The Lexington Leader (Lexington, Okla.), Vol. 25, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, December 31, 1915 Page: 2 of 12
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THE LEXINGTON LEADER
NEWS OF THE
STATE CAPITAL
! Commission Demands Express Refund.
No further negotiations looking to.
ward the promulgation of a new sched'
ule of express rates for Oklahoma will
be considered by the corporation com1
mission until the express companies
have paid to the commission the re-
i fund in overcharges of approximately
A. J. SEAY, ONCE SUPREME JUDGE; $700,000, which the commission and
OF TERRITORY, DIES IN ' 'he supreme court have ordered paid
CALIFORNIA i ,0 tlle shippers of the state.
I That is the substance of an ultlEft'
j lum delivered to representatives of th«
OKLAHOMA CITY NEWS EVENTS '"press companies by Chairman Jack
Love of the commission, when ths
compnnies mad«i their final plea to th«
commission for permission to install
what is known as the interstate com-
merce commission block system ot
charges for express shipments.
Representatives of the express cs
panies lold the commission the cou-
riers would make the refund if the*
were permitted to install the new
What the State Officials and Depart-
ments Are Doing—items of In-
terest About the State
Oklahoma City.—Judge A. J. Seay,
who was territorial governor of Okla-
homa from 1892 to 1894 and for two
years preceding was supreme judge o(
the territory, is dead at Long Beach, rates' whlch «re considerably higher
Calif., where he has made his home ( "iai1 'hose now charged.
during the last three years. He died The express companies' represents-
at the age of 83 years. tives indicated they would not meet
When Oklahoma was organized j demand, but would fight the refund
President Harrison appointed Judge 'n ",e fe('era' court.
Seay to the supreme court bench and About five years ago the commission
his appointment as governor followed. Issued an order promulgating a sched-
He was succeeded by William C. Ren- ule ,of rates which express companies
frew of Norman. j were required to charge in Oklahoma.
Judge Seay retired to his home at The carriers objected and appealed to
Kingfisher after he left the governor-: the supreme court. They entered into
ship. His residence there was one of a" asreement with the commission
the most magnificent in the territory ,hat ln the event the ruleN eventually
at that time. Ill health caused his should be sustained by the courts they
later removal to California. wouW refund to the shippers the dif-
Born in Amherst county, Virginia,1 ference between the rates charged and
Judge Seay moved with his parents to those Prescribed by the commission.
Missouri when he was 3 years old. | The supreme court, in an opinion by
The family's early life was typical of Governor Williams a short time before
the pioneer days. Work on the con- he resigned from the bench, affirmed
struction of the Missouri Pacific rail- j the rates Prescribed by the commis-
way, the first line west of the Missis- sion an<i tllrected that the refund of
sippl river and the first railroad hej aPProximately $700,000 be made by
had ever seen, gave him the means forj "ie carriers.
his start in life. He saved money j The express companies immediately
enough to buy a few books, taught a I Put in effect the prescribed schedule
country school, attended an academy,
read law and finally was admitted to
the bar.
Judge Seay served in the Civil war
and was mustered out with the rank
of major. Then he took up the prac-
tice of law. He was nominated by the
republican party for numerous offices.
He ser ed a term as judge of the cir-
cuit court of appeals of the Eastern
district of Missouri, beginning his du-
ties in 1888.
Postoffice Extension To Be Started.
Construction of the $200,000 addition
to the Oklahoma City federal building
will be commenced almost immedi-
ately.
That is the inference drawn from
an announcement made by Postmaster
Claude Weaver that he, as custodian
of the federal building, had been di-
rected by the supervising architect of
the treasury department at Washing-
ton to obtain permission from Mayor
Overholser for the use of streets and
sidewalks in connection with the erec-
tion of the addition. This preliminary
was understood to indicate the inten-
tion of government officials to begin
the new structure in the near future.
The addition will be of substantially
the same size as the present structure,
it Is understood, although Postmaster
Weaver declined to give details as to
the size and character of the bu'lding
until authorized to do so by Washing-
ton officials.
The completed federal building, in-
cluding the present part, will have a
Frontage of 300 feet on the Third street
side. A magnificent entrance finished
In marble will be built on that side, it
Is understood.
One hundred and eleven thousand
dollars, nearly half the estimated cost
of the addition, is in the United States
treasury, ready to be expended to com-
mence construction. That amount was
appropriated in the sundry civil bill of
February, 1914. In addition to this
Bum, the. supervising architest has
asked for an appropriation in the pres-
ent sundry civil bill for $55,000, mak-
ing available for immediate use $166,-
000. The balance of the $250,000 which
Is the estimated cost of the improve
ment, will be appropriated by congress
when needed.
The present building and its cite
cost $409,000, of which $159,000 went
for the purchase of the land at Third
street and Robinson avenue on which
the federal building stands. The pres-
ent building is 126 by 127 feet in size.
Annuls High Interest Rate.
An opinion handed down by one of
the divisions of the supreme court
division may be expected to stop the
practice of some banks of paying or
promising to pay excessive interest on
deposits.
In the ease of the Morrison State
Hank vs. Ettie Hughes the decision of
the lower court is modified and inter-
est on the deposit Involved is fixed by
the court at four per cent per annum.
The syllabus reads: "It is contrary
to the nubile policy of this state for
the officers of a bank organized under
the laws of this state to pay or agree
to pay ten per cent interest on deposits
In said such bank, and because thereof
a contract entered into by the officers
of such bank to pay such a rate of in-
terest on deposits is void insofar as
it relates to the payment of such rate
of interest on deposits.
More Than Million In State Depository
State funds in the official depository
reached $1,041,416.30 at the close of
business last week. This shows an in-
crease of approximately $70,000 dur-
ing the past two weeks. The money is
carried In the depository to the credit
of the different state departments t-
which It belongs. It draws Interest at
the rate of 3 per cent, which is added
to the fund. Acccrding to the terms
of the depository law, all departments
of state,are required to deliver the
money under their care to the depos-
itory.
without further contest, but appealed
to the federal court at Guthrie for an
Injunction to restrain the commission
from collecting and making the re-
fund. No effort has been made by the
carriers to push the application for the
injunction. They have been trying in
the meantime -to reach a settlement
with the commission.
Some time ago the carriers sub-
mitted a proposal to the commission
to the effect that the refund would
be made if they were permitted to
Install the interstate commerce com
mission block system of charges for
Oklahoma. After a study of this sys-
tem the oemmission found that in
some instances the proposed rates
were as much-as 102 per cent higher
than those now effective. It also
found, it said, numerous glaring in-
consistencies in the proposed rate, i
For instance, the new schedules pro.
vide that the rate per 100 pounds on
merchandise from Oklahoma City to
Bennington be $1.15 and the rate on
the same commodity from Oklahoma
City to Durant over the same route
and with comparatively little differ-
ence ln the distance would be $1.40 per
100 pounds.
The present rate on merchandise
from Oklahoma City to Clinton, Okla.,
is 85 cents per 100 pounds, while the
rate in the proposed schedule would
be $1.40. Similar instances of incon-
sistencies and advances as compared
with' present rates exist in the pro
posed schedule between many other
places in the state, according to the
commission.
Judges Named New Commissioners.
Governor Williams announced the
appointment of new members of the
district judge division of the supreme
court commission known as Division
No. 5, as follows:
Judge Preston S. Davis of Vinita.
Judge Will Linn of Chickasha, and
Judge T. P. Clay of Mangum.
They will serve fftr a period of four
months, beginning January 15. They
will succeed Judge Tom D. McKeown
of Ada, Judge W. C. Crow of Man-
gum, and Judge Charles B. Wilson of
Chandler, who have composed the com-
mission since its creation by an act
of the last legislature.
Under the supreme court commis-
sion law as amended by the legisla-
ture the governor is empowered to
call In four district judges from over
the state to serve as members of the
commission for four months at a time.
This plan will be followed until the
present congested docket of the su-
preme court is relieved.
ill HI1
ARE INDICTED
ONE MEMBER AND ONE FORMER
MEMBER OF CONGRESS
INCLUDED.
CHARGE IS AIDING GERMANS
By Fomenting Strikes In American
Munitions Plants, Posing As
Labor's National Pe?ce
Council.
New York.—Eight men, including r>
congressman, a former congressman
and a former attorney general of Ohio
were indicted by a federal grand jury
on a charge of conspiring to foment
strikes In American muni;ion factories
as part of a campaign financed by the
German government to check the ex-
portation of munitions to the entente
allies. The men Indicted were Con-
gressman Frank Buchanan of Illinois;
Former Congressman H. Robert Fow-
ler of Illinois; Frank S. Monnett, for
mer attorney general of Ohio; H. B
Martin, Herman Schultels, Franz Von
Rintelen, David Lamar and Jacob C.
Taylor.
All of the men except Von Rintelen
and Lamar are officers or former offi
cers of Labor's National Peace Coun-
cil. The government charged that this
organisation was financed by Von Rin-
telen, a German agent to instigate
strikes in munition plants while os-
tensibly working in the interests o!
international peace.
Von Rintelen is at present a prisonei
of war in England. Lamar, known ae
the wolf of Wall street" was his pay-
master.
The indictment of Monnett was the
sensation of the grand jury proceed
ings. The bills against his seven co
defendants had been predicted for sev
eral weeks but Monnett's name had
not been mentioned.
According to federal officials, Mon
nett. Fowler, Buchanan and Lamai
were indicted as the leaders in the
conspiracy. Von Rintelen was the
financier and Lamar the paymaster
while Schulteis, Martin and Taylor are
accused of doing the actual work ol
trying to bribe the union leaders
Schulteis and Martin are well known
as lobbyists. Both were connected
with the anti-trust league and business
associates of Lamar. Taylor is a laboi
leader in New Jersey.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars
passed through Lamar's hands and he
benefitted personally to the extent ol
$400,000.
Rintelen Prisoner In England.
Rintelen is at present a prisoner in
England. He was seized by the British
authorities at Falmouth while fleeing
from this cotintry under a false pass-
port. He is at present under indict-
ment here, charged with conspiracy tc
procure a bogus passport as an Amer-
ican citizen. No effort will be made,
however, to obtain his return to this
country as the offenses with which he
is charged are not extraditable.
COMBINED AGES TOTAL 376 YEARS
>
A'
Here are four inmates of the Confederate home at Ardmore whose combined ages total 376 years. At the left
Is R. M. Whitmore. 102 years old, a veteran of the Mexican war, a gold seeker in California and Colorado in the
days of '49 and '59 and a veteran of the civil war. He has been a resident citizen of Oklahoma for thirty-eight
years, beside him stands his wife, 76 years old. At the left with clasped hands is M. C. Whittle, 94 years old, and
his wife. Susan Whittle, nearly 104 years old, who have been married 64 years.
STATE-WIDE
NEWS EVENTS
CORPORATION COMMISSION PRO-
TESTS PLAN OF REORGAN-
IZING FRISCO.
SEVENTH COTTON GINNING REPORT THE BELGIAN RELEIF COMMISSION
Shows Over Half a Million Bales For, Governor Sends Out Urgent Call for
Oklahoma.
Washington.—The seventh cotton
ginning report of the season, compiled
from reports of the census bureau cor-
respondents and agents throughout the
cotton belt, announced that 10,303,253
bales of cotton, counting round as half
bales, of the growth of 1915, has been
gined prior to December 13. That
compares with 13,872,229 bales, or 87.8
per cent of the entire crop ginned
prior to December 13 last year, 12,086,-
412 bales, or 92.5 per cent in 1913, and
11,854,541 bales, or 92.2 per cent in
1912. The average quantity of cotton
ginned prior to December 13 in the last
ten years was 11,476,189 bales, or 89.5
per cent of the crop.
Included in the ginings were 100,940
DIPLOMATIC BREAK COMING SURE
Little Prospect of Austrians Conced-
ing American Demands.
"Oldest Inhabitant" Paroled.
Eugene Williams have been released
from the state penitentiary at Mc-
Alester upon the condition prescribed
by Governor Williams that he leave
Oklahoma and go to live with his
people in Te*as. He has been doing
time for 23 years on a life sentence.
Last year Goyernor Lee Cruce, upon
a careful review of the case, declined
to parole the negro.
In 1892 Williams, then a boy, was
convicted in Oklahoma county of mur-
der, harlng shot and killed a brake-
man on a moving train. He claimed
the brakeman was treatening to put
him off the train. He has been in the
Oklahoma penitentiary longer than any
other man.
Washington.—Unofficial advices re-
ceived here conformed with intima-
tions from abroad that Austria's forth-
coming reply to the Ancona note will
fail to meet the demands of the United
States and Teutonic diplomatic circus
here are authoritatively represented
as being prepared for a break in rela-
tions between the two countries.
Various developments it was agreed,
might avoid such an eventuality but
none of the counter-proposals which
it had been intimated the Vienna for-
eign office might advance have been
regarded so far as coming within Sec-
retary Lansing's renewal of the de-
mands for disavowal, reparation and
punishment of the submarine com-
mander who sunk the Ancona with the
loss of more than a dozen American
lives. Now that the situation, after
being dormant nearly two weeks Is
again beginning to take on the aspects
of a crisis, the status of the negotia-
tions of the United States over sub-
marine warfare against merchantmen,
not with Austria alone, but with the
eutonic powers as allies, is command-
^ | ing attention.
Although Germany has given the
United«States assurances that she will
conform to the principle of visit and
search before attack, the practices
against which United States so vigor-
ously contended are being carried on
now by her ally, Austria, and it has
been charged that the Austrian sub-
marines are in some instances fur-
nished by Germany and in others are
officered and manned by the German
navy. Such a situation, it is being
pointed out. amounts to practically a
defeat of the submarine negotiations
with Germany.
OTHER NEWS OF THE NEW STATE
Little Incidents and Accidents That
Go to Make Up a Week's
History of a Great
Commonwealth.
Oklahoma City.—
The Oklahoma corporation commis-
sion will file a vigorous protest against
the plan recently proposed for the re-
organization of the St. Louis & San
Francisco Railroad Company. Several
days ago Governor Williams adtuessed
a letter to the commission, asking that
it intervene in the plan to see that the
interests of the state were protected.
Commissioner W. D. Humphrey stated
that he was preparing a protest and
that it will be submitted to the public
utilities commission of Missouri as
son as it is prepared. The plan of
reorganization is now pending betoro
the Missouri commission.
According to Commissioner Humph-
rey, it will be neecssary for the Frisco
to increase greatly its earnings to
meet the necessary financial obliga-
tions, which the road will incur if the
proposed plan of reorganization is car-j COTTON SEED PRODUCTION IS SHY
ried out. In order to do this It nat-
More Donations.
Oklahoma City.—Governor Williams
sands out the following appeal for
Belgian relief:
Three millions of men, women and
children must be clothed tn Belgium
and Northern France if they are not
to perish with the cold of winter,
whose rigors have no less terrors for
them than the anguish of war.
If these people are to be clad, it is
plain that the United States must go
to their rescue. To this end, the
Belgium Relief Commission of thet
United States is making a frank ap-
peal to the nation, asking for money]
to buy new materials and articles of
clothing.
The commission is very emphatic
year, 91,686 in 1913 and 75,772 in 1912.
Ginninfes prior to December 13 in
the southwestern states, with compari-
sons for the last three years and the
percentages of the entire crop ginned
in those states prior to that date in
the same years, follow:
Arkansas
«««.. Rales Pet.
1915 721,540
1914 883,965 89.5
1913 885,979 85.3
1912 703,329 91.2
Oklahoma,
1915 511,560
M14 1,069,018
1913 789,782
1912 902,329
Texas.
1915 2,867,699
1914 3,874,388
1913 3,627,190
1912 4,368,915
86.7
93.7
89.8
urally follows, Mr. Humphrey said,
that the Frisco will have to increase
its charges for service. Just now the
efforts of the corporation commission
and Attorney General S. P. Freeling
are being directed toward securing a
reduction of charges for freight and
passenger service in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma has almost as much inter-
est in the reorganization of the Frisco
as Missouri. The Frisco has 1,700
miles of road in Missouri and 1,400 in
Oklahoma. It has more mileage in
Oklahoma and Missouri than in any
other state in which it operates. Most
of the earnings which would be neces-
sary to meet the financial obligations
imposed by the reorganization plan
would come from these two states.
EDITOR TODD IS ARRESTED AGAIN
"Newspaper Week."
Something of an experiment at the
State Agricultural and Mechanical col-
lege at Stillwater will be Newspapet
Week, scheduled for January 3-8. It ia
to be a course of lectures and discus,
sions of practical journalism with es-
pecial attention to country newspapers
and their problems, and will be con
ducted by Freeman E. Miller, head oi
the English department. During ths
same week the Farmers' Short Course
will be held, to which more than 1,000
men and women of Oklahoma will
come for lnforamtlon and instruction
Three Men In a Boat.
New York.—Captain Karl Boy-Ed,
the recalled German naval attache;
E. M. House, President Wilson's spe-
cial emissary, and Brand Whitlock,
American minister to Belgium, board-
ed the steamship Rotterdam within a
few minutes of each other to sail for
Europe. House and Mr. Whitlock were
uncommunicative; but Capt. Boy-Ed
gave out a written statement in which
he denounced what he characterized
as "the reckless utterances of an irre-
sponsible press."
Another Chapter In Anti-Vice Crusade
of Sapulpa Pacer.
Sapulpa.—O. S. Todd, editor ol the
Sapulpa Herald; Judge R. C. Allen,
Creek tribal attorney at Muskogee, and
John G. Ellinghauser, a prominent law-
yer of Sapulpa, were arrested on a
charge of criminal libel preferred b>
Former Probate Attorhey Nat Ligon,
who recently resigned his position to
take up private practice. The ba^is
of the charge is an article that ap-
peared in the Herald about the com-
ing of age of Sophia M. Boling, a
wealthy Indian girl, who sold her lease
to parties other than the company that
had been operating it during the mi-
nority.
The Herald charged that Ligon re-
ceived $10,000 and that the deal was
accompanied by refusing the former
company any opportunity to see the
girl though officials were trying to of-
fer her more cash than given by the
successful lessee. Nat Ligon, while
probate attorney under Judge Allen,
helped save the girl'B property from
the hands of her notorious father, Fox
Boling, and the present action of Ligon
was characterized as "double crossing"
and using knowledge gained in the gov-
ernment service to defeat the interests
of the government's ward.
Moonshine Still Captured.
Sallisaw.—Sheriff Carl Gay and a
posse captured a moonshine still in
the hills, four miles north of Vian.
The officers arrested William Miller
and Zark Gossett on charges of oper-
ating the plant. The still was buolt
out of sheet iron oil cans and had a
capacity of eighty gallons. The offi-
cers captured 180 gallons of malt that
was ready to be run through the p.tiil
and five gallons of moonshine whisky
which had been put up in jars, bottlfls
and jugs. The federal authorities have
Veen notlflei.
round bales, ecmpared with 42,896 last in its request for new clothing, owing
to the drastic sanitary laws laid down
by the governments through whose
territory we must pass in order to
reach the sfifferers. Not that the des-
titute people of France and Belgium
would not be intensely grateful fo
partially worn or second hand gar-
ments, but they would not be permit>
ted to receive them.
With the exception of shoes,
sweaters, caps and knitted underwear,
unmade materials are preferred, for
industrially paralyzed France and Bel-
gium is sitting with idle hands as well
as aching hearts. From millions there
goes up the cry" every day, "Give us
something to do, something to work
upon—so that wo may contribute to
our support." To send unmade mater-
ials is, moreover, an economical meas-
ure, for the poor of those countries
know how to cut many a coat out of a
given piece of cloth, and to utilize the
scraps in patching their own old
clothes.
An effort is being made through the
Oklahoma committee which is headed,
by Gov. Robert L. Williams, to securat
large donations to ship to Europe atj
Christmas time. Local committee^
will be appointed in the larger cittern
and towns of this state to work in con-*
junction with the state committee.
When you have gathered together your*
funds, patronize the merchants ot
your own town by buying their goods.
Considerably Less Seed Has Been
Crushed Than In Other Years.
Washington.—The total number of
tons of cotton seed crushed in the
United States from the crop of 1915,
up to December 1, was 1,981,140, as
against 2,473,921 for the corresporiding
period in 1914, according to a report
issued by the Department of Com-
merce, bureau of the census.
Of this amount Oklahoma crushed
81,179 tons as against 164,676 for the,
coresponding period in 1914. The to- Materials that are out of style or shop-
tal seed crushed in Oklahoma in 1913
was 2,192,276, and for Oklahoma
136,191,
In 1913 Oklahoma had obtained up
to December 1, 20,966 bales; in 1914,
26,213 bales and in 1915, 15,914 bales.
The total number of tons of cotton
seed crushed in Oklahoma in 1913 was
249,171, and in 1914, 410,733. The
total number of bales of linters ob-
tained in 1913 for Oklahoma was 38,-
536 and for 1914, 68,929.
REAL OLD-TIME GUN FIGHT'
Results In Death of Officer and Boot-
legger.
Stilwell.—Thorne Williams, who par-
ticipated in a gun battle fought here
and in which a citizen and an officer
were killed, was captured in a moun-
tain cave.
Deputy Sheriff Lee Russell en-
countered Bennie Taylor and Wil-
liams. He attempted to arrest them
on a verbal charge of transporting
liquor across the state line. Taylor
and Russell exchanged shots and both
fell. Williams is accused of firing
another shot that ended the officer's
life.
Both Taylor and Russell died al-
most immediately. Taylor was a son
of County Commissioner R. L. Taylor.
Passersby found the bodies of the dead
men, the wagon of whisky being in
the road a short distance away. The
gun battle is the second recently
fought over the attempt to enforce the
prohibition law.
Negro Dies At Age of 127.
Pauls Valley.—Probably the oldest
person in Oklahoma died in this city
last week. He was John Kemp, a ne-
gro, who was 127 years of age, having
been born in 1788. He was the father
of thirty-five children and leaves a son
who claims to be 107. Kemp was well
known here, having been here since
years before statehood. His present
wife Is 105 years of age and the chil-
dren say they have documentary evi-
dence to prove this remarkable family
longevity.
worn, which can be secured at a re-
duction, will serve as weli as new ma-
terials, for all our needy brothers and'
sisters across the sea want is warmth
and decency. All goods should be
shipped to the O. K. Transfer and Stor-
age Company of Oklahoma City not
later than the week before Christmas.!
No transportation charges whatever!
will be made, except in the case of
parcels cost, and the latter will be re-
funded to you by the committee. When1
shipments are made, a complete list of
the contents of the package and the bill1
of lading should be mailed to Mrs. Tom
Hope, chairman of the Oklahoma Com-
mittee for the Relief of Belgium and
France, room 478, Lee-Huckins hotel.
Chief Burns Fired Again.
Tulsa. — Mysterious meetings be-
tween the commissioners of the city of
Tulsa which have been held at the city
hall during the past several days re-
sulted in the dismissal of Poster N.
Burns as chief of Tulsa's police de-
partment, making the second time that
official has been fired in the past sev-
eral weeks. The commission an-
nounced that the dismissal of Mr.
Burns was the result of a demand
made made by him that he be given
a vacation of four weeks at full pay.
They gave him a permanent vacation.
Mayor Frank M. Wooden and Police
Commissioner Thomas J. Quinn were
temporarily suspended from office by
District Judge Conn Linn after a grand
jury had preferred accusations of mal-
feasance in office against them.
Okla. City Girl Marries Man In Pen.
McAlester.—On condition that he
marry, Barney Hyatt, an Oklahoma
county convict, serving one year for
the theft of an automobile, was granted
a parole at the end of three months'
time. He filled his part of the agree-
ment by wedding Miss Alleene Nel-
son, an Oklahoma City girl, In the
office of Warden R. W. Dick, and bride
and bridegroom walked out of the peni«
tentiary together. Miss Nelson came
all the way from Oklahoma City to get
her lover ana purchased the marrlags
license herself.
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The Lexington Leader (Lexington, Okla.), Vol. 25, No. 16, Ed. 1 Friday, December 31, 1915, newspaper, December 31, 1915; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc110706/m1/2/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.