OSR
VOL. XXII. PICKENS, S. C., THRDY9PI 5 84 ~ 9
A.ROW IN DARLINGTON.
AN ARMED MOB WANTED TO ATTACK
8TATE CONSTABLES.
The aGns of the Darlington Guards Takoe
from the Armory to Make the Militis
Powerless-'the Full story of the At.
fair.
f0OLUMBIA, S. C., March 29.-There
came near being a big riot in Darling
ton yesterday over the raiding of blind
tigers by State constables. The matter
fortunately passed over without blood
shed, but-the indications for some time
were for serious trouble.
The first known of the trouble here
was about 2 o'clock in the afternoon,
when Governor Tillman received a tel
egrm from Dispenser Floyd 'saying
that raids were being made and that a
mob was on the streets armed with
Winchesters. From then on until 9
o'clock last night the wires between
here and Darlington- were kept hot
with telegrams.
As will be seen from the story pub
lished below the mob took the arms of
the Darlington Guards,leaving no arm
ed organization to uphold the law.
Governor T liman promptly provided
for the mainainance of the law by tel
egraphing to Sunfter and putting the
Sumter Light Infantry in readiness to
go to Darlington and by arranging for
a special train to take the company to
Darlington.
The full story of the trouble is found
in the following telegrams. These are
all thetelegrams which pasbed between
the Governor and Darlington and Sum
ter and Charleston. The telegrams are
published in the order in which they
were sent and received and explain
themselves:
DARLINGTON, S. C., March 28.
Constables raiding. Armed men
walking streets swearing they will
shoot. J. B. FLOYD.
To Sheriff Scarborough, Darlington, S.
C.:
Columbia. S.., March 28.
I expect you to preserve the peace
4 and seethat the law is upheld.
B. R. TILLMAN.
Darlington, March 28.
Fighting sure. Mens with guns
swear they are going to kill.
.J. P. KIRVE-.
W. H. Lawrence, Darlington:
Wire me bow many constables iI
Dailington. Keep me posted. .
B. R. Tillsaan.
Captain Darlington Guards, - Darling
ton, S. C.: '
Put your command under orders of
Sheriff and preserve the peace.
1. R. TILLMAN Governor.*
Darlington, March 28.
Guns taken away from Darlington
Guards by mob. -J. B. FLOYD.
' Darlington, March 28.
Six constables here. Not enough to
hold crowd down. Winchesters. and
shot guns displayed. C. B. SWAN.
Captain Darlington Guards:
I hear your arms have been taken by
mob. Answer if this is true.
B. B. TILLMAN.
Sheriff Scarborough, Darlington, S. C.:
If you do not arrest those resisting
the law and assist constables in their
work it will be the worse for you.
Darlington. Guards ordered to obey
your commands. Answer.
B. R. TILL4AN, Governor.
C. B. Swan, Darlington, S. C.:
Sheriff has been ordered to assist you
and Darlington Guards ordered to obey
his orders. Do your duty.
33. R. TILLMAN, Governor.
Darlington, 8. C., March 28.
No trouble here apd no prospects of
any, 19ut a good matured crowd in
town. I can keep the peace.
W. F. DARGAN, Mayor.
Darlington, S. C., March 28.
Telegram received, Have conferred
with Sheriff who says there is no dan
ger of breachi of the peace arnd no ne
cessity for or.dering out malitia.
-~H ENRY TI. THOMPSON,
Captain Darlington Guards.,.
Darlington, March 28.
All quiet. Don't anticipate any
trouble, If necessary will wire.
GEORGE P. SCARSOnOUcIr,
To J. 13. Floyd, Darlington, S. C.:
Ohief constable has been ordered to
Darlin g~on. Have warrants sworn out
-against RiU ersons who resisted the
constables for riot, cons piracy and re
' sisting an ofticer. Attorney General
4* will come down tomorrow. Gaillard
will make the arrests.B. R1. TILLMAN,
Darlington, March 28.
On receipt of your firsat telegranm I
went to. the court house and was in
copsultation with officers of mny .com
mand concerning it, when during my
absence from the arblory a party of
citirs.ens went there and took possession
of guns. On hearing of it I went to
them and demangled" that they surrern
' der thelp imtmedidtely, whioh they did.
I now have, all the guns back andh have
taken such precautins as will effect.
ually prevent a recurrence of the Inci
dent. Everything quiet.
LIENRYT T. TIIOMPSON,
Captain Darlington Guardsa.
EERYTHING QUIET.
At'9 o'clock last night thie Governor
got a telegram. that everything was
then quiet in Darlington.
The following telegram was received
* at 71 o'clock last night. -It had evident
ly been written early In the afternoon:
Thins ..Dallib n. March 28.
' Thngslook very sq tlly.. Tbhreats
being made. Guns ' nd rifles being
displayed. Have aiielfconstables all
I canl G. P. SOARnOnLOUau,
- Sheriff,
SUMTER WAS READY.
-When the Governor heardi that the
arms of the Darlington company had
been taken he sent and received the fol
lowing telegram: -
W.B. Delgar, Sumter, 8. C.:
Can i get a special train to carry
military from Sumter to Darlington.
Ailswer quick. B, R. TILLMAN,
Governor.
Uaptain Sumter Light Infantry:
Uan y cQII4any be . relied on to
upho.q tii t V& prop has possession
of Darlitaton. Answer.
B. R. TILLMAN, Governor.
Sumter, S. C,, Mar( 25.
The Sumter Light Infantry in up
hold the law. A. C. PlIELPs, Captain.
Sumter, S. C., March 28.
Yes, sir. W. R. DELGAR, S. A.
W. 1. Delgar, Sumter:
Thanks. Things have quieted down
and may not need It. B. R. TILLMAN,
Governor.
Captain A. C. Phelps, Snmter, S. C.:
Later advices report things now quiet
at Darlington. If I need you will wire.
B. R. TILLMAN. Governor.
GAILLARD ORDERED TO DARLIN0TON.
The following telegram was seilt to
Chief Constable Gaillard at 5 o'clock
in the afternoon:
Take your entire force of constables,
armed with Winchesters to Darlington
tonight. B. R. TILLMAN, Governor.
The'Statem Pensioners.
COLUMBIA, S. C., March 28.-The
State pensioners will, in a short time,
receive the annual quota of the pension
appropriation. For the past week the
clerk of the pension board has been re
vising the rolls sent in by the various
county pension boards,and the work is
nearly completed. There are only three
more counties-Fairlield, Marion and
Kershaw-in which a further revision
will have to be made before the board
can take final a.1tion and order the
preparation of the warrants to be sent
to each penaioner. From the returns
as made up there has been a total in
crease since last year of only ten pen
sioners. The number this year is 2,265,
as against 2,255 last year. The ordinary
expenses,ete., for this year will be paiti
out of the amount held over from last
year's appropriation. This will in
clude about $1,100, the amount of the
expenses of the several county boards.
The per capita payment which each
pensioner will receive for the year will
not be less than 822, and it is all to be
paid at once. The warrante are to be
sent to the several county clerks of
court for distribution to the pension
ers.
The following shows the number of
pensioners in each county for this and
last y ear:
1894. 1893.
Abbeville............. 66 70
Aiken.................. 58 53
Anderson.................148 151
Barnwell.................. 52 6
Beaufort..................1 1
Berkeley...........-,...... 18 19
Charleston.............45 45
Chester.................... 3.1 33
Chesterfield ................ 86 83
Clarendon................. 46 49
Colleton................... 67 64
Darlington................ 68 64
Edgefield..............10 105
Fa Ifield.........,......... 59 57
Florence................. ..32 31
Georgetown.....-.......... 2 2
Greenville...... .....164. 159
Hampton.................. 42 40
lorry..................... 35 37
Kershaw.................. 45 45
Larcaster................. 64 66
Laurens................... 75 77
Lexington................. 5 5 (18
Marion.................... 93 68
Marlboro-................... 36 34
Newberry................. 41 45
Oconee.................... 82 85
Oraogeburg............... 48 51
Pickens ...............57 54
lichiand................. 42 43
Spartanburg...............210- 203
Sumter.................... 54 54
Union..................... 75 70
Williamsburg............. 35 34
York......................125 120
Total................2,265 2,255
Fruit Deatroyedi.
COLUMBIA, S. C., March 28--The
weather during the past twenty-four
hours has been the most remarkable
ever known in this section of the
South, and as for the last week, noth
ing has been heard of to equal it. Du
ring Monday night the mercury fell as
low as twenty-four degrees, and the
mean temperature for the twenty-four
hours was just one degree above the
freezing point. The temperature did
not fall so low as it has in previous
Marches, twenty degrees being record
ed last sear and twenty-one degrees in
1890. But these records were made the
tirst week in March. Never before
after tne.20th of March has the mer
cury gone below thirty deirrees. Thus
it is seen that this March is keeping
up Its display as a record-breakor. The
moat remarkable fact about it all is
that the range has been In the last five
days from ninety to twenty-four de
grees, something unparelled In the his
tory of the weather service. The re
markable weather has been caused by a
storin similar to the storm In F'ebrua
ry. it developed oft the coast east of
Florida and moved inland,thus attract
ing the influence of the cold wave
which was at the same time moving up
the Mississippi Valley, and drawing it
into a combination by what is techat
cally known as the "taction" process.
Weatner Obssri~er 13auer says that the
damage to the crops and. other vegeta
tion cannot be estimated as yet. lie
says that all fruit, With the' exception
of apples, is killed beyond a doubt, and
the farmers are going to be very heavy
losers. He says that corn has been
planted Borne time and most of It Ia uip
--sprouting. All this, he says, will be
killed, as will early pdtatoes and wheat
and oat crops.- Mr. Bauer says the far
roers throughout the State had planted
earlier an(1 much heavier than usual
thip year, and they are going to suffer a
great deal. lie saysthyadbgte
prospects -this year thy has brien
known in years before.
The Late ?reSOe.
CHARLESTON, March 29.--The cold
wave came as predicted and.- has-dam
aged crops in the neighborhood to a
great extent. The freeze was s'evere in
this section and many thousands of
dollars would not repay the damages
done in the-single night. Not only that
however, but tonight an even more se
vere frost if expected and this may add
much to the damage. The farmers of
tho Neck, Mount Pleasant and Young's
Island report the killing of cucumber,
watermelon and squash vinds. These
will have to be planted over. The
young strawberries and blossoms are
dead-this means berries three weeks
late. Peas are perhaps half killed, that
is to say half the crop will be made.
Potatoes that were not too far advanced
won't suffer, except for a week's delay
getting out of the ground again, here,
however small potatoes were already
forming; that lot is a tonta.. oss-u
A SUMTER SENSATION.'
JUDGE BENET ACCUSED OF GAMBLING
WITH CARDS
Ie Indignantly Danies the Charge from
the Benob, and Says Ilo Was Orly Eu
gaging in a Social Game of Whit With
Friends.
Week before last., the Sumter Free
man, an Alliance paper that is very
much opposed to Gov. Tillman, re
marked editorially that Judge Benet of
this circuit, who was then holding
court in Sumter, was a prototype of
Judge Mickey. The Manning Times
did not like this, and said some pretty
sharp tnings about the editor of the
Freeman, whereupo'n the ditor of the
said paper had the following to say in
last week's paper:
"Since the Manning Times undertakes to
report rumors about the favorable impres
s8on Judge Benet has made upon our peoplei
here we regard It as essential to truth and
to a future proper administration of jus
tice that we should publish the rumors of a
different character that are passing around
thick and fast. We hear that since Judge
Denet has been here presiding in the day
time In our Courts he has been almost ev
ery night playing cards with persons known
as professionals. Of course every body has
heard that Judge Benet before his election
was a notorious gambler, but since kis elec
tion It was hoped he would try to menid his
ways a little. It is distressing to think he
has not done so. We know that the fore.
man of the grand jury has had his attention
called to this matter and we hope it will be
well ventilated before we are through with
It., We want no gambling Judges."
Upon seeing the --%ove Judge Benet
in open Court at Sumter last Wednes
day morning made the following state
ment:
.I wish the attention of the members
of the Bar and the juros present and
the jurors and oficers of the Court con
cerning a matter which has arisen
since the adjournment of Court yes
terday. It is a very painful matter,
which I cannot well pass over.
When I left the Court House yester
day evening and got to my lodging I
found in my mail a newspaper, pub
lished in this town, addressed to me and
marked in certain places, In that pap
er I was openly charged with consort
ing with professional gamblers of
Sumter and spending my nights card
playing and gambling.
The charge has been made against
me openly as a Judge. I have no means
of redress, except to answer it from
the bench as a Judge. The office I hold
deprives me of the ordinary personal
means of redress, and while it is true
thatoflice puts In my hands power by
which such conduct migh' be justly
and severely punished, I will not use
this power in m'y own behalf.
I do say as a true man the charge is
false, absolutely false, without even
the semblance of truth as a foundation
fo it.
Gentlemen, I feel I owe this state
ment to members of the Bar, of whose
profession I am an humble member. I
feel I owe it to the officers of the Court,
who have been so kind and courteous
to myself. I owe it to the jurors who
are present and the grand jury who
are absent, especially in view of my
charge to Che grand jury concerning
their duty as ollicers of the law. I
know I owe it to the people, whose re
presentatives elected rfe to the uffice I
now hold. I owe it to the good men
and women of Sutmter, whose kind
hospitality I havo enjoyed. 1 owe it to
the oflice I now hold, however ineffl
ciently. I owe it to myself and to those
who bear my name to say that the man
who wrote this charge wrote what was
utterly untrue, without excuee and
without foundation. I cannot compre
hend what motive lie had. I hardly
know the mau. I never cross his path,
I know no reason whatever for his at
tack. Hq must have been shamefully
imposed upon by his informant, or he
must have wilfully believed lies that
were told him. [ therefore feel that the
only way to meet the published accu
'sation is to do so thus promptly and
publicly.
I cannot go into the newspapers. I
will not. My hands are tied. Men of
proper sentiments comprehend what I
mean by that. Good men know I moan
by that. The best way to meet a false
hood is to confront it with the truth.
And this is the simple truth: that
during the three weeks I have been In
Sumter my goings oub and my com
ings in have been seen and known
by all wiho cared to see and know.
Nothing I have said or done and no
where I have gone would I seek to hide
from the most blameless man and the
purest woman. So far as that is con
cerned my conscience is clear.
Wherever L .en joyed the hospitality
of friends I met good men and good
women, and while in their company I
did not see anything that had the ap
pearance of evil or tile suggestion of it.
What probably Is the only foundation
for the charge is this-althoughl it
seems pitifLI that I have to make tihe
statements that follow matters purely
of private life. On twoloccasions during
these thre e weeks, and only on two oc.
casions, I have Been or handled cardls. I
played whist in company with three
other men Wiho are piayers in the pre
sence of ladies for one and a half or
two hours at a time. We engaged in
a harmless and innocent game of whist
with no appearane or suspicion of
money or gambling.
I owe it to the gentlemen who played
with me, as they are charged with be
mng pro fesslonal gamnblers, to say that
if they are gamblers the fact in a ro
velation to me, for I never heard It of
them nor have I overseen them gamn
bWing.
Th'lis is the only fouindat ion for the
charge that 1 nave nightly been gam
bling and conisortinig wIth professional
gamlers.
YOU will suffer me' to say that when
I assumed the gwnt ot a .1 udge it was
With the honest ende~tavor anid determimu
ation to perform thme dties~j0 of that of
flee so as to.- deserve the ap prov ali of
good men anid of my ownl
consolenco, and I to sty 11he men
who electedi me to tha1 t (ollee anid to the
grand jadry, if thle manim who made tis
charge can prove thle truth of what he
slays I will tal(e the robe of olbce off
my shoulders and leave thi. einn. as5 1
-ouhgt to (10.
But I have said enough. It is very
true that when a faldehood starts onl its
way the truth finds it very hard to over
take it. It may be the nlewapaprtin~
the State may copy this false accusa
tion. If they do. I hops they will also
state that IT avthsoeIadcu
ing ihrestigation, denied it from the
Bench.
I have no fear of investigation, it it
:.onducted in the white light of truth
and honesty. Having said this I
leave the matter In the hands
.f the good people of Sumter
who I think will not allow one who is
vomr ratively a stranger to suffer from
i false charge made by one of their fel
ow townsmen. I leave your town and
ounty in a few days and when I do so
[ shall feel confident that I leave my
,haracter and reputation in good hands.
This is my last word on this matter.
Htving IIrd T mes.
SAN ANTONIO, Tex., March 28.-The
southern Pacific ofilcials here today re
%eived news of a startling nature from
,he agent at Sierra Blanch where the
inited industrial army, commanded by
Leneral Frye, is camped. This news
Is to the effect that at least 400 of the
nembers of the army are in a starving
3ondition, and that they are so weak for
lack of food that they are unable to
walk and some of them cannot even
itand up on their feet, having gone
without a bite of food for three days.
Uhere Is a large number of mere boys
n the army and these are the greatest
iufferers. There is absolutely nothing
)ut a desert of sand of scacti for many
niles around Sierra Blanch and the
trmy has no means of obtaining sup
plies or food of any kind. Their suf
'ering is so intense that open threats
were made by the men to-day that they
3ommence committing depredations
upon the railroad companies trains and
property if they were not hauled out of
the place within the nexr, few hours.
I'hese threats have caused great uneasi
ness among the railroad officials and
aegotiations were closed this evening
with the people of El Paso for the re
moval of the army to San Antonio on a
special train, which will leave Sierra
Blanch to-night. The railroad company
is paid by the people of El Paso for
hauling the men to this city. A hun
dred members of the army left Sierra
Blanch last night via the Texas and
Pacific Railroad for St. Louis via Tex
arkana and the Iron Mountain.
There is still 500 men to come to Sin
Antonio. Gen Frye has again joined
his army, arriving at Seirra Blanch last
night. le is doing his utmost to prevet
the men from committing depredations
and will acc-ompany them to Sin An
tonio. The police authorities here state
that if the army comes here as paid pas
sengers, they will have no authority to
corral the men and make them continue
their way West.
A dispatch whs received here to-night
from Sierra Blanch describing the con
dition of the industrial army which
left, that place to-night at 9:30 o'clock
on a special train, provded by the peo
ple of El Paso, tor San Antonio. This
dispatch states that when the army ar
rived at Sierra Blanch, some of the men
were so faint from hunger and exposure
that they dropped in their tracka and
were picked up and carried to camp by
their comrades. A beef and 400 pounds
of flour were at once purchased by the
citizens of Sierra Blanch, which made
one good meal; Tne men were so fam
ished that their stomachs would not
ret'in the food. Yesterday morning,
another beef was slaughtered and the
men had another meal. General Frye
endeavored to get the men to leave on
foot last evening, but his followers
could not walk, owing to the weak
ness. The dispatch further states that
the men are gentlemanly and that
there are ministers, lawyers, merchants
and mechanics among them.
Forced to Resign.
WASHTNGTON, Mach 28.--This official
announcement was made at the Treasury
this afternoon:
"Mr. J. B. Brawley, Sixth auditor of
the Treasury Dopartment, today ten
dered his resignation to the President,
to take e fi'dct upon the appointment and
qulification of hiis successor. Mr. Braw
Iey is a citizen of Meadvilie, Pa.. is a
lawyer by prolessIon, and was appointed
auditor A pril 19, 1893. The position
pays *3,600 per annum. No action has
yet been taken on his resignation, and
it is not known when it will be accepted.
This is the first prominent official ap
pointed by tile present administration
'who has resigned. His resignation is
understood to have been forced. For
some time past the relations of t he sixth
auditor and Secretary Carlisle have not
been pleasant, and six weeks ago, there
was quite a scene in Secretary Carlisle's
room between tile sixth auditor and the
Sacretary. Secretary Carlisle has not
been impressed with Mr. Brawley's exe
cutive capacity. The work oi tbe sixth
auditor's ofice is far behind; methods
employed were not business-like, and
Postmaster General Bissell, Secretary
Carlisle and the President, six weeks
ago, came to the conclusion that a
change was necessary in the office. Mr.
Brawley called at the Treasury Depart
ment yesterday and lermally tendered
his resignation. Thle sixthl auditor's of
fice audits all the accounts of the Postof
flce Department. It is the largest audi.
tor's office in thle Treasury, and is as
large as the entire Agricultural Depatt
ment.
A Very Stran ge Story.
CowMnrA, S. C., March 97.--A re
markable story comes from Monticello
8. (1. A fe w nights ago Tom Suber one
of Capt. T. M. Liles' tenants, called to
him and told him that his corn house
was open. Hie aroused himself at once
forgetting that he was in his eighty
second year, and feeble too, gathered
his gun and went to see what was the
mastter. He found two negroes with
their sacks shucking and shelling corn.
He called for help and when Richard
son, a white man living near the yard
came, they tied the two thieves. intend
ing to keep them til morning. The
two thieves now began begging and
working on tile sympathie~s of the old
captain to be0 released from the fetters
anid declaro:i that they would remain
there in charge of a trusty colored man.
All agreed to it finally and they took
the fettera off. When the captain went
Lo his own home the negroes all lay
down, some on bedsteads and some on
beds on the floor. When all seemed to
bo asleep, one of the thieves, Simon
Beaut~y, took his knife and cut the
throat of the o'her thief, (ilarvy Miles)
cutting the wind pipe half in t wo and
severing some small arteries, and bare
ly missing the. jugular. Tihe small
blood vessels discharged a large quan
tity of blood. The wound and the loss
of blood makes is recovery very un
certain. The theif that did the bloody
deed made good his escape to parts not
known.
THE FREEMAN REPLIES.
Why It Acoused Judge Benet of (sm)b
lUng at Sumter.
Our readers will find in another col
umn a matter of extreme interest to
every good citizen, touching Judge
Benet's conduct and reputation and
what he had to say, from the bench, in
reference to the structures of the Free
man. By reacing carefully what we
said, reprinted today, which drew forth
the Judge's remarks, it will clearly ap
pear that things are taking the course
we were seeking to have them take, a
thorough ventilation-and of course
we are pleased to llad the issue so
squarely met by the Judge. There was
really no other course left for him.
His remarks are as pointed in. dental
and challenge to further investigation
as we could wish. We sent him, as is
our rule, a marked copy, because we de
sired his special attention to this mat.
ter, which more concerns him than any
one else. He saw we meant what we
said. The Manning Times appeared to
us to be trying to "boost" a judge of
its faction for purely factional advan
tage, at a sacrilice of truth in regard
to his reputation in this town and ru
mors concerning his conduct and we
believed, as we said, "that it was es
sential to truth and to a future proper
administration of justice" that we
should report the rumors we were
hearing of a very different character
from those reported by the Times. We
ask for a careful examination of what
we said. We do not charge that Judge
Benet actually gambled here, but we
say that we hear-that is, it was com
mon rumor-that he was playing cards
almost every night with persons
known as professionals, that is reputed
to be professionals, and that it was
distressing to think that he had not, :s
was hoped, mended his ways, since his
elevation to the bench, as before his
elevation everybody had heard of him
as a notorious gambler. Now we sulo
mit that his previous reputation, cou
pled with his card-playing since his
arrival here, with persons reputed to
be men who play for money, was
enough to cause remark and set ru
mors flying thick and fast, to the great
hurt of tha dignity and elliclency of
the judicial oflice and to a future prop
er administration of the law. We re
garded his election to the bench a pub.
lic calamity and had found, as we
thought, that even his card playing
habit was not to be abated for the sake
of judicial proprieties. As we have nc
personal feeling whatever against
Judge Benet, (have no cause to have at
he has correctly stated), we suppost
that we are made as glad by his point
ed denial of the correctness of tie ru
mors as any other good citizPn in the
State will be. All we desire is a good
judge, a judge not only of good char
acter previous to his election, out o1,
good conduct after his election and we
must say that Judge Benet's eager,
earnest and emphatic denial of his
gambling, or association with gamolers
since his stay here, is a help to good
morals among our people, because it
shows that he thinks gamblers are peo
ple to shun, whn one has been elected
to office of honor, dignity ana trust
and that he has made up his mind to
repudiate such associates in the future.
We want all our young men to mark
this! The judge is ashamed to asso
ciate with gamblers. We know that
all the good people will rejoice at this
information and it is to be hoped that
the judge will be so out of the way of
playing for money and of playing with
those who play for money that when
he is retired from the bench, he will
never resort to such evil ways again
and companions of such malodorous
character that they are unfIt for a well
behaved judge to associate with. Then,
too, it is a great gain for S3umter to
have the testimony of a j udge from the
bench that the persons he has been
playing cards with are not gamblers
that is they do not play cards for mon
ey-as has been generally supposed by
our people.
As to whether there was a "semblance
of truth as a foundation" for the arti
cle in the Freeman on Tuesday we wvill
say that the foreman of the grand jury
stated to the editor of this paper these
rumors had come to him. T'he report
er of the Freeman, Mr. P'eebles, the
latter part of the first week of court
said that he had heard of it as a cam
mon rumor around town that Judge
Benet was gambling at night.
The same general rumor was also
spoken of to the editor of the Freeman
(names given on demand), and the fact
that the fellows around town were guy
ing "Rosy" about playing so much
with the Judge. It was also stated to
the reporter of the Freeman by a good
citiien whose name we are requested
to withhold, but it will be given if de
manded, that Judge Benet was seen]
p laying cards at the resludenco of Mr.
D.Rosend orf, several inights to a late
hour during the first week of court
here!
Mr. Peebles, the reporter of the Free
man, in passing Mr. Rosendorf's resi
dence last Monday night about 10 30c
o'clock, saw in the open parlor Judge
Benet. Mr. if. C. Moses, Judge 8. W.
Melton and Mr. D. Rosendorf, seated
at a table engaged in a game of cards.
The matter being talked of around
town as the reporter well know, this
circumstance was mentioned by the
reporter to the editor for his int orma
tion in the matter.
Mr. 8. A. Nettles toild the reporter of
the Freeman, Mr. Peebles, in defense
of .Judge Blenet, that the Judge nlad
told him rthat he had been trying to
avoid Mr. Rlosendorf as much as possi
bie. The Judge seemed to know that
the companionship of Mr. Rtosendorf
would turnishi the "nemblance of the
foundation" that he was gambling,
and so (lid we. alnd hence we demanded
a further investigation and are exceed
ingly happy to have the .Judge's word
under most solemn obligations that
Mr. Rosuindorf is not a gambl-r and
in future he need not avoid him onl
this account, nor needl others suspect
him because of such association. In
deed it is evident now that Sumter has
no gamblers. .Judge flenet's testimony
from the bench sweeps the town clean
of the suspicion that we have. Tihmose
who once played for mney do so no
more--they now leave out the salt that
gave the savor and take it free of
stimulants. Let us all rejoice at the
discovery.
T'he Judge intimates that he could
punish the editor of the Freeman, but
generously stays hie 'iand. We ask no
Co~aideration at his hands. We have
violated no la and he kenows i full
well. lie should not talk buncombe
from the bench.
As people are naturally averse to al
lowing their names for publi~ation in
matters of the. above character the
editor of the Freeman has made an
aflidavit giving times, places and per
sons specifically stated, to enable Judge
Benet to get as far away as he may
wish into the investigation of the
charges made by the Freeman, That
affidavit Judge Benet can get by ask
ing for it. We have no means of mak
ing people testify to unpleasant things.
If he wishes the names of the persons
who furnish us this information lie
can get them in the above manner.
Sumter Freeman.
J ACK FROST'S WORK.
The Fruit Crop in GeerIa Ias Been Nip
prd in the Bud.
A 'rL A NTA, March 27.-Reports fr 3m
every section of the state upon the ef
rects Of Lhecold are'of a very discouraging
nature.
Ti peach crop has been destroyed in
many places, and, In the lower part of
the state, melons and early vegetation
which were well u) and on the way have
been comipletely destroyed.
In th northwestern part of the stale,
the news comes of the almost total de
struction of wheat and oats. Colonel
Felix Corput, of Floyd county, one of
the largest grape growers in the the south
reports his loss at $2 500.
WmlRlsCK IN 'rENNESS.E,
NAsuIvi ii.a, March 27.--.Ist SAtur
day ni-ht's killing frost, haa been fol
lowed by a frec z3, which has about des
troyed all prospects for fruit in this sec
tion. All the early planted Irish pota
toes and much garden truck has been
killed. The thermometer stood at 19
dogrees above zero, and it is expected to
drop to 15. This cold suap was colder
Lhau it hae been this late in March in 23
years.
LOW DOWN AT NORFOLK.
Noiw'oixK, March 27. -The thermom
eter went down to 24 degrees in this
section during the night, causing ice to
torin half an Inch thick. The high
winds prevented a heavy fr 'st, but the
cold has injured the strawberry and pea
crop-; but to what extent cannot be as
certained. The principal loss will be to
those two croiss.
IN NeIri CAROLINA.
G HEENSUolto. March 27.-This sec,
tion .as VliLed by a severe freeze thai
has ruinedl the l':uit and early vegeta,
bles. I. is feared also that the wheal
crop, which is remaricably advanced, 18
badly dvnagzred.
WIIlEAT IN TI1 I WsT.
CilicAuo, March 27.--laports from
many oinits in, the wheat growing re
gion west and north-.vest iistily thE
statement that winer wheat is serious
ly daLm dby Life recent cold suap.
NICV YORK (I CA P'E C01'.
BUFFALo, March 27.-Repor(s from
Chautauqua county state that the cold
snap has worked terrible havoc to the
grane crop. Thousands of acres of
vinevards are tot ialy wiped out.
NI 'I'l.D TI 1 VIRGINTA FIRUIT.
Lx'YNC!I 1d(i. Mtcli 27 --Ts tiher
monetur wcntL down to 18 during the
niigit. All early fruit is killed. Re
ports ironi southwest Virginia say the
thbermometer went to 13.
Unlimit(d 81ivor Coinage.
WASIlINOTON, March 28.---Senator
S"wart, of Novada this morning took
the preliminary steps in the fight O r
the free and unlimited coinage of silver
that is to be injaugurated, according to
common gossip, as soon as the Presl
dent sends iII his veto of the Bland
seigniorage bill. Mr. Stewart had his
bill lald upon0 the table instead of p~er
nitting it to go to the committee on fin-.
ance, as it, would in) the ordinary course
of business. "I1 do not propose that
this bill shall be putt to 81leep, as have all
that have preceded it, o1 the same chra
ter,'' said Mr. Stewart. "It has gone
to the table, where it can be called iul)
at any time f,>r remarks, andI some re
marks wili be very likely made by my
sell anid other silver men on this sub
ject.'" Mr. Stewart will not have to (de
1)a11( upon01 Republicans for his support
in this matter. Th'le prop~osition to in
trodluce and1( push to a final passage a
free comnare hill, absolute in its provi
sions, has b~en b~rewing for some days,
andi a leading member of the laance
committee, who belongs on the Demo-.
cratic side, saidl this morning that lie
believed such a bill would pass the Sen
ale by a lair majority and that,, too,
without extendedl debate, if the P'reai-.
(lent vetoed the Bland bill. lie was
positive suchm a measure would passi the
Ihouse, and waa rqually certain that an
other veto wouldl be interp-osed. This
Senator, however, took the ground that
thme subicct of' free coinauge would not, be
permitted to stand in the way of the
speed~y conlsideraition of' the tariff bill.
TIhme silver meni who had fought all the
time for the free coinage of that metal,
and1( protested against what they please
to term as mnakeshmiits and compromises,
are willing to believe in the veto, for
the reamon that from that p~oint of view
it only adds to the tac',ion in other cir
cdes and make tihe pasa8ge of a free coin
a.te bill easier.
C~OLUM lilA, S. 0., March 24.--Gover
nor TI'llmani granted a pardon) today to
.Jooph W. Jaimei who wias convicted of
imviog caui e' ile murder of his father.
T[ho murt der occurred in D)arlington
county fo'ur or lIve years ago and cre
a' ed muchl talk at lihe time. Old man
James was wealth~iy aid it was thought
''at he w:as muirderedi or his money.
Ifsa soni efbred a reward of *$1,000 for
theO (detec onl and conviction of~ the mur
.(derer. Suspicion finally pointed to the
son. Uo~ was c snvicted abler three trials
and1( sent, I ' the Penitenitiary where hie
has been two years. Iea is about thirty
li ve or h rty years oil. Si ice his convic
tioni lhere hias been a revlusion of senti
menlt and thme people do not believe that
Jamnes Is uihty. lie was convicted on
bile test imony primcipally of a negro
named BliU Scott, 'a notoriou) Scouindmrel
anud thie. A monster petition was got.
teni upl in .James' behalf wich was signed
by Solicitor Johnson. Judge Watts in
Vestigated the muvter and ho also recoim
mendled the pard n. A coniminttee from
ID trhngton consaua~ of Massrs. W. T,
Early, B. A. E irly, Rev. J. 8. DuBose,
called onm the Glovernor L day and urged
the pardon. Jam ia ort *2o,000.
AN ANIMATED COLLOQUY.
BETWEEN CONGRESSMAN MCLAURIN
AND EDITOR GANTT.
The Congressman Uses Some Very PiSIn
Language to the Editor-An Unseemly
Afrair-Our Public Men Should Hold
Their Tempers.
SPARTANBURG. S. C., March 25.-A
big mass meeting was hold here to-day.
After speeches by several candidates for
Governor and Congress,' Congressman
McLaurin was called upon for a speech.
He said lie appreciated the spirit of the
courtesy and fair play that induced the
crowd to gib o him such a warm invita
tion to speak; that Mr. Wilson had
talked in a very glib way about the birth
of the Reform Movemeut in Spartan
burg County, but he (EUcLaurin) saw
the baby born and was the midwife at
1885-bedded the mam-ny and tather of
it, for Tdilman was both. His whole
past had been devoted to the cause of
Reform and his future and the tuture of
his children depended upon whether this
movement shall be made a great, glori
ous and grand success, or whether It
shall be prostituted and made a disgrace
and a reproach to every man who has
ever had anything to do with it, by mis.
erable, selfish, scheming politicans who
have no interest in it save the dollars
and :ents that they can make out of it.
The only place where he had heard of
any complaint in regard to his course as
a Reformer has been from a certain lit
tle organ in your city.
T. L. Gentt interposed and said: "I
suppose you are referring to me."
McLauriL: "If'the cap fits you wear
it, sir.''
Gin't: "The cap fits me and it's
big4 organ."
McLaurin: "Yes, Gantt, about the
siz of your mouth, and that is a big
one. But I've got something more im.
portant to talk about than Gantt."
The crowd seemed somewhat aston
ished at anybody having the temerity to
attack Editor Gantt and was very much
iclined to take Gantt's part, but Me.
Liurin's hold manly oratory told upon
tnem and in a ltttle while Gantt was left
with but a half dozen heolers aroundihim
-those with whose aid he had been try
ing to interfere with those speakers
whom he did not like.
Gantt interrupted MeLiurin to ask if
it was true that he had ridden to the
State line upon a railroad pass.
McLaurin: "No., And the man who
says 1(did is n infernal liar."
Gantt admitted that he had asked the
question on the strength of a telegram
from Washington saying that he-had
done it.
The crowd supposed the telegram was
frn Senator Irby and was curious to
hear McLaurin's reply to this Informa
tion. It came quick and strong as fol
lows. "The man who sent the telegram,
'1.1 the nrin who ininuates that I did
t upon a free pass is an infernal liar."
McL'turin shlowed no anger though he
hit so hard. He quitely drew his ticket
out of his pocket and handed it to the
chairman of' the meeting to refute the
slander.
Gantt then undertook to ask another
question, but McLaurin said: "No, sir.
You have put yourself in the dirt and
mire where you- are beneath the notice
of a gentleman and I'll not answer an
other question, and I want you to under.
stand that I am not in the Reform move
ment to save a few paltry dollars by
riding on free passes. You are in the
Resform movement for base and sordid
purposes, to wring the dollars out of
those people by deceiving and deluding
McLaurin continuing, said: "It was
the bravery and chivalry of the lIberty.
loving citizens of this beautiful Piedmont
Belt that dluring the trying days of re
construction ro lied back the black tide of
negro domination and rescued this State
from carpet-bagism, and the rule of Ithe
alien. 18 that chivalay dead? Has the
spirit of faiir layi departed from your
breast that you allow a political hench
man and an imported Georgia hireling
to insult your guest and one of the rep.
resentatives of South Carolina in Con
gress?"~
The indignation of the crowd against
Gantt's course showed Itself by the
loud and long continued applause of these
words.
While the excitement was at its high.
est, General Farley said In a cold, metal
lic voice: "Yes, and its not the first
lie lie (')antt) has insinuated."
When the crowd had finished yelling
the apuroval of McLaurin's sentiment
one voice shouted "Hurrah for the Head
light."
Mcbaurin called attention to the fact
that only one man had yelled for the
Iheadlight, but the shouter could gel, no
reinforcements, McLaurin told him he
was one poor, pitiful little headlight by
himself, which drew down on the shou
ter the laughter of the crowd.
Prior to these exciting episodes Mc
L7 iurln had another spat with Gantt,
who wanted to know whether McLaurin
wvould sup~ort Tillmian or Butler and said
some one had telegraphed him from
Washington to ask that qnestion.
Mci~'urin replied: . ".Neither you nor
your boss in Washington can bulidose
me. I will support the man who stands
flaitfooted for our demands."
Gantt tried to claim that this was not
a direct answer, but the crowd evidently
concurrred in the opinion that McLsurin
was right in saying that Tillman ought
only US5 supported just so long as he,
s'tick to 'he principles of the farmers'
movement and no longer, and commend
ed his position of refusal to say he would
hhindly supiport Tiliiman without any re
faruce to his principles-Register.
The War is Over.
IAUGoUSTA, GA. March 24.-Col. D.
B. Dyci, wvho was elected colonel of
the 6th Georgia regiment, was called on
tonight by a committee fcom differernt
comnpamies and oficially notifled of his
election. Col. Dyer was forced on ac.
couut ~of husiness to refuse the offiee
aud~aniotheir mqan will hove to be belected
Col. Dyer'si erection as colonel of the
Georgia reir499 'vas signiaicant from the
tact that he ffr a Repubican, and was a -
I ofiere in the UT'mn arm.