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# GRAND JURY to appear before the grand jury, and it is very probable that there will be some lively developments. The Merchants' National Bank closed its doors nearly two years ago and it was thought at the time that the failure could be accounted to misapplication of the deposits by some officer of the bank. The books were ordered inspected and on a thorough examination by an expert the fact was disclosed that between $70,000 and $80,000 had been misplaced by some means. Some of the stockholders charged that Jack King, president of the bank, was responsible for its financial wrecking, and they instituted a criminal prosecution against Mr. King. He was arrested, but nothing was ever done in the case. The bank was reorganized and new capital secured and the institution was again launched in the business and commercial world of Rome, but some of the old stockholders are not satisfied. They think there has been crookedness somewhere, and the attention of the United States grand jury has been brought to the matter. That body will make a full and complete investigation of all the bank's affairs. # FLORIDA Grapefruit sold last week in Dade county at 40 and 50 cents each. Andrew I. Meserve of Braidentown is compiling the first directory of Manatee county. Real estate in and around Leesburg is attracting considerable attention from parties desiring to make investments. One day last week there were shipped from San Antonio, Pasco county, 250 bushels or 80,900 quarts of strawberries. The first annual state convention of the Baptist Young People's Union will be held at Jacksonville on April 6 and 7. The board of county commissioners of Lake county exempts from taxation all Masonic lodge buildings owned by the Masons. The truck growers at Brooksville are shipping strawberries. Several hundred crates will be sent from Hernando county this year. The strawberry crop of Pasco county promises to bring twice as much this season as the entire orange crop of the county ever brought. For the March term of the Orange county criminal court there was not a single criminal commitment from any justice of the peace for the past two months. A few days since at Rockledge a saw fish was captured. It measured 14 feet and 8 inches in length, and the saw 3 feet and 6 inches in length, and weighed about 800 pounds. Capt. A. W. Brown of the steamer David Kemps, was arrested at Jacksonville Tuesday afternoon, charged with an assault on Miss Eva Dempsey. He was taken before County Judge Baker, who fixed his bond at $500, which he furnished. A large acreage of potatoes, beans, and tomatoes has been planted at Minneola. The latter are looking very well, and the prospects for a good yield were never better. Much interest is being taken in the cultivation of tobacco, and many will plant. The orange trees are in bloom, and making a good growth. Peaches, pears, plums, and other fruits, are looking well. The republican executive committee for Escambia county has made the following indorsements, but the action is said to be not unanimous: John E. Stillman, for collector of internal revenue; Capt. W. H. Northup, for collector of the port of Pensacola; Dr. A. J. Pollock, for postmaster of Pensacola; Dennis Eagan, for marshal of the southern district; T. F. McGourin, for marshal of the northern district; B. C. Tunison, for United States attorney for the northern district; Gen. Joseph T. Walls, for register of the land office; R. L. Scarlett, for receiver of the land office; Armstrong Purdee, for surveyor general; George W. Allen, for collector of the port of Key West. C. M. Dodds, nephew of Dr. J. C. Slocum, is authority for the statement that at 8 o'clock Monday night six men armed with revolvers and Winchesters accosted him at his uncle's gate and made him put his hands behind him and then tied him and ordered him to show them the money they knew was on the premises. They went into the house and covered Mrs. Slocum with their guns and compelled her to open the safe and get them what money she had, amounting to $100. They then took from young Dodds $9.60, and from the colored man, Nixon Jones, $11.00. Ordering them to remain seated in the house until the robbers should get away, they left, going as they said southward. There was no clue obtained as to who they were or where they came from. Candler correspondence Morning News: Vegetables are suffering greatly for rain. The cabbage growers are very much discouraged over the outlook for Florida cabbage. The crop is fine, and a large acreage was planted, but the prices, so far, have been ruinously low. Lettuce has done better, but not near so well as last season.-Prof. H. A. McKinney of Beaver Falls, Pa., has purchased the Meyer grove and residence, near the town, and is having the property put in first-class shape. He paid $1,000 for the property. Before the freeze the place would have been cheap at $5,000.-The orange trees are covered with blooms, with no severe back-set in two years more the groves will again be producing large crops of oranges.-Messrs. Chaffer and Turnley are shipping large quantities of nursery stock from their nursery to South Florida. A meeting of white citizens was held at Gainesville Tuesday night for the purpose of nominating a ticket for the coming municipal election. The most noteworthy contest was between J. A. Ammons and S. J. Burnett for mayor. When asked to declare their positions upon the cow law, Mr. Ammons stated that he was not a candidate, but if elected, he would enforce every ordinance upon the books. On the other hand, Mr. Burnett stated that he would not enforce the cow law. The latter received the nomination by a close vote. The other nominations made were as follows: Aldermen, H. E. Day, A. E. Wittstuck, C. Stringfellow, and W. G. Robinson; marshal, C. H. Davies; clerk,