Newspaper Page Text
The Times-Recorder is the ONLY paper in the Third Congressional District with Associated Press Service. THIRTY-NINTH YEAR. • JURY RECEIVES THE CASE OF DR. CHAPMAN CHARGED THE MURDER OF WALTER WADE AT 2:25 P. N. Frank Hooper Resumes Closing Argu ment For the Defense In The Chapman Trial SECOND WEEK OF TRIAL STARTS HERE AT 9 A. M. H. A. Harp is Released from Jail On a Bond of SSOO This Afternoon By Judge The jury received the case of Dr. C. K. Chapman, charged with the mur der of Walter Wade, at 2:25 o’clock this afternoon. They immediately re tired to their rooms and later had din ner. The charge of Judge Littlejohn con sumed 25 minutes and dealt witr the plain legal aspects of the case. Judge J. A. Hixon cloqfd his argu ment for the state about 2 o’clock, as • ter speaking eloquently during three hours. It was a wonderful effort on the part of the attorney, who has been engaged on the case since a few days after the investiagtion began. Judge Hixon reviewed the case of the state, and lastly in his address contended the circumstantial evidence produced corroborated Mrs. Yeartie Howell, in every instance. Court ran on through the noon hour in the effort of Judge Littlejohn t<- get the case to the jury before they l ad dinner. Judge J. A. Hixon, leading counsel for the state, began the final argument of the trial, speaking for the prosecu tion, at 11:10 o’clock this morning. Frank Hooper, counsel for the de fense, resumed his argument this morning at 9 o’clock, as the closing i peech in defense df Dr. Chapman. He spoke for one hour and fifty minutes and in the beginning said that he v ould take up another line of thought, lie spoke for nearly an hour Saturday night before his sudden attack of headache. His address was an appeal lor a verdict in favor of Dr. Chapman based on the evidence in the case, charging a failure of the state to pro duce evidence sufficient to cast sus picion upon Dr. Chapman, much less secure a conviction. He defended the alibis in the case and attacked the statement of Mrs. Yeartie Howell, the state’s star witness. Large Crowd Gathered. The Sumter county courthouse was crowded this morning when court con vened. The heavy over-hanging clouds ar.d misty weather did not prevent many people from crowding into the large court room. Not a seat could be secured during the addresses of Frank Hooper and Judge Hixon. Prayer by tlte Jury. It is reliably reported that the jury Las had prayer each evening during t' eir service and readings from the bible. • The jury in the Chapman trial is: J. i. ’ Peel, C. D Brinkley, S. P. Smith, " ! R. Cannon, Thad B. Reese, H. A. Deriso. Jr.. R. L. Thomas, R C An drews. C N. Smith, R. B. Clifton, E. Timmerman, Jr., F. M. Webb. Ten of the jurors are farmers, one a cotton r an and the other a jeweler. Visiting the Scene. Scores of people visited the scene of the alleged crime on the Dixie High way. near the home of Crawford Wheatley, during yesterday. An interesting development of the day’s session was a motion by Solici tor-General John Allen Fort, that H. A Harp, one of the defendants indicted in connection with the Wade murder, I<■ releaesd from custody under SSOO 1917 WILL BRING A GREAT PROSPERITY ATLANTA, Ga., Jan. 15—The year 1917 will bring the greatest prosperity this country has ever known, and the South particularly will share in these good times to a greater extent than in 1916, according to the leading finan ciers, bankers and business men of this city, who regard the outlook as the most promising in history. They declare that whether the war ends in a year or does not end, the United States will continue to take the profits of enormous production in all lines, both agricultural and industrial. Even should the war end within the year, which is not improbable, the ar mies of the fighting nations will prob ably not disband within six months after ipeace neogtiations commence, and this means that America will con tinue to supply the world. The South, which has not shared so largely as other sections in the great prosperity of the past twelve on ths, will be in a better position after the war than any portion of the United States, for the South will be getting high prices for everything she sells, ar.d paying low prices for everything she buys. TEUTONSME?, FORWARD DRIVE INTO f MANIA (By Associated Press.) The Teutons today are only six miles from Galatz, an imixirtant Rumanian 1 ort on the Danube and Sereth line.Va deni ,the only town between the Teu tons and Galatz. was occupied during Sunday by the Austro-Germans. There were few changes along the est of the Balkan battle line, with bad weather impeding operations seriously. Petrograd reports indicated virtually no change anywhere, while Berlin claim isolated gains on the Moldavian frontier. In the Riga district at the northern it’d of the Russian front, the Czar's troops, apparently, withstood heavy Germany counter attacks, while activ ity along the Franco-Belgian front con sited chiefly of artillery fir®. Lond. The motion being approved by the court, Harp furnished securities in the sum named and was released by Sheriff Harvey. He is the second of the defendants arrested to be discharg ed from custody, the other being Clara Oliver, alis “Little Bit.’ against whom nc indictment was returned by the grand jury. THE ONLY PAPER PUBLISHED IN AMERICUS AND THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WITH TELEGRAPHIC SERVICE AMERFBSBMESifIffIJROER MEETIJIGS OPEN IN ATHENS TIMWIIH I STATE INTEREST ATHENS, Ga., Jan. 15.—The annual short course for farmers at the College of Agriculture came to a close Satur day. and on Monday the meetings of the Georgia Dairy and Live Stock as sociations, the Georgia Breeders’ asso ciation and the Georgia State Horti cultural society, began. The meetings of these organizations will continue during three days. The actual enrollment of farmers at the short course was 122. These farm ers who were for the most part, pro gressive young men fro mall parts of the state, were highly pleased with the work. A number are remaining for the farmers' meetings. The county agents, both men and women, have been in conference during the short course term and will also remain over for the farmers’ meetings. During the past ten days, the student body of the College of Agriculture was increased by 250 farmers and agents. President Soule states it is the most successful short course the college has ever held and the best agents’ conference. Features of the short course have been the boll wevvil conference held each day between 5 and 6 o’clock. Ex perts and farmers who have grown cotton successfully under boll weevil I conditions in the states west of Geor- I gia were the principal speakers, though 1 much of the time there was no stated speaking, but a series of questions and answers in which there was always the liveliest interest. Another very interesting part of the short course has been the noon hour, arter-dinner speeches. Lunch was served in the building by the Athens v. W. C. A. After lunch, around the tables. President Soule acting as toast master, there has been some of the “greatest hits” of the occasion in which some of the prominent men of the state,' members of the faculty and others, were called upon for messages. EARNER SHOW MME DE EQUIPMENT I ATLANTA. Ga., Jan. 15. —Increased I earnings of the railroads in 1916 were I reflected in increased construction and increased purchase of equipment, as shown by figures just made public in this city, based upon statistics cover i ing the entire country. ■ During 1916, no less than 1,098 miles of new railroad w T as built, as against ( new mileage of 933 in 1915. The larg ' est amount of new construction was in | Montana, with 99 miles, and South I Carolina came second with 92 miles. In the purchase of equipment there j was an even greater increase during 1916 as compared with the year before. The railroads ordered 170,000 new freight cars, as against 107,796 in 1915,1 ard 80,264 in 1914. They ordered 2.- 923 new locomotives, as compared to 11,573 in 1915 and 1,265 in 1914. , I RECRUITING RECORDS BROKEN DURING DECEMBER ATLaNTA. Ga.. Jan. 15.—December broke all recruiting records in At lanta, according to figures just an ' uounced. No less than 140 men were a'-cepted as privates, and in addition to ’ these are sixty young Georgians who will take examinations for lieutenants’ | commissions during January. MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS AMERICUS. GEORGIA. MONDAY AFTERNOON. JANUARY 15. 1917 IHWOE DOCKET TO DE CftLLED HERE Judge William M. Harper, of the City Court of Americus, has announc ed to the bar that he will call the appearance docket of his court at 10 o’clock Friday morning, January 19th. One part of one week’s court in Judge Harper’s branch has been allowed be cause of the conflict of dates for the Superior court with the Wade cases and the regular time for holding City court. SNOWSTDRNIPISSES THfHHJGHTHESOUTH MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 15.—Eastern Aikansas, northern Mississippi and western Tennessee are in the grip of r. snowstorm today. Four and a half inches of the fleecy covered mother earth here at noon, with flurries still falling and the snow much deeper in drifts Telegraphic communication is par tially interupted, but despatches from Texas this afternoon said the northern and central portions of the Lone Star State had experienced the worst snow fall in years. In the Panhandle dis tricts, it is feared many cattle, are suffering because of the extreme weather and the property loss there may be considerable. ADMIRAL DEWEY iIS ILLWITH ANXIOUS NATION I | WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 15.—Ad j miral Dewey is very weak today, and his physicians feared this morning his vitality might fail at any time. He is eighty years old and suffering from a general breakdown. i A bulletin posted by the attending I physicians this afternoon states “Ad | miral Dewey is slowly sinking.” His i physicians believe the end to be near, i WHITE SLAVERY DECISION MADE BY HIGH COURT i i WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 15. ■ Prosecutions for transporting women .In interstate commerce are not to be i limited to commercialized vice, the Su- ■ preme court decided today, but these i may also include personal immoral es : capes. The court decision affirms the ■ conviction of F. Drew Cominetti and ■ Maury I. Diggs, convicted in the dis | trict court at Sacramento, Cal., of vio- I lating the Mann white slave act in i transporting two young women to ; Utah for immoral purposes, the evi | dences showing no commercial feature j entered into the transaction, which was purely a personal escapade. The case I attracted nation-wide attention be cause of the prominence of the par- . ties involved, Caminetti being a son of the United States commissioner of . immigration, and Diggs, a well known i California architect. President Wil ' son manifested personal interest in these cases, directing the district at torney at Sacramento to prosecute the indicted men without relaxation. Chief Justice White, and Justices McKenna and Clarke dissented from ' the majority opinion, while Justice Mcßeynolds did not participate in the cases. The appeal of L. T. Hays, of Alva, Okla., involving a similar esca- I pade, was also confirmed. PUBS TALKED IN DISCUSSION FOR I MEETING HERE A good number of Baracas and Phi latheas were present yesterday after noon at the First Baptist church, In response to a call of President E. J. Witt, of the City Baraca union. In attendance were Chas. H. King, of Savannah, and E. H. Muse, of Albany. G. T. Mason, of Montezuma, who was expected to be present, was prevented from attending ttye meeting. This mu ting was held principally to decide upon tentative arrangements and plans for handling the state con vention. which meets in Americus dur. ing June. Charles H. King, one of the leaders in handling the state conven j tion at Savannah last year, gave some I valuable information along this line, i Mr. Muse also delivered an interesting ' talk. I The regular monthly meeting of the City Baraca Union will be held tonight at the Presbyterian church at 7:30 o’clock, when the largest attendance since the organization of the union will doubtless be present Important business matters are to be brought up at the meetings tonight, especially those referring to plans for entertaining the coming state conven tions. Probably a thousand or twelve hundred visitors, for whom homes are to be provided, are expected to be In Americus during the sessions of the convention. BAPTISTS 10 RAISE HALF MILLION HERE ATLANTA, Ga., Jan. 15.—The Geor gia Bapaist convention has decided to put on a state-wide campaign to raise half a million dollars for the three 1 main Baptist institutions in the state, which are Mercer University at Macon; I Bessie Tift College, at Forsyth, and the Georgia Baptist Hospital in Atlanta. A committee of five prominent Bap tists has been appointed to have gen eral charge of the campaign, as fol lows: Rev. F. C. McConnell, Atlanta; I Rev. John D. Mell, Athens; Dr. L. GJ Hardman, Commerce; P: J. Nichols, Griftin; Judge E. G. Collins. Reidsville. C. J. Hood, of Commerce, a promin ent banker and leader in the Baptist; denomination, has accepted the direc-1 torship of the campaign and the ways and means committee of five will turn over all plans to him for execution. i The exact sum of money to be asked for is $415,000, with the object of freeing Georgia’s Baptist institutions, from debt, and it has been unanimously agreed by the convention that no J money collected will be paid out untilj the full amount i- 3 secured. “The task-that is on us requires the j largest giving in the history of Geor- ■ gia Baptists,” declares Rev. B. J. W.' Graham in the Christian Index, the' official organ of the Georgia Baptist j convention. "If they start out by try- ■ ing to satisfy their consciences by giv ■. ing SIOO where they ought to give sl,- 000, and by giving SI,OOO where they, or ght to give SIO,OOO, they will fail.” I — RABBITS ARE USED IN ' PLAGE BF OTHER MEAT ATLANTA. Ga., Jan. 15.—Beef, pork, chicken and other meats are so expen sive that Atlantians of moderate means are turning to rabbits to satisfy their hunger, and the big demand has creat ed a very profitable market for farm ers in the wholec ountry surrounding tli is city. A rabbit, as everyone knows, con tains as much available meat as a good-sized chicken, and it is excellent; n eat for those who like it. One can further and fare much worse than the; juicy "drum-stick” of a "cotton-ta’l” ■ fattened on turnips and cabbage and sweet potatoes. HALF MILLION NOW GINNED IN MONTH WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 15.—Cot ton ginned during the month of De cember totalled 536,587 bales, the cen cus bureau announced this morning. For the-five months ending December , 31st, a total of 2,763,962 bales were gin . ned in the cotton-producing states, lin. ; ters not being included In the figures ' given. On hand at consuming establish , ments December 31st, there were 2,- ■ 362.960 bales, acording to the report of ' the census bureau, with 4,65,000 bales , stored at public warehouses and In compresse. December exports totalled 737,500 bales. u-boat sighted BELffl TO BE DEUTSCHLAIIB NEW YORK, Jan. 15.—An unidenti fied submarine was sighted eight hun dred miles east of Newport by persons aboard the British freighter Clematis, arriving here today from Bordeaux. It was said the ship may be the German merchant suzbarine Deutschland. En tente warships were not sighted by the Clematis during the trans-Atlantic voyage. RUCKER IS I WIT OF GEORGIA BAR ATLANTA, Ga., Jan. 15.—Tinsley W. i Rucker, of Athens, Ga., who has been elected to the unexpired term of the late Cnogressman S. J. Tribble, of thd Eighth district, is the most famous wit of the Georgia bar. He is especially known for his sar castic comments on courts and: judges deciding case adversely to his clients. On one occasion he is said to have made this comment on the su-! preme court of Georgia: "The Supreme court is composed of 1 men of brains and character. Those who possess brains have no character. I and those who possess character have no brains.” His brother-in-law, Judge Andrew Cobb, of Athens, was a member of the Supreme court when Mr. Rucker ut tered the comment, which is among the famous sayings of the state. COMMITTEE FOR “LEAK” TO START THREE J’GLOCK WASHINGTON, D. C.. Jan. 15.—The house rules committee expected t° meet at 3 o'clock this afternoon to resume efforts to get Thomas W. Lawson, the Boston financier to divulge the names of certain officials he intimated at a Previous hearing might be involved | , in the alh-ged “leak” regarding Presi dent Wfison’s peace note to the Euro pean belligerents. The committee be gins its sitting empowe/ed to threaten Lawson with contempt proceedings if he persists in refusing to answer I questions put to him. and it is be- ■ lieved Lawson will be forced to testify I iull.y At a preliminary meeting held this ' morning the committee voted to ask j the house to broaden the scope of the investigation and give the committee I . ninety days in which to submit its re ' port. ri-Tv V EDITION fi I SPAN NELL MUST 1 ANSWER FOR THE DEATHS OF TWQ SAN ANEGIjO, Tex., Jan. 15.— Harry. J. Spannell was placed on trial hera~ i today for the murder of Lieutenant- Colonel c. M. Butler and Mrs. Crystal . Hope Holland Spannel, last July. Th* . killing in Alpine, Tex... of Lieutenant- E Colonel C. M. Butler, of the Sixth. Unifc j; ed States cavalry, and Mrs. Harry 9~ i Spannell by Harry J. Spannell, wirfte. the three were automobiling on July ) 20, 1916, and for which the latter wan* indicted on a charge of murder, caw ed a sensation among army men on th* Mexican border. Spannell was indicted by the grand jury at Alpine on » I charge of murder, but because of th* local feeling it was deemed advisable I to grant a change of venue, and th* trial was set for San Angelo. A continuance of the hearing was granted until tomorrow after the rott , of witnesses had been called, it being; shown several of the defense witnesses | would be unable to arrive until eariy- Tuesday. I Spannell was a music teacher at Baylor College, at Waco, Tex., when he married Crystal Holland, the daughter* - cf Colonel John Holland, a wealthy ■ cattle man of western Texas. Laten* i Spannell went to Alpine with his wife where he assumed management of the ; Holland hotel, which was owned hy Mrs. Spannell's father. Mr. and Mr» • Spannell made their home at the h*v : tel. It was there that they met Lieuten ant-Colonel Butler when the army of ficer came to Alpine in command Of the cavalry troops on that part of th* border. Lieutenant-Colonel Butler* made his headquarters at the Hollands hotel and became the friend of Mr. an< Mrs. Spannell. C n the evening of the tragedy Span nell drove up to the door of the hotel in his automobile and invited Lieuten ant-Colonel Butler to accompany him and Mrs. Spannell for a ride. Whe* only a short distance from the hoteiL and on the principal street of the Itt- ■ tie town, shots were heard from the Spannell automobile and Mrs. Spa*- nell was found in a dying condition tar the rear seat of the car, with Lieuten ant-Colonel Butler’s body beside her. | Her headth followed soon after. | Spannell gave himself up. but ne i I | fused to make any statement regard ing the tragedy. , Because of the prominence of the victims, a board of inquiry was ap l pointed from the army to make an investigation of the facte leading up to the tragedy. This board completely exonerated Lieut.-Col. Butler from any blame and the report stated the army officer’s friendship- for Mr. and Mrs. Spannell was honorable and his con duct above reproach at all times. Lieutenant-Colonel Butler was the son of Major General Calvert Mathew Butler (retired) of South Carolina, whe* was a United States senator at one time. His wife was the daughter of a. leading family of Nashville. Tenn. BWOIDS CHUT GET SOME BOOK PIE WASHINGTON. D. C.. Jan. 15.— The i 1 Supreme court decidel today that rait ? roads cannot recover claims for addt i tional compensation for carrying the mails from 1917 to 1911. Appeals in : case of the Chicago and Alton and the 1 Zazoo and Mississippi Valley railroads : ! involving rejected test claims, were I decided against both roads. The decision is regarded as deciding the claims of about eight hundred ratt icads in various parts of the Unitel States, involving in the aggregate ap proximately $35,000,000. *■ DAILY WEATHER FORECAST ♦ , > ♦ ” :. ♦ The weather forecast for Amer- * L • icus and vicinity follows: : ♦ Probably rain or snow to- ** ♦ night. Tuesday, unsettled. * NUMBER 13.