The Weekly Democrat-Gazette (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 16, 1908 Page: 1 of 12
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TWKNTY-FIFTH YEAH, NO. 11.
McKINNEY, COLLIN COUNTY, TEXAS, THURSDAV, APRIL l«, 1WW.
1
BIG ROBBERY
AT PLANO
\
Piano, Tex., April 9.—It has JUBt
leaked out that the safe of the Pa-
cific Express Company, located In the
Cotton Belt depot here, was robbed
of a package of currency amounting
to $800 between the hours of 5:36
p. tn. lust Monday and Tuesday
morning.
The agent here received the pack-
age of money at 4:25 p. m. Monday,
too late to make a delivery to the
bank. The package was from the
United States Treasury Department
at Washington, d. c.. consigned to
Farmers' and Merchants National
bank of Piano. After receipt of the
package the agent placed same in
the company's safe and left the of-
fice at 5: 5 p. m. to go to supper, re-
turning from supper about 6:30 p.
m. After winding up the day's busi-
ness the safe was closed with the
night lock on until the next morning,
when It was discovered the package
was not In the safe where It was
placed the evening befpre.
The Pacific Express Company offi-
cials are here Investigating the rob-
bery, but so far have not found any
clew.
FOR COUNTY
SUMMER ;
A meeting of the Collin County
Summer Normal Executive Commit-
tee, of which Hon. T. O. Murray is<
chairman, was held in the county
court room Saturday in response to a
call issued by County Superintend-
ent W. L. Yarbrough, the chief ob-
ject being to elect a teacher to suc-
ceed Prof. (i. \V. West of Friscp.
whose resignation was accepted
when he entered the race for county
superintendent. Prof. F. G. Jones,
president of Jones Academy, was
elected to succeed Prof. West.
Miss Estelle Lunsdale of this city
was elected teacher of primary meth-
ods In the Normal, during the term.
The Normal will be held In this
city, beginning June 15 ami closing
July 25.
TO A BETTER WORLD.
Aged Victim of Adversity Passes
From Life's Trials.
J*U
"Uncle" Jack Cooke, who for the
past six or seven years has been liv-
ing on the county farm, died Wed-
nesday from disease Incident to old
age. He was about seventy seven
years of age and was reared In the
Frankfort community, this county.
He was at one time In good circum-
stances but was finally afflicted with
blindness and during the latter por-
tion of his life adversity marked
ftim for its own. He was a Confed-
erate veteran, and County Commis-
sioner Lone Christie, In conversation
ncernlng hint, said he was always
man of upright character, a con-
letent member of the Baptist
church and ever bore bis misfortunes
with Christian fortitude. Mr. Chris-
tie went out and attended to the
Interment which took place at the
old Frankfort cemetery at 4 o'clock
Thursday afternoon, Rev. Roe of
Lebanon, conducting the services.
1
i W*
AX APIIIL SNOW.
Heavy Snowfall Here Fifty-one Years
Ago Saturday.
Fifty-one years ago Saturday, a
heavy snow l'ell here. Mrs. Bur-
fell Stiff who has been an honore'd
resident of McKinney for fifty-two
years, states That she remembers the
occurrence distinctly, and T. B. Wil-
son states that the snowfall on that
ate was to a depth of several Inch-
es. Mrs. Stiff says that on the tiftli
Of April of that year, 1857, there
was a killing frost here. It Is to
be sincerely hoped that there will
not be a repetition of such April
weather this year.
Mrs. Barker—"I was given up by
one of our best doctors, no hope,
disheartened, took Holllster's Rocky
i Mountain Tea as a last resort; It sav-
4d my life." Greatest remedy for
' J^omen. 35 cents, Tea or Tablets.
V * Smith Bros.
Thos. Crips, of McKinney. route 0,
gays send him the Weekly Dtemocrat-
Gazetfe for the present year, as he
leslres to keep posted with all local
entB of the day.
Mrs. Florence Bell, a splendid la-
dy who will soon move to New Mexi-
co, has placed her name on our sub-
scription list. Thanks, Mrs. Bell.
Your old home paper will follow you
to your far-off home when you leavt
Collin county.
Hatta
CENTRAL DEMO-
CRATIC CLUB
A well attended and Interesting
meeting of the Collin County Cen-
tral Democratic club was held at the
court house Friday night, Chairman
Judge M. G. Abernathy, presiding.
Several ladles were umong those
present. In calling the meeting to
order Judge Abernathy stated that
he had just been handed a letter
from Judge Rice Maxey of Denlson.
who was to have delivered an ad-
dress, stating that lie had been In-
structed by the campaign committee
to speak at another point, and was
therefore unable to speak here.
However, Hon. H. A. Finch was call-
ed on and responded In a speech
that aroused applause. He stated
that while good men and citizens
were fighting Senator Bailey, he did
not see how they as democrats could
consistently do so, for the reason
that most of the things that are
charged against Senator Ballev were
charged against him before the meet-
ing of the last State Democratic
convention at Dallas and this con-
vention adopted a resolution strongly
condemning the attacks being made
on the Junior Senator. Mr. Finch
strongly criticised the anti-Bailey
leaders, especially Cone Johnson.
He stated that he served In the State
Senate with Mr. Johnson at the time
the creation of the State Railway
commission was under way. during
the administration of Gov. Hogg, and
that Johnson's vaccinating attitude
toward the Commission was such as
to cause hint (Mr. Finch) to have
serious doubts concerning him.
Prof. N. R. Stone was the
next speaker. He said that on his
coming to Texas he had carefully
studied the record of Senator Bal-
lev and all the charges that had been
made against him. and that be had
reached the conclusion that Senator
Bailey was true to the people of Tex-
as and was being grossly wronged.
J. C. Moore then presented to the
audience Rev. J. A. Moore of Clarks-
v'lle. brother of I>r. W. T. Moore of
this cltv, who, before coming to Tex-
as, lived in Crystal Springs, Miss.,
where Senator Bailey was born and
reared, and who knew Senator Bai-
ley's father and mother and all the
family all their lives. He said that
the slanders that had been often re-
peated against Senator Bailey's fa-
ther and the younger Bailey's life in
Mississippi were untrue; that Joe
Bailey the elder had served with gal-
lantry In the Confederate army and
was respected by all who knew him,
while the disabilities of minority of
Joe Bailey Jr., were removed when
he was but nineteen years of age
that he might run for democratic
elector from Mississippi.
County Superintendent W. L. Yar-
brough was called on and stated
that he used to think that Senator
Vance of North Carolina was the
greatest statesman from the South
In the Senate of the United States,
but that he believed Senator Bailey
to be a greater statesman than Sena-
tor Vance was during Ills lifetime,
lie said that Senator Vance's ene-
mies fought him very bitterly and
made all manner of charges against
him, but that he triumphed, jusi as
Bailey would triumph.
The following added their names
to the membership list of the club:
J. It. Pullen, R. L. Hankal, T. J.
Barnes, B. F. Skelton, Graves DeAr-
tnond. A. B. Mayes.
COLLI* OXIOX GROWERS.
Meeting Held Here and Reports
Heard From Over County.
At a well attended meeting of the
Collin County Onion Growers' Asso-
ciation, held tit the Commercial
Club rooms, reports of the condition
of the crop at present from different
portions of the county, were heard,
and were generally of a favorable
nature. It was decided to secure in-
formation upon which to base an ac-
curate estimate of this season's crop,
so as to enable the members to mar-
ket their crop to the best advantage.
A number of new., members were re-
ceived. The next meeting will be
held the first Saturday In May.
PAIXI'UL ACCIDENT.
Miss Tee McMillan Receives Severe
Injuries in Fall.
While playing with a number of
schoolmates at the South ward
school a few days since, Miss Tee
McMillan fell and sustained severe
Injuries. She Is still unable to be up.
Jack EsteB who Is connected with
the advertising and news depart-
ments of the Texarkana Morning
Courier, has arrived home for a visit
to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. T.
Estes, havlifg been sick for several
days. We hope that he will soon be
entirely well.
J. SjL ' ., ■ " ■•-. "VAi/JV
J. L. DOGGETT'S
MOTHER DEAD
Mayor Doggett received a tele-
gram Thursday announcing the death
of his mother, Mrs. Lucy Frances
Doggett at the home of her son, Hon.
W. L. Doggett, In Chicago, lust
night. Mrs. Doggett was known to
be in good health last Sunday and
the announcement of her death after
stub a brief Illness, came as a pro-
found shock to her son here. The
message stated that the remnlns
would be tukeu to the old home of
the deceased at Fredericksburg, Va.,
for Interment, Sunday. Mrs. Dog-
gett Is survived by ten children, sev-
en sons and three daughters. She
was a noble Christian woman and in-
culcated such lessons of tr u*h and
honor Into the lives of her children
that they have always been most
highly esteemed members of the com-
munities in which they live. We
join with Mayor Doggett's many
friends in extending sincere condo-
lence to him in ills bereavement.
SCHOOL LAW
PROVISIONS
County Superintendent W. L. Yar-
brough says that he desires to call
the attention of all public school
teachers of the county to the school
laws providing as follows:
The school census must be taken
in May and census books returned to
the county superintendent by June
1st.
Children must be enrolled or
enumerated In the district in which
they are living, when census trustee
enumerates the census.
Transfers from one district to an-
other made before children have
been enrolled are not valid. All
transfers must be made before Aug.
I st.
No teacher related to any member
of the board of trustees can be em-
ployed to teach said school.
All teachers must band in their
term reports with last voucher, oth-
erwise the county treasurer cannot
issue check for last month's voucher.
Trustees cannot employ teachers
who do not hold valid certificates.
Teachers must present their certifi-
cates to trustees before a legal con-
tract can be made. The county su-
perintendent cannot approve a teach-
er's contract before teacher's certifl-
cate litis been registered in the coun-
ty superintendent's office.
Every voucher must have the ap-
proval of two trustees, before it can
be approved by the county superin-
tendent.
Trustees are the custodians of the
school house and grounds.
When parents fall to enroll their
children, there will be no ajfportlon-
ment allowed, and the children can-
not be transferred.
If the census trustee fails to get
all of the children enrolled In the
district, the parent should report
same to the county superintendent
by June 1st, 1908.
Prof. Yarbrough asks that the dif-
ferent papers of the county please
publish the foregoing laws.
JUDGE W. K. HOMAN DEAD.
Was Prominent as a Lawyer, Editor
and Preacher.
Colorado, Tex., April 13.—Judge
W. K. Homan died here Sunday
morning at s o'clock. The funeral
will take place Tuesday morning at
1 o o'clock. The Masons will have
charge and the burial will be with
Masonic honors. The dead man was
a prominent member of that order in
the Thirty-first degree.
William K. Homaii has twice serv-
ed as a member of the Texas Senate,
in 1878 and 1 880. He Was appoint-
ed United States District Attorney
by President Hayes, but resigned
within a short time after receiving
the appointment. He was until a
short time before his last Illness a
candidate for district judge, lie
was well known in this section of the
State.
Judge Monism was prominent as a
lawyer, editor and preacher. He
founded the Christian Courier at
Dallas and edited It for a number of
years. He was well known as a pro-
hibition speaker and has spoken
here several times.
Hon. J. A. Garrison, who Is a
staunch personal and political friend
of Senator Bailey has received from
him one of his latest photographs re-
cently taken at Washington, which
Is a splendid likeness of the Junior
senator.
BIBLE READING
IS LEGAL
Austin. Tex., April 9. The Su-
preme Court In an opinion by Asso-
ciate Justice Brown holds that the
singing of religious songs and read-
ing portions or the Bible in public
schools is permissible under the law.
The question came up from the Cor-
slcana public schools in E. H.
Church et al vs. W. L. Bullock et al,
and It ho happens that Church "does
not believe in the Inspiration of the
B.ble." He and others Instituted
mandamus to compel the trustees to
desist from conducting certain exer-
cises alleged to be religious and sec-
tarian.
Xot Prohibited.
The Jury and the Appellate Court
fcmncl against Church and held that
the exercises were not religious and
sectarian to the extent prohibited by
the Constitution and laws of Texas.
JVdgo Brown, In an elaborate opin-
ion, quoting authorities, holds that
the exercises complained of did not
convert the school Into a sect, rellg-
icus society, theological or religious
seminary: that the exercises were
not sectarian and that the exercises
diu not convert the school room Into
"a place of worship" within the i:i-
t-nt and meaning of Sec. 6, Art. 1.
State Constitution. The court does
not undertake to define 'a place of
worship," but confines its opinion to
deciding that the school was not in
the sense prohibited by the Consti-
tution. It says:
"Intolerable Results."
"To hold that the offering of
prayers, either by the repetition of
the Lord's prayer or otherwise, the
singing of songs, whether devotional
or not, and the reading of the Bible,
make the place where such is done
a place of worship, would product'
irtolernble results."
Attention is then called to the dal-
ly prayers of the chaplains In the
House and Senate, in the chapel of
the Sftite University, where '.here
are songs, Bible reading and address-
es by ministers; also the same at the
Blind Institute, while the Y. M. C. A
and V. W. C. A. meet and hold ser-
vices in the university.
"Mornl Anarchy."
"The State makes an appropria-
tion for a chaplain at the penitentiar-
ies; in fact, Christianity is so inter-
woven with the web and woof of the
State Government that to sustain
the contention that the Constitution
prohibits reading the Bible, offering
prayers or singing songs of a relig-
ious character in any public building
of the government, would produce a
condition bordering upon moral an-
archy. The absurd and hurtful con-
sequences furnish a strong argument
against the soundness of the proposi-
tion."
NEW ROAD GRADER.
Test Given at t'elhui Proves Entirely
Successful.
W. N. Osburn of Melissa and
County Commissioner W. M. Burgess
went to Cellna one day last week to
try a new road grader which the
municipal authorities of that newly
Incorporated town had ordered from
a company represented by Mr. Os-
tium. This grader has the merit of
combining strength and durability
with greatly reduced cost, and re-
quiring only one man and two teams
for its successful operation. The
test given by Mr. Osburn proved
very successful and It Is probable
that a number will soon be put into
use on the roads of this county, as
they have been in other counties.
XEW OFFICERS INSTALLED.
S|mm fit I Meeting of Council for That
Purpose Last Night.
The city council met In special ses-
sion at the city hall Monday and
Installed the newly elected city offi-
cials who entered upon the duties of
their respective offices today. Here's
wishing for them a successful admin-
istration of municipal affairs.
SPBAJUNG AT I'LANO.
Anti-Bailey Addresses by Judge
Cock tell ami M. I>. Brown.
Piano, Texas, April 14.—Judge J.
E. C'ockrell of Dallas addressed
about two hundred people at the op-
era house here Monday afternoon on
Baileylsm. The speaking lasted over
two hours and the majority of those
present were Bailey men. M. D.
Brown, an nttorney of this city, also
spoke about thirty minutes against
Baileylsm. The heavy rain prevent-
ed s numbet of farmers from coming
to>town and attending the speaking.
LOST
IN BOSTON FIRE
Boston, April 13.—An apparently
Insignificant lire which started
among rags on a dump in the city
of Chelsea yesterday was fanned by
a northwest gale Into a conflagra-
tion which oblterated nearly one-
third of the city. Several hundred
dwelling houses and public buildings
were destroyed and 1500 families
were driven from their habitations
and 10,000 people made homeless.
Two lives are known to have been
lost and at a late hour It was report-
ed that 'two other persons had per-
ished. one woman having shot her-
self in a frenzy over her inability to
save her property. From fifty to one
hundred were injured. An accurate
estimate of the loss is impossible.
The city solicitor estimated it at
nearly $10,000,000. The fire, which
was the worst Boston has known in
many years, raged before a forty-
live mile gale for more than twelve
hours, defying every effort of the
combined fire departments of Chelsea
and several neighbouring cities and
a large detachment of Boston fire-
men and apparatus.
FOR RIGHTS
OF STATES
Washington. April 14.—To meet
conflicts between federal courts and
state authorities, such as have aris-
en during the past year In Minneso-
ta, North Carolina, Alabama and oth-
er states, the senate committee on
the judiciary lias reported a bill di-
recting the method of procedure in
cases where any effort is made in the
federal courts to ehjoln state offi-
cials from enforcing state laws. The
The bill is a compromise between
measures introduced by Senators
Overman, Bacon and the late Senator
Bryan of Florida, and was reported
by Mr. Overman, it has created
much attention at the hands of the
committee and is Intended, not only
to lessen the frequency of injunc-
tions in such cases, but to modify
and soften the process when it is re-
sorted to.
It prohibits any one federal judge
from granting such an injunction,
but requires that all applications for
such orders shall be heard by at
least three federal judges, two of
whom shall be circuit judges, while
the third may be either a circuit or
a district judge. It also requires at
least five days' notice to the state
authorities and grants appeal to the
supreme court of the United States.
INDUSTRIOUS NEGRO DEAD.
Ed Men-itt Passes Away at His Home
Here.
The funeral of Ed Merritt, a well
known and Industrious negro man of
this city, who died Friday at his
home east of the colored public
school, took place Sunday afternoon
under the auspices of the colored
Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias
lodges, the interment being made in
the negro cemetery southeast of
town. He was about forty-five years
of age and his father belonged to
the family of the late ('apt. Win.
Merritt before the war, Ed having
been raised by the Merritt family at
Melissa. He was a quiet, hardwork-
ing negro and stood well with both
races.
WILL LOCATE IN McKINNEY.
F, O. Crockett of Arlington Will he
With F. W. Emerson.
F. O. Crockett of Arlington, Tex-
as, for the past thirteen years with
one of the largest firms of that place,
has accepted a position with F. W.
Emerson, and will at once move bis
family here. Mr. Crockett comes to
our city well rerommeuded as a fine
young business man, a hlghtoned.
christian gentleman, and will be hos-
pitably received by the good people
of McKinney. He Is an experienced
business man, In all the lines of his
profession, and we congratulate Mr.
Emerson on securing his able and
efficient services. We welcome Mr.
Crockett and his family to our city.
FOR COLLECTION OF l*OLICY.
Suit Filed Against Company by \V.
W. Kerr of l'ros|>er.
W. W. Kerr of Prosper has filed
suit In the district court against the
Grent Western Life Insurance Com-
pany of Kansas City, Mo., for the col-
lection of $ 1 3,000 as Insurance.alleg-
ed to have been held on the life of
hlB son, Cloyd Kerr, deceased, of
whose estate he is administrator.
CABS TO BUN
BY JULY 1
The local columns of the Dallas
News contain the following, which
will be of Interest to the people of
McKinney and Collin county:
"Having in mind the coming of
the Elks' National reunion to Dallas
In July, we expected to get every-
thing running smoothly and all cars
on schedule by July 1," President J.
F. Strickland of the Texas Traction
Company reported to the stockhold-
ers. He Included In his report a
statement furnished by the con-
structing engineer, Fred A. Jones.
Grading has been practically com-
pleted. The work has reached the
crossing of the Missouri, Kansas and
Texas Railway within a short dis-
tance of the city. It Is expected that
connection will be established with
the city lines on Bryan street by
Wednesday of tills week.
Ill the matter of grading it is
stated that all back filling has been
completed except about three blocks
in the city of Dallas. All bridges
have been finished except the Katy
overhead crossing and that is al-
most done. The tracks are laid over
all of the completed structures. All
of the trestle work is done.
All steam machinery in the main
power station at McKinney has been
operated, Including the turbines.
The switchboard wiring is in place
and all the electrical apparatus is
ready for operation. At (he substa-
tions at Sherman, Van Alstyne and
Piano the buildings are ready and
the electrical machinery more than
half erected. The remainder of the
machinery will be brought over the
tracks of the interurhan and erection
will be consummated within three
weeks.
Fifty-eight miles of tracks are laid
and will be Into Dallas before the
end of the week. The Y and special
work at Sherman will he commenced
this week and rushed. More than
150 men are surfacing the track
north of McKinney and as soon as
the track work is done into Dallas as
many will go to work surfacing
northward to McKinney.
Forty miles of poles have been set
and the rest will be in place within a
short time, as the work Is going on
steadily. Twenty miles of transmis-
sion Hue have been strung and twen-
ty-five miles of feeder and ten miles
of trolley brackets installed. Trol-
ley stringing will start this week and
will be done rapidly.
In transmitting the report from
the engineer Mr. Strickland issued
the following letter:
"Texas Traction Company.—Dal-
las, Tex., April 11, 1908.—To the
Stockholders of the Texas Traction
Company: Gentlemen—I am pleas-
ed to hand you a progress report,
under date of the 10th lust., furnish-
ed by our chief engineer, Fred A.
Jones, which will explain itself.
"As indicated to you in my letter
under date of March 14, 1908, we
contemplate opening the road and to
begin the operation of a sufficient
number of cars some time In June
next to provide one hour headway
each way. We expect to get every-
thing running smoothly and all cars
on schedule time by July 1, and we
are much encouraged over the pros-
pect for a good business, especially
covering the first six months of our
operation, having in mind the Elks'
convention In July, which, from the
best Information we have, will add
considerable volume that we would
not. otherwise expect the first
month."
"Trusting that I will be able to
tell you in my letter next month just
when the cars will lie started. I am,
very truly, yours.
J. F. STRICKLAND,
President."
JOINT DISCUSSION.
At McKinney Saturday Afternoon Bo
IM eeii Goitgli and Ciinyus.
A public debate on the Bailey issue
is announced to take place at the
court house Saturday afternoon at 2
o'clock. The speakers will be Sen-
ator J. R. Cough for Bailey aud
Hon. F. M. Ctinyus anti-Bailey. A
large crowd Is expected. Everybody
Invited.
President Orders Injunction Suits.
Washington. D. C., April 9.-—
President Roosevelt has made public
a letter dated April 2, to the Attor-
ney General, directing that proceed-
ings by injunction be started to com-
pel certain railroads In the South to
furnish equal accommodation to
white and negro passengers.
Chas. V. Mitchell Is a brand new
reader of our big weekly. Hope b#
will like the paper and remain with
us for years to come. .
mk
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Perkins, Tom W. & Wilson, Walter B. The Weekly Democrat-Gazette (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 16, 1908, newspaper, April 16, 1908; McKinney, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth292042/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.