastated
Cities Crumbled to Dust in
Second Visitation ol Seismic
Catcl>sm Early This
Morning.
VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS
f- ARE BELCHING FORTH
TONS OF MOLTEN LAVA
Thousands Are Added to the Stagger
ing Story of Death and the Work of
Relief Is Prostrated—The World
Stands Appalled Today.
<• •> •> •> •> ❖ <• <• <• ❖ *> ❖ •> <• •> •>
❖ NAKED AND HUNGRY,
THOUSANDS FLEEING
TO PLACES OF SAFETY. ❖
v
♦
♦
♦
♦
❖ Messina, Italy, Dec. 31.—Before <•
❖ sunset tomorrow' more than 100,- •>
❖ 000 persons will have fled from •>
<• the earthquake area.
❖ In the streets of Messina today ❖
*5* half-naked men and women, •>
❖ weakened by hunger and frantic ❖
❖ with grief, fought hand to hand •>
❖ struggles amid the ruins of the ❖
❖ custom house for food. Numbers ❖
❖ were killed and wounded. Human •>
❖ beings devoured row meat like an- •>
❖ imals of the forest and fought •>
❖ like demons for the crusts and ❖
*t crumbs found in the wreckage. ❖
<• ❖ •» •> ❖ •> <•
♦
Rome, Italy, Dec. 23.—Further
earthquake shocks occured this morn
ing in Southern Italy and Sicily, add
ing to the disaster of Monday.
Meager reports now reaching Rome
indicate that the shocks today were
almost as severe as those of Monday
and that thousands have been added
to the death rolls.
The crumbling ruins left by Mon
. . , . ,
day s disaster were shaken to dust in
the cities of Sicily and Southern Italy,
and the work of rescue and relief has
„
been prostrated with a new fear of
peril on the part of those who rushed
to the aid of the mained and starv
ing surivors of the first shocks.
It is now certain that the death roll
Will exceed 200,000 and further news*
from today's earthquake may swell
this number.
The cities of Messina and Reggio
are known to be almost completely
demolished and the deaths in these
alone will approximate 110,000. Strom
beli and Aetna are in active eruption,
belching forth great streams of lava,
which is now ploughing its way down
the mountain sides toward the sea,
adding to the terror ot the inhabi
tants.
Ambassador Lloyd Griscom is ma
king every endeavor today to ascer
tain the fate of the Americans known
to have been in the stricken district.
He has ascertained positively that
Consul Cheney and family were killed
at Messina. It is also announced
that Right Reverend David Sessuras of
Louisiana, who was believed to have
perished, was at the home of his sister
in the country and escaped Injury.
RED CROSS OCIETY
IS SENDING RELIEF,
Washington, Dec. 31.—The Red
Cross Society will today transmit
470,000 to the relief of the earthquake
sufferers of Italy and Sicily. Large
sums will also be sent from other
sources.
DEAD SOLDIER8 ARE
WA8HED A8HORE TODAY!
Catinia, Dec. 23.—The bodies of
three hundred dead soldiers were
washed ashore at Palml today, which
leads to the belief that the entire regi
ment perished ln the tidal wave.
'FOREIGN TOURISTS ARE
BELIEVED TO BE DEAD
Rome, Italy, Dec. 31.—Foreigners
who were staying ln Messina, Seggto
and other devastated towns and cites,
and who have not yet been beard
from, are probably dead, according to
a statement Issued today.
Thousands of Inquiries have been
sent to the authorities now on the
scene, who made every effort to lo
:
•> ACTUAL RESULTS OF
THE EARTHQUAKE. ❖
♦
♦
♦
♦
•> Killed, 100,000 to 200,000.
❖ Injured, 300,000 to 500,000.
•> Homeless estimated at 1,000,
❖ 000 .
❖ Cities over 10,000 population ❖
❖ destroyed, 15.
❖ Smaller towns destroyed (esti- •>
❖ mated), 50.
•> Warships sunk (torpedo boats) •>
❖ 12 .
❖ Ships sunk by tidal wave 600.
❖ Many American tourists among «>
❖ the dead; Chicagoans missing. •>
❖ Formation of Straits of Mes- •>
❖ sina changed.
❖ Historic Scylla and Charybdls ❖
•> destroyed.
❖ Etna and Stromboli, volcanoes, •>
•> in eruption.
❖ Second and third shocks felt in •>
♦
♦
♦
•>
♦
•>
❖ Sicily.
•> Cable to Aelonian Islands; dis- ❖
❖ aster feared.
♦
♦
cate the missing parties, but few of
them have been found.
Hundreds of bodies will never be re
covered, as they were swept into the
sea by the tidal wave which followed
the first disaster. Many others were In
cinerated in the rutns of the burned
buildings.
Probably the closest estimate made
of the victims will not come within 10,
000 of the actual number.
Southern Italy and the north coast
of Sicily are today one huge hospital.
The number in need of immediate
surgical attention is estimated at not
less than 100,000. It is estimated that
ten per cent, of these will succumb to
their injuries.
The government adheres strictly to
its estimate of 120,000 dead, while the
newspapers insist that the total will
run all the way from 150,000 to 200,
000 .
_
SICILY IN HISTORY.
D . _ . . _ ...
Has More Big Events to Its Credit,
Than Any othep Co
Memphts Tenn Dec 31 _ The Com .
. ... ......
mercial-Appeal gives this brief history
gj c j| y .
. . f
S c ' which is about as north
as 18 Calro ' nl " with an area ot 9 ' 0n0
Square miIes - has more earthquakes
and raore big events ln the Progress j
of mankind crowded into its history
than any other island of Europe.
Sicily was not always an island.
Once it was part of an isthmus con
necting Italy with Africa. Then the
The railway station at Messina,
w'here many people gathered after the
first shock, hoping to escape by train,
was uncovered today revealing scores
of corpses packed together like sar
dines.
Mediterrenean was two seas—one to
the east and the other to the west of
Sicily. When the Atlantic cut Africa
from Spain, the same convulsion made
Sicily an island.
It is a strange island on which all
races of the world have contended for
mastery, and on which all have left
their imprint. •
Before Solomon was writing love
sick poetry to the queen of Sheba,
the Canaanites (Phoenicians) had es
tablished trading posts on this Island.
Soon after came Greek merchants and
traders.
Then came the Phoenician merch
ants transplanted to Carthage, and the
first deadly conflict between the Aryan
and Semetic races for the rulershlp
of Europe—for the mastery of the
world, even to this day—was joined j
on this island. The conflicting forces I
appealed to Baal, Moloch and to Zeus.
The Greeks fought both Carthagen
ians and Romans. In the end, the Ro
mans beat both, but the Greeks
mained dominant In Sicily under Ro
man overlordship.
During this thousand
re
years the
grea^ city of Syracuse was the clear
ing port for the sea commerc of the
world.
Into this city was gathered
the best and choicest of the science,
a#t and culture of the world.
There
every vice peculiar to the nations
along the Mediterranean was harvest
ed and made commoplace.
Hannibal fought ln Sicily to avenge
the death of his grandfather. In Sicily
lived the mathematician, Archimedes,
Inventor of the screw pump and the
authority on fortifications.
From Sicily came Pyrrhus into Italy
to beat the Aamans. There lived and
ruled the great Timoleon and there,
also, once sat Damocles of the Hang
Continued on page five.
TUBERCULAR
CATTLE WILL
Milch Cows at the Insane Asylum
Are Believed to Be Inocula
ted With Disease.
DR. MITCHELL WILL
DEMAND INVESTIGATION
State Veterinarian Says That He Has
Discovered Germs in Blood of Thir
teen Cows—More Thorough Tests
Will be Made.
Daily News Special.
Jackson, Dec. 31.—The discovery of
thirteen head of cattle in the herd at
the Mississippi Insane hospital alleged
to be afflicted with tuberculosis is a
subject that will come before the meet
ing of the board of trustees of that in
stitution next week.
The inspection of the herd made by
Dr. Lewis, the state veterinarian, was
stopped before he had completed his
examination, and it is understood that
the trustees will ask that a thorough
test bo made in order to determine
whether other cattle are infected, and
if the disease prevails among the
milch cows.
.
years to purchase the beef supply
fr °m one of the large Northern pack
ing houses. This naturally gives rise
j to the fear that if Dr. Lewis has al
ready found thirteen head of cattle in
j fected with turberculosls, he will dls
\ cover others when he inspects the
I milch cows,
I —
Dr. T. J. Mitchell, superintendent of
the institution, advised the veterin
arian that he did not regard the blood
test infallible, and if the veterinarian
renews his inspection it is expected
that the board will ask him to
the correctness of his prenouncements
by more thorough tests.
prove
Only a very small porportion of the
hospital herd consists of beef cattle,
as it has been the custom for several
j
ALABAMA SALOONS
WILL OBEY NEW LAW
j
I
Hearst News Service.
Mobile, Ala., Dec. 31.—At 12 o'clock
tonight the saloons of Alabama will
be placed under the ban of state
hibition and after that hour it will be
illegal to sell whisky in Alabama. It
is believed here that all of the saloon
keepers will close their places of busl.
ness and await the outcome of a test
of the constitutionality of the meas
ure.
pro
GET READY FOR
THE BIO BLIZZARD
Hearst News Service.
Washington, Dr. C„ Dec. 31.—Owing
to the prevalence of blizzards in the
Northwest, said to be now moving in
a Southerly direction, the weather
bureau has Issued warnings of colder
weather in the South.
CARS COLLIDE;
20 PEOPLE HURT
Hackensack, N. J, Dec. 23.—Twenty
persons were injured this morning
when two large trolley cars on the
Hudson River Traction line met ln
htar-on collision.
D'LO DOCTOR
IS ARRESTED
AS A FIREDDG
Store Burned On December 23
Was Insured For Five Times
Its Actual Value.
NEGRO ARRESTED AS
DOCTOR'S ACCOMPLICE i
Evidence Collected by Deputy State
Commissioner
Franklin County Farmer Has Been
Arrested on Similar Charge.
Insurance
Watts.
cendiar.v fires, returned last night
from Dio, Simpson county, where he
placed undeij arrest*Dr. .1. A. Kennedy, [
a prominent merchant and citizen of
Daily News Special.
Jackson, Dec. 31.—Dr. Van B. Watts,
deputy state insurance commissioner,
charged with the investigation of in
hat place on the charge of arson. At
the same time a negro named Dode
Grubbs was arrested, charged with be. !
,__
Dr. Kennedy's store W'as destroyed
by fire on December 23, and, accord-1
ing to evidence collected by Deputy i
Watts, the property was not worth
ceeding $1-800, while the insurance
carried amounted To^JlO.OOO. After a
searchlngTrTvestigaTTon Dr. Watts un
earthed evidence which he believes is
sufficiently strong to warrant
fiction of both parties.
ex
I
Just prior to this investigation Dr. i
Watts placed under arrest A. H. Tent- J
pie, a farmer living
Franklin county* on the charge of j
burning down his own residence,
sumably for the purpose of collecting [
excessive insurance
a con
near Knoxville.
pro
'
Temple's preliminary hearing will J
take place at Roxie on the 5th of Janu- ■
ary.
Kennedy and Grubbs will take place!
at Dio at a date yet to be fixed.
preliminary hearing of!
The
HAINS' PARENTS
PLACE!) ON STAND
!
|
Hearst News Service.
Flushing, L. I„ Dec. 31.—The mother
and father of T. Jenkins Hains,
trial as an accessory in the murder of
William E. Annis, took the stand for
the defense this morning. General I
Hains said that his father died of in
sanity. Mrs. Hains testified that
Thornton Hains had been placed in
charge of his brother, owing to the
mental condition of the latter, follow
ing the reports of the conduct of his
wife and Annis. She was excused
without cross-examination.
At noon a recess was taken until to
morrow on account of the physical
condition of Attorney McIntyre, chief
counsel for the defense.
•> ❖ •> ❖ ❖ ❖ ♦ ♦ ❖ •> •> •> ❖ •>
❖ THE DAILY NEWS
♦
PROGNOSTICATOR. •»
❖ ❖ •> «❖ ❖ ❖ •> •> ❖ •>
m
l
sm
Washington, D. C., Dec. 31.—For
Mississippi: Fair and colder tonight;
Friday probably threatening.
Big Lumber Contract
Soon to Be Awarded
—20,000.000 FEET.
A big lumber contract is about to
be let in the Hattiesburg district,
among the different mills, by the Ket
tle Creek Company of Indianapolis,
the amount desired being 20,000,000
feet to be used for wooden block pav
ing. The agents of the concern
visiting different mills and lumbermen
are
Natchez Saloons
Defy State Laws;
Still Wide Open
i
i
Daily News Special.
Jackson, Mlss. r Dec. 31.—Governor
Noel was advised this afternoon that
the saloons in Natchez were being
kept open in violation of the attorney
general's interpretation to mean that
the statutory law became operative at
midnight las^t night, instead of mid
night tonight,
Thp KOV,,rnor satp<1 tha t he would I
yse every means possible to enforce ,
the law and explains that one re-;
Brother Charlie Taft
Now Out of the Race
i
Hearst News Service.
Columbus, O., Dec. 31.—It is report
I ed here this afternoon that Charles P.
i la,t ' aftpr a ' on & conference with
J Theodore H art °n, has decided to
j
[
'
J
■
TO CITY OFFICIALS
! Daily News Special.
| Jeckson, Dec. 31.
|
Secretary of
State Power found upon the issuance
of about 2,000 commissions to the
municipal officials elected on Dec. 8,
at the general elections throughout
the state in towns operating under
the code chapter governning munic
I
STILL BUSY
Jackson, Dec. 31.—State Superintend
ent of Eudcation J. N. Powers is still
busy with the work of preparing for
the January distribution of the com
mon school fund, warrants
which
will be sent out to the various county
superintendents by January 10, after,
which dale Treasurer Edwards hopes
to have sufficient money in Ihe treas
ury to pay the warrant, as well as
such others as have not yet been paid
for want of funds.
NEW CHANCELLOR
SUCCEEDS ANDREWS
Lincoln, Neb.^Dec. 31.—Dr. E. Ben
jamin Andrews, chancellor of the Uni
versity of Nebraska, will retire from
that position today and will be suc
ceeded by Dr. Samuel Avery as act
ing chancellor. Dr. Avery will likely
become permanent chancellor if hia
administration is satisfactory.
Andrews, the retiring chancellor, is
fine of the best known educators in
the country.
Dr.
of this section and it Is likely that
the contract will be divided up. The
agents are now securing samples and
prices.
The timber will be purchased in
regular lengths and will be shipped (o |
the company's mills and creosoted and"
cut into such lengths as will be de
sired.
course available in addition to crim- I
inal prosecution is to bring suits on
the bonds of the saloon keepers. This i
means that the matter will come be
fore the supreme court for a legal itF
terpretation of the enforcing clause
of the new law, which declares that
Ihe saloons shall close "on and after
December 31."
Advices received here slate that all
I saloons in other wet towns closed
, their doors and quit business last
night.
quit the race for Foraker's seat in the
senate and an official announcement
to this effect is momentarily expected.
This will insure the election of Burton
and the consequent defeat of Foraker.
'Palities, that there were just 233 such
Just how many towns there
are in the state operating under spe
cial charters
without
towns.
cannot be ascertained
elaborate research, but they
are few as compared with those
have elected to
who
come under the code
chapter.
NEW AUGUSTA
ODD FELLOWS
•
j
!
J
|
The Odd Fellows at New Augusta
had a banquet at the installation of j
their newly elected officers Wodnos I
day night. H. Katz, deputy grand j
master of this place, had charge of j
the installation work and was assisted
by Messrs. C. F. Rcddoch. Wright,
Williams ami Harbeaon, of this city;
The following are the new officers:
C. A. McSwaln, noble grand; F. F.
Hinton, vice grand; M. Golden, treas
urer; A. A. McSwain, secretary.
Misses Irene Fullilove, Annie Car
penter, Florence McSwain and Mrs. R.
T. Rohbinson had charge of the tables.
ANOTHER OLD FIDDLER.
Much to the delight of those in
charge of the old tiddlers' contest, Mr.
W. M. Conner will render that beauti
ful and touching old-time air, famous
in this section in days gone by, entitled
"The Old Cow Died in the Forks of
the Branch." This old-time melody
alone will be worth the price of ad
mission.
THE SALOON
IS BANISHED
FROM STATE
Liquor Dealers in Seven Counties
Closed Their Doors at 12
0 Clock Last Night
STIRLING'S DECISION
PROVOKES ILL FEELING
Lawyers Agree That He Was Tech
i nically Correct, but There Is Some
Doubt As to the Spirit of the Law.
Prohibitionists Elated.
I
[
i
Daily News Special.
Jackson, Dec. 31.
statutory prohibition law, banishing
the open saloon in every county in the
state, went into effect at midnight,
and not a saloon in the state opened
I its doors for business this morning.
Reports from the seven counties
itha, remained we, " during the local
I potion regime, state that the liquor
dealers accepted the inevitable very
:
Mississippi's
\ cheerfully. Many of them had allowed
their stocks to run down, and had but
a small supply of liquors on hand at
the closing hour. Others have arrang
'd to open business in adjoining states
and supply their Mississippi patrons
through the jug trade.
Although it is Gonceded that At
torney General Stirling was legally
correct In his interpretation of the
statutory prohibition law to mean that
the saloons must close at midnight on
Wednesday, it is at the same time the
general belief that it was the intention
of the legislature to allow them to re
main open on December 31, closing
their doors at the exact moment the
new year begins. However, the statute
abolishes saloons, "on and after Dec.
31," and the attorney general right
fully construed it to mean that they
could not remain open on Dec. 31.
The prohibitionists of the state are
much gratified over the acquiescent
atitude of the liquor men to the will
of the law, and the fact that there is
to be no legal test of the new statu
tory measure.
OLD YEAR
Tonight at 12 o'clock the order will
ho to "ring out the old. ring in the
now," and as it is customary among
a great many people to ait up and
see the old year die and the new one
come in, it Is probable that a number
of Hattlesburgans
till be up until
after 12 o'clock tonight, especially the
j younger people,
j
j
Today is the last day that 1008 can
he placed on the date of letters—to
morrow it will he 1909.
And this oalis to mind the fact that
only a few more hours of leap year
remain wherein the young ladies are
supposed, with propriety, to propose
to the young men. The young ladles
who have dillatory lovers, too bashful
to propose, have now only a few hours
ln which to "pop the question" them
selves. It Is the last opportunity to
make the young men who have been
their "fellows" define their attentions,
for according to custom the privilege
of proposing will be left altogether to
the young men after today.
It is probable that there will bo sev
eral parties of young people who will
sit up tonight with the old year and
see it pass away, and after the hour
of twelve has been struck, they will
welcome the new year, the Joys and
sorrows of which are unknown.