Friday, 5 Dec 1913--W. G. White of near Rucker was here Friday and informed us that he had secured a position as fireman on the Alton and would go to work during the holidays and would move to Slater about the first of the new year. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--CASE OF SMALLPOX AT RENICK--From R. L. Hines we learn that Renick has a case of smallpox, a traveling man developing the disease a few days ago while stopping at the home of Mr. Hines' brother, A. S. Hines, who runs a boarding house. The case is a very mild one, but a strict quarantine is being maintained, and no fear of the disease spreading is entertained. Mr. Hines and family, with the exception of one child who is away from home, are immune from the disease having had it several years ago, which is no doubt a source of great satisfaction to them at this time. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--T. B. Magruger completed a neat residence Wednesday for B. F. Kirby, who lost his home by fire a few months ago. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--Thos. Warford, who is attending a school of pharmacy in St. Louis, spent Thanksgiving at home. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--We learn that R. S. Martin sold his farm southwest of town to Dysart Nicholas last week, and that he will likely locate in southeast Missouri, probably in Dunklin county. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--Mrs. Pearl Richards came up from St. Louis Friday after her little son, Cecil, who spent the summer here with his grandparents, H. Land and wife. She returned Sunday to the city, where she will place Cecil in school. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--Joe Billy, the 12-year-old son of Dan Rice and wife, while monkeying around a Katy freight train yesterday, came near losing a foot, having his toes quite badly mashed. We did not learn how it happened, but understand that he attempted to board the train and missed his footing. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--We noticed in the Kansas City papers to Tuesday where a marriage license had been granted to Henry Blansett and Miss Dola Creson, two popular young people of Higbee, who went to the city last week for a visit with relatives. The parents of neither, so far as we have learned, have heard anything of their marriage, but we are sure congratulations are in order and join the many friends of the popular young people in extending same. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--W. D. Burke and wife entertained Mmes. W. L. Cave, Wm. McGlothlin and G. M. Nichols at six o'clock dinner Monday evening, and among other things served was salmon salad, of which most all present partook. In a very short time Mmes. Burke, Cave and McGlothlin were taken seriously ill, presumably from ptomaine poisoning by the salad. A physician was hastily called and by the following evening all were as well as usual. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--Invitations were issued this week announcing the approaching marriage of Mr. George Walton and Miss Georgia Burton, which will be solemnized at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Medley Burton, at 8 o'clock on the evening of the 11th. THE NEWS joins others in advance congratulations. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--Born, on Nov 29th, to Tony Burton and wife, a son. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--Roy ("Croppie") Jones, who put a car load of lumber in the ditch a few days ago while assisting the crew of the Alton local, squared himself with the crew Tuesday. With Joe Jones and Jessie Williams, Roy had been out near the Moniteau, shooting at spots, and such game as they saw, with a target rifle, and on the way back to town they saw two box cars coming down the hill. As there was no train in sight, the boys rightly surmised that the cars were running away. Roy and Jessie determined to board the cars if possible, while Mr. Jones ran to town and informed the operator. The boys caught the cars but only with great difficulty, as they were making good speed, and succeeded in stopping them in a hundred yards of so. In the meantime a message had been sent to Clark to hold a west bound extra freight, but the train had left there. After stopping the cars, Roy and Jessie went on down the track to flag any train that might be approaching and hadn't waited long until the extra showed up. The electric block signal had warned the engineer that something was wrong, however, and he had his train under control. How the cars, brought back to town by the local crew, ever got out on the main line from the switch without going in a ditch or breaking the switch is a mystery. Another train which had set out some cars is supposed to have started the cars on the down grade. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--THOS. JONES ACCIDENTALLY SHOT--An accident which cast gloom over the community, as it was at first feared that it would terminate fatally, occurred about 4 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, when Thos. Jones was shot in the back with a 22-caliber target rifle in the hands of Jesse Williams. Along with Joe and Roy Jones, Jesse had spent the afternoon rabbit hunting east of town, and when they returned all went into Mr. Jones' restaurant to get their dinner. Jesse was the first to complete the meal, and left his companions at the table and went to the rear of the building to clean the rifle before taking it home. It was a repeating rifle, and Jesse took all the loads out of the magazine before starting to work, turning his attention first to a cartridge that had lodged underneath the carriage, and which had been there all afternoon, but which did not interfere with the gun working. Failing in his attempt to get the cartridge he cleaned and oiled the gun and when he had completed the job he closed the gun as usual and pulled the trigger. It was a fatal pull, for the cartridge beneath the carriage had worked to the top and was slipped into the barrel as Jesse closed the gun. Knowing that the magazine was empty and believing that the gun would have to be taken apart before the cartridge he had been trying to extract could be taken out, Jesse thought that one of the other boys had fired the shot, and did not know any different until Mr. Jones, who was getting a glass for milk for one of the boys, remarked, "Jesse, you have shot me." The boys at the table understood him to ask Jesse what he had shot at, and paid no attention to the matter until Mr. Jones sat down beside them, white as chalk, and told them he was shot. They then saw blood on his shirt near the left shoulder blade, and while one rushed out for a doctor the other gave his attention to Mr. Jones, who had lost consciousness. Only by heroic work on the part of the doctors was he kept from dying, as he grew cold and his circulation almost stopped. He regained consciousness in three or four hours, and passed only a fairly good night, but next morning was feeling much better. His brother, W. E. Jones of Bevier, and brother-in-law, Dr. Geo. Graham of Centerville, Iowa, who arrived on the morning train, decided that the best thing to do was to take him to Kirksville for treatment and where the ball could be located with the X-ray. Although he was suffering considerably, Mr. Jones stood the trip well and was feeling better when he reached Kirksville. Word from there Thursday morning was to the effect that he was still improving, and unless blood poison should develop, it is expected that Mr. Jones will be up and around in a few days. That such will be the case is the prayer of all who know him, as well as Jesse, who is deeply affected by the accident. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--In a drunken brawl at a coal camp south of Bevier Sunday night two men were shot to death and a third was stabbed fatally by his brother. The quarrel started in the rooming house of Frank Perena between Guiseppi and John Gioggoli, brothers, and Paul Borella and an unidentified Italian. Soon after the fight started the lamps were overturned and the room was thrown in darkness. Guiseppi Gioggoli shot down Borella and the stranger. His brother John started to come to his assistance but in the darkness was mistaken by his brother for one of the others and received a knife thrust in the abdomen. Guiseppi fled, not knowing that he had wounded his brother fatally. Friday, 5 Dec 1913--William Kraft, who had his back broken while at work in the mine at Huntsville three years ago, and who had since been paralyzed, died at his home in that place Sunday, aged 25 years. A brother who suffered the same kind of an accident in the same mine about three months ago, lived only a few days. Kathy Bowlin Additions, corrections, comments welcome.