Sunday, December 24, 2017

Local and Personal News From the Monroe Journal, 1916

Local and personal news from the Monroe Journal, Dec. 15, 1916. For those of you who don’t know what a skin game is, it’s a rigged gambling game; a swindle. I had to look it up myself.

The residence of Mr. Carl Bailey in Marshville was totally destroyed by fire at 12 o’clock last night. The family was in bed, but managed to escape in plenty of time. A good deal of the furniture and clothing were saved. It is said that Mr. Bailey carried from $1,500 to $2,000 insurance on the house, which does not cover the loss. The house was a good two-story one, and was situated near the Marshville Presbyterian Church. Our informant did not state the origin of the fire, or whether it was known.

Mr. John W. Tarlton and Miss Maggie Love, both of Goose Creek township, were married yesterday by Esq. M.L. Flow. These young people are prominent and well-known throughout the county.

Mr. Baxter Williams cannot understand why housewives are boycotting eggs and chickens when there are none to boycott. What few drift in find a very unsteady market. It is said that eggs were bringing as high as 42 cents yesterday, and they were selling readily at 40 cents this morning.

Old Herndon Hasty comes across with the information that Monroe will be treated to an old time big minstrel sometime during the Christmas holidays. The show will be given by local talent, and we understand that efforts are being made to get Mr. T.B. Laney to be one of the comedians. Thus with Messrs. T.B. Laney, Clarence Laney and Herndon Hasty as comedians, or “end men,” one would be assured of a pleasant evening. And the band may be able to render music for the occasion, unless some of the members develop cold.

W.J. Bryan is the most distinguished guest that Mr. N.G. Russell has ever entertained, but there have been many lesser personages registered at the Gloucester. Governor Locke Craig has spent a few nights there during his lifetime, and so has Ex-Governor W.W. Kitchin. Bob Glenn, a member of the Lame Duck Roost, has also been entertained by Mr. Russell, and so have many State Judges and some prominent politicians. And, as is well-known, Secretary Houston was born in the old building. Bryan’s name was written in big, sprawling letters on the hotel register—a singular signature that would be recognized anywhere.

Do you remember the old fable about the dog and the bone; how the dog, with a big juicy bone in his mouth was crossing a stream when he saw the shadow of the one in the water, and how he dropped the sure enough bone to jump into the stream after the fancied one? Mr. Charlie Helms has been holding six bales of cotton all these days for 25 cents, even when the market was paying 21 cents; but the recent slump of nearly four cents from the high mark prices has brought him to grief. Unless the market recuperates, Mr. Helms stands to lose about $120 on the lot. But he is not alone on the raft. One well-known farmer is said to have 15 bales that he was holding for higher prices when the slump came. It is the opinion of many, however, that the market will come back stronger than ever in a short while. If so, the laugh will not be on these gentlemen.

Mr. W.E. Steward, who is keeper at the county home, says they now have 38 inmates, which is the largest number on record since 1906. All of them are enjoying good health; except “Lindy,” who has been suffering with pneumonia for several weeks. Everybody at the county home, especially “Rush,” misses Mrs. Stewart, who died a couple of months ago.

Dr. J.E. Hart of Wadesboro and Esq. H.T. Baucom, who were appointed a committee to investigate the case of two white paupers, Mr. and Mrs. Sasser, who were members of the Anson County Home, decided that it was the duty of Union County to care for them, as it was claimed that they had lived just across the Union line prior to their home being accepted in the Anson County home. A claim for two years support, which the Anson commissioners alleged was due them, was also allowed. The two paupers are now in the Union County Home.

There will be a basket supper at College Hill Schoolhouse on Wednesday night, Dec. 20th. Oysters will also be served. Proceeds will be used for the benefit of the school.

Nearly $7,000 in good hard cash will be turned loose in this county within the next few days when Confederate veterans and Confederate widows cash their pensions, for the Clerk of Court R.W. Lemmond received them today. They are already signed, and only await the endorsement of the pensioners to be cashed. All who are on the pension list can get them by calling at the Clerk’s office.
Charles Moser, one of the darkies who was playing in John Mungo’s “skin” game, which was raided Monday night by Mr. T.B. Laney, escaped at the time by diving head foremost through a window glass. Mr. Laney had him spotted, but Charles is not fond of paying Recorder’s court fines, so he tried to make a get-a-way Tuesday night. Lacking apparel befitting a gentleman of his state, he swiped a suit case, filled with duds, from Will Young, colored. He then hiked down to the freight yards to await the coming of his special freight, but a couple of flagmen became suspicious and grabbed him. They held him with an iron clasp until Mr. Laney reached the scene. Judge Lemmond found him guilty in the Recorder’s court Wednesday morning on both the charges of gambling and larceny. For the first offense he drew 40 days, and at the expiration of that term he must serve 80 days longer on the larceny charge.

Mr. R.W. Siggers, who has been living near Unionville for several years, has swapped his farm for one near Chesterfield Court House and has moved to it.

Every time something happens Mayor T.L. Kirkpatrick of Charlotte has to send a telegram to somebody. His latest was a cablegram to the German Kaiser, congratulating him on his bid for peace. Messrs. Bob Houston, Amos Stack and John English, noticing that the Charlotte mayor was always sending telegrams but that he never received any, opened up and sent him the following message this morning: “We, young men of Monroe, do petition your Highness to send cables to all the belligerent nations to stop the strife in Europe immediately. Monroe Peace Committee.” If mayor Kirkpatrick sees fit to comply with the request of the Monroe young men, one feels reasonably sure that the boys will be out of the trenches by Christmas.

Capt. S.H. Green, the retiring Potentate of Oasis Shrine Temple, was signally honored once more on last Tuesday by his brother Nobles, who elected him a delegate to the Imperial Council, which convenes next year in Minneapolis, Minn. There are only four delegates appointed from this state, and as there are thousands of Shriners in North Carolina, one can easily see what a distinction it is to be one of the representatives. Capt. Green was also presented with a handsome shrine emblem by the members of Oasis Temple.

Miss Norma Bell has returned from an extended visit to friends in Baltimore.

There will be a Christmas tree and cake contest at Mt. Pleasant Schoolhouse on Christmas eve. Everybody invited.

Dr. E.S. Green received a telegram Wednesday evening stating that his mother was seriously ill at her home in Louisburg. Dr. Green left immediately for her bedside.

The Ladies’ Aid Society of the Baptist Church will sell chicken salad and fancy work at the Union Drug Store Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Rev. W.W. Whitley will not fill his regular appointment at Maple Springs the third Sunday.

The fifth Sunday Union of the Union Baptist Association will meet with the Meadow Branch Church on the fifth Sunday in December. A large attendance is requested.

There will be preaching at Union Grove next Sunday at 11 o’clock, and at Zion at 3 o’clock by the pastor, who will also preach at Brief the fifth Sunday at 11 a.m.

Messrs. Collins & Hargett advertised a horse and a mule for sale in the penny column of The Journal last Tuesday. The papers went out on the routes to the subscribers on Wednesday morning and by Thursday three inquiries had already been made respecting the sale. No sale has been made, but as they are still calling, the horse and mule will probably be disposed of before many days pass.

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